Linfield College
Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Course Number: PSYC 155
Coursing Title: Lifespan Developmental
Psychology
Credits: 4 credits
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Linfield College
Course Number:
Coursing Title:
Credits:
Psychology 155
Lifespan Developmental Psychology
4 credits
Faculty:
Mary Lee R. Nitschke, PhD, CAAB
Professor of Psychology
Office: PDX-campus Loveridge Hall 25
Office Phone: 503-413-7914
E-mail: mnitschk@linfield.edu
Office Hours: Friday afternoons, 2-5pm for direct phone calls.
Course Description: The study of bio social developmental processes in the context of
individual psychological development from conception to death. Emphasis on life transitions
and their multi-determined influences in human development. Applied science orientation.
Course Philosophy: Lifespan development concerns the patterns of growth, change, and
stability in behavior that occur throughout the entire life span. It is an introduction to
understanding of the determinants of our behavior of our self and others. This is always
contextual and involves understanding the influences of our natural and cultural history, e.g.
biological and social influences such as culture, social group, family constellation, belief
systems, values and lifestyle choices. The course builds on knowledge acquired in general
education courses as well as the cognitive repertoire acquired in the general sciences. Linfield
College promotes the view that learning is a transformative process requiring active participation
and involvement of the student and faculty. The course is designed to construct cognitive
processes of critical analysis through application of student centered learning methods.
Course Hours: Four Credit Hours
Three theory credit hours: Time commitment for a 3 credit course is 12 hours per week of
student engagement. This includes class time (reading lectures and completing class discussion
topics), homework, assignments and readings. One additional hour in online laboratory activities
each week.
Course Outcomes:
Course Outcomes and Learning Objectives:
1. Demonstrates scholarly evaluation of resources in topic area using critical analysis.
LEARNING objectives: Understand individual,systemic,and/or social processes. Analyzes
individuals,systems,societies through multiple frames of reference.
2. Critically analyzes sources of empirical knowledge regarding psychological development.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE; Think criticallly about the ways that society affects individual
behavior and/or individual behavior affects society.
3. Explores ethical conduct in behavior research and applied developmental psychology
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4. Demonstrates professional communication skills in topic area; writing, interpersonal
exchange, intrapersonal understanding, and presentation of information
LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
Articulate how key theoretical priniciples can be used to explain individual and social processes,
inform public policy and/or develop practical approaches to human problems acress local,
regional, and/or global contexts..
5. Critically analyzes developmental behavior related research and information sources.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Think criticallly about the ways that society affects individual
behavior and/or individual behavior affects society.
Teaching-Learning Strategies:
Student Centered Learning Strategies
Exploratory learning and behavior observation evaluations
Scaffolding strategies for concept construction
Content sequencing: patterns in chronological, developmental transitions and application
of principles of development across the lifespan of an individual.
Required Text & Resources:
1. Craig and Dunn, (2010) 2e. Understanding Human Development. Pearson.
2. www.mydevelopmentlab.com (MDL) Exercises in observation for above text.
3. MyVirtualChild. (MVC) Online interactive laboratory unit for above text.
Specific assignments in the discussion areas and provided on content page Blackboard e-learning
center
Required Supplies:
Computer access for participation. The Linfield Campus computer labs provide access. Contact
the help desk for specific software requirements for personal computers. I cannot solve
blackboard issues for you nor can I fix your computer or help you with any technical
support. If you have issues with Blackboard contact Ken Thompson via emailkethomps@linfield.edu. If you have issues with a computer problem e.g.-online access, viewing
online media, logging into My Development Lab/My Virtual Child please contact the IT
Department on campus.
System requirements of MyDevelopmentLab (MDL):
Pentium Multimedia PC
Windows 2000 with Internet Exploror 5. 5 or above
Windows XP with Internet Explorer 6 .0 or above
Internet connection ( 5 6K modem or +;T1,DSL or cable)
Web browser
6 4MB RAM (128MB recommended)
Monitor resolution: 1024 x 768
Course Readings: Access course readings on Blackboard course content page.
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Grading Criteria: Access grading rubrics on Blackboard course content page, My Development
Lab (MDL), exam guidelines and course announcements.
Assignment Instructions: Access assignment instructions on Blackboard course content page
under assignments.
Grading Criteria & Evaluation Methods:
All course outcomes must be met as evaluated by the following assignments and activities.
There are four major evaluation segments for student performance in this course. Each segment
is worth 25% of your final course grade.
PART A: My Virtual Child Discussion Exercises = 100 points = 25%
PART B: Chapter Exams and Syllabus Exam (average)= 100 points= 25%
PART C: Mid Term Exam and Final Exam (average of the two) = 100 points = 25%
PART D: Assigned Exercises = 100 points = 25%
There are 400 total points available for the course grade. A 73% score is the minimum
acceptable for the Nursing major.
The final course grade will be A-F based on the following percentages:
A
93-100
A90-92
B+
87-89
B
83-86
B80-82
C+
77-79
C
73-76
C70-72 (unsatisfactory grade)
D+
67-69
D
60-68
F
0-59
To Help Calculate Grades
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PART A:
My Virtual Child (MVC) Assignments (25%)
Assignment
MVC 1
MVC 2
MVC 3
MVC 4
MVC 5
MVC 6
MVC 7
MVC 8
Points Possible
12.5
12.5
12.5
12.5
12.5
12.5
12.5
12.5
Total MVC Points
100
Points you received
MVC Assignments are worth 25% of your grade. Do not add MVC Bonus points here. The
Bonus points are added to your overall score at the end of the term.
PART B:
MDL Chapter Exam Average Score and Syllabus Exam (25%)
Assignment
Chapter Exam Average from
MDL (Ch. 1-18) [*MDL will
generate this number if you look
under your grade book and exam
average*] + syllabus exam score
from BB Learn
Points Possible
100
Points you received
(Ch. Exam Average + Syllabus
Exam)/2 =
(This is your average)
(Take the average generated by
MDL Ch. Exams (1-18) +
syllabus exam score from BB)/2
= average used to determine the
Chapter Exam 25% of your
grade. Example: MDL says your
exam average for chapters 1-18=
85% and you got 95% on your
syllabus exam (85+95=180/2=
90; therefore 90/100=90.
Chapter Exam Average from MDL and the Syllabus Exam are worth 25% of your grade.
PART C:
Exam Score (25%)
Assignment
Midterm
Final
Points Possible
100
100
Points you received
Midterm + Final/2=
The average score from the Midterm & Final are worth 25% of your grade. Add your points
received and divide it by two to find your exam average [Example: Midterm 85 + Final 90 =
175/2 = 87.5 average].
PART D:
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Assigned Exercises (25%)
Assignment
Sex Unknown
Kid’s World: Babies Learn
Kid’s World: Born to Talk
Kid’s World: Magic Years 1
Kid’s World: Magic Years 2
Adolescence Media Assignment
Seasons of Life 3
Seasons of Life 4
Seasons of Life 5/Living Old
Gheel- All in the Family/Eden Alternative
Total Points Possible
Points Possible
10
5
5
5
5
10
15
15
15
15
100
Points you received
Exercise Assignments are worth 25% of your grade.
Summing it All Up
Match the corresponding number in the colors from PARTS A-D above with the colors shown
below. This is the final calculation to determine your final grade for the course.
PART A (
PART B (
PART C (
+ PART D (
) * 0.25)
) * 0.25)
) * 0.25)
) * 0.25)
= Final Grade
Understanding the pattern of the course
•
•
•
Online courses require a great deal of reading and writing. You will discover by the end
of the course, a deep knowledge about behavior science and related lifespan development
research and a developed cognitive skill for critically analyzing published research in the
domain of psychological science and popular press news.
Weekly; class begins on Friday and closes on Thursday at 11:59 PM
Learning activities, chapter quizzes, chapter assignments, My Virtual Child assignments
and all submissions are due each Thursday at 11:59 PM unless otherwise instructed by
the professor. The final exam is due Sunday, August 26th @ 11:59 PM.
Course Assignments
The online course room (Blackboard) contains the instructions and grading rubrics for each
assignment and exercise. All course activities and assignments are designed to support your mastery
of the course material. The strategy is to create a scaffolding of learning resulting in a broader
understanding of psychological research and how you will understand the transitions in lifespan
development.
.
My Virtual Child
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APPENDIX 2
COPY OF THE INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAM
It might be useful to print out these instructions that appear on the screen at the beginning
of the program as a resource. They are printed below.
Use the information in THIS version, e.g. the Nine Question version. This corresponds to your
text in chronologically organized content.
Welcome to My Virtual Child!
OVERVIEW OF MY VIRTUAL CHILD – please print out and read this!
Congratulations! You are the proud parent of a virtual child! You will be raising this
virtual child from birth to 18 years of age. Your virtual child has a unique set of
characteristics at birth, some of which were influenced by your answers to the
assessments you completed when you first logged onto My Virtual Child. These
characteristics will gradually emerge and affect his or her behavior and development. In
addition to these individual differences, there are also universal aspects of development
that all virtual children will display. My virtual child covers physical, social, emotional,
and cognitive development at several age levels. This will give you an opportunity to
visualize "the whole child" at various points in development.
HOW MY VIRTUAL CHILD WORKS
As your virtual child progresses through each age level, you will read about events
occurring in his or her virtual life and you will be asked to make decisions about your
virtual child. Answer the questions( NOTE: USE QUESTIONS IN Appendix 4, the Nine
assignment version questions) the way you think you would act as a real parent. You
will have a "partner" (which you can assume to be your spouse, unmarried partner, or
whatever you like). You and your partner are assumed to be the biological parents (a
male and a female) to make the programming of My Virtual Child as simple as possible.
You should assume that a week or more passes between each event or question at a
particular age level. The events that happen in your child's life, and the decisions you
make as a parent will gradually change your child's inborn characteristics, and will
shape other characteristics of the child that emerge after birth. The virtual childʼs
behavior may vary across ages and settings, although there are basic personality and
intellectual traits that remain generally consistent. In addition to the events and
questions, you will see typical assessments of your child's behavior at the end of many
age levels (pediatrician's report, developmental assessment, psychologist's report, and
various school report cards). Some terms and concepts may be unfamiliar to you.
Approximately 50 short definitions are available as you roll over certain terms. More
complex concepts (such as temperament, personality type and multiple intelligences)
are explained in boxes that pop up at appropriate points. Finally, to help you visualize
some of the concepts in My Virtual Child, brief videos are available at almost every age
level.
WRITING/DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENTS
There are 9 sets of critical thinking questions (three questions per set) built in to the
program. The question sets are designed to be written up as brief papers. and are
designed to help you connect your virtual childʼs development with course concepts.
Each question set appears twice: first at the beginning of the age periods they apply to,
so that you can think about the questions and take notes, and again at the point where
they should be written up or discussed. The last question set asks you to reflect on your
own development from your last years in high school through your first years of college.
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NAVIGATING THROUGH MY VIRTUAL CHILD
At any point, you can look at past events, questions, and answers by clicking on the
time line at the top of the screen. Click on "Resume Questions" to go from the time line
back to the questions where you left off.
You can log off at any time; your information and completed responses are saved
automatically. Should you accidentally skip a question, you will be prompted to go back.
If you see a screen that says "Time Passes", there are no questions at that point for
your particular child. Continue on.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M BEING A GOOD PARENT?
Many students wonder how they will know when they have given the "right" response to
the questions posed to them as parents. The goal of the program is to convey the broad
sweep of child development from the point of view of a parent observing a child. The
way this is done is by showing you "snapshots" of a child's typical behavior over a
period of time (e.g., one year). The program is not fully interactive; that is, the child in
the scenarios rarely responds immediately to something you do as a parent. Instead,
the child gradually changes, in response to parenting choices, innate temperamental or
personality characteristics, random environmental events, and general developmental
principles. In other words, as in real life, you won't find out whether you have made the
"right" choices as a parent until you see how the child turns out at various ages, in a
variety of contexts (e.g., home, school, peer group). Feedback about child outcomes
can be gleaned from your observation of the child's behavior, from comments or reports
from teachers and other professionals, and from other "outcome data" (e.g., grades in
school, success in peer relationships).
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR PARENTING MY VIRTUAL CHILD
Although feedback about parenting choices is not provided on a question by question
basis, some guidelines for being a "good" parent to your Virtual Child can be articulated.
In many cases, the "right" answer is the answer provided by developmental research
and theory, which often corresponds to common sense (e.g., comfort a crying baby). In
some cases, the "right" answer to a question will depend on the child's developmental
level or personality. In other cases, there is more than one "right" answer. Generally
speaking, the more extreme answers (i.e., overly strict or overly lenient) will lead to
more extreme outcomes with regard to the childʼs behavior, but this may interact with
your child's temperament. Some Virtual Children are harder to get along with and to
control, as appears to be the case in real life. Occasionally someone (a developmental
examiner, a teacher, a psychologist, or your child him/herself) will tell you directly how
you are doing as a parent in terms of two dimensions: warmth/affection and
control/discipline. These dimensions are the basis for four main parenting styles
discussed in your book (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and neglecting). You
and your classmates may deliberately decide to vary methods and styles of parenting in
order to see how this affects your Virtual Children.
Have fun raising your Virtual Child!
Completing this Virtual Child program is expected to take roughly 20 hours through
assignment #8. Put it into your time management schedule now as part of your “class time”.
It is built in a scaffold style and is cumulative, so it isn’t something you can do all at once.
The assignments will be due almost weekly as each age group section is completed. The
more work you put into these section assignments the easier it will be to complete the
midterm exam confidently and competently.
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Late Assignments:
Request for extension of the due dates for assignments must be discussed with the instructor three
days before the assigned due date. Unless previous arrangements have been approved by the
instructor, or extenuating circumstances arise, late assignments will receive a deduction of 5% on
the assignment grade for each day the assignment is late. Look on the schedule attached at the end
of the syllabus as there are cut off dates of when late work will no longer be accepted.
Role Expectations:
Student-Centered Learning
1. In order to be successful in the course the student must:
Engage in course activities
Keep in close communication with the course instructor
Complete weekly course assignments in sequence
Complete the readings and content modules
Complete learning activities and assignments
Complete the syllabus exam.
2.
If this course were offered face-to-face, you would be spending 4 hours/week sitting in the
classroom and at least 9 hours/week with out-of-class homework/studying activities. I expect the
same in this course. The difference is that you have much more flexibility as how you do this.
3. ALL Assignments must be submitted as an attachment using MS Word or MAC Word, I
cannot read documents submitted in Word Perfect, Vista Word or Works. (the IT department is
getting closer to setting us up with Vista Word). Do not just copy or type in the response section on
BB—APA format will not be correct this way!
4. All assignments are to be submitted using APA format, citations and references. If you are
rusty or need assistance with APA use the APA tab for resources in MDL or please contact the
writing center. The level of writing for this course is expected at second year college level. Please let
me know if you need assistance, or contact the learning center and the writing center. You are
required to use APA format in all Nursing courses & professional communication in the
social/nursing sciences. Learning to use it now will facilitate your future in college and your career.
Your textbook uses APA format for citations, references to sources of information and Bibliography.
Citing the sources of your information is an acquired skill that needs to become a habit in your
writing.
5. Submit all assignments by 11:59 PM of the due date. Late submissions require discussing with me
at least 3 days beforehand and 5% points will be deducted for each day the assignment is late.
*Points will not be deferred unless rationale for delay is of extenuating circumstances such as a
family emergency. The assignments in the course are generously timed to decrease the risk of delays.
6. The time to be concerned about your work is within the first 4 weeks of the course, not the last
weeks. It helps to keep track of your progress on a regular basis and the Blackboard format permits
you to do that through “My Grades.” USE the grade tracker in the syllabus to keep track of your
grade. Let me know if you are having difficulty with the course, the material, or related issues. My
purpose is to help you learn and I am available to you if needed. If you want to meet with me, please
make an appointment by calling or emailing me. If you are struggling, let me know immediately
so I may assist you and make sure your learning experience is productive.
7. If you are having trouble with the technology, inform the helpdesk or IT department for
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assistance. AGAIN--I cannot solve blackboard issues for you nor can I fix your computer or help
you with any technical support. If you have issues with Blackboard contact Ken Thompson via email- kethomps@linfield.edu . If you have issues with a computer problem e.g.-online access,
viewing online media, logging into My Development Lab/My Virtual Child please contact the IT
Department on campus.
8. Use my Office Hours, e-mail or call me with questions, comments, concerns about the course,
schedule, assignments, etc. Other times may be available by prior appointment.
What students can expect of the professor:
1. I will check Blackboard course site daily Monday through Friday. If you send me an e-mail on the
weekend, I will respond on Monday. Generally allow 24 hrs for a response from me but sometimes
during conferences it may be 48 hours.
2. I am teaching two other courses and may take longer to read assignments. I will read as fast and as
carefully as I can. I greatly respect the effort you have put into assignments.
3. I will be available in my office on Fridays 2- 5 (unless otherwise noted in the class schedule) if
you wish to drop by for assistance (my office is on the Portland campus). However, if you really
need to see me, it is best to make a specific appointment. I will be available times other than my
office hours, but making an appointment will facilitate our communication.
4. The assignment rubrics and guidelines for responses are designed to provide a clear
understanding of grading criteria. If you have questions or concerns about the rubrics, please
speak to me before you start the assignment. I recommend you review the rubrics the first week
of the course to understand what is expected in the assignments.
POLICIES
WITHDRAWING FROM COURSE:
A student may withdraw from the course and not have it appear on their transcript up until the
date outlined by the registrar for SUMMER 2012. A student may withdraw and receive a "W" on
their transcript up until the date outlined by the registrar for SUMMER 2012.
INCOMPLETE COURSE WORK:
A grade of incomplete will not be given for PSYCH 155 except for extremely extenuating
circumstances. Before such a grade is awarded, it requires the approval of the course instructor,
as well as a signed contract specifying remaining requirements and due dates. Contact the
campus registrar’s office for forms.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
Academic work is evaluated on the assumption that the work presented is the student's own,
unless designated otherwise. Anything less is unacceptable and is considered academically
dishonest. Academic dishonesty includes:
Cheating: Use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in
any academic work submitted for credit.
Plagiarism: Submission of academic work for credit that includes material copied or
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paraphrased from published or unpublished works without documentation.
Fabrication: Deliberate falsification or invention of any information or citation in
academic work.
Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Knowingly helping or attempting to help another to
violate the College's policy on academic dishonesty.
Students guilty of such acts are subject to disciplinary action. In dealing with academic
dishonesty, the instructor shall have discretion as to what penalty to impose regarding the course
grade. Instructors are required, when discovering a case of academic dishonesty, to inform the
Dean of Students, as well as the student, in writing of the incident within 10 days of the
discovery of the offense. The Dean of Students is responsible for referring all cases involving
more than one offense by the same student directly to the College Judicial Council. The Judicial
Council may impose College-level penalties upon the offending students. Student may appeal a
decision of an instructor to the Judicial Council.
Academic Policies and Procedures, p.18
Linfield College Catalogue
DISABILITY STATEMENT:
McMinnville Campus: Students with disabilities are protected by the Americans with Disabilities
Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. If you are a student with a disability and feel you
may require academic accommodations, contact Cheri White, Assistant Director of Learning
Support Services (LSS), within the first two weeks of the semester to request accommodations.
LSS is located in Walker 126 (503-883-2444). We also recommend students communicate with
their faculty about their accommodations and any special needs an instructor should be aware of.
Portland Campus: Students with disabilities are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act
and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. If you are a student with a disability and feel you may
require academic accommodations, contact Ken Westhusing, Assistant Director of Learning
Support Services (LSS), within the first two weeks of the semester to request accommodations.
LSS is located in Loveridge Hall, 24, (503-413-8219).
Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodation, who have emergency
medical information that the instructor should know, or who require special arrangements in the
event of an evacuation, should meet with the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first
day of class.
“No college or university can give one an education. Becoming educated does not follow
inevitably from anything done by anybody else. Becoming educated depends upon you and what
you do.
Actually it is a happy circumstance that the outcome of college rests mainly on you. It means
your life is in your hands. You need not trust luck, not even another person’s generosity, skill,
and wisdom. They do not determine whether you become highly educated nor what sort of life
you have. You do.”
Virginia Voeks, in On Becoming an Educated Person.
Calendar of due dates/what you need to do each week is on the following pages! I suggest
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you print this out to keep you on track.