SOC 136 Marriage and Family Course Package Approved February 12, 2010
COURSE PACKAGE FORM (SOC 136: MARRIAGE AND FAMILY) Contact Person (s): Michele Bogue, Ext. 4160 Michele Bogue, Ext. 4160 Stephanie Johnson, Ext. 1230 Date of proposal to Curriculum Sub-committee: 2/2010 Purpose: A complete update and repackaging of SOC 136 New X_Change Delete If this is a change, what is being changed? (Check ALL that apply) Update Prefix Title _X_ Learning Units _X_ Competencies Format Change X_ Course Description Course Number X_ Textbook Credits X Prerequisite Effective Semester/Year Fall 2010 Spring 20 Summer 20 COURSE INFORMATION Prefix & Number: SOC 136 Title: Marriage and Family Catalog Course Description: This course explores the aspects of marriage and family primarily in American society, with additional examination of selected cross-cultural issues in marriage and family. Related topics of focus include gender, sexuality, singlehood, cohabitation, communication in relationships, love and finding a partner, marital relationships, diversity in marriage and family relationships, planning for children, parenting, work and the family, domestic violence, crisis in relationships, divorce, remarriage, and relationships in later years. Credit Hours: 3 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Prerequisite(s) Appropriate score on assessment test or successful completion of TRE 089; SOC 131 (SOC 131 and 136 may be taken concurrently). Co-requisite(s) None Does this course need a separately scheduled lab component? Yes _X_ No Does this course require additional fees? If so, please explain. Yes _X No Is there a similar course in the course bank? Yes (Please identify.) X_No
Articulation: Is this course or an equivalent offered at other two and four-year universities in Arizona? No _X_Yes (Identify the college, subject, prefix, number and title): ASU SOC 415; SOC 315 (if MCC course is transferred, it carries lower division credit only); NAU SOC 216; UA FSHD 137 Writing Across the Curriculum Rationale: Mohave Community College firmly supports the idea that writing can be used to improve education; students who write in their respective content areas will learn more and retain what they learn better than those who don t. Courses in the core curriculum have been identified as Writing Across the Curriculum courses. Minimum standards for the Writing Across the Curriculum component are: 1. The writing assignments should total 1500 2000 words. For example, a single report which is 1500 words in length OR a series of essay questions and short papers (example: four 375-word assignments) which total 1500 words could meet the requirement. 2. The writing component will represent at least 10% of a student s final grade in the course. 3. Formal research papers will be written using APA format to support preparing students to write in the discipline of the social sciences. Is this course identified as a Writing Across the Curriculum course? X_Yes No (See addendum for writing rubrics) Intended Course Outcomes/Goals By the end of the semester, students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the context of intimacy in relationships by examining the structure of marriage and family in America with additional examination of crosscultural issues in relationships, recognizing and encouraging the diversity found within the family, exploring socially constructed gender roles and intimacy, and examining the meaning of sex & sexuality in relationships. 2. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the process of seeking intimate relationships by investigating the processes of getting involved with another, love in relationships, and selecting a life partner. 3. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of choosing singlehood and/or cohabitation rather than more intimate relationships and marriage.
Objective 2.2 Summarize the main theoretical views on gender development. 3. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of issues affecting the couple by examining the process of getting married and the challenge of communication in relationships, diversity in family life (addressing aspects of same-sex, interracial, interreligious, and cross-cultural marriage and family relationships), and the impact of work on marriage and family life. 4. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of intimacy in families by exploring the process of becoming a parent and examining the events in the family life cycle. 5. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the challenges to intimacy in the family by investigating issues of stress and crisis in marriage and family life, domestic violence, exploring the processes of separation and divorce, and the choice for remarriage 6. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of issues that affect relationships in the later years. Course Competencies and Objectives By the end of the semester, students will be able to: Competency 1: The student will examine the foundational concepts, theoretical frameworks, and methods for conducting research in the field of marriage and family Objective 1.1 Define marriage; Summarize the elements and types of marriage. Objective 1.2 Define family (the variety of views) and summarize the types of families. Objective 1.3 Summarize the principle components of intimacy, marriage, and family. Objective 1.4 Describe the modern, postmodern, and extended forms of family. Objective 1.5 Describe the principal types of scientific research. Objective 1.5 Outline theories used to research and understand family life (to include systems theory, exchange theory, symbolic interaction theory, conflict theory, and functionalist theory) Competency 2: The student will examine the social construct of gender, gender role development, agents of gender socialization, and the extent to which gender role orientation shapes personal and professional relationships. Objective 2.1 Define sex, gender, gender identity, transgenderism, gender role, and gender-role socialization.
Objective 5.5 Discuss the causes and consequences of jealousy. Objective 2.3 Define traditional gender roles and analyze their impact on the individual and society. Objective 2.4 Define sexism and sexual harassment and provide current case examples. Objective 2.5 Discuss how major agents of socialization contribute to gender-role development. Competency 3: The student will examine the choices of singlehood, cohabitation, approaches to finding a partner, and the concept of LAT (Living Apart Together). Objective 3.1 Define singlehood Objective 3.2 Summarize the different categories of singles. Objective 3.3 Define cohabitation Objective 3.4 Compare and contrast the different types of cohabitation. Objective 3.5 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of cohabitation. Objective 3.6 Discuss common approaches to finding a partner as people search for intimate relationships. Competency 4: The student will examine the role of communication in relationships. Objective 4.1 Explain the different types of communication. Objective 4.2 Outline the sources of conflict. Objective 4.3 List the potential benefits of conflict in relationships. Objective 4.4 Summarize the impact of self-disclosure, honesty, and lying in relationships. Objective 4.5 Summarize the impact of technology on communication. Objective 4.6 Outline ways to improve communication skills. Objective 4.7 Describe methods for resolving conflict through communication. Objective 4.8 Compare and contrast the theoretical approaches to communication. Competency 5: The student will explore the meaning and development of love in relationships as well as factors that affect finding a partner and transitioning into the process of marriage. Objective 5.1 Define the concept of love and styles of love. Objective 5.2 Explain the difference between romantic and realistic love. Objective 5.3 Describe the process or stages of love. Objective 5.4 Summarize views of love (in historical context).
Objective 5.6 Outline the cultural, sociological, and psychological factors that affect finding a partner. Objective 5.7 Summarize the process of getting engaged. Competency 6: The student will explore the dynamics of a marriage commitment. Objective 6.1 Discuss motivations for why people marry Objective 6.2 List main reasons why some people choose to marry that may be problematic. Objective 6.3 Analyze the social functions of marriage. Objective 6.4 Discuss expectations people have for marriage. Objective 6.5 Outline the types of changes that occur after marriage (legal, personal, family, friends). Objective 6.6 Summarize the main characteristics of a successful marriage. Competency 7 The student will explore aspects of same-sex couples and families. Objective 7.1 Summarize the origins of the sexual orientation controversy. Objective 7.2 Define heterosexism, homonegativity, homophobia, and biphobia. Objective 7.3 Explain how sexism and phobias affect same-sex relationships. Objective 7.4 Discuss the legal recognition and support for same-sex couples and families. Objective 7.5 Discuss the arguments against same-sex couples and families. Objective 7.6 Describe parenting issues that may be unique to same-sex couples and families. Objective 7.7 Analyze the pros and cons of the pedagogical practice of discussing same-sex marriage and family apart from mainline discussion of marriage and commitment (in textbooks, curriculum materials, etc.). Competency 8: The student will examine interpersonal sexuality, sexual values, and sexual behavior in relationships. Objective 8.1 Outline agents of socialization and how they contribute to how individuals learn about sex. Objective 8.2 Define sexual scripts and the difference between men s and women s scripts (gender differences in sexuality). Objective 8.3 Summarize prerequisites for healthy sexual fulfillment. Objective 8.4 Describe the nature and consequences of the major sexually transmitted diseases (also known as STI s or sexually transmitted infections).
Objective 8.5 Describe the most common male and female sexual dysfunctions. Objective 8.6 Define sexual values and summarize the main theoretical perspectives that guide choices in sexual behavior. Competency 9 The student will survey the area of reproduction and the decision to have or not have children. Objective 9.1 Discuss the main reasons why people choose to have children as well as the main reasons why people choose to remain childless. Objective 9.2 Compare and contrast the child-free marriage and couples with children. Objective 9.3 Describe the difficulties faced by teen parents. Objective 9.4 Explain causes of infertility and the potential options available for infertile couples that desire a child. Objective 9.5 Summarize main issues associated with adoption and foster parenting as options for having children. Objective 9.6 Define the various methods of contraception and their effectiveness. Objective 9.7 Discuss the current social positions on abortion Competency 10: The student will explore issues related to parenting. Objective 10.1 Describe the transition to parenthood. Objective 10.2 Summarize parenting among diverse ethnic groups. Objective 10.3 Explain how working (parents who work) impacts parenting. Objective 10.4 Outline issues and challenges faced by single parents. Objective 10.5 Describe some of the stresses parents experience in raising children and how these stressors can impact marital satisfaction. Objective 10.6 Summarize the primary styles of parenting. Objective 10.7 Outline the main principles for effective parenting. Objective 10.8 Discuss the positives and negatives of parenting at a later age (to include grandparents raising grandchildren). Competency 11 The student will examine the impact of work on the family. Objective 11.1 Outline the effects of employment on spouses and children.
Objective 11.2 Summarize reasons why women choose to work outside the home as well as wives who choose to stay home. Objective 11.3 Describe the main types of dual-career marriages. Objective 11.4 Outline the challenges of dual-income families (to include issues such as responsibilities in the home, parenting issues, positions on the use of daycare, time management, defining roles, and marital satisfaction). Objective 11.5 Summarize effective ways to balance work and family. Objective 11.6 Describe the dangers of debt and its impact on the family. Competency 12 The student will examine issues related to violence and abuse in relationships. Objective 12.1 Outline the main forms of relationship abuse. Objective 12.2 Analyze the main explanations for violence and abuse in relationships. Objective 12.3 Describe the cycle of violence. Objective 12.4 Describe the effects of domestic violence (on the victim, the abuser, family, friends, and community). Objective 12.5 Outline common myths about domestic violence and abuse. Objective 12.6 Explore strategies to prevent domestic violence. Objective 12.7 Describe the process for leaving an abusive relationship as well as one s legal responsibilities to report (child and elder) abuse. Competency 13 The student will explore crises that impact the family and create barriers to intimate relationships. Objective 13.1 Define stress and explain the difference between a stressor and a crisis event. Objective 13.2 Discuss types of stressor events that can lead to family crisis. Objective 13.3 Be able to list the most severe family stressors and explain the impact they have on the family. Objective 13.4 Analyze ineffective coping patterns when dealing with stress and crisis in relationships. Objective 13.5 Identify positive stress-management strategies.
Competency 14 The student will examine the issues of divorce and remarriage. Objective 14.1 Summarize the factors that lead to divorce. Objective 14.2 Describe the positive and negative effects of divorce on adults. Objective 14.3 Discuss the impact of divorce on children. Objective 14.4 Summarize ways to minimize the negative effects of divorce on children. Objective 14.5 Define covenant marriage and its purpose in preventing divorce. Objective 14.6 Analyze options that can prepare couples and families for remarriage. Objective 14.7 Explain the myths associated with stepfamilies. Objective 14.8 Explain the unique challenges that stepfamilies face. Objective 14.9 Outline the developmental tasks in which stepfamilies engage (to include grief over loss of former family, integrating new family members, establishing new family rituals, parenting in the new family structure, etc.) Competency 15 (*Optional Chapter) The student will explore relationships in the later years. Objective 15.1 Define ageism. Objective 15.2 Summarize the theoretical perspectives on aging. Objective 15.3 Outline issues the elderly face (examples include income, housing, physical and mental health, retirement, sexuality, end of life issues) Objective 15.4 Describe the nature of relationships among the elderly. Objective 15.5 Explain the difficulties faced in the death of a spouse. *This subject area is not included in some texts and courses on marriage and family. Teacher s Guide Course Textbook, Materials and Equipment Textbook(s) Title M&F (a part of the 4LTR Press series) Current edition in print Author(s) David Knox Publisher Wadsworth/Cengage Publishers ISBN 0-495-90545 Title Author(s) Publisher
Software/ Equipment 1. Student learning aids are located at the back of the textbook itself (tear out, portable resources): Chapter summary cards Key terms (with page location) Chapter review cards Study aids Student learning aids online (www.4ltrpress.cengage.com/mf), Student Companion Website Student worksheets Note-taking outlines Self-assessments Printable flash cards Chapter review cards Interactive games Online quizzes with feedback Video activities 2. Instructor resources are located at the back of the instructor edition of the text (tear out, portable resources): Chapter outlines Key terms (with page location) Warm-up activity Discussion questions (with broad possible answers included) Classroom activities Web links to other resources for each chapter Self assessment activities (scales, surveys, questionnaires to involve students) Instructor resources online (www.4ltrpress.cengage.com/mf), Instructor Companion Website Instructor manual Power point lecture aids Test banks Additional classroom aids as previously noted 3. SMART-Classroom (computer/image projector; Internet access; DVD and VHS player with speakers)
Course Assessments Description of Course Assessments 1. Exams: (Objective in nature; multiple choice, fill in the blank, listing, describing, short answer essay, etc.) Instructors should construct tests that include both objective and essay formats. A scheduled midterm and final are the minimum given the amount of the material. Students will benefit from the opportunity for additional exams or quizzes because of the sheer amount of information. Please adjust your testing methods to meet the needs of your current student population; however, please include questions on the course material as noted in the objectives and competency requirements. Because this is a writing across the curriculum course, instructors are strongly encouraged to include writing assignments that will also count toward that assessment if no other activities are being offered to satisfy the writing assessment requirement. 2) Class activities In support of a student-centered learning environment, instructors are strongly encouraged to make class activities an integral part of overall grade assessment. MCC requires participation to be a minimum of 15% of the overall grade. Class activities that get students involved and interacting about the subject matter have proven to be a very effective tool to support learning outcomes. 3)Research/Writing Assignments Instructors are strongly encouraged to incorporate assignments that require students to conduct academic research and writing on topics related to course competencies and objectives. Examples might include short summary papers over journal articles, problem-solving or position paper on an issue presented in the text or lecture, a course portfolio on a specific social issue, etc. Formal papers will be done in APA format.
4) Homework Assignments Instructors are strongly encouraged to incorporate homework (out of class activity) into the course. This provides students an opportunity to take ownership of the course material, as well as the opportunity to make application of classroom concepts to out-of-class situations. Homework can also serve to reinforce concepts covered in class. Exams standardized for this course? NO Midterm Final Other (Please specify): Are exams required by the department? Yes _X No While not required, it is expected that faculty utilize some testing measure to assess learning outcomes along with other assessments. If Yes, please specify: N/A Where can faculty members locate or access the required standardized exams for this course? Faculty may write their own exams. The publishers support instructors using this text by providing Internet resources (testing banks, instructor s manual, etc.) and on-going ground support via software, updates to texts, CD s with instruction manuals, and exam preparation tools. Learning Units **Instructors are strongly encouraged to utilize the wide variety of instructor resources for activities and assignments in the classroom for the course. The publisher provides videos, power point lecture slides with graphics (easy to assemble, edit, and present to suit student learning styles), relationship skills exercises, interactive self-assessments, and a marriage & family activities workbook. These resources support the student centered learning paradigm and use of such resources supports the core learning outcomes at MCC. Suggested activities (broad focus, for use or as idea starters) are offered in several chapters. Learning Unit Topic 1: Competency: 1 Objectives: 1.1 through 1.5 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 1; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text;
Learning Unit Topic 2: Competency: 2 Objectives: 2.1 through 2.5 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 2; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Suggested activity: an interactive survey on gender display in society (movies, television, magazines, websites, billboards, newspapers, etc.) Learning Unit Topic 3: Competency: 3 Objectives: 3.1 through 3.6 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 3; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Suggested activity: conducting a campus survey on views about cohabitation Suggested activity: investigating the popularity of technology and finding a partner (dating websites, chat rooms, online personals ads, etc.) Learning Unit Topic 4: Competency: 4 Objectives: 4.1 through 4.8 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 4; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Suggested activity: communication skills and styles exercise Suggested activity: conflict resolution communication skills (role play, skits) Learning Unit Topic 5: Competency: 5 Objectives: 5.1 through 5.7 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 5; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text;
Learning Unit Topic 6: Competency: 6 Objectives: 6.1 through 6.6 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 6; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Suggested activity: constructing a budget (singlehood, couples, family) Suggested activity: determining marital expectations activity Learning Unit Topic 7: Competency: 7 Objectives: 7.1 through 7.7 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 7; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Learning Unit Topic 8: Competency: 8 Objectives: 8.1 through 8.6 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 8; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Learning Unit Topic 9: Competency: 9 Objectives: 9.1 through 9.7 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 9; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Suggested activity: student discussion on what couples should discuss before having a child Suggested activity: guest speaker on adoption options and foster parent programs (for adoption or fostering of children as well as volunteer opportunities to work with programs that offer these services
Learning Unit Topic 10: Competency: 10 Objectives: 10.1 through 10.8 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 10; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Suggested activity: a problem/solution activity on issues related to parenting Suggested activity: guest speaker, community agency working with parents and teaching parenting skills Learning Unit Topic 11: Competency: 11 Objectives: 11.1 through 11.6 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 11; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Learning Unit Topic 12: Competency: 12 Objectives: 12.1 through 12.7 Activities/ Assignments: Read Chapter 12; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Suggested activity: Guest speaker, community agency working with victims of domestic violence Learning Unit Topic 13: Competency: 13 Objectives: 13.1 through 13.5 Activities/Assignments: Read Chapter 13; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text;
Learning Unit Topic 14: Competency: 14 Objectives: 14.1 through 14.9 Activities/Assignments: Read Chapter 14; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text; Learning Unit Topic 15: (Optional Unit) Competency: 15 Objectives: 15.1 through 15.5 Activities/Assignments: Read Chapter 15; Interactive lecture; student resources in back of text;