EDUC X85.A - An Introduction to Early Childhood Studies: Child Growth and Development

Course Description

Studies early childhood education from a historical perspective and includes principles, stages and prominent theories of growth and development. Content includes an in-depth study of the interrelatedness of the child’s environment and his/her physical, emotional, cognitive and social development. Identify, evaluate and discuss typical and atypical development. Examines developmentally appropriate techniques for working with children birth through middle childhood. It reviews topics such as health, nutrition, play, diversity, socioeconomics, language, ability gender and family.  Field work is required outside of class time to provide students with opportunities to learn and practice competencies related to the care and education of young children.

Learner Outcomes

• Examine the reasons for studying developmental processes, including scientific processes used for developmental study, ethics and culture for application of own professional and personal life context.
• Compare and contrast the perspectives of various developmental theorists, including but not limited to: Piaget, Erickson, Freud, Gesell, Maslow, Vygotsky, Bronfenbrenner, Skinner, Watson, Pavlov, and Bandura.
• Analyze cultural, economic, political, historical, and environmental contexts that affect a child’s development from conception to adolescence.
• Classify the typical and atypical major developmental milestones from conception through adolescence in the areas of physical, cognitive, language, and social/emotional development.
• Apply developmental theory to observations, surveys, and/or interviews using investigative research methods, analyzing information, drawing objective conclusions, and affecting one’s understanding of development.
• Analyze and evaluate historical contexts about children, human development and resulting childrearing practices.
• Examine how developmentally appropriate childrearing and educational practices can work to prevent problems.
• Formulate developmental theory into a sequential human developmental lifeline from birth through adulthood.

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Early Childhood Education Teacher : Required