Syllabus

Participation - 20 points
Group Presentations - 40 points
Thought Paper - 35 points
Journal Critique - 25 Points

Your participation is expected and required! Class participation is awarded based on written class assignments and your contribution to class discussion. You are responsible for doing the reading in advance of class, and taking an active role in class activities and discussion. I value most those discussions in which you are doing most of the talking. Aside from voicing comments, actively paying attention to each other is key. Engaging in distracting activities (e.g., working on the Daily crossword puzzle) will result in points deducted from section participation.

I understand that some students may feel uncomfortable sharing thoughts in large groups, nevertheless I encourage you to express yourself. To facilitate ease, discussions will also vary in format (e.g., small group discussion, activities, classroom demonstrations). We will be covering a variety of controversial issues and topics that may hold special significance for students. It is important to discuss ideas in a cooperative and respectful manner, recognizing that others may have differing opinions. This is one of the most valuable aspects of section! Challenge yourself to see things from others’ points of view and use feedback from each other to augment your ideas.

In order to foster cooperative learning and an in-depth study of a particular topic of interest, students will be responsible for participating in a group presentation on a controversial or policy-relevant issue in developmental psychology. Each group will consist of 3-4 students and the presentation should last about 30-35 minutes. Your group is responsible for scheduling an appointment with me at least one week before your presentation so that we can discuss ideas.

Presentation Guidelines:

• Create a written summary of the presentation for the class (3-5 pages). Touch on the main points of your presentation and include an analysis of how developmental theories and research learned in this course apply to your topic.
• Try to consider multiple perspectives. Look at your topic from a cross-cultural view (e.g., explore socioeconomic status, gender, race, or nationality) or consider how policymakers might view the issue differently from developmental researchers.
• Incorporate three journal articles in your presentation for additional information. Include the references in your written summary.
• Design an interactive activity for the class. Avoid lecturing – get the class involved! Games, debates, worksheets, discussion questions, skits, and guest speakers are a few suggestions.

Presentations will be graded for their content, the quality of preparation, and the extent to which the presentation engages in the class in a meaningful discussion. Each group member is expected to contribute to the presentation, and part of the presentation grade will involve group members rating each other’s level of participation.

Click here for grading rubric of group presentations.

During Week 2, students will indicate their first, second, and third topic choices, which will determine group assignment. Every effort will be made to assign students to their first or second choice.

This 4-5 page paper should incorporate course material (textbook, lectures, and/or discussion) as well as your own opinions and experiences. The topics are designed to be thought provoking, fun, and applicable to your everyday lives. I would be happy to meet with you to discuss your ideas. You do not need to use any outside articles for this assignment. Choose ONE of the following paper topics:

In an attempt to capture the desirable adolescent demographic, television and movies have increasingly focused on the experiences of adolescents. Choose a television show or movie that you think does a particularly good or bad job of portraying the experiences of adolescents and critique it in light of the developmental research we have learned in this class. What issues is the film/show trying to talk about? How do the portrayals of the characters coincide or differ from the research on adolescence/early adulthood? How adept are movies at handling issues of diversity, in terms of socioeconomic status, race, gender, sexuality, or geographical location? What are aspects that you would change or keep the same? Here are some suggestions, but feel free to use your own – movies: American Pie, Boyz ‘N the Hood, Kids; television: "My So-Called Life", "Dawson’s Creek", "Beverly Hills 90210", "The Real World".

 

Conduct an in-depth interview with someone about his or her experiences with a developmental transition (e.g. transition to parenthood, transition to marriage or divorce, transition to college, transition to retirement). What were their lives like before, during, and after the transition? What made the transition positive, negative, or neutral? Integrate these anecdotal experiences with developmental research and theory. Are your interviewee’s experiences reflected in the research literature? Why or why not? Turn in a copy of your interview questions along with your paper.

 

Unobtrusively observe children, adolescents, or the elderly in a natural setting such as school, the mall, or a museum for at least 45 minutes. How do your "subjects" relate to the people and objects them? Does the environment facilitate or hinder this process? What aspects of development do you observe? Explain your observations in light of developmental theory and research.

 

 

There are three due date options for handing in the paper; you should choose the one that best fits your schedules.

 Thought Paper Due Date Options:

List of recommended journals: Child Development, Developmental Psychology, Journal of Developmental Psychology, Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Sex Roles, Cognitive Development, Journal of Educational Psychology, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, American Educational Research. If you choose to use a journal that is not on the list, check with me first.

Your papers should be typed, double-spaced, stapled, and include your name and section number. Make sure your paper has one-inch margins and 12-point standard font. I know all the tricks – like using a large font type, increasing font size, or doing weird spacing. Please proofread and spell check your paper before handing it in. I will be available to read drafts if you give them to me at least two weeks before the deadline.

All papers, citations, and references should follow APA formatting style. For APA style guide, consult the following website: http://www.ldl.net/~bill/aparev.htm.

Late Papers: Late assignments will receive a 3-point deduction each day they are late – including weekends. I do not typically check my mailbox or the drop box outside my office on the weekends, so if you have to turn in assignments on Saturday or Sunday, you may e-mail it to me as an attachment. Any assignments that you have not handed in by 5pm on the last day of class will receive a zero. Because you are given a good deal of choice in due dates for the assignments in this class, there will be no extensions granted and no exceptions to the late assignment policy.

Attendance: Your attendance and participation in discussion is expected and required. An unexcused absence will result in a deduction of 5 points from your final section grade. Absences are considered excused only if you have to participate in a university function, are ill, or have a family emergency. You must notify me in advance if you need to miss a section and you are responsible for any material covered.

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