EDEC 602

EDEC 602: The Young Child PreK-3

Credit Hours: (3)

Theories of cognitive, social, emotional and physical development of the young children are related to early childhood curriculum. Current curriculum theory applied to classroom practice.

Detailed Description of Content of Course

I. Physical and Motor Development

    A. Infants
    B. Toddlers
    C. Three through five
    D. Five through nine
    E. Observing physical characteristics and motor development.
    F. Planning for physical and motor development

Environment, materials, activities.

G. Special Topic: Mainstreaming: planning for physical differences

II. Affective and Social Development

    A. Infants
    B. Toddlers
    C. Three through five
    D. Five through nine
    E. Observing socio-affective development
    F. Planning for socio-affective development

Environment, materials, activities.

G. Special Topic: Culturally-responsive teaching and socio-affective development

III. Cognitive/Intellectual Development

    A. Infants
    B. Toddlers
    C. Three through five
    D. Five through nine
    E. Observing cognitive and intellectual development
    F. Planning for cognitive development

Environment, materials, activities.

G. Special Topic: Play: Contributions to development

IV. Theoretical Orientations (integrated into examination of development and curriculum)

A. Behaviorist (Skinner, Bandura & Walters)

Principles of reinforcement
Influence upon program models, curriculum materials

B. Nativist (Gesell, Lenneberg, Chomsky)

Developmental milestones and assessment

C. Psychoanalytic (Freud, Erikson)
D. Interactionist/Constructivist (Piaget, Neo-Piagetians)

V. Domain-Specific Development

    A. Emergent literacy
    B. Mathematical thinking
    C. Scientific thinking
    D. Children's understanding of social sciences
    E. Development in the arts
    F. Special Topic: Multiple intelligences

VI. Action-Research: Teaching and Learning in the Classroom (integrated throughout the course)

Detailed Description of the Conduct of the Course

Instructional strategies: Lectures, video-tapes, visits to early childhood settings, group-research, presentations of examples of research, demonstrations.

Student activities: Locate an environmental assessment instrument and use it to record information in an ECE setting; apply Piagetian tasks with children of 4, 7 and 12; review curriculum materials; cooperatively develop a conference "ideas" session and a staff development session.

Goals and Objectives of the Course

Students should be able to:

1. Describe characteristic cognitive, socio-affective and psychomotor development birth through age 9.
2. 澳门老奇人论坛 this knowledge in professional decision-making in working with children and their families.
3. Research and discuss philosophical and social issues related to the development and education of young children.
4. Identify and use appropriate assessment techniques and instruments related to the development of young children.
5. Describe and, when appropriate, conduct action-research projects related to children's development.
6. Discuss the influence of play upon children's development and alternative roles of the adult in play.
7. Explain the influence of theoretical orientations upon programs for young children.

Assessment Measures

Quizzes and exams; performance on observational tasks, ideas and staff development session planning, and other assignments.

Other Course Information

None

Review and Approval
Revised: March 22, 1999