Department of Educational PsychologyDFST 1013 (005): Lifespan Development

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00-3:20pm, WH 121

SPRING 2015

Instructor: Sean Jefferson, M.S.Office: Matthews Hall 322-HOffice Hours: Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 12pm-145pmEmail: Sean.Jefferson@unt.edu (this is the best way to contact me!)Phone: 940.565.2093

The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at http://www.unt.edu/oda. You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.

Catalog Description: Human Development. (3 hours.) Introduction to the theories and processes of physical, cognitive, and social development of the individual from conception until death. Suitable for non-majors. Satisfies the Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement of the University Core Curriculum.

Readings: Santrock, J. W. (2012). A topical approach to life-span development (7th ed.). NY: McGraw-Hill. APA Manual. Sixth Edition

Resources: Some course information will be posted on Blackboard Learn (Bb Learn). Students may view this information by going to http://helpdesk.unt.edu and logging in using their EUID. All UNT students are assigned an EUID. If you are not aware of what your EUID is, please go to the Bb Learn website and click “Need help logging in the first time?” If you need assistance when using Bb Learn, there is an online tutorial available for students. You may also visit the Helpdesk staff in Sage Hall, Room 130.

Course Objectives: The overall objective of the course is to provide the student with an in-depth study of issues surrounding physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of the individual across the lifespan. Issues specifically addressed include: developmental theory, concepts, and research; physiological change across the lifespan; cognitive development: growth/decline in reasoning and processing skills, issues related to intelligence, language development, effect on decision-making; socioemotional development: personality development, attachment/love, parent-child-peer relationships, aspects of culture; death.

Objectives for courses in the UNT Social and Behavioral Sciences Core Curriculum:1. Focus on the application of empirical and scientific methods that contribute to the

understanding of what makes us human 2. Exploration of behavior and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, and events, examining their impact on the individual, society, and culture3. Development of critical thinking skills, which include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry,

and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information4. Development of communication skills

Course AssignmentsLearning takes time and attention… keeping up with reading, taking time to understand what you have read, and finding ways to remember what we have discussed in classes are all challenges.

*ALL PAPERS ARE TO BE COMPLETED IN APA STYLE, TYPED, AND SUBMITTED BY USING TURNITIN.COM. PAPERS NOT SUBMITTED VIATURN IT IN WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WHEN USING APA THE COVER PAGE IS PAGE NUMBER ONE. REFERENCES ARE NOT USED IN THE PAGE COUNT.

*RUBRICS WILL BE PROVIDED TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH COMPLETING EACH ASSIGNMENT.

APA FormattingPapers should be prepared following the format of the American Psychological Association (APA) as described in the 6th edition. Adherence to APA format is considered part of the overall quality and professional presentation of these assignments. Students unfamiliar with APA should consider purchasing and studying the APA manual. Exceptionally written papers not conforming to APA will NOT receive an A and will be severely penalized. If the student is unfamiliar with APA format, it is his/her responsibility to acquaint him/herself with the criteria. In addition to referencing format, APA requires papers be grammatically correct. For students who have difficulty with grammar in writing assignments, it is strongly recommended the services of the UNT Writing Lab be consulted (http://www.unt.edu/writinglab/). While the teaching of grammar is not the purpose of this course, use of poor grammar detracts from the overall quality and professionalism of any assignment and does not represent collegiate level work.

# ASSIGNMENT POINTS % OF GRADE DUE DATE1 Meet & Greet 20 2% Feb-102 Exam #1 200 20% Feb-173 Exam #2 200 20% March-314 Journal Article Review 100 10% April-076 Final 200 20% March 14 (1:30)7 Presentation of Article Review 100 10% April 30 – May 78 **QUIZZES x 9 (20 EACH) 18% Random

Grading Scale: To earn a(n):A requires 900-1000B requires 800-899C requires 700-799D requires 600-699

Earning less than 600 points results in a failing grade. Also, I do not round up.

1. MEET & GREET (2%)Students are expected to come to the instructor’s office and have a brief visit. This visit generally last 2-3 minutes.

2. QUIZZES. (18%)During the semester ten quizzes will be randomly assigned. They will require you to reflect on your understanding of the material and how well you can utilize it to express yourself. YOU MUST BE IN CLASS THE DAY THESE QUIZZES ARE ASSIGNED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. ALSO PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

1. IF YOU ARRIVE TO CLASS LATE YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE THE QUIZ.

2. IF YOU LEAVE CLASS BEFORE THE QUIZ HAS BEEN GIVEN YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TAKE THE QUIZ.

3. IF YOU LEAVE CLASS AFTER THE QUIZ HAS BEEN GIVEN AND THERE IS CLASS TIME REMAINING YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO FOR THE QUIZ.

3. RESEARCH JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW (10%). These reviews will help to build your skill in reading research and summarizing the results based on the methodology of the research project and the results and discussion.

In completing this assignment, you will need to search the library and/or library website to find one research article. Research articles have an introduction, a methods section, a results section, and a discussion or conclusion. You are to write an analysis of each article discussing each section (introduction, methods, results, and discussion/conclusion). You are to write the analysis using your own verbiage. If you do not understand a concept you look up what it means and express it how you understand its definition. DO NOT SIMPLY REPEAT WHAT THE AUTHORS/RESEARCHERS HAVE ALREADY SAID. This assignment should be five pages. No more, no less. Failure to adhere to page length guidelines will result in point deductions. Make sure you are clear, precise, and have thoroughly checked your work for errors, typos, etc.

4. PRESENTATION OF ARTICLE REVIEW (10%)You will discuss your article review by giving a formal presentation, which should last 5-10 minutes.

YOU MUST BE PRESENT FOR THE ENTIRE PERIOD DURING PRESENTATION DAYS TO RECEVE CREDIT. POWERPOINTS ARE PREFERRED; HOWEVER PREZI’S ARE ALSO EXCEPTABLE. PLEASE HAVE ALL OF YOUR MATERIALS READY TO GO. PEERS WHO SHOW UP LATE OR ARE DISRESPECTFUL (CELL PHONES GO OFF ETC.,) WILL BE PENALIZED.

IF FOR ANY REASON YOU NEED TO USE YOUR CELL PHONE, PLEASE STEP OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS.

5. EXAMS (60%) Two regular exams, plus one final exam. Each are worth 20%.

Students will complete two regular exams in this course. Exams will cover both the assigned chapters in your text and the material discussed in class. Exams will consist of multiple choice questions. Bonus questions may be given. At the end of the semester students will complete a final exam.

Class Schedule

Date Topic Readings Assignments &Exams

January 20 Syllabus and Course RequirementsJanuary 22 What is lifespan development? Chapter 1January 27 Intro to Theories and Research Chapter 1January 29 Biological Beginnings Chapter 2January 28 cont. Chapter 2February 3 Physical Development Chapter 3February 5 cont. Chapter 3February

10Health Chapter 4 Meet & Greet

February 12

Motor, Sensory, & Perceptual Development Chapter 5

February 17

EXAM 1

February 19

Cognitive Development Chapter 6

February 24

cont.

February 26

Information Processing Theory Chapter 7

March 3 cont.March 5 Intelligence Chapter 8March 10 cont.March 12 Language Chapter 9March 17 SPRING BREAKMarch 19 SPRING BREAKMarch 24 Emotion Chapter 10March 26 cont.March 31 EXAM 2April 2 Personality Chapter 11April 7 cont. Article CritiqueApril 9 Gender and Sexuality Chapter 12April 14 contApril 16 Moral Development Chapter 13April 21 Peers & The Social World Chapter 15April 23 contApril 28 Death & Dying Chapter 17April 30 PresentationsMay 5 PresentationsMay 7 Presentations & Wrap UP

May 14 FINAL EXAM 1:30-3:30pm FINAL EXAMCourse Policies:

Readings: You are responsible for reading the assigned pages of the text prior to the date they are covered in class. Discussions, activities, and exams will be based on the assumption that you have read the required material.

Late work and Make-ups: No make-up exams will be given. No one is exempted from the final exam. All exams must be taken in class on the scheduled exam day. In addition, you will not be allowed to “make-up” participation points. In cases of extreme emergency, together we can determine a course of action.

Attendance: You are expected to attend, and participate in, each scheduled class this semester. You are expected to be present before class is actually scheduled to begin. Attendance will be taken every class session. Absences will affect your Participation grade in the class.

Academic Integrity: Academic integrity prohibits acts such as copying from another student's paper, collaborating on assignments, submitting as one's own a paper prepared by another, and plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as stealing and/or using the ideas or writings of another individual and representing them as one's own. Plagiarism includes both directly copying the words of another without proper acknowledgment as well as paraphrasing the ideas or arguments of another in such a way as to lead the reader to believe they originated with the writer. In other words, one may never use information/ideas original to someone else and not properly credit that individual/source. Students found violating standards of academic integrity by cheating or plagiarizing on any assignment or exam may be given a grade of "0" for that assignment or exam.

Other Policies: Students are expected to conduct themselves as mature and responsible adults while enrolled in this course. This includes displaying respect for peers and faculty, accepting personal responsibility for arriving to class on time, attending each class session, and maintaining class notes as well as performance on assignments and exams. Please turn off all cell phones, iPods, computer alarms, MP3s, pagers, and anything else that makes noise and could be disruptive to class. Disrespect and harassment will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and will lead to removal from the course.

Incompletes and Dropping the Course: The grading system for the University of North Texas indicates a grade of “I” is a nonpunitive grade given only during the last quarter of the semester and only if the student is currently passing the class and has a justifiable reason why assignments cannot be completed on time. In addition, the student must arrange with the instructor to finish the course at a later date. Students requesting an “I” are required to sign a “Contract to Remove Incomplete” which states the specific assignments and their due dates required to remove the “I.” Only those students who experience some unforeseen major life crisis (e.g., emergency surgery, death in the family, newly diagnosed life-threatening illness) will be considered to have a justifiable reason that merits an “I.” Inability to turn assignments in on time or displeasure with grades is NOT a valid reason to request an “I.” Students who experience “normal” life events (e.g., time crunches due to other courses, employment, etc.) should go to the Registrar to drop

the course as soon as it becomes evident assignments will not be completed by their due date. Drop deadlines this semester are available from the UNT Home Page. It is YOUR responsibility to be aware of these dates and to drop yourself from the course if it becomes necessary. Drop deadlines for this semester are available on the UNT website at www.unt.edu/academics.htm. Please check the dates for any tuition refunds, deadlines for dropping a single course, and deadlines for withdrawing from the semester. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with and meet these deadlines.

* The provisions contained herein do not constitute a contract between the student and the College. These provisions may be changed at any time for any reason at the sole discretion of the instructor. When necessary, in the view of the College, appropriate notice of such change will be given to the student. If not specifically delineated in this syllabus, all other policies will be in accordance with the policies included in the UNTHSC catalogue and Student Handbook for the Academic Year 2013-2014.

GENERAL UNIVERSITY INFORMATION------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Statement regarding Discriminatory PracticesThe University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at http://www.unt.edu/oda. You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.

Eagle MailAll Students should activate and regularly check their Eagle Mail (e-mail account). Eagle Mail is used for official communications from the University to students. Many important announcements for the University and College are sent to students via Eagle Mail. For information about Eagle Mail, including how to activate an account and how to have Eagle Mail forwarded to another e-mail address, visit: https://eaglemail.unt.edu.. SHOULD YOU NEED TO EMAIL ME PLEASE DO SO VIA SEAN.JEFFERSON@UNT.EDU. I DO NOT CHECK BLACKBOARD MESSAGES.

Academic HonestIt is expected that students will conform to the University of North Texas’ Code of Student Conducted and Discipline as outlined in the undergraduate catalog (see also the Student Handbook which can be found on line at www.unt.edu). This states in part that all instances of cheating, fabrication and plagiarism are prohibited and will be reported. Any student who assists in any form of dishonesty is equally as guilty as the student who accepts such assistance. Any work submitted to me with your name alone on it should represent your work alone. To the extent that others contribute ideas, suggestions, they must be directly credited by name (and full cite as appropriate). Disciplinary action will be taken against any student found in violation of the Code, which may include failure in the course and possible expulsion from the University.

It is important to rely only on the most current information available in the literature, and it is equally important that the materials come from professional and credible sources. If you cannot identify a professional source for the information you find, do not use it unless you have received permission for this class. Assignments which rely on nonprofessional materials will be severely penalized.

Students should paraphrase materials taken from sources and included in these written assignments; consequently, directly quoted material may not be used anywhere in these assignments. Secondary sources also may NOT be used. Use only primary sources – i.e., those materials YOU personally read. If you are confused between primary and secondary sources, ask me.

NOTE RE: Plagiarism, Dual Submission, and Turnitin.comAcademic integrity prohibits acts such as copying from another student's paper, collaborating on assignments, submitting as one's own a paper prepared by another, and plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as stealing and/or using the ideas or writings of another individual and representing them as one's own. Plagiarism includes both directly copying the words of another without proper acknowledgment as well as paraphrasing the ideas or arguments of another in such a way as to lead the reader to believe they originated with the writer. In other words, one may never use information/ideas original to someone else and not properly credit that individual/source.

Frequently, students argue information contained within the body of their papers is “common sense” and, therefore, this information need not contain a reference. The paper required for this course should be considered a professional paper, i.e., one that represents the student as a professional member of a professional field. Consequently, while the student might have an opinion based on “common sense,” the task required necessitates representing oneself as a professional, complete with the evidence on which that professional opinion is based. Therefore, any individual opinions included in the paper MUST be substantiated and supported by the information presented in the professional literature, necessitating reference to a source. It is not that students are not entitled to individual opinions, but rather that as a professional, this opinion should be based on a body of knowledge, not just on “common sense.” ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THE PAPER THAT IS NOT ORIGINAL TO THE WRITER REQUIRES A REFERENCE. THIS INCLUDES INFORMATION STUDENTS “JUST KNOW” BASED ON PREVIOUS COURSE WORK, INDEPENDENT READINGS, ETC. INFORMATION IS “KNOWN” BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN OBTAINED FROM SOME SOURCE AND/OR PERSONAL RESEARCH. CONSEQUENTLY, THAT SOURCE NEEDS TO BE CREDITED. Papers that do not provide accurate referencing of sources will be severely penalized.

Dual submission of a paper or project (i.e., submitting for grading any materials submitted for grading in any other class, including papers submitted for grading in this class from previous semesters) is also considered by the University of North Texas as an act of student misconduct.

Materials submitted for grading in other courses taken at UNT or any other institution will not be accepted for grading. Students may not cheat on any assignment. Students found

violating standards of academic integrity may be given a grade of "0" for the assignment and reported to the UNT Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Turnitin.com:Turnitin.com is a tool that thoroughly checks papers for duplication of existing materials and allows you to check your work for plagiarism and to help you ensure you have properly cited all borrowed materials.

A link to Turnitin.com is available from the course website under the Assignments icon. Papers that have not been submitted to Turnitin.com will not be accepted for grading. Deadlines will not be extended.

The grading system for the University of North Texas indicates a grade of “I” is a nonpunitive grade given only during the last quarter of the semester and only if the student is currently passing the class and has a justifiable reason why assignments cannot be completed on time. In addition, the student must arrange with the instructor to finish the course at a later date. Students requesting an “I” from me are required to sign a “Contract to Remove Incomplete” which states the specific assignments and their due dates required to remove the “I.” Only those students who experience some unforeseen major life crisis (e.g., emergency surgery, death in the family, newly diagnosed life-threatening illness) will be considered to have a justifiable reason that merits an “I.” Inability to turn assignments in on time or displeasure with grades is NOT a valid reason to request an “I.” Students who experience “normal” life events (e.g., time crunches due to other courses, employment, etc.) should go to the Registrar to drop the course as soon as it becomes evident assignments will not be completed by their due date. Drop deadlines for Fall, 2014, are provided on the UNT website. It is the student’s responsibility to drop him/herself from the course if it becomes necessary.

The provisions contained herein do not constitute a contract between the student and the College. These provisions may be changed at any time for any reason at the sole discretion of the instructor. When necessary, in the view of the College, appropriate notice of such change will be given to the student.

If not specifically delineated in this syllabus, all other policies will be in accordance with the policies included in the UNTHSC catalogue and Student Handbook for the Academic Year 2014-2015.

UNT Library Tours and Orientation:

If you are unfamiliar with the UNT library system, electronic databases, etc., it is strongly suggested you attend a library tour and orientation. Please check the UNT library website for scheduled times: www.library.unt.edu.

UNT students are also able to obtain a TexShare card that enables them to use all public libraries across the state of Texas. These cards may be obtained in Willis Library; UNT student ID is required. You might also consider contacting Jo Monahan, Library Liaison to the College of Education, for assistance. Her office is also located in 119B Matthews Hall, 940.565.3955.

Communicating with UNT

Getting your grade at the end of the semester:During the course of the semester, your grades will be available in My Grades via Blackboard.

At the end of the semester you may access your final course grade for this and any other course online via the University website at: www.unt.edu and my.unt.edu.