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Welcome to Adolescent Development

Instructor:     Dr. Beth Parkinson

Office:           229 AC Building

Phone Ext.:   2070

I.     Overview of Course

This course designed to provide you with an introduction to theories and issues relating to adolescence. We will use three main perspectives 10 psychological 2) social 3) biological. We will also discover how these three perspectives interact and overlap in accounting for explanations of adolescent development. Being an introductory - level course, the material will cover breadth across a number of areas, rather than depth in any particular.

The text for this course is The Adolescent by F. Philip Rice. It is assumed that everyone will purchase this text, since extensive reading will be required.

II.     Concerning Attendance

There will be some days during the semester when students will be giving presentations. There will also be days devoted to discussions of specific topics which require lively and profound exchanges of ideas in order to provide a true learning experience. On these days attendance is required. You are allowed one absence across all of these days. Fifteen points will be deducted from your grade at the end of the semester for each additional absence on any of these days. Of course, in addition, attendance is required on all exam days.

Attendance on any other days is your choice. You are, however, responsible for material covered on any days when you are not in class. I strongly recommend regular attendance, since I believe that it will be difficult for most students to absorb the material without the benefit of being in class. The lack of attendance policy is not intended to function as permission to cut class freely--it is intended as a means to give you the responsibility to monitor your own behavior.

III.     An Important Message

As the instructor for this class, I will take the responsibility of being prepared each day, and I will sincerely try to make the material interesting and challenging. However, it will be difficult for me to keep things stimulating if you come in continually unprepared, unmotivated, or unresponsive. I expect each of you to take the same responsibility as students that I have taken as the instructor--to be prepared for class, and to be interesting and challenging. I strongly believe that all of us should be invested in making this a good class. If you don't want to be bored, get involved!

If, at any time during the semester, you need help with any part of the course, see me during office hours, or make an appointment during another time if office hours aren't convenient. If you aren't doing as well as you would like to be, don't wait until the last week of class to stop in....monitor your grades as the semester progresses, and see me if you need help as soon as the situation looks discouraging.

IV.     Grading

Exams. There will be four exams, including a final exam.

Written Assignments and Oral Presentation. There will be three written assignments throughout the semester. One assignment will require you to read an article I have chosen and answer questions about the article. The other assignment will require you to find two articles relating to adolescence, write a summary and critique of the articles, and give an oral presentation and lead a class discussion about the article. You will receive a handout explaining how to do this second assignment.

Class participation. If you choose to participate in class seldom or not at all during the semester, I will not deduct points from your final grade. (However, I do think that participating definitely enhances your classroom learning.) However, good participation can help your grade, especially if you are "borderline" between grades at the end of the semester. When you take your final exam, you will be asked to provide me with an honest evaluation of the quality of your class participation. Consider these to be bonus points, easily available to everyone.

Semester Schedule

DATE	ASSIGNMENT	TOPIC
Jan 17		Introduction
Jan 9-Feb 11	Ch. 3 (p. 69-77 "Seven Conflicts") Ch. 11 (p. 259 "Identity Status"- bottom p. 263) Ch. 3 (p. 79 "Ecological View.."- p. 85 "Kurt Lewin"); (p. 87 "Anthropological Views"- p. 89 "Cognitive Views..")	Theories of Adolescent Development
	Ch. 7 (p. 170 "Secondary Characteristics" to end of chapter) Ch. 8 (all)	Biological Development
Feb 14	EXAM I
Feb 16-Mar 16	Ch. 9 (p. 205 "Formal Operational Stage" to end of chapter)	Cognitive Development
	Ch. 19 (p. 468 "Lawrence Kohlberg" to p. 476 "Family Factors)	Moral Development
	Ch. 18 (p. 427-p. 443 "Nonmarital Cohabitation") Ch. 16 (all) Ch. 18 (p. 443 "Nonmarital Cohabitation" to end of chapter)	Friendships, Dating, and Intimacy
Mar 18	EXAM II
Mar 21-Apr 11	Ch. 2 (all)	Cultural and Ethnic Diversity
	Ch. 4 (all) Ch. 5 (all)	The Family Context
	Ch. 20 (all)	The School Context
Apr 13 or 15	EXAM III
Apr 18-May 3	Ch. 21 (all)	Work and Vocational Choice
	Ch. 14 (all)	Drug Use and Abuse
	Ch. 13 (all)	Adjustment Problems
May 6th 8 a.m.	Exam IV

Oral Presentation Days (attendance required)

March 16; March 30; April 6; April 11 (Sign up by March 4)

Discussion Days (Attendance required)

February 11; February 21; March 14; April 15 or 18; April 22 or 25; May 2; May 3