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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PS 320"
COURSE NAME: "Developmental Psychology"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Summer Session I 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Stefanie Camille Vuotto
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MTWTH 9:00 AM 10:50 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: PS 210 with a grade of C- or above
OFFICE HOURS: by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course provides a general introduction to the science of developmental psychology and its applications. A number of questions will be addressed, including: What develops and when; The contribution of nature and nurture to developmental change; Mechanisms of change; The role of the child and the larger sociocultural context in shaping development; Continuity and discontinuity in development; Methods used to address the above topics; Application of developmental research to everyday issues.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course provides a general introduction to the science of developmental psychology and its applications. A number of topics/questions will be addressed, including: What develops and when; The contribution of nature and nurture to developmental change; Mechanisms of change; The role of the child and the larger sociocultural context in shaping development; Continuity and discontinuity in development; Methods used to address the above topics; Application of developmental research to everyday issues.

SUMMARY of COURSE CONTENT:

Readings and discussion in this course will focus on the theories, methods, and empirical research findings pertaining to the physical, cognitive and social-emotional development of the child from conception to adolescence.  We will address how developmental science can inform public policy decisions.

ONLINE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: MOODLE

This class will be taught in-person, but all course materials will be made available through Moodle (e.g., reading materials, PowerPoint slides, homework assignments, the most recent version of the syllabus and exams). If for some reason an in-person class is canceled, an equivalent lecture may be posted to Moodle. Please make sure you are familiar with Moodle and if you are having any issues, reach out to the appropriate campus resource.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The objective of this course is for students to attain the following learning outcomes:

1. Understand the principles of physical, cognitive and socio-emotional development. Describe key concepts and overarching themes using basic psychological terminology.

2. Identify implications (and applications) of developmental psychology research to everyday life.

3. Interpret and critically evaluate research in developmental psychology.

4. Demonstrate effective writing and presentation skills within appropriate constraints (e.g., time/page limit, audience) and demonstrate information literacy in psychology by accurately summarizing and presenting information from psychological sources.

5. Demonstrate awareness of the ethical issues associated with conducting research on vulnerable populations (e.g., minors).

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Development: Infancy Through Adolescence Steinberg, L., Vandell, D.L., & Bornstein, M.H. Wadsworth Cengage Learning978-0618721559 Any format of this text is acceptable.Ebook  
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Attendance and ParticipationStudents are expected to regularly attend and participate in class. • Class participation will be graded on the extent to which students engage in class by asking and answering questions. Prepare for class by completing assigned readings / assignments beforehand. • Students are granted two (2) “free” absences from class. After 2 absences, one percentage point will be deducted from the final grade for each additional absence. There is no need to e-mail me if you plan to be absent from class. In the event of an absence, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain any class notes or other course material missed. 5%
Exams• There will be four exams including the final, worth 15% each. Exams are taken in class and will be administered either on paper or on Moodle. Please bring a charged laptop to class on exam days. • None of the exams are cumulative, however, there are several key concepts from earlier parts of the semester that will be necessary for understanding later material. • The format of exams may include multiple choice questions, open-ended / fill-in-the-blank questions, and essay questions. • There are 4 exam dates (5/28, 6/5, 6/13, 6/21). Students must notify me 24 hours in advance if they must miss an exam. It is the student’s responsibility to speak with me beforehand to make arrangements for missed exams. Missing an exam without notice will result in a grade of zero for that exam. 60%
Written Assignments • Students will submit seven written assignments (worth 5% each) throughout the course:  Bronfenbrenner Assignment (due 5/27)  Co-Sleeping Assignment (due 5/29)  Babies Assignment (due 6/3)  Genie Assignment (due 6/10)  Toy Development Assignment (due 6/12)  Trans-affirmative Treatment for Children Assignment (due 6/17)  School Policy Assignment (due 6/19) • All assignments are submitted through Moodle and close at 11:59pm on the above due dates. • For written assignments, demonstrate your critical thinking abilities by crafting and supporting arguments that are based in logic, facts and scientific evidence. Remember to cite! • Each assignment will provide instructions and guidelines for how to satisfactorily complete the assignment (e.g., expected length, format, etc.) 35%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
The course provides a general introduction to the science of developmental psychology and its applications. A number of questions will be addressed, including: What develops and when; The contribution of nature and nurture to developmental change; Mechanisms of change; The role of the child and the larger sociocultural context in shaping development; Continuity and discontinuity in development; Methods used to address the above topics; Application of developmental research to everyday issues.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE
SessionSession FocusReading AssignmentOther AssignmentMeeting Place/Exam Dates
5/20Review of Syllabus The Study of Child Development Chapter 1  
5/21Nature with Nurture: Perspectives   
5/22Nature with Nurture: Genes and Context Chapter 2Deadline to submit Syllabus Contract 
5/23Conception Prenatal Development    
5/27Protecting the Fetus Birth Chapter 3Bronfenbrenner HW Due 
5/28Exam #1 (chapters 1-3), from 9AM - 10 AM. Begin Infancy/Physical development.  5/28
5/29Infancy: Cognitive DevelopmentChapter 4 Coe & Luback (2008) Co-Sleeping HW Due 
5/30Infancy: Cognitive DevelopmentChapter 5Film watch: Babies (2010) 
6/3Infancy: Socioemotional DevelopmentChapter 6 (skip 8.6)Babies (2010) HW Due 
6/4Infancy: Socioemotional Development   
6/5Exam #2 (chapters 4-6), from 9AM - 10 AM. Begin Early Childhood/Physical development.  6/5
6/6Early Childhood: Physical DevelopmentChapter 7Film watch: Genie, Secret of the Wild Child (1994) 
6/10Early Childhood: Cognitive DevelopmentChapter 8Genie (1994) HW Due 
6/11Early Childhood: Cognitive Development   
6/12Early Childhood: Socioemotional DevelopmentChapter 9 Ainsworth (1979) Toy Development HW Due 
6/13Exam #3 (chapters 7-9), from 9AM - 10 AM. Begin Middle Childhood/Physical development.  6/13
6/17Middle Childhood/Cognitive developmentChapter 10Trans-affirmative Care HW Due 
6/18Middle Childhood/Cognitive developmentChapter 11  
6/19Middle Childhood/Socioemotional developmentChapter 12School Policy HW Due 
6/20Middle Childhood/Socioemotional development   
6/21Exam #2 (chapters 10-12), from 9AM - 10 AM  6/21