Overview Objective Materials grading Exam ELI Policies and Procedures Contacting the Instructor Beginning the Course
PSY 231 : Life Span Human Development I (3 Credits)

Professors: R. Holbrook, E. Jenifer, A. Jones, , M. Marcey, E. Purnell

Overview

Life Span Human Development I studies physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development from conception through early adolescence. The course looks at how development progresses from the prenatal period through puberty by blending the findings from research studies with theoretical perspectives. The information on genetics, prenatal development, and infancy draws heavily on the biological and medical sciences. Early childhood is more easily understood by considering the ways in which the microsystem of family and caregivers influence the child's language development, cognitive processes, and personality. Of particular interest is the way in which the young child's thought processes affect his perceptions of himself, other people, and the world. During middle childhood, the mesosystem (such as parent-teacher communications) and the exosystem (such as television) become increasingly important in understanding how the child functions on a daily basis. Clinical child psychology is also used to provide insights into specific developmental problems that become evident at this time. Adolescence sees a return to the importance of physical factors and the individual's role in a society that has created adolescence as a stage of life.

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Objectives

 

If you successfully complete this course, you will be able to:

  • Define science and explain why psychology is a science.
  • Apply the scientific method to design a research study.
  • Explain the difference between correlation and causation, and interpret data from research.
  • Understand the influences of culture on development and behavior.
  • Understand the complexity of the factors influencing development and behavior.
  • Explain the various environmental influences on development and behavior through early school years.
  • Interpret developmental stages from various psychological perspectives (psychodynamic, cognitive, bio-social, behavioral, and psychosocial).
  • Understand the usefulness of norms in understanding human development. Understand that “normal” is a relative term and that normalcy can be different for different cultures and ethnic groups, and that what is defined as normal can change over time.
  • List the stages of human development through early school years and describe the key changes and their resulting behaviors at each stage.
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Materials

 



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Grading
 

Your course grade will be determined according to the following points:

Assignment
Points
Syllabus Quiz 12
Plagiarism Quiz 18

Individual Assignments
(1@10 points, 11@20 points,
1@30 points)

260
Small Group Project
(Draft @20 points,
Final Project @100 points)
120
4 Chapters Quizzes
(25 points each)
100
2 Exams (100 points each)
200
Total
690

Grading Scale
A
90-100 %
690-621points
B
80-89 %
650-552 points
C
70 - 79 %
551-483 points
D
60 - 69 %
482-414 points
F
Below 60 %
0-413 points
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Exams

 

There are two (2) online proctored exams in this course. You are expected to take your proctored exams at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect Empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking proctored exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

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ELI Policies and Procedures

 
This is an Extended Learning Institute (ELI) course. ELI courses differ from campus courses in several important ways, including enrollment dates, communication with faculty, assignment completion requirements, and exams. You must follow ELI's policies and procedures if you take this course. Read (or review) ELI's Policies and Procedures before you begin the course. If you have questions, call ELI at (703) 323-3347 or (888) 435-6822.
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Contacting the Instructor

 

We are here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact us when they do:

Instructor Email Telephone
Robert Holbrook rholbrook@nvcc.edu 703-845-6214
Ericka Jenifer ejenifer@nvcc.edu 703-450-2505
Antoinette Jones anjones@nvcc.edu
Marcella Marcey mmarcey@nvcc.edu 703-505-9104
Elizabeth Purnell

In person office hours can be arranged by appointment.

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Beginning the Course

 

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard and email at http://nvcc.my.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.