Course:

CD7/Psyc7/Anth9: Cultural Context of Child & Family in a Diverse Society. 3 units

I am very much looking forward to facilitating your learning experience this fall. Fostering the optimum growth and development of children within their cultural context is my passion, and I hope it will soon become yours as well.

Plan to spend as much time on this online class as you would an in-person course. You will need to spend 54 hours in our virtual classroom and approximately twice that reading the text and preparing assignments.

This class will be taught entirely on the internet, although I will schedule one or more optional film nights that will allow students to earn extra credit.. You must log in by August 30 or you will be dropped to make room for other students, and you must participate in class discussion and assignments at least once a week in order to remain in the class.

Office hours by appointment: (send me an email to arrange in-person or telephone meetings).   

See you online!

Dr. B.

Introductory
Statement:

This course is offered as part of Gavilan College's Child Development major program for a Certificate of Completion in Early Childhood Education or an Associate Degree in Child Development. It satisfies the Child, Family, Community requirement of the Department of Social Services, Title 22, and can be used (as Psyc 7) to meet 3 of the 16 units of General Education required for the Child Development Permit.

It also meets a Social Science lower division general education requirement for the Associate Degree or the California State University Breadth Requirements.

Students will be required to the read the textbooks, 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 presentations..

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:

Examines cultural influences on child-rearing practices, family values, and human development. Perspectives from the social sciences will be used to critique and review theoretical and practical implications of oppression and privelege as they apply to families, schools, and communities. . This course is listed as CD 7 and PSYC 7.

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.
2. Limited English language skills will not be a barrier to admittance to and participation in vocational programs.
3. 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.
4. 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. Analyze theories of socialization that address the interrelationship of child, family, and community.

2,. Analyze and explain aspects of children’s experience as members of families targeted by social bias considering the significant role of education in reinforcing or contradicting such experiences.

3. Critique theories and review the multiple impacts of educational, political, and socioeconomic factors directly impact the lives of children and families, especially on young children’s social identity.

4. Analyze one’s own values, goals and sense of self as related to family history and life experiences, assessing how this impacts relationships with children and families.

5. Compare and contrast the components of linguistically and culturally relevant, inclusive, age-appropriate, anti-bias approaches in promoting optimum learning and development.

6. Evaluate the impact of personal experiences and social identity on teaching effectiveness.

Course
Grading
System

Final course grades consist of a percentage of the total points accumulated -- a possible 100 points.  

A Note
from the
Instructor:

GOOD LUCK!   You are about to embark on a very exciting field of study.   I will try to assist you in any way that I can to make this class a rewarding experience.   Please remember to log in to class on August 31. Students who do not log in by August 30 and participate at least weekly throughout the semester will be dropped from the class.  

Dr. B.