Community Psychology

/

Community Psychology

Georgia State University

PSYC 4510 (CRN 80746)
FALL 2014
Instructor: / Allana Zuckerman, M.A. / Meeting Times: / Tues. & Thurs. 1:00-2:15
Office: / 1105FUrban Life / Langdale Hall 521
Phone: / 404-413-6305 / Office Hours: / Tuesday and Wednesday 3:00-4:00pm or by appointment
e-mail: / Please use D2L email

Prerequisites

• PSYC1101 with a grade of C or higher or it’s equivalent

Course Description

This course is a survey of the field of community psychology. This includes the theoretical and political roots of the field, research approaches, and models of prevention and intervention. Applications of community psychology theory and methodology to local and global issues will also be discussed.

Course Objectives

Students will become knowledgeable about the following:

• The historical, social, scientific, professional, and political antecedents to community psychology
• The basic assumptions and values of community psychology
• The primary intervention strategies used by community psychologists
• The primary research strategies used by community psychologists
• The application of community psychology to a range of social issues

As part of GSU’s initiative to elucidate a set of general learning outcomes for all courses taught in the university (see faculty have reviewed each undergraduate course in the psychology department in order to specify the ways in which it contributes both to the department’s overall learning goals and objectives and to the university’s general learning outcomes. A list of the learning goals and objectives specific to this course is posted with course materials on D2L under the heading “PSYC 4510 Learning Goals/Outcomes.”

Required Textbook - Available at the GSU Bookstore and one copy is on reserve at the library.

Kloos, B., Hill, J., Thomas, E., Wandersman, A., Dalton, J.H. (2012). Community psychology: Linking individuals and communities (3rd ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

Desire2learn (d2l)

This syllabus, lecture outlines, and additional course materials will be available on D2L. I will also use D2L to post schedule changes. All students are expected to check D2L regularly for schedule updates.

Course Format and Assignments

The class will use a combination of lecture, discussion, videos, class exercises, and guest speakers. Students are expected to have read assigned text chapters by the dates assigned and to contribute to class discussions in a meaningful fashion.

Exams (180 points). There will be three exams (60 points each), each covering approximately one-third of the course. The format of the exams will be multiple choice and short answer. The first 2 exams will be on D2L and you will have a couple of days to complete them. On the date they are due they must be completed on D2L by 5:00pm.There will be no class on the days that the exams are due. The 3rd and final exam will be IN CLASS!There are no make-up exams for the first two exams since they will be given online and you will have ample opportunity to take them over the course of a couple of days. Make-ups for the final exam will be decided at the discretion of the instructor and if you wish to make-up in the final in person, you must contact the instructor 24 hours before the exam or (in emergency situations) 24 hours after the exam to set up a new exam time. Be prepared to provide documentation of the reason for your absence (when appropriate).

Thought Papers (30 points). You will prepare three “thought papers” (10 points each) during the semester. These should include personal and thoughtful reactions to the readings and lecture material on three different topics presented during class. They may contain constructive criticism of one or more readings or lectures, integration of the material, an application to a specific personal experience, or an idea stimulated by the readings. These papers must be printed with a 12-point font, double-spaced, and with 1-inch margins. The papers should be 1-2 pages in length and should be uploaded to D2L. Thought papers are due by 5:00pm on the dates listed below. You are not allowed to make-up thought papers. The late policy on late papers can be found in the section of the syllabus titled “policy on late assignments.”

Term Project (80 points total). This project will be based on your familiarity with a community organization addressing a social problem of your choosing. You must choose a social issue/problem you are interested in learning more about, identify a local organization that addresses it, arrange for the opportunity to visit their office(s) and meet with at least one member of the organization to learn about how it operates. The four sections of the project will summarize this experience, and provide your analysis of how the organization reflects, or fails to reflect, the principles of community psychology, which you have learned through the course. Assignments are due by 5:00pm on the dates listed below. You must turn in the assigned section along with all previous sections in a single computer file. Each section must be typed using a 12-point font, double-spaced, and with 1-inch margins. Each section of the assignment should have a cover page including a title for your project, the course title, your name and the date the assignment is turned in. All assignments should be uploaded to D2L. You are not allowed to make-up thought papers. The late policy on late papers can be found in the section of the syllabus titled “policy on late assignments.”

• Section 1: Identify your topic and begin the research process (10 points). The completed assignment for Section 1 will consist of: (1) a statement of your topic, (2) a list of 3-4 key terms for a literature search, and (3) citations in APA style for at least 2 scholarly articles, chapters or books (not including your textbook) that you expect to use in your research.

• Sections 1-2: Prepare a literature review (30 points). The completed assignment for Section 2 will be a brief, 3-page, literature review summarizing research relevant to your topic. You must cite at least 3 sources from your search of scholarly literature (You may also cite your textbook and 1 or more sources from the popular literature, but this is in addition to, not instead of the scholarly sources). Include a reference page at the end.
• Sections 1-3: Identify your organization (10 points). The completed assignment for Section 3 will consist of: (1) Identification of the organization, including the name and address of the organization and contact information for a person you plan to interview there; (2) a list of at least 5 interview questions you plan to ask in your interview.
• Sections 1-4: Prepare an organizational description (30 points). The final part of your term project (Section 4) integrates what you learned about your social issue in Part 2 and what you learned about the organization you chose to research. The completed assignment will consist of: (1) a description of the organization and its approach to the social problem; and (2) your own assessment and reflections on the organization from the point of view of a community psychologist.

Class Participation (10 points). Participation points are earned in large part by being in class and being actively involved (e.g., raising questions, comments in class, completing reading quizzes, etc.). You can also earn participation points by contributing to the class in other ways, such as posting discussion messages on D2Lor bringing relevant news articles into class. Participation points cannot be made up.

Extra Credit (5 points). You may earn up to 5 points of extra credit by attending one of two events at GSU this fall and writing a brief summary and evaluation (1 paragraph) of one of the posters at GSU’s Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference (PURC) ( earn the extra credit you must submit your 1 paragraph summary/evaluation on either one of the posters or an oral presentation on D2L within 1 week of the event.

OFFICE HOURS

My office hours this semester are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:00 to 4:00pm. Contact me directly if you want to schedule an appointment at another time.

Grading

This course uses plus (+) and minus (-) grading. Please note that courses or criteria that require a grade of B or C will continue requiring the same. Grades of B- or C- will not fulfill the requirement. Final letter grades will be assigned based on the total earned during the semester, as follows:

POINTS EARNED

/

PERCENTAGE

/

LETTER GRADE

279-300 / 93% - 100% / A+
270-278 / 90% - 92% / A-
261-269 / 87% - 89% / B+
249-260 / 83% - 86% / B
240-249 / 80% - 82% / B-
231-239 / 77% - 79% / C+
219-230 / 73% - 76% / C
210-218 / 70% - 72% / C-
180-209 / 60% - 69% / D
Less than 180 / 0% - 59% / F

Community Psychology Journals

Below is a list of some of the major journals related to the field of community psychology (You may also use other sources):

Psyc 4510 syllabus – page 1

American Journal of Community Psychology

Applied and Preventive Psychology

Journal of Applied and Preventive Psychology

Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology

Journal of Community Psychology

Journal of Primary Prevention

Health Education & Behavior

Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community

Prevention Science

Journal of Rural Community Psychology (electronic)

Community Practitioner (electronic)

Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice (electronic)

Psyc 4510 syllabus – page 1

RESEARCH AND WRITING RESOURCES

LIBRARY.Ida Martinez, GSU Psychology Librarian is a terrific resource for help with finding and using library resources. Her contact information is as follows: ; URL:

Psychology Department Stats/Methods and Writing Centers.The psychology department has two tutoring centers in 228 Kell, open only to students taking psychology courses.You may schedule 55-minute long appointments. To make appointments, go to and log in with your student ID number (your password is also your student ID number). Please see D2L for more detailed instructions.Please be aware that if you will not be able to make appointments if you have two missed appointments within the last month.Therefore, if you miss more than one appointment, you will have to wait until a month after the first missed appointment before you can make another appointment.Please also be aware that cancelling an appointment within five hours of the appointment counts as a missed appointment.

At the Stats/Methods Center you can get help with statistics, methods, and reading primary articles. If you go to get help reading primary articles, please be aware that it takes at least a few hours to thoroughly read an article.The tutor will skim the article and do the best possible job within the time limit, but it is your responsibility to double-check the work.

At the Writing Center you can get help with any aspect of writing, including APA style.When you go to the writing center take a hard copy of the assignment instructions and of your writing.Please note that you should not go to the writing center to get help interpreting instructions or my feedback; see me if you have questions about that.The writing center’s website has detailed information about what to expect from a session and how to improve different aspects of your writing:

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Students are expected to attend class having read the course materials and ready for active participation.

Veterans’ Attendance. The Department of Veteran’s Affairs requires that institutions of higher learning immediately report to them when a student discontinues attendances. Veterans who are receiving benefits to fund their education will be reported to the DVA if they do not attend class for a period of two weeks or more.

POLICY ON LATE ASSIGNMENTS

Except for exams and in-class essays, all assignments must be uploaded to D2L. Assignments will be considered late if they are posted after midnight on the due date. D2L will accept assignments after the due date; however, assignments submitted more than 2 days late should be accompanied by documentation explaining the reason for lateness (e.g., a typed note of explanation from you, a scanned copy of a doctor’s note, etc.). Papers more than 2 days late will be accepted at the instructor’s discretion. Late assignments will incur a 10% penalty per day (i.e., A 20 point assignment turned in 1 day late can receive a maximum of 18 points).

Departmental Policy on Academic Honesty

The Department of Psychology follows the University system policy on academic honesty, which is published in the Faculty Affairs Handbook and in On Campus: The Undergraduate Co-Curricular Affairs Handbook and is available to all members of the university community. The policy represents a core value of the university and all members of the university community are responsible for abiding by its tenets. Lack of knowledge of this policy is not an acceptable defense to any charge of academic dishonesty. All members of the academic community--students, faculty, and staff--are expected to report violations of these standards of academic conduct to the appropriate authorities. The minimal penalty for cheating in this class is the grade of F.The most common types of academic dishonesty are plagiarism, cheating on assessments, and unauthorized collaboration:

GSU Department of Psychology Definition of Plagiarism. If a student uses or relies on others’ work in preparing any academic materials (e.g. written assignments, posters, presentations) the student must cite the source correctly according to the directions provided by the instructor. Failure to do so is plagiarism. Copying and pasting even part of a sentence or phrase is plagiarism, even when the source is cited correctly. Paraphrasing a source in a way that copies the phrase or sentence structure of a source is also plagiarism. To avoid plagiarism, students are expected to properly paraphrase others’ ideas (See “Avoiding Plagiarism” folder under Learning Resources section of D2L). Quotes in scientific writing should only be used when the wording of the original source is critical to the student’s argument. Whether quoting is appropriate in a given instance is at the discretion of the instructor, not the student.

Cheating and Unauthorized Collaboration. Cheating includes the use or sharing of any unauthorized materials and/or assistance before, during, or after an assessment (e.g. exams, tests, quizzes). Unless otherwise specified by your instructor, you may not discuss an assessment or share materials or information with any other student at any time.Unauthorized collaboration occurs under the same circumstances as cheating, but involves assignments outside of the classroom (e.g. papers, projects, presentations) rather than assessments.

For more information, see the GSU student code of conduct at:

Disruptive Behavior

Students who exhibit behaviors, which are considered to obstruct or disrupt this class or its learning activities, will be considered under the Board of Regents Policy on Disruptive Behavior. Behaviors which are considered to be inappropriate in this classroom include but are not limited to the following: sleeping, eating, coming in late, leaving early, interrupting others, talking out of turn, inappropriate behavior during group work, verbal behavior that is disrespectful of other students or the instructor. The instructor will give students who exhibit such behavior a verbal warning. Continued violations will result in (1) a written warning, (2) in a meeting with the chair of the Department of Psychology, and (3) then will be subject to disciplinary procedures.

ALL CELLULAR TELEPHONES, PAGERS, AND BEEPERS MUST BE TURNED OFF, UNLESS THE DEVICE IS ON "VIBRATE" MODE. If you receive a phone call/page (in vibrate mode) that is essential for you to respond to immediately, discreetly leave the classroom. If you are expecting an emergency phone call, please notify the instructor at the beginning of class.

Remember that you are part of a learning community composed of a wide range of beliefs and experiences, and every person has a right to express those beliefs/experiences within the discussion boundaries. No denigration or silencing of others will be allowed!

For more information, see the GSU student code of conduct at:

COURSE EVALUATIONS

Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Georgia State. Upon completing the course, please take time to fill out the online course evaluation.

ACCOMODATION FOR DISABILITY

Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Office of Disability Services. Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the Office of Disability Services of a signed Accommodation Plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which an accommodation is sought.

***The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary.***

Course Schedule

Topic / Readings / Assignments/Activities:
Aug. 26 / Introduction and orientation to the course / Log onto D2L; complete brief survey!
Aug. 28 / Introducing Community Psychology / Ch. 1
Sept. 2 / The Development and Practice of Community Psychology / Ch. 2
Sept. 4 / The importance of values
Sept. 9 / Values continued
Defining a social problem (discussion of term project topics)
Sept. 11 / The Aims of Community Research / Ch. 3 / 1st Thought paper due by 5PM
Sept. 16 / The Methods of Community Psychology Research / Ch. 4 / Project section 1 due by 5PM
Sept. 18 / Understanding individuals within Environments / Ch. 5
Sept. 23 / Understanding individuals within Environments (cont’d)
Exam 1 available on D2L after class / Ch. 5
Sept. 25 / ***NO CLASS*** 1st Exam Due / EXAM DUE on D2L 5PM
Sept. 30 / Library Workshop:Ida Martinez, GSU Psych Librarian, will conduct a workshop on library resources for the term project. / Meet in Classroom 1 Library North
Oct. 2 / Understanding Community / Ch. 6
Oct. 7 / Understanding Human Diversity in Context / Ch. 7
Oct. 9 / Understanding Human Diversity in Context (cont’d) / Ch. 7
Oct. 14 / Semester Midpoint – Last Day to withdraw with a possible “w”
Oct. 14 / Understanding Stress and Coping in Context / Ch. 8
Oct. 16 / Guest Speaker
Oct. 21 / Film / Project Section 2 due 5PM
Oct. 23 / Film and discussion
Oct. 28 / Resilience / Project Section 3 due 5PM
Oct. 30 / Prevention and Promotion: Key Concepts / Ch. 9 / 2nd Thought paper due 5PM
Nov. 4 / Prevention and Promotion: Implementing Programs
Exam 2 available on D2L after class / Ch. 10
Nov. 6 / ***NO CLASS*** 2nd Exam Due / EXAM DUE on D2L 5PM
Nov. 11 / Empowerment and Citizen Participation / Ch. 11
Nov. 13 / Community and Social Change / Ch. 12
Nov. 18 / Program Evaluation and Program Development / Ch. 13 / 3rd Thought paper due 5PM
Nov. 24-28 / Thanksgiving Holiday No Classes
Dec. 2 / Community Psychology and Graduate Training and Careers / Ch. 14
Dec. 4 / FINAL EXAM IN CLASS / EXAM IN CLASS
Dec. 9 / FINAL PAPER DUE: NO CLASS / PROJECT SECTION 4 DUE 5PM on D2L

Psyc 4510 syllabus – page 1