Course credit
2 credit hours
Course description
Psychological concepts applied to adolescent intellectual, physical, and psychosocial behaviors; designed to improve understanding of, and relationships with, adolescents and their search for identity.
Delivery
This course is available in a print-based format. Mail completed assignments to the GIS Office. We will forward them to the instructor for grading.
Prerequisites
UNI students: 200:030 or equivalent; junior standing.
Instructor
Radhi Al-Mabuk, Associate Professor
Evaluation
7 assignments, 2 article critiques, 2 exams
2 additional article critiques for graduate level credit
Overview
This course deals with the three phases of the developmental period of adolescence: early, middle and late adolescence. Physical, cognitive and psychosocial developments from early to late adolescence will be covered.
The focus of the course is threefold. First is to provide you with recent research findings on many aspects of adolescent life. Second, the course will offer you many suggestions for both understanding adolescents and getting acquainted with their concerns and problems, and for making their lives more meaningful in a time when societal difficulties and too many options are sources of stress for them. The third focus of this course is on providing you the opportunity to reflect on your adolescence and to examine critically and realistically the challenges and demands of this period that you experienced, and then compare your experience with challenges and demands facing today’s adolescents.
It is hoped that your active and enthusiastic involvement in studying the text and answering review/study questions will broaden your understanding of adolescence, which is the most fascinating period of the human life span. Since you probably work or live with adolescents, perhaps your insights and knowledge can help them to mature and to become responsible, well-adjusted adults.
Basic Outline
| Assignment 1 | The Nature and Science of Adolescent Development |
| Assignment 2 | Biological and Cognitive Development |
| Assignment 3 | The Contexts of Adolescent Development: Families and Peers |
| Assignment 4 | The Contexts of Adolescent Development: Schools and Culture |
| Assignment 5 | Social, Emotional, and Personality Development |
| Assignment 6 | Sexuality and Moral Development |
| Assignment 7 | Achievement, Careers and Work and Adolescent Problems |
Article Critiques
Students taking this course for undergraduate credit are required to write two article critiques, two pages in length for each. Students taking the course for graduate credit are required to write four article critiques.
You may choose articles published between 1999 and the present in the following journals:
Exams
There are two exams. Each exam consists of multiple choice questions.
The midterm will be a 50-item exam covering the first 8 chapters in the textbook. The final exam will also consist of 50 items, and will only cover chapters 9-14. There will be a 2-hour time limit for both exams.
Grading
Your final grade will be based on: (1) seven assignments; (2) two exams - a midterm and a final; and (3) undergraduate students must complete two article critiques, and graduate students four article critiques.
Textbook(s)
Santrock, John W. Adolescence. 8th Edition. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill (2001).
Texts are available from the vendor of your choice or
University Book and Supply
1009 West 23rd Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Phone: 319-266-7581 or 800-728-7581
Fax: 319-277-1266
E-mail: bookstore@panthersupply.com
To enroll
ONLINE
GIS enrollment information
IN PERSON
UNI Continuing Education
2637 Hudson Road (corner of 27th St. and Hudson Rd.)
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0223
Campus map (Look for Building 31)
For more information