EPsy 446

Educational Psychology 446/Psychology 423
Characteristics of Early Adolescence

Course Description
EPsy 446 is a required course for students in the middle school licensure program in the College of Education.  The course provides an overview of physiological, social, emotional, and cognitive development of early adolescence. Additionally, the relationship between these developmental characteristics and success in the middle grades will be explored.

Course Purpose
This course is intended to help prepare future teachers or other professionals who work with early adolescents develop an informed and reflective practice working with this age group in a diverse society.  In this course you will gain an understanding of early adolescent development and learn how to apply this knowledge to your classroom or other professional practice.

Course Goals
Through assigned readings, classroom activities, small and large group discussions, and reflective writing this course is intended to increase your knowledge of early adolescent development, particularly in relation to the school context.

There are several learning goals for this course.  By the end of this semester, it is my hope that you will be able to do the following:

1. understand the factors that influence early adolescent growth, behavior, and learning;
2. understand and apply several theoretical or conceptual frameworks in developmental psychology related to early adolescence;
3. understand and critically evaluate empirical research regarding different facets of early adolescent development;
4. recognize and understand several points of view on current issues of practice and policy issues relating to early adolescents;
5. understand how developmental theory and research can be applied to the classroom context in an effort to promote student learning and development;
6. think, speak, and write in a clear and well organized way about early adolescence and schools
7. synthesize knowledge about early adolescence into a dynamic and integrated approach to classroom teaching.

Course Readings
    Cobb, N. J. (2001).  Adolescence:  Continuity, change, and diversity.  4th Edition.  Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company.
    Other readings as assigned.

Course Requirements
The requirements for the course are intended to help you engage with the course materials and to facilitate your understanding of the different course concepts.  Requirements will be both formative and evaluative in nature.  Formative requirements are intended to help you reflect on your understanding of the course concepts and to help me tailor instruction to your particular needs.  Thus, these requirements are graded only in terms of completion.  Evaluative requirements are intended to assess your knowledge and understanding of the concepts covered in the course.  These requirements will be graded on content and on how well you complete the requirement.  More specific information on the requirements is given below.

Autobiographical Essay:  (Total points 50)  This assignment is a way for me to get to know you and for you to reflect back on what it meant to be an early adolescent and the factors/experiences that were influential in determining your life path from that time.  The paper should discuss both who you are now (goals, aspirations, motivations, etc.), as well as who you were as an early adolescent.  Finally the paper should discuss the pathways/experiences/people/factors that were influential in your development.  The paper should be approximately 2-4 pages in length. (formative assessment)

Discussion Questions:  (Total points 100)  Each week we have lecture/discussion you will be responsible for bringing to class three discussion questions based on the reading(s) for that week.  Discussion questions should be type-written.  One question can be to help you clarify or further understand the material but the other questions should be more “wonderment” type questions that take the reading to the next level.  One of these “wonderment” questions each week should be based on your diversity group category.  These questions will be used to form the basis of our class discussions each week.  Note:  This assignment will also take the place of attendance/participation.  If you miss class you miss the opportunity for these points.  Discussion questions are indicated in the syllabus as DQ.  (formative assessment)

Reflection Paper:  (Total points 100)  This paper will be based on one of the “wonderment” questions you prepare for class.  The paper will be a critical response/reflection to that question based on our class discussion of the topic, your personal experience, and any outside readings that are relevant to the topic.  The paper will be due during finals week but you are welcome to turn it in any time prior to that. Papers should be 4-6 pages in length and should follow APA format.  See additional sheet for more information.

Book Review:  (Total points 100)  Each of you will be assigned a popular press book to read as a part of your diversity group.  Although these books will be discussed in your groups, each of you is responsible for writing a 6-8 page review of your book.  Book reviews will be due for peer review on the day the book is discussed in class.  Group members will have one week to review and comment on the papers of the other members of your group.  The final version of the book review will be due to me by April 12.  See additional sheet for more details on requirements and grading.   (Evaluative assessment)

Diversity Group Presentations:  (Total points 200)  Toward the end of the semester each of you will be assigned to a group comprised of other class members from the different diversity groups.  As a group you will be responsible for developing a presentation that investigates the impact of diversity on one area of early adolescent development, to be presented during the last two class sessions.  These presentations will serve as the culminating project for the class.  The presentations should be 30-45 minutes in length and should discuss how different aspects of diversity individually impact an area of development as well as how multiple forms of diversity interact to affect development.  See additional handout on specifics for the diversity group presentations.  Additionally, each member of the group will be responsible for a 1-2 page synthesis and reflection on your contribution to the group and the group process.  One hundred fifty of the points for this assignment will come from the group presentation (each member getting the same number of points).  The other 50 points will be based on your self-reflections and your group members’ assessment of your contribution to the group.  (You will each grade the other members of your group.) (Evaluative assessment)

Graduate Students Only:
Position paper and class discussion facilitation:  (Total points 200)  Each of you will be responsible for facilitating class discussion on one of the supplementary readings for the course, as well as writing a critical reflection/position paper on that reading.  The written reflection should be 4-6 pages in length and will be due two weeks following the class discussion of the reading.  Your in-class facilitation will be worth 100 points and your paper worth 100 points.  The in-class facilitation will be graded using criteria determined by the class.  The final grade for your facilitation will be determined through your own self-evaluation, input from the class, and myself.  We will determine this grade in a post-facilitation conference.  I will grade your written position paper. See additional sheet for more details on requirements and grading. (Evaluative assessment)

Grading
 Grading will be based on the total number of points earned throughout the semester.  The total number of points possible for the semester is 550 undergradute/750 graduate.  Grades will be awarded based on the following percentages.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

If you need to miss a class session on which a major assignment is due you need to contact me PRIOR to the start of class.  Make-up assignments and extensions on deadlines will only be given in extreme circumstances for which an excused absence can be documented.  If you are commuting to the University from a distance and often encounter traffic delays, I expect that on deadline days you will accommodate for this.

In most cases make-up work for missed class will not be given.

Special Note:  Although late work is not looked upon favorably in my course I would rather have you complete an assignment for partial credit than not complete it at all.  If you are having problems with the work please make an appointment with me so that we can discuss together strategies that will enable you to be successful in this course.  If you turn in late work and do not speak with me, however, I will be forced to take off points for each day the assignment is late.

Special Needs
UIC strives to ensure the accessibility of programs, classes, and services to students with disabilities.  Reasonable accommodations can be arranged for students with various types of disabilities, such as documented learning disabilities.  If you need accommodations for this class, please see me as soon as possible.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism—whether it is passing off someone else’s ideas as your own; submitting work for this class that has been previously submitted for another class, even if it is your own; or violating UIC’s Code of Academic Integrity in some other form or fashion—will not be tolerated.  Judicial matters include but are not limited to the loan or purchase of papers, the use of papers for more than one course, plagiarism, fabrication and facilitating academic dishonesty.

Final Note
If you speak to students who have taken my courses previously you will find that many of them say this is one of the most challenging courses they have taken but also that they learned a lot.  Additionally, I think they would say that I am very fair and consider teaching a reciprocal process.  If you are having trouble in the course it is up to you to come and talk with me about it.  If you do that we will figure out some way to help you be successful in the course.  I am looking forward to an exciting and challenging semester.

The fine print
These course policies and the syllabus are subject to change.  If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to find out about such changes.

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES