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Updated: 09/23/08

Fall, 2008

• Understand the complexity of individual and social factors in development and that interactions between individual and environment are two-directional, characterized by reciprocity.

• Increase ability to communicate effectively in diverse settings with people from diverse experiences and situations.

• Gain multi-cultural literacy with regard to human development across the lifespan.

• Compare and contrast human development across several U.S. cultures including (but not limited to) African American, Asian American, Latino, Native American, Euro-American.
   
• Become aware of language indicating bias in relation to gender, age, ethnicity, and sexual or affectional orientation.

• Increase appreciation of the United States as a multi-cultural society by learning to compare and contrast how various systems (e.g. family, educational, economic, political, religious, etc.) affect the psychological development and health of individuals and communities.

Educational Philosophy 

I believe that students learn best when they are actively involved with the course content. I am also certain that all students can learn; there are barriers to learning that occur, however, and it is the responsibility of both the teacher and the student to eliminate these barriers. Below I have listed the responsibilities of each of us; by fulfilling these we can maximize your learning potential. I also believe that developing your ability to critically think through problems and information is an important part of your education. In this class I will ask you to be aware of your thinking processes; for example, are you considering all the relevant information? Are you considering other perspectives on the topic?  Are you clear about your understanding of the material? Are your ideas logical? Are you able to reflect on your reactions and responses to the material we are studying?  When presented with a situation can you draw on the knowledge you have to problem solve and make decisions?

Instructor Responsibilities

1. To create a safe learning environment that allows for an exchange of ideas and exploration of the concepts and issues we encounter in this course.
2. To make clear my expectations of you in regard to preparation for class, class activities and assignments.
3. To maintain reasonable and high expectations and to hold you accountable to these.
4. To be available to help you individually and to provide referrals to other services that may be of help to you.
5. To give you feedback on your work so that you can increase your skills and knowledge throughout the quarter and beyond.

Student Responsibilities

1. To arrive in class on time and be prepared to actively participate in the class session.
2. To complete assignments on time and in accordance with the guidelines defined by me.
3. To stay in contact with me throughout the quarter, especially if you are having difficulty, i.e. absences, not understanding the material etc. Contact can be by telephone, email, in person or in writing. Your assignments are a good place to ask questions, offer answers or keep me informed of how you are doing in the class.
4. To be aware of how your behavior affects your classmates, the teacher and the learning atmosphere and act accordingly.
5. To develop professionalism in the following ways:

• Through the use of appropriate language.
• Maintaining confidentiality of information shared in the classroom.
• Monitoring your self disclosure and ensuring it is relevant to course content. Self disclosure of a personal nature can lead to feelings of vulnerability for all involved and can detract from the learning that is happening.
• By practicing listening skills. It takes effort to hear and understand what others are saying.  Class discussions are a good time to practice active listening.
• To be aware of how your behavior and attitude affect the culture of the classroom and the learning of yourself and peers.  Please turn off cell phones and/or pagers.
• Respecting diverse points of view and being willing to accept that there is often more than one acceptable answer.
• Accepting the fact that there are also plenty of wrong answers. 

Comments on plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as "taking and using another person's ideas and/or writing as one's own"  (Oxford American Dictionary).  It may be interpreted as the result of misunderstanding or of cheating.  It's becoming a greater problem as information is so readily available on the internet.  The forms of plagiarism I run into include quoting material from a source without identifying it as a quote and citing it and cutting and pasting material from other sources, as if written by the student.  Sometimes a student will cut and paste an entire paper and pass it off as their own work.  All of these examples are unacceptable.  If I notice that it looks like you include a quote in a paper without acknowledging it, I'll make a note on your paper and ask that you use your own words to explain the concept.  If I find that paragraphs or the entire paper are plagiarized you will receive a failing grade for the assignment.

Late Policy

Do everything you can to turn your work in on time. I have planned the assignments to coincide with the content we are covering in class and they are designed to enhance your understanding of the material. Therefore, if you don't do the assignment when it is due you are not going to get the full benefit of it. If you have an emergency and cannot complete an assignment on time, let me know.  10% will be deducted for late work.