Course:

CD 3 and PSYC 3 : Early Child Development, 3 units,

Instructor:

Dr. Marlene Bumgarner. Please send me an email to mbumgarner@gavilan.edu  with CD3 or Psych3 as the Subject and I will send you a Course Guide.This class will be taught entirely on the internet.

Office hours by appointment: (408) 848-4805 (leave detailed message on recorder and send me an email to tell me to check my phone messages).   

Introductory
Statement:

This course is offered as part of Gavilan College's Child Development major programs for a Certificate of Completion in Early Childhood Education or an Associate Degree in Child Development. It also meets a Social Science lower division general education requirement for the AA Degree or the California State University.

Students will be required to the read the textbook, online lecture modules, and linked articles, as well as to participate in weekly online discussions (asynchronous). Students will be evaluated on their online participation, written assignments, and online examinations.

Optional Class Meetings

All students are encouraged to attend an online or live orientation to Moodle, the software used for the online classes at Gavilan College. Information about these orientations can be found on the main Distance Education web site, http://www.gavilan.edu/disted/.

Course
Description:

A systematic study of the child from age six through adolescence. The course integrates the basic concepts of physical, cognitive and psychosocial development at each major stage of life during this period. This course is listed both as CD 3 and PSYC 3.

Required
Texts:

Order online or from the Gavilan Bookstore

1. Students requiring special services or arrangements because of hearing, visual or other disability should contact their instructor, counselor, advisor, or the Disabled Students Services.
   Limited English language skills will not be a barrier to admittance to and participation in vocational programs.
   Students are expected to exercise academic honesty and integrity.   Violations such as cheating and plagiarism will result in disciplinary action which may include recommendation for dismissal.
2. The college policy on attendance, as stated in the catalog is: "students missing one more class hour than the unit value for a particular course, without making prior arrangements may, at the instructor's option be dropped without possibility of credit." (You can expect to spend just as many hours in your “virtual” classroom as in a regular, face-to-face, classroom.)

Educational
Objectives
to be
Achieved:

At the end of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

1. Define the study of human development and discuss some of its major themes.

2. Define developmental theory, and give concrete examples of how theories can help explain human behavior.

3. Explain how scientists attempt to distinguish the effects of genes (nature) and environment (nurture) on human development.

4. Identify the major causes of obesity, and outline some approaches to preventing and treating obesity.

5. Describe how learning disabilities are diagnosed, and identify some of the basic deficiencies in schools' ability to effectively serve children with learning disabilities.

6. Compare and contrast techniques that have been tried in efforts to educate children with special needs.

7. Restate Kohlberg's stage theory of moral development throughout childhood..

8. Identify the common themes or emphases of at least four theoretical views of schoolage development.

9. Identify five essential ways that functional families nurture schoolage children.

10. Describe the development of the primary and secondary sex characteristics in males and females during puberty and explain the implications for early and late developing youngsters.

11. Compare sex education today with that of your own youth, and describe current global trends in teen pregnancies and births.


Course
Grading
System

Final course grades consist of a percentage of the total points accumulated -- a possible 300 points.  

A Note
from the
Instructor:

GOOD LUCK!   You are about to embark on a very important field of study.   I will try to assist you in any way that I can to make this class a rewarding experience.  Please log in by September 7 to avoid being dropped.  Dr. B.