MASSASOIT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
HUMAN GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT
PSYC 205 E1 & E2
Fall 2013
INSTRUCTOR: Lori E. Azzara, Psy.D.
PHONE: 508-801-8441 (cell)
OFFICE HOURS: This is an online class, I am available via e-mail, but I am willing to meet
with you in person.
e-mail: leazzara@usa.net (I am not listing my Massasoit e-mail address this email goes to my
smart phone, making it easier for me to respond to you in a timely fashion.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course includes an exploration of the physiological and
psychological development of the human organism throughout the life span including childhood,
adolescence, adulthood, old age, and death. Emphasis is placed on those factors that are most
influential in changes that occur during each of our life stages as well as some of the problems
associated with such changes.
Prerequisite: General Psychology (PSYC101) or Departmental Approval
ORIENTATION SESSIONS: There is no “in person” orientation. Everything you need to
know can be found either on this syllabus or the Course Orientation. You can access the course
within Canvas. To access the course go to: http://www.massasoit.mass.edu
Click the MyMassasoit Login logo on the left side of the screen
Enter your MyMassasoit ID and password
Here you should find the Online Course Orientation section (on the right hand side)
If this is your first online class, you will likely benefit from an on campus orientation (Brockton
campus only). The dates and times can be found in the MyMassasoit portal at Massasoit’s web
page (noted above)
Technical Orientation: All students new to online learning at Massasoit are required to sign
onto MyMassasoit and then select the “Online Orientation” section. Again, access to this is
through the Massasoit home page: http://www.massasoit.mass.edu.
This is a general orientation and is not specific to this course but will help you learn to navigate
through the online format.
Course Orientation: All students taking this course (PSYC205) are expected to complete the
exercise contained in the course orientation. Additionally, you should print the “Online
Orientation” information found under this course heading when you sign onto MyMassasoit and
select this course. Here I will review the syllabus, including criteria for grading, assignments,
Discussions, and testing. You will also be directed to the course’s web page for download of
course materials.
REQUIRED TEXT: Rathus, S. A. (2014). HDEV. 3rd Ed.. Belmont, CA: Cengage Publishing
PUBLISHER’S WEB SITE:
There will be information provided on Canvas as to how to access the publisher’s web site. You
WILL NEED an Access Key (which is provided with your textbook). You will also need a
course key and the information will be on the Announcement page in Canvas.
It is extremely important that you register on the Publisher’s web site by Sunday evening,
September 8th. Contact me at leazzara@usa.net if you have a problem.
TEACHING FORMAT: This is an online course. Therefore, the materials necessary for
learning are located on the Internet (MyMassasoit (Canvas) and the Publishers web page:
www.cengagebrain.com (when you get to this site, you can search for the book by entering in
HDEV – this will bring up the most recent edition first (3rd edition), and you will need the text.
Students are encouraged to actively participate in the Discussions and contact me if additional
explanation of material is required. I prefer the contact be via e-mail. However, if you need to
reach me immediately, you can call my cell phone (508-801-8441).
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Massasoit Community
College is committed to non-discrimination of persons with disabilities, as specified in Chapter
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Students in need of classroom or testing accommodations are encouraged to
contact Disability Services at the beginning of each semester. For the Brockton or Middleboro
Campus, please contact Andrea Henry at extension 1805 or Julie McNeill-Kenerson at extension
1424. For Canton Campus, please contact Andrea or Julie at extension 2132.
ATTENDANCE/CLASS PARTICIPATION: Although this is an online course, you are
expected to complete work by assigned dates, throughout the semester (the traditional week goes
from Monday to Sunday). Work is typically due, except the exams, by 11:59 on Sunday of a
given week to receive full credit!) However, see the syllabus for specifics. Please review the
course schedule and make note of the dates work is due. Students are expected to participate in
Discussions and ask questions, as needed. Discussions and the online chapter quizzes (from the
publisher’s web page) are due each week, but the LAST possible date to submit work is by 9 pm
when a test is turned off. In other words, if a test is turned off at 9 pm on a specific date, the
Discussions and Quizzes relating to the chapters covered on the exam must be completed by the
9 pm deadline to receive any credit. Materials received/posted after the test is turned off will not
receive credit. The last day to complete work for this semester is Friday, December 13, 2013 at 9
pm. There are four (4) unit Exams and each exam will be available for only a limited amount of
time and students should consult the course schedule which follows for specific deadlines. You
must take the test during the assigned time. I do not give “make up” exams. (So, again, make
note of the dates and check your calendar often. This is your responsibility). Anyone anticipating
a problem must contact me immediately. Tutorial Quizzes and Discussions received after the
date of the exam they correspond to (without prior approval from me) will not receive credit.
From time-to-time students ask about “extra credit” work. I do not have “extra credit”
work in any of my courses (in person, or online). Although you might think this is harsh, I
believe it is better to put your full effort into the assigned work, rather than thinking about the
need for “extra credit. Additionally, the Discussion questions and the Publisher’s online quizzes
are intended to be “easy points” and can help raise a student’s grade. Their intent is to help you
digest and understand the course material, but they are also intended to be “easy points.” So
don’t miss out on the opportunity to receive full credit by (1) completing the work on time, and
(2) for Discussion posts, following the requirements (respond in a full paragraph using
appropriate spelling, grammar, etc.).
Lastly, although you are welcome to do your work ahead of schedule, I will not post points
for work you have completed ahead of time. I typically post points on Sunday. IF you send work
after I have posted, you will see the points posted no later than the following week. One of the
reasons I don’t post points ahead is to help students determine their grade at the end of each
week. I will post the total possible points you could have earned (on the syllabus) so you can
have an estimate of how you are doing.
GRADING: Your final grade will be based on four unit exams; Blackboard discussions and
Quiz grades taken on the publisher’s web page (listed as Multiple Choice) for each chapter.
Below is the approximate weight of each group of possible grades.
Unit Exams
(4 x 99 pts = 396)
50%
Discussions/orientation [(19 x 12) + 10 = 238]
30%
Online Tutorial Quizzes (19 x 10 pts = 190)
20%
824 points
100%
Your final grade is based on the number of “Points” you earn. See the Course Orientation within
Canvas for additional information. At the end of the semester, the maximum number of points
you can have earned is 824. Your final grade is based on the following:
A
766-824
B659-683
D+
560-576
A742-765
C+
643-658
D
519-559
B+
725-741
C
602-642
D494-518
B
684-724
C577-601
F
Below 494
You can determine how you are doing both weekly and after each test. I am including in the
syllabus the total possible points you can have as of Sunday of each week and following each
test. Take the points you have and divide by the possible points to get an estimate of your grade.
A =
A- =
B+ =
B =
B- =
93+
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
MCC Grading System
C+ = 77-79 2.3
C = 73-76 2.0
C- = 70-72 1.7
D+ = 67-69 1.3
D = 63-66 1.0
D- = 60-62
F = below 60
0.7
0.0
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon successful completion of this course, students should have a
firm grasp of the following topics:
1. Discuss how the biological, cognitive, and psychosocial domains interact for the developing
person from conception through death.
2. Consider how the interplay of nature and nurture affects development across the
life-span.
3. Discuss how developmental concepts apply to "real-life" situations.
4. Identify the major theories of development in terms of their strengths and weaknesses and
what the implications are for what they tell us about how, when and why a person develops.
5. Understand how the scientific method is used in research on human development
6. Explain how theoretical perspectives and research findings influence one another.
7. Discuss how contextual issues - including age, gender, culture, socioeconomic status and
ethnicity - broaden our understanding of human development and note how the
multidisciplinary nature of human development contributes to this understanding.
COURSE OUTLINE/Calendar
Weeks are listed from Monday through Sunday! (Exception, Week #1 and 15)
Please pay careful attention to when the exams are available. The days change each week!
* Although assignments indicate “read” it is assumed you will skim the chapters and pay
attention to figures and tables, as well as supplement the outlines/power points I provide. At the
end of each chapter there are 10 multiple choice study questions which you should review (in
addition to the online quizzes). The answers to the study questions at the end of each chapter can
be found on pp. 410-411.
Week 1, September 4 - 8, 2013 (Wednesday through Sunday)
Chapter 1: History, Theories, and Methods
Assignment: Skim Chapters 1, pp. 1 – 21. This information should be a review and
therefore we will not spend much time on it. Students are encouraged to refer
to Introduction to Psychology notes if they are helpful.
Complete the Chapter 1 Discussion questions on the course web page
on Canvas.
Complete the Chapter 1 Exam Practice on the publisher’s web site
Chapter 2: Heredity and Prenatal Development
Assignment: Read Chapter 2, pp. 23 – 47.
Complete the Chapter 2 Discussion questions on the course web page
on Canvas.
Complete the Chapter 2 Exam Practice on the publisher’s web site.
(Make sure you are registered for the class so I can see your name on the roster – this
earns you the “orientation assignment” points for the course!)
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 54
Week 2, September 9 - 15, 2013
Chapter 2 continued
Chapter 3: Birth and the Newborn Baby: In the New World
Assignment: Read Chapter 3, pp. 49 – 69.
Complete the Chapter 3 Discussion questions on the course web page
on Canvas.
Complete the Chapter 3 Exam Practice on the publisher’s web site
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 76
Week 3, September 16 - 22, 2013
Chapter 4: Infancy: Physical Development
Chapter 5: Infancy: Cognitive Development
Assignment: Read Chapters 4 & 5, pp. 71–89 and 91 -111.
Complete Chapter 4 & 5 Discussion questions on the course web page
on Canvas.
Complete Chapters 4 & 5 Exam Practice quizzes on the publisher’s web
site
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 120
Week 4, September 23 – 29, 2013
Chapter6: Infancy: Social and Emotional Development
Assignment: Read Chapter 6; pp. 113 – 131.
Complete the Chapter 6 Discussion questions on the course web page
on Canvas.
Complete the Chapter 6 Exam Practice on the publisher’s web site
***
Prepare for Exam 1 on Chapters 1 – 6.
Exam # 1, on Chapters 1 – 6, will be available at noontime on Tuesday, October
1, 2013 and will be turned off at 9 pm on Thursday, October 3, 2013. You
should have the online Exam Practices and the Discussions for Chapters 1 – 6
completed no later than 9 pm on 10/3/13
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 142
Week 5, September 30 – October 6, 2013
***
Reminder, Test 1 is available from noon on 10/1/13 until 9 pm on 10/3/13. Please
plan your time accordingly. It is NOT in your best interest to save the exam
until the last minute, especially since you need to be working on the next
chapter’s material.
The total points you can have at the end of Exam 1 is: 241
Chapter 7: Early Childhood: Physical and Cognitive Development
Assignment: Read Chapter 7, pp. 133 – 155.
Complete the Chapter 7 Discussion questions on the course web page
on Canvas.
Complete Chapter 7 Exam Practice quiz on the publisher’s web site.
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 263
Week 6, October 7 – 13, 2013
Chapter 8: Early Childhood: social and Emotional Development
Chapter 9: Middle Childhood: Physical and Cognitive Development
Assignment: Read Chapters 8 & 9, pp. 157 – 174 and 177 - 205.
Complete Chapter 8 & 9 Discussion questions on the course web page on
Canvas.
Complete Chapters 8 & 9 Exam Practice quizzes on the publisher’s web
site
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 307
Week 7, October 14 - 20, 2013
10/14/13
Columbus Day; no class
Chapter 9 continued
Chapter 10: Middle Childhood: Social and Emotional Development
***
***
Assignment: Read Chapter 10, pp. 207 – 224
Complete Chapter 10 Discussion questions on the course web page on
Canvas.
Complete Chapter 10 Exam Practice on the publisher’s web site
Prepare for Exam 2 on Chapters 7 - 10
Exam # 2, on Chapters 7 - 10, will be available at noontime on October 18, 2013
and will be turned off at 9 pm on October 20, 2013. You should have the
online Exam Practices and Discussions for Chapters 7 – 10 completed
no later than 9 pm on 10/20/13.
The total points you can have at the end of Exam 2 is: 428
Week 8, October 21 – 27, 2013
Chapter 11: Adolescence: Physical and Cognitive Development
Chapter 12: Adolescence: Social and Emotional Development
Assignment: Read Chapter 11 & 12, pp. 227 – 245 and 247 – 262.
Complete the Chapter 11 and 12 Discussion questions on the course web
page on the Canvas.
Complete the Chapter 11 & 12 Exam Practices on the publisher’s web
site.
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 472
Week 9, October 28 - November 3, 2013
Chapter 12 continued
Chapter 13: Early Adulthood: Physical and Cognitive Development
Assignment: Read Chapters 13, pp. 265 – 284.
Complete the Chapter 13 Discussion questions on the course web page
on Canvas.
Complete the Chapter 13 Exam Practice on the publisher’s web site
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 494
Week 10, November 4 - 10, 2013
Chapter 14: Early Adulthood: Social and Emotional Development
Assignment: Read Chapters 14, pp. 287 – 309.
Complete the Chapter 14 Discussion questions on the course web page
on Canvas.
Complete the Chapter 14 Exam Practice on the publisher’s web site
***
Prepare for Exam #3 on Chapters 11 – 14.
11/8/13
Exam # 3 will be available from noontime on 11/8/13 until 9 pm on 11/10/13.
You should have online Exam Practices and the Discussions for Chapters 11 – 14
completed no later than 9 pm on 11/10/13
(For some this will be a 3 day weekend, so plan accordingly!)
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 615
Week 11, November 11 – 17, 2013
11/11/13
Veterans’ Day, No Classes
Chapter 15: Middle Adulthood: Physical and Cognitive Development
Assignment: Read Chapter 15, pp. 311 – 329
Complete Chapter 15 Discussion Questions on the course web page
on Canvas.
Complete Chapter 15 Exam Practice on the publisher’s web site
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 637
Week 12, November 18 – 24, 2013
Chapter 16: Middle Adulthood: Social and Emotional Development
Chapter 17: Late Adulthood: Physical and Cognitive Development
Assignment: Read Chapters 16 & 17, pp. 331 – 347 and 349-369.
Complete the Chapters 16 & 17 Discussion questions on the course web page
on Canvas.
Complete Chapters 16 & 17 Exam Practices on the publisher’s website.
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 681
Week 13, November 25 – December 1, 2013
Chapter 17 con’t
**** Thanksgiving recess begins at 4 pm on 11/27/13. Classes resume 12/2/13.
Since this is Thanksgiving week, it is a good opportunity for you to catch up on
work owed, or to plan ahead for the last weeks of the semester.
Week 14, December 2 - 8, 2013
Chapter 18: Late Adulthood: Social and Emotional Development
Chapter 19: Life’s Final Chapter
Assignment: Read Chapters 18 & 19, pp. 371 – 389 and 391 – 408.
Complete Chapter 18 & 19 Discussion questions on the course web page
on the Canvas.
Complete Chapters 18 & 19 Exam Practices on the publisher’s web site
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 725
Week 15, December 9 - 14, 2013 (note this goes from the Monday to Saturday)
Chapter 19 continued
Assignment: Complete any remaining work for the class.
***
Prepare for Exam # 4 on Chapters 15 - 19
Exam #4, on Chapters 15 - 19, will be available at noontime on 12/12/13 and will be turned
off at 9 pm on 12/14/13. You should have the online Exam Practices and the
Discussion postings for Chapters 15 – 19 completed no later than 12/14/13.
The total points you can have at the end of this week is: 824
*** All course work must be submitted by 9 pm on December 14, 2013. Work received after
this time will not receive credit (unless approved by Dr. Azzara).