CHAD 135: Culture and Human Development

Cultural Processes, Development, Photo Reflection and Application

Course Description

Course Description
Multicultural by Robert Daniels	This course examines the relationship between culture and human development. Comparisons will be made between the epistemological principles of cross-cultural and cultural approaches to human development in order to explore their implications for developmental theory and research. Research studies will serve as a foundation for learning and reflecting about diversity in human experience, and the ways that diverse cultural contexts shape how individuals think, act, and engage with others in local and global settings. Course is a core requirement for all undergraduate students that major in Child and Adolescent Development. Undergraduate students enroll in the course in their junior or senior year and usually take the course with CHAD 123: Qualitative Methods in Human Development, which is a prerequisite but can be taken concurrently. I teach the course using a a discussion based classroom structure.

Overview of the Redesign Project

Students who have successfully completed Culture and Human Development should be able to:

Identify the ways in which human development is a cultural process.
Evaluate how different theoretical approaches are used in the study of human development across cultures, including epistemological principles, scope and limitations.
Analyze research studies pertaining to culture and developmental processes across the lifespan, with an emphasis in childhood and adolescence.
Use developmental research to describe how race, ethnicity, class, and gender are intersecting cultural categories that are socially constructed, negotiated and learned.
Critically examine current issues and topics pertaining to human development in a variety of contexts using cultural developmental research.
Examine and articulate how your own beliefs, values, and assumptions impact the way you think, act, and engage with others in local and global settings.

Through photo reflection assignments, my course redesign will focus on (1) identifying the ways in which human development is a cultural process and (6) examining and articulating how their own beliefs, values, and assumptions impact the way they think, act, and engage with others in local and global settings.

Assessment of the Redesign Project

This table shows three ways I assessed my course redesign.
Photo Reflection Assignment: Part 1	Photo Reflection Assignment: Part 2	Photo Reflection Assignment: Part 3
Each week students were provided with a prompt or questions as they relate to the course topic and readings for the following week. These prompts and questions were aimed to help students extend on ideas presented in the readings and allowed them the opportunity to raise questions and apply the course content to their own personal perceptions of culture and development. As part one of the assignments, students were asked to take three photographs related to weekly course topics and use these photos to analyze how culture is shaped and shapes human development. The goal is for them to apply theories and ideas related to culture and human development that we learn in class.	In addition to the 3 photos that students submitted, within the notes sections of their google slide they were asked to reflect on their 3 photos and analyze these in relation to the weekly prompt, course readings, videos, and online discussions for that week. Using this photo reflection, students were provided the opportunity to apply theories and ideas related to culture and human development	The final part of their photo reflection assignment was to attend weekly class sessions and participate in a discussion and in class activity. In class students were provided the opportunity to write a reflection after our course discussion that demonstrated their understanding of the reading and course material for that week.

Reflection

Students were able to successfully apply theories to their own cultural development which helped them to identify the ways in which human development is a cultural process. They were also able to successfully integrate course theories and readings to help them examine how their own beliefs, values, and assumptions were part of a developmental process. Through in class discussions they were able to see how individual developmental processes impacted their own values, beliefs, and assumptions and how these differed amongst their peers.

This class was taught in a hybrid modality, and only provided us with 75 minutes of in class time to discuss course readings, photos, and engage in large class discussion, as well as time for a reflection. The time went by very fast and I think I either need to amend the reflection piece that happens in class or I need more time for in class.

Faculty Biography

This table includes my faculty biography.
	Amber M. Gonzalez, Ph.D. is a tenured Professor in the Child and Adolescent Development program at California State University, Sacramento. Using mixed methods and participatory action research, her scholarly activities focus on exploring the influence of social support networks and institutional structures on Latine college student identity development and educational and career aspirations, and motivations. In addition, she explores the ways in which students use their aspirations and motivations to ensure their success, manage failure, and persist. She currently works with 8 CSU HSIs to explore ongoing HSI work on each campus, including specific policies, programs, and practices, to identify cross-campus best practices and their impact on the holistic success of Latine students and their communities. Her scholarly work has been published in the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Journal of Educational Research, and College Student Journal. Questions about equity and the roles of institutional agents in supporting students’ holistic success that guide her research agenda also inform her pedagogy. Her teaching philosophy centers on helping students become critically aware of their own assumptions. Promoting an understanding that social forces shape the creation and use of knowledge is central to her philosophy of teaching because it helps students sharpen critical thinking skills to enable them to go beyond existing knowledge. Dr. Gonzalez’ work is grounded in culturally responsive pedagogy, critical reflection, and a deep commitment to inclusive, equity-minded teaching practices. In addition to her scholarly and instructional activities, she serves as an academic advisor to students and faculty advisor to multiple student organizations. She also serves as an active member of the Faculty Senate and has led efforts in creating programming to support and retain faculty of color. Through her multiple roles on campus, she has collaborated with various university stakeholders to address inequities within campus policies, programming, and practices. Her institutional and community service and leadership activities center on advocating for equity and social justice for students and faculty of color.

**Program Sponsors**
	This work was supported by: Sacramento State Academic Affairs - Center for Teaching and Learning