CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT
PY 205   CRN #3517
Fall, 2002
Tuesday evenings 6:45 to 9:30 PM
Room # C231
INSTRUCTOR:   MADELEINE BURBANK, M.A.
              email : ho_Burbank@commnet.edu
              Office: A211        Phone: 332-5174
              Office Hours: T, Th. 5 - 6 PM, Wed. 1 - 1:30 & 5 - 5:30 Pm, Fri. 12 - -1 PM
Instructor's web site for this course can be accessed through the shortcut, housatonic.net.

Course Description: Prerequisite: PY 101 (Introduction to Psychology) or permission of instructor
Presents the basic principles and theories of the field of Child Development, from the prenatal period to the onset of adolescence, with an emphasis on the earlier years of childhood. Students will be guided in the development of a scientific and objective attitude toward the interpretation of child behavior and will study various methods of conducting research in child development They will observe children and analyze their behavior in each of the following areas: physical abilities and motor skills, social and emotional developments and cognitive abilities.

Course Objectives:
1.       To understand the field of Child Development as it relates to general psychology.
2.       To investigate the major stages and dimensions of Child Development including physical, cognitive and psychosocial aspects.
3.       To compare and contrast contemporary theories of Child Development and identify the implications of these in the development of educational , social and health policies and practices.
4.       To gain insight into students' own development, and that of the children they know.
5.       To relate theory and research findings in Child Development to the practical problems of child rearing and child care.

Text: Infants and Children
by: Laura E. Berk
pub: Allyn and Bacon,2002
For the website associated with the textbook, go to: TEXT WEBSITE

Course Requirements:
The course requires extensive reading and writing, as well as field observation of children in their natural settings. YOU SHOULD PLAN ON A MINIMUM OF FIVE TO SIX HOURS EACH WEEK TO COMPLETE ALL COURSE WORK, not including reviewing for tests and exams. The course will consist of various types of learning activities; lectures, small group discussions, class activities, viewing and discussing selected videos and occasional in-class writing assignments or quizzes. A writing assignment related to readings will be given for most classes.

      1.       Four tests will be given, one following each major section (subject to change). As soon as tests are graded, the scores will be posted on the web (by an assigned four digit number).
2.       All writing assignments are due at the beginning of the class for which they are assigned.   These assignments and class participation will constitute 10% of the final grade.
3.       It is expected that students will attend every class, be on time and not leave early, barring the hazards of weather, illness or other emergencies. If absence is unavoidable, students are asked to contact the instructor.
4.       Changes in the syllabus, class notes and assignments will be posted on the web site for the course, which can be accessed through   www.housatonic.net by clicking on the instructor’s name and then on the proper course title.
5.       Handouts and videos as well as any other materials used in class will be put on reserve in the library for review or duplication.
6.       A child observation paper is REQUIRED for the course and will be worth 20% of the final grade for the course. This will involve conducting three hours (although not all at the same time) of observation at the Housatonic Lab School which is open only during the day. During the month that this work is being conducted, there will be no additional assignments, but students are expected to keep up on their reading and be prepared for class. PLEASE PLAN your time so that the observations are not a problem. An outline of the details of the requirements for this part of the course will be handed out later in the semester.
7.       The grade for the course as a whole will be calculated as follows:
                                50%    average of top three test scores
                                20%    Final Exam, which will cover material from previous tests and new material
                                            covered during the last two regular class sessions.
                                20%   Child Observation paper
                                10%   assignments and class participation

COURSE CALENDAR (to be revised if/when necessary..)

DATE
TOPICS

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Sept.10 Orientation to course and requirements. Defining the science of Child Development. Review of scientific methods.       A multicultural view of development. Theories of development. Deficits versus Difference, Nature vs Nurture, continuous vs stage development Read Introduction, Chapters 1.
Writing assignment: Ethical considerations in studying child development. See class notes for details.

2. Sept.17 Recap of Chapter 1and assignment of test #1.
Prepare take home test (Test #1) on Chapter 1.
Read Ch. 2

3. Sept.24 Discussion of Test #1
Genetics, evolution. Genotype and phenotype, dominant and recessive genes. Prenatal development Read Chapters 3 and 4. Writing assignment: Discus the origins of birth defects (genetic, chromosomal and teratogenic) in terms of what the causes are and when they occur.

4. Oct.1 Sorry, I was out ill . I don't want to get behind, and this section, while not unimportant, is not as critical to understanding the psychological aspects of development as later sections, so I will be staying on schedule with a test next week. USE THE WEB NOTES AND CHAPTER SUMMARIES to study. Know the definitions of all the highlighted words in the summary: they are defined on the margins of the pages where they are used. I will keep the test on the 'easy' side. Study for test #2 on part II, Ch 2-4
Include up through the birth process and we will leave the attributes of the newborn for the next section.

5. Oct. 8 Test #2 on Chapters 2, 3, and 4.
The newborn baby.
Introduction to the first two years of life
Read chapter 5.
Writing assignment: write on the interaction between genetic inheritance and environmental influences as demonstrated in the article "Baby, I Love the Way You Walk" (If you don't have a copy of the article, see notes for today's class.)

6. Oct. 15 Physical development in the first two years of life. Read chapter 6.  Writing assignment:
Outline Piaget's stages of cognitive development in the first two years. Also, What are the ways in which adults can support the development of an infants language

7. Oct. 22 Cognitive development from birth to two.
Read chapter 7. Writing assignment: Outline the stages in the development of secure attachment.

8. Oct. 29 Psychosocial development (0 - 2 years)
    Explanation of child observation paper. Study for test on Part 3, Ch.5, 6, 7.....Use the study guide questions handed out at the beginning of this section (Infancy and Toddlerhood) to focus your studying..

9. Nov. 5
Test #3 on Chapters 5, 6 and 7.
Introduction to early childhood:
Read chapter 8, 9. Work on observation paper.

10. Nov. 12 Physical development in early childhood.
Read chapter 10. Work on observation paper and submit outline/draft next week.

11.Nov. 19 Cognitive development in early childhood.

12. Nov. 26 Preschoolers' Psychosocial development.
Study for test#3 on Part IV, Ch 8, 9, 10.
Completed Child Observation paper due Dec 3.

13. Dec. 3 Test #4 on Chapters 8, 9, and 10.  The three realms of development in middle childhood. Read Ch. 11, 12
Writing assignment TBA.

14. Dec. 10 Psychosocial development in middle childhood.
Review for final. Study for final exam

   Dec. 17    Final Exam 7:15-9:15 PM The final is partly a recap of the first four sections plus some aspects of the last three chapters read.

For Class Notes, click on the date you are interested in.
For test grades, click here: Grades