C I 597i Theories of Childhood (3 credits): The study of childhood from cultural, historical, psychological and philosophical perspectives.

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Overview

“There is no child independent of race, ethnicity, social class, gender, religious beliefs, cultural and subcultural membership, and history.  All children are ancestrally and sociohistorically located” (O'Loughlin, The Subject of Childhood, 2009, p. 26).

Contrary to popular perspectives on childhood as natural and universal, in this course we will explore the highly variable ways that childhood has been constructed and enacted across multiple cultures and throughout history.  We will begin by exploring how notions of the nature of childhood -- for example, children as innocent, as primitive, or as blank slates  --  have functioned across history and in our own memories and sense of nostalgia about childhood.  We will expand our understanding of historic and contemporary childhoods through comparative studies of children.  We will examine and critique normative theories of child development and will finish with an examination of contemporary child culture, including play and the impact of changes in global culture on children's lives.

The course instructor will provide the readings for the course as well as providing background information and organizing topics.  The instructor creates and assigns activities and provides or oversees discussion questions to organize student thinking for a productive discussion.  The instructor bears responsibility for creating an environment conducive to students' development of an open, vibrant learning community; for establishing and overseeing course standards; and for assisting students to achieve both the course objectives and their own.

There are no prerequisites for this course.  Given that all participants have had a childhood, the memories and experiences each participant brings may be both a help and a hindrance.  That is, insofar as our own childhoods cause us to believe that we already know what childhood is, we need to recognize the limitations of our memories and experiences.  The diversity of childhoods that will be represented across the members of our course is a considerable resource for us to an develop ever-broader understanding of the cultural and historical nature of childhood.

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Student Expectations

A Web-based course grants you a great deal of freedom, but also a great deal of responsibility. While you don't have a fixed schedule of classes, you do have a fixed schedule of deadlines by which assignments must be completed. In general, you should expect to put in about as much work, and about as many hours, as you would for a traditional resident-instruction course.

Be aware that there is much reading in this course. Pace yourself accordingly and don't allow yourself to get behind. This class is also highly participatory as you will be in electronic discussions with your classmates throughout the term.  Most weeks involve time-sensitive small group work.  For this to work, you will need to collaborate closely with your small group and each person will need to be scrupulous about communicating actively and meeting her/his responsibilities to the group.  

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Objectives

Throughout this course you will:

• Develop an understanding of childhood as a product of particular historic times and places;
• Consider the political and practical effects of what does and does not get counted as “proper childhood”;
• Actively examine how the idea of childhood gets naturalized through multiple means such as child and adult literature, pictorial representations, child-rearing, popular culture, education, psychology, and personal/cultural memory; and
• Demonstrate the synthesis of your developing understanding of childhood as a social/historical/cultural discursive production through your course participation and projects.

Course Materials

Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.

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Library Resources

Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can

• access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
• borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
• get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
• much more. 

You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service.  The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.

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Technical Specifications

Technical Requirements

Operating System	Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version
Processor	2 GHz or higher
Memory	1 GB of RAM
Hard Drive Space	20 GB free disk space
Browser	We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion, and for advice on downloading a supported version, please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers. Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses.
Plug-ins	Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe] Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe]
Additional Software	Microsoft Office (2007 or later)
Internet Connection	Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required
Printer	Access to graphics-capable printer
DVD-ROM	Required
Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers	Required
Monitor	Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution

If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.

For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!

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Course Requirements and Grading

Thoughtful, thorough, engaged and on-time completion of class assignments

All necessary materials will be released on Wednesdays and final responses are due by Midnight, Eastern Time of Tuesdays. Several of the projects require on-going small group discussion and multiple responses, so you will need to be on-line working on the course over multiple days each week. 

Assigned Readings

Completion of all class readings as evidenced by your ability to refer to and use the course readings for projects, discussions and reflections. You must complete the assigned readings by the first day of each unit.

Museum of Childhood

You will contribute to the co-creation of a Museum of Childhood on our class wiki site. Each of you will make three kinds of contributions:

1. Curate a Main Exhibit

Once during the semester you collaborate with 3 - 5 classmates and use the wiki space to curate a display in our virtual museum in an assigned week. We will call this the Main Exhibit.  The Main Exhibit you and your collaborators will create is a response that is due at the beginning of that week that will guide the rest of your classmates in considering the reading. The Main Exhibit will be used as the central organizing feature for discussions of the reading that week. I will provide examples of this for the Lesson 2 and Lesson 3 readings.

I will provide the link to the Main Exhibit. To create the Main Exhibit, you will upload artifacts and text to that link.  The texts and artifacts included should help to create a better understanding of that week’s readings as well as potentially extending and/or critiquing the readings. Examples of these artifacts or exhibits include (but are not limited to): images/text from children’s literature, paintings, photos, videos, commentaries, bibliographies, snippets of biography or autobiography, memories, radio essays, music, ads, toy images, games, clothing images, links to education curriculum, connections among the displays in the rooms; in other words, whatever artifacts and oddities you find that add to the goals of stimulating lively discussion on a topic that you would like to explore in greater depth. Your display should raise questions and prompt deeper thinking, connections and discussion. 

As a curator, you must

• submit a word file draft of your proposed Main Exhibit for review to the instructor before uploading it to the musuem wiki space. The draft file will include the text and images or links to the artifacts or descriptions of artifacts.  This is due by the Sunday, noon (Eastern Time, USA) that is prior to the Main Exhibit due date.  The instructor will give you feedback by noon Monday about required revisions.
• Complete the Main Exhibit by noon Wednesday on the day it is listed as due (Eastern Time, USA).

2. Contribute to the Commentary on the Main Exhibit

In the week following each new display, all students who did not curate that week’s Main Exhibit will visit the wiki exhibit twice. The first time you will comment on the exhibit. This must be done by Thursday 5 pm (Eastern Time, USA). The second time you need to return again to read through the commentary that has been added by your classmates and respond to at least one post. This is due by Friday 5 pm (Eastern Time, USA).  

In addition, that week's curators should read through the comments and respond to at least one post. This is due by Friday 5 pm (Eastern Time, USA)

3. Create Visitors' Hand-On Small Group Exhibit

Each student will be put into a small group that will work collaborative to discuss and respond to both the readings and the Main Exhibit. The small group’s job is to give members a chance to work through the readings, ensure understanding of the reading content, and then take the discussion further by choosing some aspect of the ideas or questions posed in the main exhibit, the readings or film for the week, or in the commentary.  

Your small group will demonstrate this process by creating an additional display for that week’s museum theme.  I will provide the links for these Small Group Exhibits which, sticking with our Museum image, we will imagine as smaller side rooms off the Main Exhibit. Your small group will have from Friday at 5 pm until Tuesday at 11:59 pm (Eastern Time, USA) to create your Small Group Exhibit. Your small group will need to communicate during that period in order to:

• discuss and clarify the readings
• agree upon one issue you want to discuss and explore further;
• discuss that issue; and
• co-create a Small Group Exhibit that synthesizes your new ideas, bringing together previous and outside readings, children’s literature, experiences, current events, films, music, images, class discussions, etc

Individual/Group Activities

During some weeks, we will not be doing virtual museum exhibits. Instead, I will assign specific individual or small group activities that will be outlined on the lessons page for that week.  You are required to complete that lesson by Tuesday11:59 pm (Eastern Time, USA).  If it is a group project, you must complete a self-and peer-evaluation as the conclusion of the work.

Final Project

Choose an idea related to childhood that has surprised or engaged you this semester. Your final project will include two parts to engage in a further exploration of this idea:

1. Create an annotated bibliography of at least fifteen media resources etc that in some way illustrates your previous and your current thinking about childhood.  This must include a minimum of eight children's or young adult literature texts, but may also include film, music, websites, video games, music.
2. Write a brief essay, approximately 5 pages, that describes your previous and new thinking about childhood.  Consider these questions:

• What is the idea about childhood you wish to talk more about?  Why?
• What did you believe before? How has your understanding of childhood changed?
• How are these ideas –previous and current -- represented or challenged in the media (books, film, etc) you have chosen?

You must include references to course readings to discuss the development of your thinking about this topic. 

Course Philosophy

Knowledge is not given from one person to another; rather, it is actively constructed by each learner.  In this course we value both careful study and risk taking.  Students are expected to develop strategies for digging deeply into the meanings of the reading and to take the risk of making connections among the course materials, the input of the instructor and classmates, and their own existing experiences, beliefs, interests and desires.  Careful, systematic thinking AND initiative, enthusiasm, curiosity, and a adventurous creativity in putting together ideas materials will be positively noted.  

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Course Schedule

NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor.  This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines.  For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies Web site.

• Course length: 13 weeks

Lesson 1 Childhood and Memory
Readings	The New York Times, “Studying the Secrets of Childhood," Mitchell and Reid-Walsh, Researching Children’s Culture, Chapter 2. Note: Please carefully read, notate, and consider this week's readings in the order listed above.
Assignments	Create an "About Me" entry in the Museum of Childhood Visitor's Sign-In (all) Do the introductory exercise (Note: you should hold on to it for next week's response) Submit Part 1 assignment of the Memory Work Project - Visual Presentation of Childhood

Lesson 2 Childhood and Nostalgia
Readings	Jenkins, H. (1997), “The Innocent Child and Other Modern Myths."
Assignments	Visit the " Memory and Nostalligia" Main Exhibit Contribute to the Commentary to the " Memory and Nostalgia" Main Exhibit Complete Response Questions Submit Part 2 of the Memory Work Project: Writing the Story

Lesson 3 Pictures of Childhood, Part 1
Readings	Higonnet, Pictures of Innocence, Introduction through Chapter 5
Assignments	Visit the "Pictures of Innocence Part 1" Main Exhibit Contribute to the Commentary to the "Pictures of Innocence Part 1" Main Exhibit Complete Response Questions Submit Part 3 of the Memory Work Project: Rethinking the Story

Lesson 4
Readings	Higonnet, Pictures of Innocence, Chapter 6 - end
Assignments	Visit the "Pictures of Innocent Part 2" Main Exhibit Contribute to the Commentary to the "Pictures of Innocent Part 2" Main Exhibit Complete Response Questions Participate in Visitors’ Hand-On Small Group Exhibit (All groups except one Curator Group) Curate the "Innocence of Knowing" Main Exhibit (Note: the assigned Curator Group has to complete the exhibit on the wikispace by noon on the first day of the next lesson, Wednesday)

Lesson 5 History of American Childhoods, Part 1
Readings and Films	Mintz Huck's Raft, Chapters 1-9 In the White Man's Image (film)
Assignments	Review the Lesson 6 lecture in Auditorium Visit the "History of American Childhoods, Part 1" Main Exhibit (Note: This is available after the noon of the first day of this lesson) Contribute commentaries to the "History of American Childhoods, Part 1" Main Exhibit Participate in Visitors’ Hand-On Small Group Exhibit (All groups except two Curator Groups) Curate the "History of American Childhood, Part 2" Main Exhibit (Note: The assigned Curator Group has to complete the exhibit on the wikispace by noon on the first day of the next lesson, Wednesday

Lesson 6 History of American Childhood, Part 2
Readings	Mintz Huck's Raft, Chapters 10-17
Assignments	Review the Lesson 7 lecture in Auditorium Visit the "History of American Childhoods, Part 2" Main Exhibit (Note: This is available after the noon of the first day of this lesson) Contribute commentaries to the "History of American Childhoods, Part 2" Main Exhibit Participate in Visitors’ Hand-On Small Group Exhibit (All groups except two Curator Groups) Curate the "Sexuality" Main Exhibit (Note: The assigned Curator Group has to complete the exhibit on the wikispace by noon on the first day of the next lesson, Wednesday

Lesson 7 Perspectives on Play
Readings	Psychological Stage Theories of Play Thomas, “Physical Play’s Contribution to Development” (2001, 188 – 192) Thomas, “Toys and Reasons” (1992, 176 – 181) Sociocognitive Theory of Play Vygotsky, The Role of Play in Development  Play as Emotional Symbolizing Engel, Peeking Through the Curtain Post-Structural Theory of Play Grieshaber and McArdle, “Produced Play”
Assignments	Review the Lesson 8 lecture in Auditorium Visit the "Perspectives on Play" Main Exhibit (Note: This is available after the noon of the first day of this lesson) Contribute commentaries to the "Perspectives on Play" Main Exhibit Participate in Visitors’ Hand-On Small Group Exhibit (All groups except two Curator Groups) Curate the "Sexuality" Main Exhibit (Note: The assigned Curator Group has to complete the exhibit on the wikispace by noon on the first day of the next lesson, Wednesday

Lesson 8 Sexuality
Readings	Tobin, "Sexuality After Freud - The Problem Of Sex in Early Childhood Education" Fine, "Sexuality Education and Desire, Still Missing After All These Years"
Assignments	Review the Lesson 9 lecture in Auditorium Visit the "Sexuality" Main Exhibit (Note: This is available after the noon of the first day of this lesson) Contribute commentaries to the "Sexuality" Main Exhibit Participate in Visitors’ Hand-On Small Group Exhibit (All groups except two Curator Groups) Curate the "Expressions of Gender and Sexuality" Main Exhibit (Note: The assigned Curator Group has to complete the exhibit on the wikispace by noon on the first day of the next lesson, Wednesday

 

Lesson 9 Play as Cultural and Historical Expressions of Gender and Sexuality
Readings and Films	Rand, “Older Heads on Younger Bodies” Mitchell and Reid-Walsh, Researching Children's Popular Culture, Chapter 6 Film: Ma Vie En Rose
Assignments	Review the Lesson 10 lecture in Auditorium Visit the "Expressions of Gender and Sexuality" Main Exhibit (Note: This is available after the noon of the first day of this lesson) Contribute commentaries to the "Expressions of Gender and Sexuality" Main Exhibit Participate in Visitors’ Hand-On Small Group Exhibit (All groups except one Curator Group)

 

Lesson 10 Virtual Spaces of Childhood
Readings	Jenkins, Unlimited Freedom of Movement Mitchell and Reid-Walsh, Researching Children's Popular Culture, Chapter 5
Assignments	Visit the "Virtual Spaces of Childhood" Main Exhibit Contribute to the Commentary to the "Virtual Spaces of Childhood" Main Exhibit Complete Response Questions, i.e. Museum Catalog Proposal Project

Lesson 11 Physical Spaces of Childhood
Readings and Films	Mitchell and Reid-Walsh, Researching Children's Popular Culture, Chapters 3, and 4 Chawla, “Special Place – What is That?”  Born into Brothels (film)
Assignments	Start Mapping Children's Spaces Activity (Note: You have two weeks to complete this activity) Visit the "Physical Spaces of Childhood" Main Exhibit Contribute to the Commentary to the "Physical Spaces of Childhood" Main Exhibit Complete Response Questions

Lesson 12 Global Change and Children's Lives
Readings and Films	Katz, Growing Up Global: Economic Restructuring and Childen's Everday Lives, Chapters 3, 6, and 7
Assignments	Complete Mapping Children's Spaces Activity Visit the "Global Change and Children's Live" Main Exhibit Contribute to the Commentary to the "Global Change and Children's Live" Main Exhibit Complete Response Questions Submit the Final Project

Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account userid and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year from the day the course began (with the exception of library reserves).

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Academic Integrity

According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity (for undergraduate students in undergraduate courses) and policy GCAC-805 Academic Integrity (for graduate students and undergraduate students in graduate courses), an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.

Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity or GCAC-805 Academic Integrity as appropriate). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.

How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, as well as a civil community.

In cases where academic integrity is questioned, procedures allow a student to accept or contest/appeal the allegation. If a student chooses to contest/appeal the allegation, the case will then be managed by the respective school, college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. Review procedures may vary by college, campus, or school, but all follow the aforementioned policies.

All academic integrity violations are referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response, which may assign an educational intervention and/or apply a Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, or Expulsion.

Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page.

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Accommodating Disabilities

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Students with disabilities participating in internship, practicum, student teaching, or other experiential learning opportunities as part of their degree requirements may also be eligible for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access and opportunity. These accommodations are determined through an interactive process involving the student, their University supervisor, and the site supervisor. Student Disability Resources can assist students with identifying potential barriers, facilitating accommodation requests, and coordinating with University supervisors to promote inclusive learning experiences.

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Additional Policies

For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.

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