Course Syllabus
HDFS 451
Adoption: Practice, Policy, and Experience
Contents
- • Instructor
- • Course Description
- • Objectives
- • Materials
- • Library Services
- • Assignments
- • Academic Integrity
- • Grading
- • Additional Links & Resources
Instructor
- Instructor: To Be Determined
- Email: To Be Determined
- Phone: To Be Determined
Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change. Instructors will notify students of any changes and students will be responsible for abiding them. Even if you print this syllabus, please check the online version, especially the course summary (schedule), often.
Course Description
This course introduces students to the concepts, research, and policies associated with contemporary adoption practice. The topics covered in the course will reflect the triad perspective, meaning that adoption will be examined from the viewpoints of birth parents, adoptees, and adoptive parents. The social, emotional, and developmental issues facing triad members throughout the adoption process will also be examined, as well as the different types of adoptions that occur.
- Prerequisites: HDFS 229; HDFS 312W; HDFS 315 or HDFS 315W
- Number of credits: 3 credit hours
Objectives
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify and define the members that comprise the adoption triad.
- Compare how each member of the adoption triad is affected by the 5 core issues surrounding adoption.
- Explain the differences between the various types of adoption.
- Analyze adoption practices from a historical perspective.
- Evaluate the various roles that helping professionals play and strategies they employ in the delivery of adoption services.
- Develop a multicultural awareness of differences in adoption among birth families, adoptees, and adoptive parents.
Materials
Required Texts
The following texts are required:
- A children's book that deals with the topic of adoption (*this is your choice)
- An adoption memoir, which may be from any adoption triad's perspective (*this is your choice)
* You are responsible for obtaining an approved children's book that deals with the topic of adoption, and an approved memoir book that was written by a member of the adoption triad (birth parent, adoptive parent, or adopted person). If you need help finding an approved book, please see the following resources that include a list of approved books that students have used in the past.
Note: Although the books you read are your choice, you will need to obtain permission from the course instructor for each of the books. See the course calendar or syllabus for due dates.
Required Video
As part of the course, you are required to watch the following video:
- China's Lost Girls (2008)
For one of your lessons, including a course assignment, you will need to view the video, China's Lost Girls. You can choose to access China’s Lost Girls in the way that works best for you:
- Amazon: Rent the movie via Amazon for a minimal cost (check the site for associated fees). This does include closed captioning and a video transcript.
- Library Course Reserves: If you are located at University Park, the DVD of China's Lost Girls will be placed on Library Reserves for this course prior to the beginning of the semester. It will be available at the Music and Media Center Desk on the second floor of West Pattee Library. Students can borrow it for four hours and watch it on their own device or at one of the library's A/V stations. A small-group viewing room is available near the Music and Media Center if small groups of students would like to watch the DVD together.
- Local Library: You may also consult your local library to see if there is a copy of the film available to rent.
Library Services
Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library. The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.
Course Reserves
There are electronic resources on reserve for this course that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries. To access your Course Reserves, please use the Library Resources tab in the course navigation menu. For any questions you may have about viewing or printing your Course Reserves, refer to the View and Print Electronic Course Reserves page.
Assignments
Basic information about each assignment group is provided in this section. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information in the Modules tab. Additionally, this section will include information related to due dates and late work policies.
| Type of Assignment | How Many | Points for Each | Total Points Possible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay Papers and Presentation | 6 | Varies | 170 points |
| Vocabulary Quizzes | 3 | Varies | 10 points |
| Active Learning Discussions (ALD) | 8 | Varies | 160 points |
| Adoption Reflection Assignments | 3 | 20 points each | 60 points |
| Exams | 2 | 50 points each | 100 points |
| Course Total | 500 points |
Essay Papers
There are a total of three essay papers.
- Video Analysis/Reflection Paper: Students will select from one of the international adoption videos provided in the course. Students will then need to write a reaction and analysis paper based on the guidelines provided. This is worth a total of 50 points.
- Children's Book Analysis/Reflection Paper: Students are required to select and read a children's book about adoption for this course (A book list will be provided and the book must be approved by the course instructor). Students will then write a reaction and analysis paper based on the guidelines provided. This is worth a total of 50 points.
- Adoption Memoir Book Analysis/Reflection Paper: Students are required to select and read a memoir that's written by any of the three groups in the adoption triad. (A book list with be provided and the book must be approved by the course instructor). Students will then need to write a reaction and analysis paper based on guidelines provided, including creating an annotated bibliography using peer-reviewed research articles. This assignment is worth a total of 70 points.
Essay Papers will be submitted through the Turnitin service integrated within the course. Please make sure you submit your assignments through Canvas, as instructed. Note: Please be sure that you submit the correct file(s). Contact the HelpDesk or your instructor if you have questions.
Detailed descriptions of each paper, each grading rubric, and instructions to submit essay papers can be found within each individual assignment.
Vocabulary Quizzes
Quizzes are based on the course readings, lectures, and instructional videos covered within the corresponding lesson and consist of multiple-choice and true/false questions.
You will have one chance to take each quiz. Each quiz is timed (10 minutes) and your answers will be submitted automatically when time expires. Once you start the quiz, the time will continue to run until the time allotted has expired or you have submitted the quiz. The clock cannot be stopped once you have started. Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates.
You will be able to view answers to the questions one day after the due date. The answers will be available for viewing for two days.
Active Learning Discussions (ALD)
There are several discussions assigned throughout the semester. See the Course Calendar for topics and deadlines. These discussions will allow you to think about and express your opinions on various course topics related to the adoption triad and the five core issues related to adoption. You will also be able to interact with your classmates and generate an exchange of ideas rather than just one-way communication from student to instructor. Productive and active participation is required. The discussions will be guided through a series of questions or instructions, but the intent is for all students to contribute with substantive knowledge gained through the course lessons and readings, through research on the internet, and through life experiences thus far.
Initial posts are expected to be posted by Wednesday of the discussion week, and replies to classmates must be posted by Sunday.
Discussion Assignment Listing on Calendar:
The initial posting and response will both take place within the discussion assignment area, but will each have a separate due date. For example, on the course calendar:
- Initial Postings: the initial posting for the Course Introductions Discussion will be listed as Course Introductions Discussion Initial Reply, the Lesson 1 Discussion will be listed as L01 Discussion Initial Reply, and so forth.
- Responding to Peers: responding to peers for the Course Introductions Discussion will be listed as Course Introductions Discussion, the Lesson 1 Discussion will be listed as L01 Discussion, and so forth.
This will be the same format that will be used throughout the course for all discussions.
Please view the Discussion Guidelines and Policies information within the Course Orientation module for pointers and policies for interacting within class discussions. All discussion forums will be available on the course site within the Modules tab.
Refer to the Discussion Forum Rubric for grading expectations. You can view this within each Discussion Forum assignment.
Note: If you are using a mobile device, you may not be able to view the rubric from within the discussion forum.
Adoption Reflection Assignments
There are 3 Adoption Reflection Assignments where you will be asked to read a series of questions or watch a video. After reading the questions or watching the video, you will then be asked to think deeply about the content and react to it. These assignments are designed to help engage you in the learning process as you reflect on the information covered about the adoption process and reinforce your learning.
Exams
There are 2 Exams in the course. Exam 1 will include content from Lessons 1-7. Exam 2 (Final Exam) will cover material from the second part of the course (everything after Exam 1). Exams will consist of multiple-choice and true/false questions, as well as short-answer questions.
Exams will be taken online, are timed, and only one (1) submission is allowed. Each exam will be open for 3 days to give students the opportunity to take the exam at a time that is best for them.
- Exam 1: 25 questions, 50 points, 75-minute time limit.
- Exam 2 (Final Exam): 25 questions, 50 points, 75-minute time limit.
Exams are weighted at 20% (100 points) of the final grade.
Refer to the Course Calendar or Course Summary table within the Course Syllabus for due dates.
Due Dates
All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar, unless noted otherwise. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide.
Late Work Policy
As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make-up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make upgraded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest, and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle.
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity, 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. 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.
Artificial Intelligence
Penn State University Statement on Artificial Intelligence Use in the Classroom: You must complete this work entirely on your own. You may not assist other students or use any online sites (e.g., Course Hero or Chegg), technologies (e.g., ChatGPT, language translators), tools, or sources that are prohibited. If your instructor permits the use of ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person or by generative technology, you must identify their source. You may not share any information with others. If you have questions about these instructions, you should discuss them with your instructor before you begin.
(update per course/program) In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence is [Insert Course Artificial Intelligence statement here]. Please note that the specifics of the information is subject to change, considering rapid changes in technologies. Instructors will notify students of any changes and students will be responsible for abiding by them.
See the University Policies document in the Additional Links and Resources section of this syllabus for more information about Academic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence.
Grading
Final grades will be assigned based on the following grading scheme:
| Grade | Percentage | Points |
|---|---|---|
| A | 95-100% | 475-500 |
| A- | 90-94% | 450-474 |
| B+ | 88-89% | 440-449 |
| B | 82-87% | 410-439 |
| B- | 80-81% | 400-409 |
| C+ | 78-79% | 390-399 |
| C | 70-77% | 350-389 |
| D | 60-69% | 300-349 |
| F | <60% | <300 |
Additional Links and Resources
Review information related to technical requirements, Penn State policies, and student resources.
- Technical Requirements
- This document provides guidance on the technology and software required to successfully complete this online course. Students should familiarize themselves with the various technologies used to enhance learning and participation in this course.
- University Policies
- This document includes university policies about copyright, nondiscrimination and equity, disability accommodations, military accommodations, counseling, artificial intelligence, and academic integrity.
- Digital Learning Tools
- This document provides an overview of the common technology tools used at Penn State and includes helpful guides, tutorials, and videos to get started.
- Student Health, Well-Being, Career, and Financial Resources
- This document provides helpful student health and well-being resources including links and contact information for crisis, general health, disability services, sexual misconduct, college and career services, and campus life.
To print this page, use the keyboard shortcut CTRL-P (PC) or CMD-P (Mac).
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|