The mission
of NAU-YUMA is to meet the unique higher educational needs of the diverse
and growing communities of the Lower Colorado River Region.
YUMA BRANCH CAMPUS
NAU-YUMA is committed to providing
educational programs, conducting applied research, developing student
services and fostering intellectual, cultural and scholarly activity
in a collaborative manner. As the Hispanic Serving Branch Campus, NAU-YUMA
facilitates trans-border studies, economic development, public safety,
health, multicultural education and environmental sustainability.
EPS 611: ADOLESCENT
PSYCHOLOGY
Fall, 2007
Instructor: Sherri N. McCarthy,
Ph.D. Phone:
317-6411
Office hours: AC219
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2-5 or by appointment
Homepage: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~snm3/
E-mail:
sherri.mccarthy@nau.edu
Class times: Tuesdays, 7:15-9:30
Place:
AC286
Course description and objectives:
This course has a prerequisite of EPS580. An understanding of basic
psychology is recommended. EPS 611 is designed to assist students
in examining key theories, research and issues in adolescent psychology
related to physical growth, cognitive development, identity formation,
biopsychosexual behavior and social issues. This course will provide
a comprehensive overview of adolescent psychology for application in
counseling, teaching, training or working with adolescents in a variety
of settings.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student will:
1)
Understand and explain major theories from adolescent psychology, and
their implications for education, counseling, training and supervision
of adolescents;
2)
Locate, understand, interpret and critique research related to adolescent
psychology;
3)
Effectively communicate knowledge of adolescent psychology in written
and oral presentations following APA style guidelines;
4)
Prepare a written case study of an adolescent which addresses biopsychosocial
development and adjustment, a comprehensive theory of adolescence and/or
a high-quality empirical study of adolescents in the lower Colorado
region.
Required Textbooks:
Muuss, R. E. (1996) Theories of
adolescence. (6th edition). New York: McGraw-Hill.
ISBN0-07-044267-3
McCarthy, S. & Hutz, C. (2006)
Preventing teen violence: A guide for parents and professionals.
London: Praeger.
ISBN 0-275-98246-7
Recommended Textbook:
American Psychological Association
(2002). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association.
(5th edition). Washington, D.C.: Author.
Course policies:
University policies as specified in the student handbook will be followed.
Please keep sensitive class material confidential, as part of our success
as a group will be based upon our trust in each other so that we can
openly discuss issues which may require self-disclosure. Your grade
for this class will be based on points accumulated by performance on
the following assignments:
Grading Criteria and Assignments:
Class participation and community
service activities80 points (10 per class)
Students are expected to participate
in all of the day’s activities in a constructive and collegial manner
Class points cannot be made up, so if you miss classes, you may wish
to take advantage of the optional extra credit described below. Activities
will be designed to help students apply knowledge acquired through class
to issues relevant to working with adolescents in the border regions.
Some may require community service outside of class.
Quiz and discussion assignment70
points (5 per class)
In order to earn full quiz
points for each class, you must turn in a minimum of 5 discussion questions
(at least two per chapter from the assigned readings) each Tuesday and
be adequately involved in all activities and discussions related to
your questions and those of your peers.
Article review and library assignment50
points
You will write an APA-style summary
of a research article from a psychological journal related to adolescent
psychology. You should choose an article in an area that complements
the major project option you have selected. You will find the article
in conjunction with a library assignment you complete on September 25.
You will bring the article and a written summary draft to class the
following week for editing group assistance. Your final article review
will be due on October 5.
Theory of adolescence group
presentation 100 points
With a group of your classmates, you
will prepare and deliver a comprehensive presentation of one of the
theories we study. Your presentation should include handouts, PowerPoint
and some type of activity to illustrate the key elements of the theory
you choose. It will be delivered during class in December. More information
on this assignment will be provided in class in the future.
Major Final Project
200 points
You may choose any ONE of the following
3 options for your final project. If you would like to complete an additional
project from this list for extra credit, you may do so.
Rites
of passage and moral development mini-research report
To understand some of the constraints
on research with adolescents, you may conduct a study on a topic of
interest to you, using a sample of a minimum of 25 adolescents. You
will then need to summarize your findings in a poster presentation which
includes methodology, results, discussion and implications. More information
will be forthcoming.
Personal
theory of adolescent psychology
As a part of this class you will read
about and analyze many theories of adolescent development. Based
on this, and on your own experiences, you will be asked to develop and
write a paper explaining the personal theory that you feel best explains
adolescence. This may be one or a combination of the theories
we study, described in your own words, or it may be an original theory.
It must be based on some observational or empirical evidence, which
is cited in explaining the theory. The paper should be written
in APA style and include a minimum of 5 references.
Case
study of an adolescent
You will conduct and summarize a case
study of an adolescent as part of this course. Your data will
be based on observations of and interviews with the adolescent, the
adolescent’s parents, peers, and other sources of data you are able
to access. As part of this case study, you will determine whether or
not your particular adolescent would be considered well-adjusted or
maladjusted (according to criteria which you will determine and explain
in the context of your paper) and what factors appear to be responsible
for adjustment. The paper should be presented as an APA-style research
report.
Grades:
Grades will be based on points obtained
from the above activities, according to the following scale:
450+ =A 400-450 = B
350-399 = C 300-349 = D < 300 = F.
As this is a graduate seminar and
you are all good, highly motivated students, I don’t foresee that
grades other than A’s and B’s will be assigned in this course. Please
don’t surprise me!
Reading Assignments
and Class Schedule and Topics
(Subject to change according to class needs and interests)
August 28
Orientation and course overview
Introductions
Group formation
What is adolescence?
Assignments:
Read Muus, chapter 1 & 2
Drama writing assignment
September 4
Theories of adolescence
Psychoanalytic theories
Play performances
Assignments:
Read McCarthy & Hutz, chapters
1-3
September 11
School & social violence
Influence of social milieu
Assignments:
Select major project(s)
Read Muus, chapters 3 & 4
September 18
Erikson and identity formation
Discuss major projects
Assignments:
Read McCarthy & Hutz, chapters
4 & 5
September 25
Teen suicide and self-harm
Substance abuse among adolescents
Sexual aspects of adolescence
Discuss community service options
Sullivan’s developmental theory
Library orientation
Theory group work time in library
Major project work time in library
Assignments:
Read Muus, chapter 5
Read McCarthy & Hutz, chapters
6 & 7
Complete library assignment
Write draft of article review
October 2
Anger Management with adolescents
Successful parenting
Assignments:
Write draft of article review
Read Muus, Chapters 6 & 7
October 9
Article editing groups and APA style
orientation
Margaret Mead’s anthropological
theory applied to adolescence
Kurt Lewin’s field theory
Assignments:
Read Muus, chapter 8
Complete final article review
Work on final project
Work on theory presentation
October
16
Piaget’s developmental theory and
adolescent thought
Summarize and discuss article reviews
Assignments:
Read McCarthy & Hutz, chapter
8 & 9
October 23
Programs to build resilience
Report on progress of major projects
Assignments:
Read Muus, Chapter 9
Read McCarthy & Hutz, Chapter
10
October 30
Cross-cultural aspects of moral development
Kohlberg’s Theory of moral reasoning
Assignment
Read Muus, Chapter 10
Read McCarthy & Hutz, Chapter
11
November 6
Developing critical thinking in adolescents
Strategies to facilitate adolescent
moral and social development
Assignments:
Work on group theory presentation
Work on final project
Read Muus, Chapters 11 & 12
November 13
Developmental contextualism: Loevinger
& Selman
Sociocultural influences on adolescents
Assignments:
Read McCarthy & Hutz, Chapter
12 & 13
Read Muus, Chapter 13
November 20
Street kids and problems around the
world
Faith, religion & adolescent values
Assignments:
Read Muus, chapters 14 & 15
Work on final projects and theory
presentations
November 27
Bandura & Bronfenbrunner
Social learning, cognition and ecological
models
Assignments:
Read Muus, Chapters 16 & 17
December 4
Developmental Contextualism
Summary & Review
Assignments
Complete final projects
Complete theory presentations
December 11
Theory presentations
Final projects due
STATEMENT
ON PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING: Use the following link.
http://www4.nau.edu/stulife/StudentHandbook/Appendix_G_AcademicDishonesty.htm
Northern Arizona University
Policy Statements
Safe Environment Policy
NAU’s Safe Working and Learning
Environment Policy seeks to prohibit discrimination and promote the
safety of all individuals within the university. The goal of this
policy is to prevent the occurrence of discrimination on the basis of
sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation,
disability, or veteran status and to prevent sexual harassment, sexual
assault or retaliation by anyone at this university.
You may obtain a copy of this
policy from the college dean’s office. If you have concerns
about this policy, it is important that you contact the departmental
chair, dean’s office, the Office of Student Life (928-523-5181), the
academic ombudsperson (928-523-9368), or NAU’s Office of Affirmative
Action (928-523-3312).
Students with Disabilities
If you have a documented disability,
you can arrange for accommodations by contacting the office of Disability
Support Services (DSS) at 928-523-8773 (voice), 928-523-6906 (TTY).
In order for your individual needs to be met, you are required to provide
DSS with disability related documentation and are encouraged to provide
it at least eight weeks prior to the time you wish to receive accommodations.
You must register with DSS each semester you are enrolled at NAU and
wish to use accommodations.
Faculty are not authorized
to provide a student with disability related accommodations without
prior approval from DSS. Students who have registered with DSS are encouraged
to notify their instructors a minimum of two weeks in advance to ensure
accommodations. Otherwise, the provision of accommodations may be delayed.
Concerns or questions regarding
disability related accommodations can be brought to the attention of
DSS or the Affirmative Action Office.
Institutional Review Board
Any study involving observation
of or interaction with human subjects that originates at NAU—including
a course project, report, or research paper—must be reviewed and approved
by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the protection of human
subjects in research and research-related activities.
The IRB meets once each month.
Proposals must be submitted for review at least fifteen working days
before the monthly meeting. You should consult with your course
instructor early in the course to ascertain if your project needs to
be reviewed by the IRB and/or to secure information or appropriate forms
and procedures for the IRB review. Your instructor and department
chair or college dean must sign the application for approval by the
IRB. The IRB categorizes projects into three levels depending
on the nature of the project: exempt from further review, expedited
review, or full board review. If the IRB certifies that a project
is exempt from further review, you need not resubmit the project for
continuing IRB review as long as there are no modifications in the exempted
procedures.
A copy of the IRB Policy and
Procedures Manual is available in each department’s administrative
office and each college dean’s office. If you have questions,
contact Office of Grant and Contract Services, at 928-523-4889.
Academic Integrity
The university takes an extremely
serious view of violations of academic integrity. As members of
the academic community, NAU’s administration, faculty, staff and students
are dedicated to promoting an atmosphere of honesty and are committed
to maintaining the academic integrity essential to the education process.
Inherent in this commitment is the belief that academic dishonesty in
all forms violates the basic principles of integrity and impedes learning.
Students are therefore responsible for conducting themselves in an academically
honest manner.
Individual students and faculty
members are responsible for identifying instances of academic dishonesty.
Faculty members then recommend penalties to the department chair or
college dean in keeping with the severity of the violation. The
complete policy on academic integrity is in Appendix F of NAU’s Student
Handbook.
Academic Contact Hour Policy
The Arizona Board of Regents
Academic Contact Hour Policy (ABOR Handbook, 2-206, Academic Credit)
states: “an hour of work is the equivalent of 50 minutes of
class time…at least 15 contact hours or recitation, lecture, discussion,
testing or evaluation, seminar, or colloquium as well as a minimum of
30 hours of student homework is required for each unit of credit.”
The reasonable interpretation
of this policy is that for every credit hour, a student should expect,
on average, to do a minimum of two additional hours of work per week;
e.g., preparation, homework, studying.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
Membership in the academic
community places a special obligation on all members to preserve an
atmosphere conducive to a safe and positive learning environment.
Part of that obligation implies the responsibility of each member of
the NAU community to maintain an environment in which the behavior of
any individual is not disruptive.
It is the responsibility of
each student to behave in a manner that does not interrupt nor disrupt
the delivery of education by faculty members or receipt of education
by students, within or outside the classroom. The determination
of whether such interruption/disruption has occurred must be made by
the faculty member at the time the behavior occurs. It becomes
the responsibility of the individual faculty member to maintain and
enforce the standards of behavior acceptable to preserving an atmosphere
for teaching and learning in accordance with University regulations
and the course syllabus.
At a minimum, a student will
be warned if his/her behavior is considered by the faculty member to
be disruptive. Serious disruptions, as determined by the faculty
member, may result in immediate removal of the student from the instructional
environment. Significant and/or continued violations of this policy
may result in an administrative withdrawal of the student from the class.
Additional responses by the faculty member to disruptive behavior may
include a range of actions from discussing the behavior with the student
to referral to the appropriate academic unit and/or the Office of Student
Life for administrative review in an effort to implement corrective
action up to and including suspension or expulsion from the University.
Student Code of Conduct
For a copy of the complete
code, visit www.nau.edu/~stulife/code or call 928-523-5181