SYLLABUS

Course Number: DEP2004

Course Name: Human Development (Virtual Campus)
Credit Hours: 3 credit hours
Length of Course: 16 Weeks
Prerequisite: Student must score into college-level English and Reading on
placement tests.

Course Description

This course is a basic introduction to human development from conception through death.
We will cover how human beings grow physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally
during infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood, examining major theories in a
variety of areas of development.

Program Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate scientific reasoning in the analysis of various human phenomena such as

human nature, human behavior, human diversity and human social systems

Course Learning Outcomes /Objectives

At the completion of this course students will be able to:

 apply the principles of the scientific method to the evaluation of research in the
psychological sciences and to material presented in the media about the behavioral
sciences.
 identify, describe and discriminate among the major theories of human
development to include the psychoanalytic, cognitive, behavioral, social cognitive,
ethological and ecological theories
 analyze the impact of biological, psychological and socioemotional development on
human behavior throughout the lifespan

Course Resources & Textbook

Required:
Santrock, J. W. (2015). Life-span Development 15th ed. McGraw-Hill: New York.
E-book and Connect Access Code ISBN: 978-1-2608-9656-5 (Verify ISBN with IRSC
bookstore).

The access code provides six months of access to Connect.

Course Requirements

This course consists of a series of assigned readings, activities and assessments to assist you
in achieving the objectives for the course and instructional units/modules. Each week there
is work on various combinations of assignments, activities, discussions, readings, research,
etc.

1. Attendance/Participation.
Preparation for class means completing all study activities required for that week.
Attendance in a course includes logging into Blackboard on a regular basis for
announcements and messages.

In order to be counted as Present in the course, students are required to do the following by
the deadline found in the Course Schedule of this syllabus:

Start Here Quiz Mandatory deadline for attendance – Sunday,

January 10 at 11:55pm.
Introduction Discussion Forum Mandatory deadline for attendance – Sunday,
January 10 at 11:55pm.
Register in McGraw-Hill Connect Mandatory deadline for attendance – Sunday,
January 10 at 11:55pm.

***Failure to complete all three activities by the due date and time in the Course Schedule
provided in the syllabus will result in the student being withdrawn from the course for
non-attendance.***

2. McGraw-Hill Connect: Chapter Assignments - LearnSmart & Mastery Quizzes

If you have difficulty registering in or accessing Connect, contact their tech support at 1-
800-331-5094.

LearnSmart (LS): This activity for each chapter consists of interactive quizzing to help you
learn the concepts you’ve read in the chapter. Each LearnSmart (LS) is worth 10 points and
will be due prior to Sunday evening (11:55 pm) at the END of the week that the chapter is
assigned. Assignment dates can be found in the Schedule of Activities. You can still access
the LS for a chapter after the due date, but the deadline for earning the points will not be
extended.

Mastery Quizzes (MQ): There is a 10 question, multiple choice quiz for each assigned
chapter available in Blackboard which constitutes a significant portion of your grade. Each
quiz allows 1 attempt, is timed, and can be taken online, from home or anywhere with a
secure browser. It will be available until the due date listed in the Course Schedule. The
quiz will be timed (20 minutes) and one attempt will be allowed. Once you begin a quiz,
you must complete it. Do not try to save a partially completed quiz as it will submit your
incomplete score as the final quiz score. Each chapter quiz will be due prior to Sunday
evening (11:55 pm) at the END of the week that the chapter is assigned. The deadline for
mastery quizzes will not be extended.

All LS and MQ activities for each chapter are available to you from the beginning of the
semester. I strongly suggest that you work ahead as much as possible. These activities make
up 40% of your final grade for the course.

Milestone Videos (MV): In addition to the required LS and MQ activities, there are also
Milestone activities assigned as extra credit only for chapters 4, 5, 6, 8, 11 & 12. These
activities involve a series of videos with embedded questions to answer. Correctly
answering the embedded questions for each chapter series is worth up to 5 points of extra
credit. They are available for extra credit until the evening before the exam covering those
chapters. If you have trouble accessing the videos, contact Connect tech support at 1-800-
331-5094.

In addition to the chapter assignments, you’ll find an assignment to assure that your
computer settings are optimal for accessing the material. You will also find a SmartBook
tutorial. This link takes you to information about the interactive ebook with the LearnSmart
activity for each chapter embedded within the text. This is a great way to read the assigned
material and complete your LS for the chapter as you read, reinforcing your learning. Using
the SmartBook is not required, but is an option for learning. If you prefer to access the
LearnSmart activities directly, I’ve included a document just below ‘Have you seen
SmartBook?’ that tells you how to change your default view from SmartBook to LearnSmart.

3. Writing Assignment: Parenting Styles Essay

You are required to write a three - five-page APA format paper applying Baumrind’s
parenting styles (Ch. 8) to your own experience. Specific instructions are provided in the
Paper folder under the Content tab. Papers must be submitted in Word, .rtf, or .pdf formats
(no google docs). Late papers will be penalized 10 points per calendar day. No papers will
be accepted later than seven calendar days after the due date.

4. Exams
There will be two midterm multiple-choice exams and a two-part final exam. Study Guides
are provided for each exam. Students are allowed 90 minutes to complete each exam.
Questions will be drawn from the assigned readings and activities. All exams are proctored
and given in an online format in the Assessment Center on any of the IRSC campuses. You
may even take each exam at a different IRSC Assessment Center if you wish. Assessment
Centers are open at 8:00am and close at 8:30pm on Monday - Wednesday. You are given 90
minutes to complete each of the exams. All exams must be completed by the dates and times
designated in the Course Schedule. No exam score will be dropped from the final grade.

Grades and Grading Scale

Assignment of letter grades is based on a percentage of points earned. The letter grade will
correspond with the following percentages achieved.

Points Percentage
A 900 and above 90 – 100%
B 800 - 899 80 – 89%
C 700 - 799 70 – 79%
D 600 - 699 60 – 69%
F 599 and below 59% and below

Note: Calculated grades will NOT be rounded to the next whole number

Assignment Name Point Value/Percent of Course Grade

Start Here Quiz Mandatory deadline for attendance
Introduction Discussion Forum Mandatory deadline for attendance
10 pts/ 1%
Register in McGraw-Hill Connect Mandatory deadline for attendance
 Discussion Board Forums (3) 30 points/ 3%
Parenting Styles Essay (refer to syllabus) 90 points/9%
LearnSmart (20 activities) 200 points/20%
Mastery Quizzes (20 activities) 200 points/20%
Exam 1 150 points/15%
Exam 2 150 points/15%
Final Exam – Part 1 20 points/ 2%
Final Exam – Part 2 150 points/15%
Total Points 1000 / 100%

Extra Credit (Ch. 4, 5, 6, 8, 11 & 12) * 30 points (MV) *

*Milestone Videos located in the assessment folder.

Schedule of Activities

The schedule will be located on the blue menu in Blackboard.

How to Succeed in this Course:

 Take the SmarterMeasure evaluation if this is your first online course.
o For your username, select the type of degree program from the dropdown
menu: Associate” or “Bachelors.”
o The PASSWORD is “online” for both degrees.
 Review “What makes a successful online student?”
 Log in and check for announcements daily.
 Check your course e-mail regularly.
 Communicate with your instructor.
 Create a study schedule so that you don’t fall behind on assignments.

Course Policies

Online Course
This is an online course and, therefore, there will not be any face-to-face class sessions. All
assignments and course interactions will utilize Internet technologies.

Specific Course Policies

1. Students are expected to check their IRSC email daily. If it is not working contact
[email protected] to resolve the issue.
2. In order to avoid withdrawal for non-attendance, students must complete the
Start Here quiz, register in Connect and post in the Student Introduction
Forum by the due date and time listed in the Course Schedule in this syllabus.
3. Instructor Withdrawal. In accordance with institutional policy, an Instructor
Withdrawal can only be used (provided the student is not enrolled for the third
attempt) for extenuating circumstances such as deaths, illnesses, etc. whenever a
student cannot physically come in to process their own withdrawal.

Communicating with the Instructor

This course uses a “three before me” policy regarding student-to-faculty communications.
When questions arise during this class, please remember to check these three sources for an
answer before asking me to reply to your individual questions:
1. Course syllabus
2. Announcements in BLACKBOARD
3. The “Ask a Student” discussion board

This policy will help you in potentially identifying answers before I can get back to you and
it also helps your instructor from answering similar questions or concerns multiple times.

If you cannot find an answer to your question, please first post your question to the
“Questions for Your Instructor” discussion board. Here your question can be answered to
the benefit of all students by either your fellow students who know the answer to your
question or the instructor. You are encouraged to answer questions from other students in
the discussion forum when you know the answer to a question in order to help provide
timely assistance.

If you have questions of a personal nature such as relating a personal emergency,

questioning a grade on an assignment, or something else that needs to be communicated
privately, you are welcome to contact me via the course e-mail. Please allow 24 to 48 hours
for me to respond.

***All correspondence must be conducted within your course email system or

Course Messages. ****

Attendance/Participation
Preparation for class means reading the assigned readings and reviewing all information
required for that week. Attendance in an online course means logging into the LMS on a
regular basis and participating in all the activities that are posted in the course. Students
will be responsible for all posted announcements and information in the course.

In order to be counted as Present in the course, students are required to do the

following by the deadline found in the Course Schedule of this syllabus:

1. Complete the Start Here Quiz (required in order to gain access to course materials)
2. Post in the Student Introduction Forum and respond to at least one other student’s post.
3. Register for Connect using the access code with the instructions provided in the Connect
folder found under the Content tab in Blackboard.

***Failure to complete all three activities by the due date and time in the Course Schedule
provided in the syllabus will result in the student being withdrawn from the course for
non-attendance.***

Studying and Preparation Time

The course requires students to spend time preparing and completing assignments. For
every credit hour students should expect to spend at minimum of three hours working on
the course. Therefore, a 3-credit course would require approximately nine hours of time per
week.

Examination Policy
There will be three multiple-choice exams which include a cumulative two-part final exam.
Questions will be drawn from the assigned readings and activities. All exams are proctored
and given in an online format in the Assessment Center on any of the IRSC campuses. You
may even take each exam at a different IRSC Assessment Center if you wish. Most
Assessment Centers open at 8:00am and close at 8:30pm. Check Okeechobee for their hours
as they may differ. You are given 90 minutes to complete each of the three exams. All exams
must be completed by the dates and times designated in the Course Schedule. No exam score
will be dropped from the final grade.

A quick link to the Assessment Center (Testing) also is in BLACKBOARD in the “Institutional
Resources” section under IRSC Policies and Resources.

If you are out of the area, please make arrangements before the course begins with Steven
Daniello ([email protected]) in our Assessment Center and a local college/school for a
supervised assessment. Send the information to the instructor for approval of the
assessment arrangements, one week prior to the assessment.

Late or Missed Assignments

Unless the instructor is notified BEFORE the assignment is due and is willing to provide an
opportunity for the student to submit his/her assignment late, no points will be assigned.

Exams –If you know you will miss an exam, please contact me immediately. Be aware that a
make-up exam may be provided in an alternative format (hard copy) of short-answer, fill-
in-the-blank and/or essay questions.

Connect Assignments: Connect assignments may still be completed after the due date and
time but will not receive points.

Discussion Forums must be completed by the due date and time in the Course Schedule.
Late posts will not receive points.

Paper – Late papers will be penalized 10 points per calendar day. No papers will be
accepted later than seven calendar days after the due date.

Submitting Assignments
All assignments, unless otherwise announced by the instructor, MUST be submitted via
BLACKBOARD. Each assignment will have a designated place to submit the assignment.

Subject to change notice

All material, assignments, and deadlines are subject to change with prior notice. It is your
responsibility to stay in touch with your instructor, review the course site regularly, or
communicate with other students, to adjust as needed if assignments or due dates change.

IRSC Policies

Quick links to the Indian River State College’s resources and policies are listed in the Getting
Started section of the course including:
 IRSC Policies & Resources
o MyIRSC – Register for classes, view grades and financial aid awards
 o Student Handbook & Student Handbook Reference Guide
o Advising
o Catalog
o Drop/Add Policy
o Equity Statement
o Financial Aid
o Incomplete Grade
o IRSC Mission Statement
o Office of Student Disabilities
o Student Activities
o Student Success Services
o Testing Services
o Transcripts
o Update Personal Information
o Withdrawal Policy

Academic Resources

Quick links to the Indian River State College’s Academic Resources can be found in the
Institutional Resources section in Blackboard including:
 Academic Resources
o Academic Calendar
o Academic Support Center
o Academic Warning/Deficiency/Suspension
o Assessment/Examination Policy
o Graduation
o How to Succeed in this Courses
o Incomplete Grade
o Netiquette Rules
o Studying and Time Management

Library & Research Paper Resources

Quick links to the Indian River State College’s Library and Research Paper Resources are
listed in the Institutional Resources section in Blackboard including:
o Library Link
o Course Specific Custom Library Guides
o Ask the Librarian (24/7)
o American Psychological Association Tutorial
o APA Guidelines
o MLA Guidelines
o CSE Guidelines
o Legal Citation
o Plagiarism Policy
o Writing a Research Paper

Writing Expectations:
All students should write at college level in all course communication and assignments.
Please pay attention to the information listed below.

College-level writing and appropriate netiquette is required for all written assignments
including Discussion Forums and email correspondence.

Citation and Reference Style:

Students should use the APA citation style unless otherwise directed by their instructor.
Quick links to Library information and reference styles are located under Start Here, then
Library & Research Paper Information.

Technical Requirements

IRSC Computer Requirements

Students must have a reliable computer and Internet connection throughout the course.
Quick links to the Indian River State College’s Blackboard Technical Information can be
found in the Institutional Resources section in Blackboard. Quick links include:

 Essential Technical Skills  Browser Support

Checklist  Blackboard Learn Mobile

Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS)

If you need assistance with Blackboard, please review the Blackboard Help Videos by
clicking on the link provided on the course menu.

Note: The preferred browsers are Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

Blackboard LOG IN:

USERNAME: Student ID number (no dashes)

PASSWORD: IRSC web registration/pay pin

Technical Support
If you can’t find your answer within the Blackboard Help Videos section, visit the
Blackboard Help Center.
Student Accessibility Services
Indian River State College provides reasonable accommodations to students with documented
disabilities through the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Office. The rights of students with
disabilities which pertain to post-secondary education are provided under Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Students who
wish to request an accommodation for a documented disability may contact Student
Accessibility Services at 772-462-7808, 772-462-7782 or e-mail [email protected]

Syllabus Disclaimer

The instructor views the course syllabus as an educational contract between the instructor and
students. Every effort will be made to avoid changing the course schedule but the possibility
exists that unforeseen events will make syllabus changes necessary. The instructor reserves the
right to make changes to the syllabus as deemed necessary. Students will be notified in a timely
manner of any syllabus changes in the course Announcements or course e-mail.

If you are experiencing difficulty in your course and have already worked with your instructor to
resolve the challenge but feel your issue needs additional attention, please visit
http://tinyurl.com/IRSCadmininfo to access the appropriate contact information.

IRSC is an equal employment/equal opportunity educational institution.

If you are experiencing difficulty in your course, your first obligation is to work directly
with your instructor to resolve the issue. If you are unable to settle your concerns with the
assistance of your instructor, you may contact Daphne Cooper, at [email protected].