Educational Foundations 600
EDEF 600: Child and Adolescent Development
Credit Hours: (3)
Covers critical components of human development from the prenatal stage through adolescence, including theories, ethics, research and applications. Personal, social, professional, and cultural perspectives related to working with children and adolescents are explored.
Detailed Description of Course
This course examines the critical components of child and adolescent development, including defining the field, theories, ethics, research, and applications. Factors affecting the various domains and stages of development are addressed. Personal, social, professional, and cultural perspectives provide a variety of viewpoints regarding child development components and stages of development. This course meets the requirements set forth by the Virginia Department of Education and National Council for Association of Teacher Education.
I. Theories, Research, and Ethics in Child Development
- Theoretical Perspectives
- Research Perspectives
- Social Policy Perspectives
- Professional Perspectives
- Cultural Perspectives
- Ethics in child developmental study
II. Genetics, Heredity, and Biological Theories and Research
- Prenatal
- Newborn
- Brain Development
- Physical Development & Motor Skills
- Senses & Perceptions
- Atypical Development: Influences, Factors, Interactions, Consequences
- Social & Political Perspectives
- Professionals' Perspectives
- Cultural & Personal Perspectives
III. Language Development: Theories, Theorists, and Research
- Language Acquisition theories
- Roles/Functions of Language
- Linguistic diversity
- Media and technology influences
- Atypical development
IV. Cognitive Development: Theories, Theorists, and Research
- Concept Development
- Current Brain Research for Teaching
- Defining and Assessing Intelligence
- Atypical Development: cognitive delay and giftedness
- Media and technology influences
V. Social & Emotional Development: Theories, Theorists, and Research
- Social Development
- Emotional Development
- Peer Influences
- Gender & Sexual Orientation
- Media and technology Influences
- Self, Values, and Identity
- Cultural diversity
VI. Families & Communities
- Child Development in (or out of) Context
- Parenting style and discipline
- Family, school, and community collaboration
- Parent involvement in childhood education
VII. Child Abuse and Neglect: Recognizing, Reporting, and Responding
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Course conduct includes lecture, some observations, large and small group discussions, and child development analyses. Student presentations, role-play/simulations, cooperative learning, web-enhanced instruction, guest speakers, and lectures may also be included in instructional strategies. The on-line child abuse certificate required for licensure is a required part of the course. Peer and collegial interaction is critical to professional development and is required for successful course completion.
Goals and Objectives of the Course
Goals, objectives, and assignments in the class address NCATE Standards 1b: Pedagogical Knowledge and 1g: Professional Dispositions for all candidates.
Goals, objectives, and assignments addresses Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Licensure Standards for Professional Studies requirements in Human Growth and Development (VPS1) for prek-12, special education, and secondary education and early/primary prek-3 education, elementary education, prek-6, and middle education.
Objectives below reference standards from the following:
- Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
- Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards (ISLLC)
- Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI)
- National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
- American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD)
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
- National Middle Schools Association (NMSA)
- National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
- National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
- Virginia Department of Education Licensure Regulations (VA DOE)
- Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC)
- Council for the Social Foundations of Education (CSFE)
- International Society for Technology Education, National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (ISTE/NETS-T)
At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
A. Describe and distinguish the stages of human development:
- physical (large and small motor)
- social and emotional
- cognitive and intellectual
- moral
- language development of children
B. Use developmental understandings in guiding learning experiences for children and adolescents
C. Identify and describe when children may need to be referred for possible developmental delays
D. Describe the major theories and theorists in child development
- Discuss the strengths and usefulness of each theory
- Address why each theory is not the panacea for child development
E. Describe some of the recent advances in brain research and its implications for child development applications
F. Describe several reasons why individual and identity issues affect development
G. Discuss how the following outside factors impact aspects of development:
- family and community
- economics and social status
- race
- ethnicity and culture
- religion
- peers
- the media and technology
- How may the interaction of the above factors positively or negatively affect various aspects of different children's development?
H. Collect and analyze data on child development
I. Recognize signs of abuse and/or neglect and describe responding and reporting requirements for educators.
Assessment Measures
- Quizzes
- Written tests
- Data collection and analyses related to observation of children
- Project on child development
- Class presentation on child development project
- Research papers
- Critique of research articles
- Participation and active engagement in whole and small group work
- Proof of completion of VDOE "Child Abuse and Neglect: Recognizing, Reporting, and Responding for Educators" Certificate program.
Other Information
This course meets the requirements set forth by the Virginia Department of Education and National Council for Association of Teacher Education.
Approval and review dates
October 2005 Course Proposed Barbara Foulks Boyd
February 2009 Revised Boyoung Park