LaGuardia Community College

City University of New York Social Science Department

Learning and Education: SSY 105

COURSE INFORMATION		PROFESSSOR INFORMATION
Semester:	Spring 2010	Professor:	Lara Beaty
		Office:	C-459C
		Telephone:	x5796
Blackboard:	use the red, “E-portfolio” button	e-mail:	lbeaty@lagcc.cuny.edu
Webpage:	http://lbeaty.freeshell.or	Office hours:	Mondays, 9:15 am – 10:15 am Wednesdays, 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Saturdays, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm and by appointment

Required Text Book:

Crain, W. (2005). Theories of development: Concepts and applications <(Fifth Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Available for purchase in the bookstore.

Course Description

This course examines learning principles in development from birth through adolescence, and explores how children's growth and development impact learning. Students will examine how cognitive, emotional, and social learning processes underlie education. The role of culture, family, race, class and environment will serve as the framework for understanding the nature of intelligence and its implications for how children learn in school. This is a writing intensive course.

Course Objectives

To explore theory as a tool for understanding development
To connect theory to “data”
To develop our own theories of how children develop based on research and the dominant theories in the field
To develop critical thinking about theory and research

All students are expected to:

Complete all reading before the class in which it is discussed. The purpose of class is NOT to repeat what was in the book but to draw connections and explore issues in more detail. Not reading severely limits a student’s ability to participate in class.
PARTICIPATE in class activities.
TAKE NOTES during discussions as well as during lectures.
RESPECT ALL members of the class at all times.Behave appropriately at all times in the classroom. Failure to do so will result in a student’s dismissal from the class.
Turn off or silence cell phones. A cell phone ringing during an exam will result in five points deducted from the exam grade, and phones cannot be used for any purpose during an exam.
Spend an average of 3 hours work for every hour spent in class. This can be distributed throughout the week, but if you really don’t have three hours per class available, it is extremely hard to really master course material.

Course Guidelines

Late assignments will NOT be accepted unless arrangements are made with the professor prior to the due date.
Make-up exams are NOT given except in the case of documented emergencies.
Students are encouraged to review grades on Blackboard and bring concerns to the instructor.
Departures from the classroom must be kept to a minimum because they can distract other students, but students should leave quietly when necessary.
Powerpoint presentations will be posted on Blackboard. When possible, they will be posted before class. Note, that if you intend to print them, some small formatting adjustments will make them more readable (and use less ink) because they are designed for presentations rather than printing.
Use of office hours is encouraged to address any course-related concerns or to seek advisement.
Late students should sign the attendance sheet left for late students.

ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADES

The following table indicates how grades are assigned:

A- = 90.0 to 92.5	A = 93.0 to 100
B- = 80.0 to 82.5	B = 83.0 to 96.5	B+ = 87.0 to 89.5
C- = 70.0 to 72.5	C = 73.0 to 76.5	C+ = 77.0 to 79.5
D- = 60.0 to 62.5	B = 63.0 to 66.5	B+ = 67.0 to 69.5
F = Below 59.5

Course Requirements and Grading Policy

All assignments are required unless students discuss modifications with the professor. Failure to complete assignments results in zeros, which severely impact course averages. Assignments will affect your overall grade as indicated below. This table can be used to calculate your grade.

Unit Discussions (5% per each)	30%	_____ x .30 =	_____
Critical thinking papers	15%	_____ x .15 =	_____
Activity Presentation	10%	_____ x .10 =	_____
School Experiences Video	15%	_____ x .15 =	_____
Research Paper Outline	5%	_____ x .05 =	_____
Final Research Paper	20%	_____ x .20 =	_____
Class Participation	5%	_____ x .05 =	_____
		Total =	_____

Grades will be posted on Blackboard.

Unit Discussions

Instead of having in-class examinations throughout the semester, students will be required to participate in the Discussion Board portions of Blackboard. Each unit will receive a separate grade, and the average will be used in calculating the final grade. The criteria for grading is very specific:

A minimum of 3 questions must be answered per unit.
Two clear references to theory and/or research are required.
One opinion must be offered.
One response to the comments of another student are required.
One reference to a actual, “real life” experiences is necessary.
The above requirements are necessary to receive a C. Higher grades will be earned by providing particularly meaningful comments, novel insights, and rich observations.
Additional answers will be considered but does not necessarily raise a student’s grade.
Particularly good answers will be identified as examples.

For one unit, each student will be required to lead the discussion with their assigned group. The professor will lead the first discussion as an example. Each student is responsible for posting three questions during the unit and following up on the discussion with related questions, opinions, or relevant information.

Critical Thinking Papers

Three papers will be assigned throughout the semester to promote critical thinking skills and master the relevant material. They should be 300-1000 words, typed, double spaced, using APA format (handout will be provided) and with the student’s name at the top of the front page. Details about each paper will be provided before the due dates. Each paper may be rewritten to improve the grade.

Activity Presentations

Students will be required to complete an activity with their assigned group and to present the experience to the class on the assigned date. The presentations are intended to bring data into the classroom and promote though on a particular question that is relevant to the class topic. Students are encouraged to speak with the professor as necessary for guidance on these projects.

School Experiences Video

School experiences shape a person's development in many ways. As groups, students will create “digital stories,” using some combination of video, still photographs, animation, or other media that is edited into a 10 minute video that reflects something about school experiences and their significance for development. Suggestions include interviewing peers, recording your own experiences of school, and using classrooms in which you are involved. Note that video recordings are not allowed in many school settings and ethics should be a primary concern. Make sure to get permission for recording. A letter will be provided indicating the nature of your project.

Editing can be easy or very time consuming. Do not leave it to the last minute and learn about the basic procedures before planning your project. A tutorial is available for Movie Maker at http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/ctl/resources/eportfolio_handouts/MovieMakerTutorial.pdf, technology mentors are available in room E273, and the professor is proficient with iMovie. The project will be discussed in class and is due May 24th.

Research Paper Outline

A typed, double-spaced outline of the final paper is due on 5/19/10. Any approach to an outline is acceptable. The purpose is to share your plan for your final paper and get feedback. A reference list should be included. The grade will be based solely on effort. An optional rough draft may also be turned in by 6/2/10 for additional feedback. Use of office hours are also encouraged. The outlines will be shared and critiqued in small groups in class.

Final Research Paper

The final paper will have the same format as the critical thinking papers but should be 10 to 15 pages long. Parts of the critical thinking papers can and should be used when appropriate in the final paper. At least two references that were not assigned in class must be used, and students are encouraged to speak to the professor individually to get guidance in finding these references. The following questions are suggested as possible themes of the paper, but additional questions may be proposed in writing by 5/12/10:
1.What are the most important parts of teaching/learning for children and why?
2.What theories and research are most important for education?
3.What is your theory of teaching/learning and development?
4.What aspects of school are suited to how children function and which are not?

Class Participation

Regular attendance and participation in classroom activities is essential for success in this course. A grade will be given based on observations of participation in class discussions, small group work, and in-class writing assignments. Some of these writing assignments will be collected and handed back during the semester.

Extra Credit

Opportunities may appear throughout the semester to earn extra credit, which can be applied to a particular assignment or to the final grade as agreed upon with the professor. One such assignment is to contribute ideas for rewriting the article on Wikipedia about Developmental Psychology that is assigned in the first week of the class. This and other optional assignment are due the final class. Attending and writing about Psychology Club events is another option. For details, contact the professor.

COLLEGE POLICIES AND INFORMATION

Incomplete Grades

Please note that incomplete grades are only possible when students meet with the professor and they agree that—due to a specific situation—more time is needed to meet course requirements. Incomplete grades are only permissible where students are already passing the course, have legitimate reasons for not completing all the work of the class, have furnished appropriate documentation, and have agreed to a deadline by which all unfinished work must be completed. Failure to submit all assigned course work or to appear for a final exam are NOT legitimate reasons for granting an incomplete grade.

Attendance

The College’s attendance policy reads as follows: “Attendance in class is a requirement and will be considered in the evaluation of student performance. Instructors are required to keep an official record of student attendance. The maximum number of unexcused absences is limited to 15% of the number of class hours [5.4 hours in a 3-credit course]. Note: Absences are counted from the first day of class even if they are a result of late registration or change of program” (2005-06 catalog, p. 114). Keep in mind that students are held responsible for material discussed in class that is not in the reading, thus regular attendance is essential. Attendance will not have a direct impact on grades, but poor attendance prevents participation. Frequent tardiness or early departures similarly reduces participation and can interfere with fellow students’ learning. It is recommended that if students miss more than 3 classes, they should speak with the professor and that if students miss mor

Academic Integrity

Please refer to the College Catalog (pg. 114). Cheating and Plagiarism: This class will be conducted in compliance with LaGuardia Community College’s academic integrity policy. All cases of cheating or plagiarism will be penalized by a failure on the examination or paper at a minimum and may result in failure in the course. All violations will be reported to the College. Please refer to the handout on APA formatting for additional information about plagiarism.

Student Support Information

The Student Information Center: Welcome Center
M-Building Lobby
e-mail: callcenter@lagcc.cuny.edu

Library Media Resources Center (E-101)
(718) 482 5426
Website: http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/library/

Writing Center (Rm. E-111)
Website: http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/english/writingcenter/

Counseling Department, Division of Academic Affairs (C 239)
(718) 482 5250
Website: http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/counseling/services.htm

Office for Students with Disabilities (M102)
(718) 482-5279

Women’s Center (MB10)
(718) 482-5188

Early Childhood Learning Center (MB09)
(718) 482-5295