Assignment: Master's in Early Childhood Studies
Competency-Based Learning
Observing, Documenting, and Assessing Children
Evaluate information from multiple sources to assess individual children in order to plan developmentally-appropriate practices that help children progress along the continuum.
Assessment Type: Performance Task
Competency Description
Before early childhood professionals can plan developmentally appropriate practices, ongoing formal and informal observations and assessments must inform their choices. Information to inform observations and assessments can come from a variety of sources, including children and families.
This Assessment constitutes a Performance Task, in which you will observe individual children in authentic contexts and analyze various sources of information in order to assess each child and plan developmentally appropriate practices that can help each child progress along the child development continuum.
Sub-Competencies
• Analyze information from observation to assess the development of individual children and recommend developmentally-appropriate practice.
• Analyze information gathered from children to support healthy development and learning.
• Synthesize information from multiple sources to assess child development.
• Recommend strategies for obtaining information from families about children's development and needs.
• Recommend developmentally appropriate practices.
Professional Skill
• Written Communication: Demonstrate graduate-level writing skills.
Program Outcomes
The Early Childhood Studies Program Outcomes are listed below. This Competency aligns with the Outcomes in bold face:
PO1: Demonstrate deep knowledge of child development, learning, and effective programs and practices.
PO2: Critically examine issues, trends, and current research.
PO3: Understand foundational theories of research and practice evidence-based research and decision making.
PO4: Have deep knowledge of issues related to equity and inclusion; address inequities and advocate for social change.
PO5: Be skillful communicators, team members, relationship-builders, and collaborators with family members, colleagues, and agencies related to the field of early childhood.
PO6: Be critical and self-reflective of their own values, beliefs, and biases and use this understanding to improve their own work.
Bibliography
The following suggested resources will help inform completion of the Competencies and Assessments.
Angeli, E., Wagner, J., Lawrick, E., Moore, K., Anderson, M., Soderlund, L., & Brizee, A. (2010, May). General format.
Bredekamp, S. (2013). Effective practices in early childhood education: Building a foundation (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Elicker, J., & McMullen, M. B. (2013, July). Infants and toddlers: Appropriate and meaningful assessment in family-centered programs. Young Children, 68(3), 22-27.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014a). How to observe children [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014b). Observing children part 1: Infants and toddlers [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014c). Observing children part 2: Early childhood [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014d). Partnering with families [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014e). Screening and assessment [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
McAfee, O., & Leong, D. J. (2011). Assessing and guiding young children's development and learning (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
McCann, C. E., & Yarbrough, K. (2006). Snapshots: Incorporating comprehensive developmental screening into programs and services for young children. Chicago, IL: Ounce of Prevention Fund.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2014). Developmentally appropriate practice.
Sharkey-Smith, M. (2013). Walden University Writing Center: Writing at the graduate level [Video file].
Walden University Online Writing Center. (2014a).
Walden University Online Writing Center. (2014d). Grammar.
Walden University Writing Center. (2014). Plagiarism.
Walden University Writing Center. (2014). What is APA style?
CD005Observing, Documenting, and Assessing Children
ASSESSMENT
Part I: Case Study #1
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014a). How to observe children [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014b). Observing children part 1: Infants and toddlers [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2014c). Observing children part 2: Early childhood [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Review all of the documents and videos provided for Case Study #1. Write a 1- to 2-page response that addresses the following:
-Choose one segment in the video of Angelica playing that illustrates her level of development in one or more of the domains of child development.
-Describe the segment, and explain how it reveals characteristics of her physical, cognitive, or socio-emotional development.
-What observation tools did you use in the process, and why?
Part II: Case Study #2
Review all of the documents provided for Case Study #2. Write a 1- to 2-page response that addresses the following:
-Analyze the work sample from Nathan.
-Describe at least one specific aspect of the work sample that reveals something about Nathan's physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development.
-Provide a rationale for your response that uses specific examples from the work sample and connections to the professional knowledge base.
Part III: Analysis and Recommendations
In a 5- to 7-page response, analyze the information in each case study, and make a recommendation for developmentally appropriate practice for each child.
Your response should include:
-A brief analysis of each child's physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development, based on the documents and videos provided and your knowledge of the frameworks of early childhood development
-A recommendation for at least two additional strategies that could be used to gather information from families about the development of the children in the case studies
(Note: Explain why information from families is critical in assessing development.)
-A recommendation for developmentally appropriate learning experiences for each child, with an explanation of how these experiences reflect the principles of developmentally appropriate practice
Note: Content citations are very necessary in answering these questions.