DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
HCSV 363-02 - CHILD HEALTH
Instructor: Dr. Mary Rushka
EMAIL: mrushka@csuchico.edu/
OFFICE:
OFFICE HOURS: TR
2-3 PM or by appointment
PHONE: 898-4620
HCSV DEPT. OFFICE
DESCRIPTION OF COURSE:
This course is part of the Upper Division Theme: The Child. For this
course to count towards the theme, you must have already completed 45 semester
units.
Child Health is an examination of the status, needs and trends in
the health of
COURSE READING MATERIALS:
All additional weekly required readings are contained within the WebCT
course pages. Each week’s lesson
includes a PowerPoint presentation and several links to required readings. Please complete all readings before the end of the week AND before
posting your weekly discussion question posting.
THEME
OBJECTIVES:
This course, Child Health, includes principles and current knowledge
from the Natural Sciences and Behavioral and Social Sciences. The theme objectives will be met by using at
least five of the six unifying concepts (the six Es).
1. Epistemology: Students will explore
alternative explanations of how children come to know or comprehend the nature of the
physical universe and social world in which they live.
2. Evolution: Students will investigate whether or not childhood and
notions of childhood have actually evolved, and if they have, in what
manner. They also will delve into one the
great controversies of the past three centuries: the contributions of heredity
and environment to the development of thought, behavior, and personality.
Finally, students will consider whether childhood is a true developmental stage
in the ontogeny of an adult or merely a social construction of wealthy
cultures.
1. Economics: Students will consider the
distribution of both wealth and power in a society and its implications for
children and the nature of the impact of economic factors upon children and
their development (especially the extremes of poverty and bounty).
2. Ethnicity: Students will focus on questions
such as the pros and cons of raising children to maintain their ethnic
identities in pluralistic societies, and whether or not homogeneous societies are
preferable to heterogeneous ones.
3. Experience: Students will explore the
significance of early experience and the extent to which early experiences set
a child on a more or less irrevocable path, and the influence of numerous
socializing agents in society (e.g., parents, teachers, peers), and experience
in general.
4. Epidemiology:
Students will study the factors that determine the origin, frequency,
and distribution of diseases in children.
They will also learn ways to alter these factors to prevent or delay
negative health outcomes.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The student will be able to:
1. List
the types of research utilized in the study of the health of the child and
distinguish the scientific method from hearsay in interpreting material written
about the health of children.
2. Discuss
the status and trends in the health of
3. Distinguish the differences in health
status and need among ethnic and racial subgroups and explore the variables
affecting health status and need, giving special attention to the effects of
poverty.
4. Describe the stages that influence the
physical development of the child from conception to early adolescence,
including genetic and environmental influences.
5. Analyze the genetic and cultural
influences upon the development of sexuality of the child from conception to
adolescence, including issues such as homosexuality, sex education and child
sexual abuse.
6. List and discuss the common diseases and
disorders occurring from conception to early adolescence: description, cause,
prevalence, risk factors, symptoms, treatment, prevention and measures.
7. Analyze the major factors influencing the
health of the child (early experience, diet, physical activity, accidents,
stress, violence, drug use and sexuality) and be able to list ways that
parents, teachers, community workers and policy makers can enhance health
promotion behaviors.
8. Analyze the risks the physical environment
places upon the health of the child and be able to discuss several advocacy
efforts to counteract their negative influence.
9. Address social influences and public policy
regarding the quality and availability of health services for children,
including past, current, and future directions, with special attention to the
impoverished.
10. Discuss the role of the parent, the school,
the community and government programs and policies in enhancing the health of
the child.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
This section of Child
Health will meet exclusively on WebCT.
WebCT is an online environment that requires each student to log on
at least weekly and complete all activities/assignments within the time
parameters specified on the course schedule in order to be successful. The course is divided into 15 content
modules, one for each week of the semester.
A new module “begins” on Monday of
each week. All discussion postings and other assignments
will be due on Sundays by midnight unless otherwise specified. It is your responsibility to read each week’s
course material, participate in the weekly chat/discussion (bulletin board
posting), and complete and submit all assignments as described below:
Bulletin Board Discussion: Each
student is expected to engage in thoughtful dialogue with classmates on
discussion questions posed by the instructor each week. The discussion questions can be located at
the bottom of each week’s lesson. If
you go to the “Discussions” area, you will see that there is a board
corresponding to each week’s content.
During the first week of class you will write a self-introduction on the
discussion board. Subsequent discussions
will be group efforts. Sometime during
Week 2 you will be assigned to a team of
3 or 4 students. Together you
decide when to meet in the Chat Room of your choice, schedule the meeting on
our Course Calendar, and discuss the weekly question. ONE group member is then responsible for
writing a summary of your online discussion on the weekly board. Each group is expected to post ONE message
for each week and, when indicated, one posting in response to other
students’ postings. Use reflective
thought and documentation (evidence that you have read the week’s information)
about each topic before engaging in discussion.
* Use complete sentences,
correct grammar, and correct spelling.
* Be clear about whether you are using personal opinions or
knowledge.
* You may be asked to use citations from the readings to document your
postings.
Examinations:
There will be two non-cumulative examinations; each will be accessible
from the course Homepage (click on “Exam” icon). Exams will consist of multiple choice, matching and true/false questions and will be
completed entirely in WebCT. More
specific directions for taking the exams will be available from the “Exam” icon
during exam weeks. You may also want to
familiarize yourself with this WebCT tool on the tutorial.
Playground Observation: Visit
a local playground (or a favorite playground in your hometown) and observe the
following:
1) physical development of the
children;
2) layout and safety of the play
equipment;
3)physical activity and
interaction among children AND between children and adults;
4) gender differences
demonstrated during play.
5) Conclude your paper by making
some suggestions for improvement of this play environment.
. * Make certain
to obtain permission from school office if you choose to observe an elementary
school while in session.
Write your perceptions and summary (including suggestions for positive
change) in a 2-page, double-spaced typed paper, using 12-pt font, written
according to APA style guidelines. BE
SURE TO COMPLETE AND ATTACH THE PLAYGROUND
SAFETY CHECKLIST FOUND IN YOUR WEBCT READING MATERIALS.
Papers will be scored as follows:
All of the above (5)
observations described adequately: 25
points
Meaningful use and
incorporation of safety checklist: 25
points
Overall quality of
paper’s content: 25
points
Presentation (grammar,
punctuation, spelling) quality 25
points
TOTAL 100 points
Volunteer Experience
Volunteer for at least 20 hours at a preschool or Head Start Program,
elementary school, or similar program, reporting on your experience from a
child health and safety perspective in a 2 to 3-page paper.
Media Critique
Compare and contrast advertising aimed at children from at least two
different media sources (e.g., television, radio, Internet, magazines, computer
software, etc.). Gather information on
the reliability of the content and the messages to the children. Write a 3 – page compare and contrast paper
of your findings.
LATE
PAPERS ARE SUBJECT TO A 5-PT DEDUCTION FOR EVERY DAY PAST THE DEADLINE. NO PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED MORE THAN 5 DAYS
PAST DUE DATE. PAPERS SHOULD BE EMAILED
TO ME THROUGH OUR WEBCT EMAIL AS MICROSOFT WORD DOCUMENT ATTACHMENTS, OR SENT
AS HARD COPY BY POSTAL MAIL (DR. MARY RUSHKA, DEPARTMENT OF HCSV, CSU, CHICO,
CHICO, CA 95929-0505) TO ARRIVE BY THE SPECIFIED DUE DATE. PLEASE DO NOT SEND PAPERS TO MY CAMPUS
EMAIL. PLEASE DOUBLE SPACE AND TITLE
YOUR PAPER. INCLUDE YOUR NAME IN THE
TITLE OF THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT, FOR EXAMPLE “SUSAN SMITH, COMPARE AND CONTRAST
PAPER.” USE APA CITATION FORMAT FOR
PAPERS WHEN YOU EMPLOY OUTSIDE RESOURCES.
A note on academic honesty; I support the University’s zero tolerance
for plagiarism of any kind on papers.
Consequences for not citing sources or using someone else’s work are
receiving zero credit on paper, failing the class and being called before
Student Judicial Affairs, with the possibility of dismissal from the
University.
EVALUATION AND GRADING:
PROJECT POINTS POSSIBLE
1. Bulletin Board
Discussion 300
2. Exam 1 50
3. Exam 2 50
4. Playground Observation 100
5. Media Critique 100
6. Volunteer Work 100
TOTAL 700
Assignment of Course Grades
A = 658 - 700 A- = 630 - 657
B+ = 588 - 629 B = 582
- 587
B- = 560 - 581 C+ = 525 - 559
C = 519 - 524 C- =
490 - 518
D+ = 469 - 489 D =
420 – 468