GOVERNORS STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION/DIVISION OF EDUCATION

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE TITLE:        Educational Psychology:  Child Growth and Development

COURSE NUMBER:           EDUC 330

CREDIT HOURS:                3

INSTRUCTOR:                    Glenna L. Howell, Ph.D.

                                    g-howell@govst.edu       708-534-4371           G-320

TRIMESTER:                  Spring/Summer Block2, 2003

Rationale

Elementary teachers influence the development of their students in many ways.  It is important that preservice teachers have a clear understanding of how children change with experiences and over time.  In this course, pertinent information is presented and applied to classroom situations.  The major purpose of this course is to provide bases for decisions that directly affect children as learners.

Required Text

Santrock, J. W.  (2001).  Child development (9^th ed.).  Boston:  McGraw-Hill.

Instructional Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Discuss the physical, psycho-social, and cognitive/intellectual developmental status of children from preschool through the elementary grades (K-9) and apply this information to classroom situations;

2. Describe and identify the major theories and theorists that have influenced classroom instruction;

3. Identify factors that contribute to the development of a child’s self-concept and the possible implications for academic performance and social interaction;

4. Begin to think critically and creatively about presentation of classroom materials, responses to students, and the cultural/social environment;

5. Adapt the presentation of conceptual material to a form appropriate to the developmental level/stage/phase of the student;

6. Report on current research findings pertaining to such developmental issues as nature/nurture controversy, innate/imposed gender differences, and malleability of inheritance.

Instructional Activities

Fieldwork:  Students will observe in appropriate classrooms.  List behaviors, activities, and interactions observed.  Report observed behaviors in the following categories:  language, cognitive, social-emotional, psychomotor.  Discuss observations and age appropriateness, comparing/contrasting observed behaviors with those described or implied in developmental theories presented in this course.  (40 points) (Optional)

In-class Activities:  Students who participate in class discussions, projects, and presentations will receive 5 points per class to a total of 60 points.  In-class activities may not be made up; thus, absences will adversely affect the student’s grade.

Mid-term and Final Examinations:  Each examination will be worth a total of 100 points.  Exams will include multiple choice and essay type questions.  Essay questions will be both take-home and in-class.

Plagiarism

Any instance of academic dishonesty will be dealt with immediately in the manner described in pertinent Division, College, and University policies.

Manuscript Requirements

All written materials are to be typed or word processed in the manner prescribed by the APA Style Manual, 5^th edition:  1-inch margins; double-spaced; 12-point font.  Written assignments are to be free of errors in mechanics, grammar, and usage; assignments with more than a rare error in any of these areas will receive a grade lowered one full letter grade (e.g., A- to B-), and the student will be referred to the Writing Center for mandatory remediation.

Grading Scale

100 – 93%     =          A

  92 – 85%     =          B

  84 – 75%     =          C

  74 – 65%     =          D

Below 65%    =           F

READING AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

May 5              Introduction and Orientation

May 7              Chapter 1:  “Introduction”; Internet research question #3

                      Chapter 2:  “The Science of Child Development “

   Essay questions #1,2 (provided by professor)

* * * *

May 12             Chapter 3:  “Biological Beginnings”; Internet research question #1

   Chapter 4:  “Prenatal Development and Birth”

                      Essay question #3 (provided by professor)

May 14            Chapter 5:  “Physical Development in Infancy”

   Chapter 6:  “Physical Development in Childhood and Puberty”; Internet research question #3

                      Essay question #4 (provided by professor)

* * * *

May 19             Chapter 7:  “Cognitive Developmental Approaches”; Internet research question #3

May 21             Chapter 8:  “Information Processing”

                       Essay question #5 (provided by professor)

* * * *

May 26             Memorial Day Holiday—University Closed

May 28             Mid-term Examination

* * * *

June 2             Chapter 9:  “Intelligence”

                     Essay question #6 (provided by professor)

 Chapter 10:  “Language Development”; Internet research question #2

                          Essay question #7 (provided by professor)

June 4              Chapter 11:  “Emotional Development”; Internet research question #1

                       Essay question #8 (provided by professor)

* * * *

June 9              Chapter 12:  “The Self and Identity”; Internet research question #3

                             Essay question #9 (provided by professor)

June 11            Chapter 13:  “Gender”; Internet research question #2

   Chapter 14:  “Moral Development”

    Essay question #10 (provided by professor)

* * * *

June 16             Chapter 15:  “Families”; Internet research question #3

                       Chapter 16:  “Peers”; Internet research question #2

June 18             Chapter 17:  “Schools”

                       Chapter 18:  “Culture”

* * * *

June 23             Final Examination

ESSAY QUESTIONS

1. Describe each of the three historical views about the nature of the child (i.e., tabula rasa, original sin, and innate goodness).  Explain how belief in each view affects what a child developmentalist does and studies.

2. Explain how social learning theory differs from Skinner’s behaviorism.

3. Compare and contrast sociobiology and evolutionary psychology.

4. Draw a schematic representation of the brain.  Label major brain regions and indicate their presumed functions.

5. Discuss how adaptation, organization, and equilibration explain cognitive change during a child’s development; illustrate major points with examples.

6. Compare and contrast one traditional approach to intelligence (e.g., Binet) with one more modern approach (e.g., Gardner).

7. Explain the interactionist view of language development and discuss why the idea has only recently emerged.

8. Compare and contrast the views of Bowlby, Beck, and Seligman on depression in children.

1. Among family, cultural, ethnic, and gender aspects of identity, which one has affected your identity development most?  Provide specific examples from your life experience.

10. Distinguish between gender role and sex difference, and explain the nature and causes of sex differences as they are understood today.