Family and Consumer Science

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Analyze developmental theories and current research on life span in the biosocial, psychosocial, and cognitive domains.
• Assess the history of the life span perspective and address contemporary concerns.
• Define and distinguish between biological processes, cognitive processes, and socio-emotional processes.
• Appraise the major developmental periods from conception to death.
• Evaluate the three major developmental issues (nature and nurture, continuity and discontinuity, stability and change).
• Understand normative cognitive changes across the life span as suggested by the different theories.
• SLO #2: Analyze, compare, and contrast the key development theories.
• Define and distinguish between biological processes, cognitive processes, and socioemotional processes.
• Appraise and distinguish between theory, hypotheses, and the scientific method.
• Evaluate the different research measures used by developmental psychologists, and developmental theorists.
• SLO #3: Assess the developmental stages and growth processes across the biosocial, psychosocial, and cognitive domains of development, from the prenatal period through the end of life.
• Differentiate and analyze typical and atypical behavior, experiences, growth and development throughout the life span.
• Demonstrate knowledge of specific growth processes and analyze the interplay of genes and the environment on human growth and development.
• Assess the genetic foundations of life.
• Evaluate normative cognitive changes across the life span as suggested by the different theories.
• SLO # 4: Analyze the six stages of the family life cycle, from leaving home and becoming a single adult to the family in later life.
• Appraise how research on temperament, personality, and attachment illustrate both stability and change in development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of specific growth processes and analyze the interplay of genes and the environment on human growth and development.
• Critique the various aspects of marriage, cohabitation, and committed relationships.
• Analyze the links between attachment and intimate relationships in adolescence and adulthood.
• Assess the current research on parenting children.
• Evaluate aspects of parent-adolescent relationships, seeing that while conflict with parents may increase in adolescence, it is usually moderate, not severe, and while adolescents seek to be independent, secure attachment to parents is positive for development.
• Appraise grandparenting and intergenerational relationships.
• Assess the changing family dynamics throughout the life span.
• SLO #5: Define death and life/death issues.
• Explore the developmental and cultural perspective on death and dying across the life span.
• Describe how individuals experience and view death, loss, and bereavement.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Actively engage in intellectual inquiry beyond that required in order to pass a course of study (College Wide Learning Outcome – Area 4).
• Discuss and outline a proposal of study (that can be accomplished within one semester term) with a supervising instructor qualified within the discipline.
• Design an independent study (to be completed individually or by collaboration of a small group) to foster special knowledge, skills, and experience that are not available in any one regularly scheduled course.
• Use information resources to gather discipline-specific information.
• SLO #2: Utilize modes of analysis and critical thinking to apply theoretical perspectives and/or concepts in the major discipline of study to significant problems and/or educational activities (College Wide Learning Outcome – Area 3).
• Analyze and apply the knowledge, skills and experience that are involved in the independent study to theoretical perspectives and/or concepts in the major discipline of study.
• Explain the importance of the major discipline of study in the broader picture of society.
• SLO #3: Communicate a complex understanding of content matter of the major discipline of study (College Wide Outcome – Area 3).
• Demonstrate competence in the skills essential to mastery of the major discipline of study that are necessary to accomplish the independent study.
• SLO #4: Identify personal goals and pursue these goals effectively (College Wide Outcome – Area 4).
• Utilize skills from the “academic tool kit” including time management, study skills, etc., to accomplish the independent study within one semester term.