HD 204-01, Family Systems: Understanding Family Interaction
Spring 2008
Instructor Information:
Marcelo Diversi
Education/Human
Development Building, Room 203
Phone: 360-546-9170
Fax: 360-546-9076
Office Hours:
T, W, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m., or by appointment
Email: diversi@vancouver.wsu.edu
Home Page:http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/diversi/diversi.html
Course Information:
Schedule:
M, W, 2:50 - 4:05 p.m.
Location:
Multi-media Building, Room 217
Description and Objective:
HD 204 (3 semester credits). This course is an overview of family interactions, communication, and psychosocial processes from a systems theory perspective. This course is part of the General Education program and fulfills a requirement for Social Sciences [S] credits.
Objectives and Rationale:
HD 204 is part of the WSU Vancouver General Education course offerings that are interrelated to the Vancouver Campus Theme, Global Change in a Local Context. The course is designed to provide an introduction to family systems theory and research and an understanding of family as a universal (global) experience. We will also examine complementary approaches, such as dialectical theory and symbolic interactionism, which have been used in the study of family processes. In this course, we will discuss research that shows how family systems in far away places of the planet affect our local family existence. We will discuss theory and research findings on family emotions, form and function, historical and cultural meanings, roles and rules, rituals and intimacy, intergenerational relations, family life cycle, and developmental issues.
This course will help students recognize the reality of diversity and change in contemporary families across the globe, and in particular in North America. Concepts will be covered in an introductory but integrated manner providing both an overview of the field and prerequisite understanding for students entering a variety of fields requiring knowledge of human development in the central context of the family.
Upon completion of this course, students will have been invited to reflect on and discuss the:
- Importance of examining individual development in the context of the family.
- Need to understand the family as a system in constant struggle for equilibrium.
- Basic theories guiding the field of family studies.
- Basic research findings in the subfield of family communication.
- Effective preventive and interventive school and community based family service programs.
- Students will also be expected to develop a critical perspective (i.e., awareness and appreciation) about family diversity at the local and global levels.
Prerequisites and Other Notes:
Required Texts and Other Materials:
Required Text:
Galvin, K.M., Bylund, C.L., & Brommel, B.J. (7th ed.) (2007). Family communication: Cohesion and change. Boston: Longman.
PLEASE NOTE: Additional short readings might be required for in-class and/or out-of-class activities. These readings will be made available through the Library and/or posted on Blackboard.
Connecting to Other Human Development Courses and Academic Disciplines:
This course is a foundational introduction to more specialized courses in Human Development (e.g., Child Development, Adolescent Development, Adult Development, Gerontology), as we will be using research from each of these areas to illustrate the advantages of examining development from a systems theory paradigm.
Family Studies has been an interdisciplinary field from its beginning, and as such, students will be exposed to a varity of studies and interpretive paradigms from related fields such as Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, and Communications.
On Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is one of the WSU Learning Goals and one of the central aspects of our course. Critical thinking is the cognitive ability to understand a concept’s genesis, underlying assumptions, and competing versions, as well as one’s ability to think independently and from multiple perspectives. In this class, critical thinking will be a natural and necessary cognitive skill as we will bring a universal and experientially powerful concept, the “family,” to the center of our discussions. Students will be required to examine and deconstruct their own notions about the family, while also being asked to examine the cultural forces that have informed and shaped the diversity and complexity in the forms and functions of family across recent history. Class lectures, discussions, assignments, and reading material will present students with ideas and views about the family that challenge and compete with their own experiences of the family. Thus, in order to be successful in this class, it is inevitable that students become more sophisticated critical thinkers.
Classroom Requirements:
Class Participation:
The success of this course also depends on your participation and respect for others and their views about topics pertaining to the material presented. Of course, you do not need to agree with a different opinion, but ideas must be expressed, always, in ways to foster positive and constructive dialogue. Personal experiences shared in class are to be kept confidential.
Students are expected to come to class having read the assigned material for the day and be prepared to participate in discussions.
Academic Integrity:
Academic integrity is the cornerstone of the university and will be strongly enforced in this course. Any student caught cheating on any assignment will be given an “F” for the course and will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
Disability Accommodation:
Accommodations may be available if you need them in order to fully participate in this class because of a disability. Accommodations may take some time to implement so it is critical that you contact Disability Services as soon as possible. All accommodations must be approved through Disability Services, located in the Student Resource Center on the Lower Level of VSSC, (360) 546-9138.
Inclement Weather and Other Class Cancellations:
When students have questions about classes being held during inclement weather, please contact the faculty support for the department. Faculty support will have information regarding class closures and will post that information on their voice mail messages. Please see the faculty support telephone number listed below:
Lynda Dezellem 360/546-9721 Human DevelopmentAcademic Calendar:
The WSU Vancouver Academic Calendar for the current semester is located at the following website http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/ss/calendars.htm. Please refer to this document for important dates and deadlines throughout the semester.
Caution:
This course will examine theories and research on topics that can be sensitive and/or distressing to students. However, this is NOT a counseling or therapy course. You are encouraged to seek professional assistance if class material and/or discussion bring up emotionally distressing personal issues. For further guidance, please contact the Student Resource Center at (360) 546-9155.
Academic Requirements:
Electronic Mail
All students are required to be on e-mail to further communication between students and instructor. Students at WSU Vancouver have access to free e-mail by going to the following web site: http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/vis/vit/accounts.htm. A home e-mail account is also acceptable.
Assignments
Self-Reflective Short Paper: This is a short paper on your views of the family. Give your definition of “the family” and examine the forces that have shaped and informed it across history (as far as you know it). The main goal here is for me to get a sense of what you already know about the family, and NOT an evaluation of your knowledge at this point. Technical specifications: 2-3 typed pages, 12-point font, 1 inch margins, and letter paper. It is worth 10% of the total grade.
Paper on Invited Lecturers’ Presentation: You will be asked to write a short paper discussing the connections between the lecturers’ presentations and the concept of family system. Each lecturer will have an independent topic and it is your responsibility to attend each and all presentations in order to complete this assignment successfully. We will have three guest lecturers and this assignment requires discussion of at least two of the presentations for full credit. Technical specifications: 2 typed pages, 12-point font, 1 inch margins, and letter-size paper. It is worth 10% of the total grade.
Exams: There will be 3 exams in this course. Each exam will be a set of questions to be written in class (see Schedule below) and must be based on the research material discussed in class and presented in assigned readings. Further specific guidelines will be given prior to each exam a week in advance. The first exam is worth 10% of the final grade. Exams 2 and 3 are worth 20% each.
Final Group Project: Your final will be the presentation of a semester-long project on “The Changing Forms and Functions of the American Family in the Last Century.” This will be a small group project (4-5 students). The group will write a short paper (5-page limit) and prepare a 10-minute presentation for the end of the semester. In order to discuss the progress of this project throughout the semester, you will be asked to turn in two outlines for feedback (see Schedule below for dates). We will set final presentation dates once we form the groups, but expect to present in the last two classes in April. Accompanying papers will be due on the day of your group’s presentation. This final project is worth 30% of your total grade (outlines = 2 x 5% each, paper = 5%, presentation = 15%). I will provide you, later in the semester, with a rubric for this assignment detailing how your paper and presentation will be graded.
E-Portfolio: Students in this course will produce several artifacts that can be used in the creation of their WSU Vancouver E-Portfolios. Specifically, students will produce written papers on topics from Family Systems related to Self in Society (one of the university’s Learning Goals), as well as a final group project on applied family studies research in community outreach programs, promoting WSU Vancouver Learning Goals such as Self in Society, Communication, Information Literacy, and Critical Thinking. Students will be encouraged to include these artifacts in their E-Portfolio at the end of the semester.
Procedures for Submitting and Retrieving Papers and Assignments:
All assignments must be turned in during class time directly to the instructor. Conflict of schedule must be discussed with instructor ahead of deadline for alternative procedures. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT A COPY OF ALL ASSIGNMENTS TURNED IN BE SAVED ELECTRONICALLY AND THAT YOU ALSO KEEP A PAPER (HARD) COPY. All student papers will be maintained in Dr. Diversi’s file cabinet for six weeks following the posting of grades at the end of each semester. After six weeks, all papers, tests, etc. will be shredded.
Grading:
| Assignment | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Self-Reflective Paper | 10% |
| Invited Lecturer Paper | 10% |
| Exam 1 | 10% |
| Exam 2, 3 (2 @ 20%) | 40% |
| Final Group Project | 30% |
Grades (100 point scale):
| Grade | Percent |
|---|---|
| A | 100-94 |
| A- | 93-90 |
| B+ | 89-87 |
| B | 86-83 |
| B- | 82-80 |
| C+ | 79-77 |
| C | 76-73 |
| C- | 72-70 |
| D+ | 69-67 |
| D | 66-60 |
| F | 59 or below |
Schedule:
Tentative Course Outline
| Week | Date | Readings/Assignments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 7 | Introduction and Syllabus |
| Jan 9 | History and Family, Ch 1 Self-reflective Short Paper Due |
|
| 2 | Jan 14 | Guest Lecturer 1 Take careful notes |
| Jan 16 | Family Systems Theories, Ch 3 | |
| 3 | Jan 21 | Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday |
| Jan 23 | Family Communication, Ch 2 | |
| 4 | Jan 28 | Guest Lecturer 2 Take careful notes |
| Jan 30 | Guest Lecturer 3 Take careful notes |
|
| 5 | Feb 4 | Family Communication, Ch 4 Invited Lecturers Paper Due in Class |
| Feb 6 | Family Intimacy, Family Roles, Chs 5 and 6 |
|
| 6 | Feb 11 | Power in Families, Ch 7 |
| Feb 13 | Power in Families, Ch 7 | |
|
Feb 18 | President's Day |
| Feb 20 | Exam 1, Chs 4, 5, 6 | |
8 |
Feb 25 | Decision-making, Ch 7 |
| Feb 27 | Decision-making, Ch 7 First Project Outline Due |
|
9 |
Mar 3 | Conflict in Families, Ch 8 |
| Mar 5 | Conflict in Families, Ch 8 | |
| Mar 10-14 | Spring Vacation, No Class | |
10 |
Mar 17 | Family Stress, Ch 9 |
| Mar 19 | Exam 2, Chs 7, 8, 9 | |
11 |
Mar 24 | Family Stress, Ch 10 Second Project Outline Due |
| Mar 26 | Courtship, Additional Text (TBA) | |
12 |
Mar 31 | Marital Relations, (TBA) |
| Apr 2 | Paren-child Relations (TBA) | |
13 |
Apr 7 | Single-parents/Stepfamilies (TBA) |
| Apr 9 | Media and Families (TBA) | |
14 |
Apr 14 | Exam 3, Ch 10, Additional Texts |
| Apr 16 | Communication and Well-being, Ch 12 | |
15 |
Apr 21 | Student Presentations Final Project Due |
| Apr 23 | Student Presentations Final Project Due |
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Useful Links:
You may find some useful information at web sites listed on the department resources page.