PSYCHOLOGY 215

“Dr. J.”

Alberta C. Johnson, PhD, C.F.L.E. (Certified Family Life Educator, the National Council on Family Relations)

Professor of Psychology

office: Social Sciences, F-145

706/368-7638 (voice mail)

800/332-2406 (phone number for the college)

fax: 706/295-6610

Education: Ph.D., University of Arizona
          Major: Educational Psychology, emphasis:
                   Human Development and Learning
          Minor: Adolescence

MS, University of Arizona
Major: Child Development
Minor: Family Relations

BA, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Major (double): History and English
Minor: French

Faculty Advisor for: Georgia Highlands College Chapter, PSI BETA, National Psychology Honor Society in Psychology for Two-Year and Community Colleges. To learn more about Psi Beta, look at its home page: www.psibeta.org

Class Schedule – Fall Semester 2006

M	T	W	Th
11-12:15 pm, PSYC 2103, GHCTV, Heritage Hall	office hours: 10-10:50 a.m.	11-12:15, PSYC 2103, GHCTV, Heritage Hall	office hours: 10-10:50 a.m.
office hours: 3:30-5:30 pm	11-12:15 pm, PSYC 2103, I-117	office hours: 4-5:30 pm	11-12:15 pm, PSYC 2103, I-117
8-9:15 pm, PSYC 2103, F-129		8-9:15 pm, PSYC 2103, F-129
	2-3:15 pm, PSYC 2103 , F-130		2-3:15 pm, PSYC 2103 , F-130
	office hours: 3:30-5:30 pm		office hours: 3:30-5:30 pm
CBC/DVD, PSYC 2103	no assigned classroom

You should read your SYLLABUS very carefully. It serves essentially as a contract between you and me; that is, by remaining in class, you are agreeing to abide by the expectations as described therein. If you have questions during the semester, by all means ask. However, I have found that the majority of questions students ask are answered in your syllabus. So may sure that you read your syllabus first!

[Michael, here are the syllabi which should appear when the above “SYLLABUS” link is clicked]:

GEORGIA HIGHLANDS COLLEGE

PSYC 2103 Introduction to Human Development 3 Credit Hours

Fall 2006 Extended Learning – CBC/DVD CRN: 80244

Dr. Alberta Johnson

ajohnson@floyd.edu (This is the best way to contact me)

office: F-145, Social Sciences Division, Floyd campus

706-368-7638 (voice mail) or 1-800-332-2406

This course studies the development and behavior of the individual from conception to death and incorporates an ecological approach to study physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes which occur through the life span.

COURSE OBJECTIVES At the end of the course, you should be able to:

1. Describe and give examples from the literature of biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development as an ongoing set of processes, which involve change as well as continuity.

2. Analyze different developmental events from the perspective of the major theories of development (i.e., cognitive, learning, psychoanalytic, sociocultural, and epigenetic systems) and recognize those theories when used by others to analyze and interpret events.

3. Explain how research in psychology, which is based on theory, contributes to the understanding of human development.

4. Recall important developmental concepts and be able to recognize and apply these concepts in various situations, both normative as well as problematic.

5. Recognize key concepts which are related to wellness across the life span.

STATEMENT OF CLASS POLICIES

1. Textbook and Reading Assignments

Textbook (Required): The Developing Person Through the Life Span, Kathleen Stassen Berger, 6^th ed., Worth Publishers, 2005.

Strongly recommended: Lecture Outlines for PSYC 2103 - Especially for FCTV-99 Viewers, Dr. Alberta Johnson, 4th edition. Available only at Floyd campus bookstore but can be mailed.

Study Guide (Optional): Study Guide to Accompany the Developing Person Through the Life Span, Kathleen Stassen Berger and Ross A. Thompson, 6th ed., Worth Publishers, 2005.

It is the student's responsibility to read and study all assigned material in the text. Handouts from class sessions should be studied thoroughly.

2. Electronic Communication

Students are encouraged to communicate with each other as well as the instructor via e-mail. I will respond to e-mail queries in a timely manner. Meetings and professional obligations may prevent prompt response to e-mail inquiries. ALWAYS contact me if you a question but first make certain that you have read the syllabus first! In addition, there is no such thing as a "stupid" question in my class. When I respond to your email, kindly acknowledge your receipt of the response. If you ever have problems with your electronic communication, use the telephone.

3. Tests

There will be four exams in this course. Each exam will cover material in two units plus any supplementary information and readings as noted below. The basic content for the exams is:

Exam 1:

Units I and II

Exam 2:

Units II and IV

Exam 3:

Early Adolescence lecture (plus handouts in Lecture Outlines) and Units V & VI

Exam 4:

Units VII, VIII, and Epilogue

Each test generally has 50 items and will include a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions. A bonus question is usually added.

Refer to the table of Scheduled Exams and Other Important Dates for the test dates for each exam. YOU MUST TAKE EACH EXAM DURING THE DESIGNATED WEEK; THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS. For example, the first exam is scheduled for the week of February 6. This means that you can take the exam on February 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. The following week is too late to take the test! It generally is possible to take an exam earlier than the designated test date, if prior arrangements have been made with me. I urge you not to wait until Friday to take a test!

4. Open Door Policy

If, at any time, you experience problems (academic and/or personal) which negatively impact your performance in this course, do contact me as soon as possible so that we can work together to find an acceptable solution.

5. Ethics

All students are expected to do their own work at all times. No form of academic dishonesty will be tolerated. Expectations regarding academic integrity and academic dishonesty can be found in the Georgia Highlands’ “Students Rights & Responsibilities” document, which can be accessed online at the following URL: http://www.highlands.edu/subwebs/academicaffairs/academicintegritypolicy.htm

Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty will receive an F or a zero on the assignment (e.g., unit test) and may receive an F for the course.

Please inform me if you witness any form of academic dishonesty in or out of the classroom.

6. Disability Policy

Any student who feels that he or she may need an accommodation, based on the impact of a disability, should make an appointment with the College Access Center (706-802-5003) to coordinate reasonable accom-modations. After this contact, you are welcome to discuss your needs with me in private.

7. Students Receiving Financial Aid

This message applies only to students receiving financial aid: Federal regulations state that if a student did not attend classes and received failing grades, then the grades were not earned and financial aid needs to be reduced accordingly. Please be advised that any student receiving a 0.00 GPA will be required to prove that the 0.00 GPA was earned by attending classes or completing requirements for each class. Students who have earned at least one passing grade for the semester will not be affected by this regulation. If a student has properly withdrawn from all classes, the student’s financial aid should be adjusted from the time they signed the withdrawal form.

8. Personal electronic equipment in the classroom

The audio feature of any cell phone and/or pager MUST be turned off upon entering the classroom. All cell phones as well as any electronic equipment or device must and will be covered and kept out of sight during tests.

9. Grading System

Each of the four tests in this course counts for 25% of your final grade, which is determined by summing all of the tests grades, divided by four.

Students earning a grade of:

100 - 90

will receive an

89 - 80

will receive a

79 - 70

will receive a

69 - 60

will receive a

Below a 60

will receive a

You should allow yourself 60 to 80 minutes to take each exam. If you have prepared well for an exam, it may take considerably less time to complete the test.

Refer to the table of Scheduled Exams and Other Important Dates for the test dates for each exam. YOU MUST TAKE EACH EXAM DURING THE DESIGNATED WEEK; THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS. For example, the first exam is scheduled for the week of September 11. This means that you can take the exam on September 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15. The following week is too late to take the test! It generally is possible to take an exam earlier than the designated test date, if prior arrangements have been made with me.

You will take exams in the Social Sciences conference room or other designated room during regular office hours (i.e., M-Th: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.; Fridays: 8 a.m. – NOON). Either Ms. Nicholson or Ms. Barnett will administer the test to you. Allow yourself amply time; the secretaries will not wait for you to finish if you have not completed it by 5:30 p.m. sharp! Remember, the office closes at NOON on Fridays!

If you can only take one or more of the 4 tests in the evening, your options as far as days of the week and time of the day go, are limited only to Monday and Thursday and only during those evening hours when the Library Tutorial Center is open. If you fall into this category, be sure to contact as soon as possible.

6. STUDY AIDS

You will be provided a study guide via electronic mail prior to each test. Also, the publisher of your textbook has a web site of self-tests on each chapter to help you study for unit exams: www.worthpublishers.com/ berger/ However, students have discovered errors in some of the answers. Most students find the site VERY helpful. If you find a contradiction between an answer found at this site and information presented in class, the bottom line for the correct answer will be what is in your text and what was presented in the lectures.

7. ETHICS

All students are expected to do their own work at all times. No form of academic dishonesty will be tolerated. Students guilty of academic dishonesty will receive a zero for the test on which cheating occurred and may receive an F for the course. Expectations regarding academic integrity and academic dishonesty can be found in the Floyd College “Students Rights & Responsibilities” document, which can be accessed online at the following URL: http://www.floyd.edu/subwebs/academicaffairs/academicintegritypolicy.htm

Please inform me if you witness any form of academic dishonesty that occurs during a testing session.

8. DISABILITY POLICY

Any student who feels that he or she may need an accommodation, based on the impact of a disability, should make an appointment with the College Access Center (706-802-5003) to coordinate reasonable accommodations. After this contact, you are welcome to discuss your needs with me in private.

9. Students Receiving Financial Aid

This message applies only to students receiving financial aid: Federal regulations state that if a student did not attend classes and received failing grades, then the grades were not earned and financial aid needs to be reduced accordingly. Please be advised that any student receiving a 0.00 GPA will be required to prove that the 0.00 GPA was earned by attending classes or completing requirements for each class. Students who have earned at least one passing grade for the semester will not be affected by this regulation. If a student has properly withdrawn from all classes, the student’s financial aid should be adjusted from the time they signed the withdrawal form.

10. Grading Scale

Students earning a grade of:

100 – 90	will receive an	A
89 - 80	will receive a	B
79 - 70	will receive a	C
69 - 60	will receive a	D
Below a 60	will receive a	F

11. Scheduled Exams

Exam

Week of

Chapters (Units)

Sept 4 only

Labor Day - No Classes

# 1

September 11

1, 2, 3, 4 (Unit I: Beginnings)

5, 6, 7 (Unit II: The First Two Years)

# 2

October 9

8, 9, 10 (Unit III: The Play Years)

11, 12, 13 (Unit IV: The School Years)

Oct 11

MID-SEMESTER

(Last day to withdraw without penalty)

# 3

November 6

Early Adolescence lecture, 14, 15, 16 (Unit V: Adolescence)

17, 18, 19 (Unit VI: Early Adulthood)

Nov 22 - 25

Thanksgiving Break - no classes

# 4

December 4

20, 21, 22 (Unit VII: Middle Adulthood)

23, 24, 25 (Unit VIII: Late Adulthood) and Epilogue

Note: There is NO final exam for this CBC/DVD course.

GEORGIA HIGHLANDS COLLEGE

PSYC 2103 Introduction to Human Development (3 credit hours)

CRN 80247 Fall 2006 MW: 8:00 – 9:15 p.m. F-129

Dr. Alberta Johnson

e-mail: ajohnson@highlands.edu (The BEST way to reach me)

Office: Social Sciences Division, F-145, Floyd campus - office hours posted on door; other times available via appointment.

Phone: 706-368-7638 (voice mail); leave your name, class (not course) you are in, and a phone number where I can reach you.

This course studies the development and behavior of the individual from conception to death. An ecological approach is used in the study of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes which occur through the life span.

COURSE OBJECTIVES At the end of the course, you should be able to:

1. Describe and give examples from the literature of biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development as an ongoing set of processes, which involve change as well as continuity.

3. Explain how research in psychology, which is based on theory, contributes to the understanding of human development.

4. Recall important developmental concepts and be able to recognize and apply these concepts in various situations, both normative as well as problematic.

5. Recognize key concepts which are related to wellness across the life span.

STATEMENT OF CLASS POLICIES

1. Textbook and Reading Assignments

Textbook (Required): The Developing Person Through the Life Span, Kathleen Stassen Berger, 6^th ed., Worth Publishers, 2005.

Strongly recommended: Lecture Outlines for PSYC 2103 - Especially for FCTV-99 Viewers, Dr. Alberta Johnson, 4th edition.

Study Guide (Optional): Study Guide to Accompany the Developing Person Through the Life Span, Kathleen Stassen Berger and Ross A. Thompson, 6th ed., Worth Publishers, 2005.

It is the student's responsibility to read and study all assigned material in the text. Handouts from class sessions should be studied thoroughly.

2. Electronic Communication

If you ever have problems with your electronic communication, use the telephone.

3. Tests

Unit texts will be given on different dates throughout the semester. The tentative test schedule is delineated below, under "TEXTBOOK READING ASSIGNMENTS AND TENTATIVE DATES FOR TESTS." A typical unit test consists of 50 multiple-choice items plus a bonus question. Tests will be based on textbook readings and class lectures.

You will be given a study guide prior to each test. Also, the publisher of your textbook has a web site of self-tests on each chapter to help you study for unit exams: worthpublishers.com/ bergerlifespan/. Do note, however, that there have been errors in some of the answers.

Information in your text and from the lectures will take precedence over Web answers, if there is a contradiction. Many students have found the self-test materials to be helpful.

One unit test grade (i.e., the lowest) will be dropped in calculating your final grade, if you take all seven tests. If extenuating circumstances force you to miss one test, this FIRST missed test becomes the drop test grade.

YOU MAY MAKE-UP A MISSED TEST ONLY DURING the Social Sciences’ two MAKE-UP TEST SESSIONS, the dates of which will be announced at a later time. You must notify me by e-mail one week in advance of either or both dates if you plan to attend a make-up session in addition to specifying which test(s) you need to take.

Pop Quizzes and In-Class Assignments – Throughout the semester you may be given pop quizzes to determine if you have read the assignment and if you understand key concepts. Any missed quiz or other in-class written assignment, due to the student’s absence from class, cannot be made up.

4. Attendance Policy

The class will meet for two (2) 75-minute sessions each week. Students are expected to attend class regularly and participate fully in all class activities. Full participation involves taking part in class discussion, and completion of assignments in and outside of class. It is expected that students will be courteous and not talk while the instructor is talking or while other students have the floor in a classroom discussion. Excessive talking is disruptive, distracting, rude, and will result in a grade penalty.

If it is necessary for a student to be absent from class, he/she should consult the Tentative Schedule (last page) and obtain class notes from another student. It is always advisable to check with the instructor regarding possible additional assignments or handouts.

Although absences are not encouraged, you are allowed six (6) unexcused absences during the semester. These absences are often used to attend business functions, to attend family funerals, to stay home with a sick child, etc. In contrast, an excused absence requires a medical statement, signed by a physician, indicating the time frame during which you could not be in school.

In the event of inclement weather resulting in college closure, students will be expected to read and review the course materials which would have been covered if we had had class. If the college is closed on a day when a test is scheduled, the test will be given the next class meeting.

5. Extended Absence Policy

Students, who have circumstances that prevent them from continuing to attend classes over an extended period of time, sometimes request that the faculty member permit them to submit work in absentia to receive credit to complete the course. If the concurrent absences will constitute more than 15% of the class sessions for the term, then written permission from the Division Chair is required before any course assignments can be completed while missing class. The student must be in good academic standing in the course to make the request. All approved coursework must be completed by the end of the semester in which the course was begun.

6. Open Door Policy

7. Ethics

All students are expected to do their own work at all times. No form of academic dishonesty will be tolerated. Expectations regarding academic integrity and academic dishonesty can be found in the Georgia Highlands’ “Students Rights & Responsibilities” document, which can be accessed online at the following URL: http://www.highlands.edu/subwebs/academicaffairs/academicintegritypolicy.htm Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty will receive an F or a zero on the assignment (e.g., unit test) and may receive an F for the course.

Please inform me if you witness any form of academic dishonesty in or out of the classroom.

8. Disability Policy

Any student who feels that he or she may need an accommodation, based on the impact of a disability, should make an appointment with the College Access Center (706-802-5003) to coordinate reasonable accommodations. After this contact, you are welcome to discuss your needs with me in private.

9. Students Receiving Financial Aid

10. Personal electronic equipment in the classroom

The audio feature of any cell phone and/or pager MUST be turned off upon entering the classroom! All cell phones as well as any electronic equipment or device must and will be covered and kept out of sight during tests. Laptops may be used ONLY to take notes during lectures.

11. Grading System

GRADING SYSTEM

Percentage of Final Grade

Unit Tests

60%

Attendance/participation (pop quizzes, in-class papers)

15%

Final Examination

25%

Total:

100%

Students earning a grade of:

100 - 90

will receive an

89 - 80

will receive a

79 - 70

will receive a

69 - 60

will receive a

Below a 60

will receive a

TEXTBOOK READING ASSIGNMENTS & TENTATIVE DATES FOR TESTS

Time Period	Chapters	Test Date	Unit
Aug 21-Sept 11	1, 2, 3, 4 (Unit I: Beginnings)	Sept 11	I
Sept 4	Labor Day - NO CLASSES
Sept 11– Sept 20	5, 6, 7 (Unit II: The First Two Years)	Sept 20	II
Sept 20 – Oct 2	8, 9, 10 (Unit III: The Play Years)	Oct 2	III
Oct 2 – Oct 16	11, 12, 13 (Unit IV: The School Years)	Oct 16	IV
	Division Make-up Testing Session - TBA
October 11	Mid-Semester - Last Day to Drop a Class Without	a Penalty
Oct 16 – Oct 30	Early Adolescence Lecture, 14, 15, 16 (Unit V: Adolescence)	Oct 30	EA, V
Oct 30 – Nov 13	17, 18, 19 (Unit VI: Early Adulthood)	Nov 13	VI
Nov 22 - 26	Thanksgiving Break - no classes
Nov 13 – Nov 29	20, 21, 22 (Unit VII: Middle Adulthood)	Nov 29	VII
Nov 29 - Dec 6	23, 24, 25 (Unit VIII: Late Adulthood) and Epilogue - No unit test; however, material covered will be included on final exam.
	Division Make-Up Testing Session - TBA
Dec 6	Last Day of Class

FINAL EXAM: Scheduled for 8 –10 p.m., Monday, Dec. 11. The final exam will

be comprehensive; a study guide for the final exam will be available.

GEORGIA HIGHLANDS COLLEGE

PSYC 2103 Introduction to Human Development (3 credit hours)

CRN 80240 Fall 2006 MW: 11:00 – 12:15 p.m. Heritage Hall

To view classes: 1) Comcast ch. 4 (Rome only); 2) Heritage Hall; 3) GHC Library; 4) live on

your computer (check with Extended Learning for viewing procedure).