2. General Course Information

3. Child Development ECE 312 (17343)
Instructor: Anna Otto
Class: M 6:00-9:15, Rodda Hall North 264
Office hours: M 5:15-6:00 Rodda Hall North 264, or by appointment
Behavioral and Social Sciences Phone: (916)
Web page:

4. Text Publisher website MyDevelopmentLab Required course ID: otto50275
Free access for 14 days, then requires an access code
See “Student Registration Instructions” sheet

5. Course Description
This course is designed for students to study the growth and development of children from the prenatal stage through adolescence. For each stage of development, the physical, cognitive, linguistic, social-moral, and emotional aspects of development with attention to both typical as well as atypical development are discussed in each area. Included are the influences of culture, family, and the environment. The material in this course is designed as a foundation for teaching, nursing, early childhood education, and parenting.

6. Learning Outcomes and Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
identify the typical and atypical developmental stages of children.
describe current and prominent theories of child development.
apply developmental theories to teaching and child rearing practices.
examine and evaluate the role of teachers and other professionals in facilitating children’s development.
identify typical behavior of children and the individual differences and special needs (physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development) in each child.
analyze the influence of culture, family, society, and environment and the roles they play in the child's development.
assess a child's development through a case study involving observation, activities, and comparisons.
write an evaluation of a child's development as compared to norms.
demonstrate a knowledge of child development in the domains of physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development.

7. College Expectations Attendance
For students to successfully complete their college work, regular class attendance is necessary, and students are expected to attend all sessions of the class in which they are enrolled.
Students who fail to attend the first session of a class will most likely be dropped by the Instructor and will lose their seat in the class.
Any student with excessive absences may be dropped from any course by the instructor any time during the semester. Excessive absences are defined as 6% of the total hours of class time. Instructors may establish and notify students of a more restrictive attendance policy if appropriate for their course.
All students who remain enrolled in a class after the last date to withdraw will be issued a letter grade for the course. If a student has stopped attending but not dropped the class, the student may receive an “F” grade for the course on their permanent record. This grade will be used in computing probation or disqualification

8. College Expectations (Con’t)
All students are expected to be familiar with and follow the Student Code of Conduct.
Unit load
College work is measured in terms of the semester “unit.” In lecture courses, one hour in the classroom and two hours of study preparation per week constitute a unit of work. In the laboratory, three hours in the classroom per week with no outside study constitute one unit of work. The number of units of credit is listed with each course description.

9. Cell phone
Active cell phones create a distraction in the class. If you must bring a cell phone with you, please make sure that it is either off or on silent mode and stored out of site. Please note, texting and other non-class uses of electronics are NOT allowed during class. Students who create a distraction to the teacher or other students may be asked to leave the classroom.
Though not directly stated on the syllabus, the same goes for computer use.

10. Important Dates
Keeping in mind, that adding or dropping a class is the responsibility of the student … not of the instructor.
Last day to enroll: September 3, you will need a Permission to Add (PTA) Number
Last day to drop with a refund: September 1
Last day to drop without a notation on record: September 3
Last day to drop with a “W” grade: November 14
Last day to petition for credit/no credit: September 22

11. Course requirements and weighting
Periodic exams (300 pts.; 50%). Three unit exams will be given and each will be worth 100 points. The dates and content of the exams are noted in the tentative topical outline below. All exams begin promptly at the beginning of the class period. You will need to arrive on time, as exams may not be given to students who arrive late. Make-up exams will only be given in cases of illness or emergency, and must be completed within one week of the original exam; no make-ups are available after an exam has been returned to students. Special arrangements must be made to administer a make-up exam, so I expect to receive a message if you will miss an exam. Points may be deducted for late exams.
Projects (160 pts.; 27%). Three projects will be assigned during the semester. The due dates are noted in the tentative topical outline below. Specific details will be handed out during the semester. Projects may require written and/or oral components. Projects submitted after the due date will have points deducted (10% during the first week; 20% during the second week; 30% during the third week; 40% during the fourth week; 50% during the fifth and subsequent weeks). Projects are due at the beginning of the class period; projects submitted after the beginning of class may be considered late.

12. Course requirements and weighting (Con’t)
Attendance and Participation (60 pts.; 10%). It is expected that you attend and participate in all class sessions, for the entire class period. Late arrivals and early departures are a disruption both to your learning and to the class. In order to earn full points for the day, students need to be present for the entire session and participate as appropriate. Partial credit may be given to students who are present for partial class sessions or who do not actively participate.
Chapter Quizzes (80 pts.; 13%). Chapter quizzes are due at the beginning of class as indicated on the tentative topical outline below. Quizzes submitted late may receive up to half credit. No credit will be available after the unit exam.
Receipt of syllabus and policies. Sign and return the attached sheet. This sheet is required to be returned to the instructor before points begin accumulating for the semester.
Extra Credit (TBA). Periodically extra credit opportunities may be made available to students. The details, points and due dates will be announced as the opportunities are presented. Students who have received any disciplinary action will not be allowed to earn extra credit points.

13. Student with disabilities
Sacramento City College welcomes students with disabilities into its educational programs. The college has an office of Disability Services and Programs for Students (DSPS) to support these students in the pursuit of their academic goals ( If you need reasonable accommodations, contact DSPS and talk with you instructor. This process must be followed every semester.

14. Tentative Topical Outline M evenings Main Campus

15. Chapter 1 Quiz

16. Where to find important class information
… which is on the class website, with other important resources!

17. In the News

18. Mutlitasking
What do students and teachers think about multitasking while in class?
Excerpt from Digital Nation
What does research tell us about multitasking and learning?
“Heavier smartphone use has been linked to lower-quality sleep and lower GPAs.” AND
“…more than 75 percent of undergrads reported texting while in class, and … in-class texting was linked to an average drop of half a letter grade in the course.”
Excerpts from How To Get Students To Stop Using Their Cellphones In Class; Reported on npr.org

19. What “big” event happened today?
The Solar Eclipse

20. Path of the eclipse

21. Viewing the eclipse (1960s)

22. Preparing to view an eclipse
Simple pinhole viewer

23. Pre-eclipse headlines

24. Eclipse Images 2017 (as captured by some friends)
Through a telescope as the totality nears (in OR)
Through a telescope at Sierra College
In OR in the “path of totality”
Same location, before and during eclipse

25. Viewing the eclipse (2012 in Reno, NV)