CFD 270L-2 Principles of Child Development Laboratory ((Schedule #: 20520)
Department of Child and Family Development
Spring 2014
SSW 2522
Tue 11am-11:50am
Instructor: Hsing-chen Tung, Ed. D.
Office Location: EBA 401
E-mail: htung@mail.sdsu.edu
Office phone: 619 594-4445
Office Hours:
 Monday 10:15-11:30am (Students may drop in, although I will first see students with
appointments.)
 Appointments are needed for Wednesday 10:15-11am and Thursday 10:45-11:30am.
Course Description
This course will introduce various recording instruments for examining the
physical/motor, social, emotional, and cognitive development of children from birth
through age five. The course is designed to help students gain a hands-on understanding
of child development through observing children’s behaviors and recording and
interpreting them using various methods.
Prerequisites
 Completion of Psychology 101 with D- or better.
 Completion or concurrent enrollment in CFD 270, PSY 230, or TE 170.
 There is no grade requirement in these prerequisites in order to take CFD 270L, but
you cannot move to the CFD Major without a “C” or better.
 Unofficial SDSU Transcripts are available at www.sdsu.edu/e-services. Highlight the
information that needs to be checked by the instructor: your name and major,
PSY101, and CFD 270/Psy 230/TE 170. You may email your transcript to the
instructor (When you email your prerequisites, please put the course number in
the subject of the email) or submit a hard copy (Staple your papers!). Students will
be dropped from the class if transcripts are not received on Tuesday 1/28.
 Hard copy of negative TB clearance (dated Feb. 1, 2013 or more current) by Tuesday
2/4 in class or you will not receive any grade in the course.
Student Learning Outcomes/Objectives
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has
implemented Professional Preparation core standards for PreK-3 teachers. The Early
Childhood Educator Competencies and Personnel Competencies for Early Childhood
Mental Health are also relevant to the preparation of child and family development
professionals. This course utilizes these standards in identifying course goals/objectives
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and course instructional activities, assigning course requirements, and creating
assessments. The following table identifies how these standards are aligned with the
Student Learning Objectives for the course, as well as with each course assignment. Visit
the following Websites for detailed listings of standards.
NAEYC Initial Licensure Standards: http://www.naeyc.org/positionstatements/ppp
Early Childhood Educator Competencies: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/complist.asp
Revised Training Guidelines and Personnel Competencies for Infant-Family and Early
Childhood Mental Health: http://www.wested.org/cs/we/view/pj1207
Student Learning Objectives
Develop a professional concept
about observing and recording
children’s behaviors
Assessment
3 observation exercises
in-class activities
2 exams
Utilize the introduced recording
techniques for observing the
behavior of children
Interpret the behavior of children
based on written recordings of
different methods
Identify/Differentiate major
characteristics of the recording
instruments introduced in the
course
3 observation exercises
in-class activities
3 observation exercises
in-class activities
3 observation exercises
in-class activities
2 exams
NAEYC Standards
NAEYC: 3, 5
CA IFECMH:1A, 1B,
1C
ECE Comp: 2, 3, 5, 9
NAEYC: 1, 3, 5
CA IFECMH: 1B, 1E
ECE Comp: 9
NAEYC: 1, 3, 5
CA IFECMH: 1B, 1E
ECE Comp: 3, 9
NAEYC: 3
CA IFECMH:1E
ECE Comp: 9
CFD Departmental Goals this Course Meets:
Goal #1: Students know and understand typical and atypical development characteristics
and needs across the lifespan.
Goal #5: Students possess high-level communication skills.
Goal #6: Students demonstrate a high level of cultural competence.
Goal #7: Students identify and conduct themselves as a member of the child and family
profession
Teaching Methods
Lectures will be used to introduce the recording techniques. During the lectures, whole
group discussions will be used to stimulate critical thinking. I will be asking you
questions so that your practical knowledge gained from experiences with children will be
included to enrich the lectures.
Multimedia, such as video clips and photos of children, will be shown for you to practice
observation skills. Individual and small group activities will take place for you to discuss
the lectured concepts or practice using the introduced recording techniques with coaching
and guidance from me (before you go home and do your observation exercises). After the
in-class opportunities of working out some problems, you will become more confident
doing your observation exercises. Therefore, attendance is very important.
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Since this is a lab class, in addition to textbook reading and class attending, your major
course work will involve several observation exercises to expand your understanding of
child development and methods of studying children.
Expectations
 Participation in class, including listening, taking notes, and speaking up

Be present for detailed instructions for three observation exercises (2/25, 3/11, 4/8)

Completion of readings and assignments on time

Download and print out the PowerPoint slide presentation for each lecture. The slides
will be posted on Blackboard a few days before each lecture.

College-level quality writing: legible and proofread. An assignment will be returned
to you prior to grading if it is difficult to read. In most cases, your assignments will
then be late and you will lose points. Consider using the free Mentoring Services
provided by the CFD department to improve your writing and study skills if
necessary.

The observation exercises must be done at the SDSU Associated Students Children’s
Center; no other locations are acceptable. You will sign up for your observation times
a few weeks before each observation. Please plan ahead for your observations!

Conduct of integrity: Plagiarism is SIX or more words in succession borrowed from
another student’s work or published literature without quotation marks. Instances of
cheating and plagiarism will result in failure of the course and referral for disciplinary
procedures.

Classroom etiquette: Turn off cell phones prior to class. Headsets and cell phones are
not allowed during class and the exams. Laptops are a great device for taking lecture
notes, but emailing and surfing the Internet are not allowed. Please refrain from
chatting and other disruptive behaviors during class. Points will be deducted for such
behaviors.
Required Text
Bentzen, W. R. (2009). Seeing young children: A guide to observing and recording
behavior (6th ed.). New York: Delmar Learning.
 A copy is on library reserve.
 E-book, used and rental copies are available in SDSU bookstore with reduced prices.
Recommended Text
American Psychological Association (2010). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.
Grading
Required assignments
Three observation exercises
In-class activities (unannounced)
Exams
Possible Points
180 (60 points each)
40
180 (90 points each)
Total: 400 points
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Please be advised that we do not round up for the final grade (e.g., 79.5% to be round up
to B-). Final grades will be based on the total points earned. How the total points are
converted into the final grades is as follows:
372-400 pts. = A
320-331 pts. = B268-279 pts. = D+
360-371 pts. = A308-319 pts. = C+
252-267 pts. = D
348-359 pts. = B+
292-307 pts. = C
240-251 pts. = D-
332-347 pts. = B
280-291 pts. = C< 240 pts. = F
1. Observation Exercises
Students will complete three observation exercises throughout the semester. For this
assignment, children of various ages will be observed in the SDSU Associated Students
Children’s Center. Students will record and interpret children’s behaviors by following
the instructions. Each observation exercise must be word-processed, unless other
specified, and written in the proper format. Instructions will be posted on Blackboard, but
details will be discussed in class on 2/25, 3/11, and 4/8.
2. Exams
Students will have one midterm and the final exam will be on Tuesday, May 6. Students
will have 50 minutes to complete each exam. The tests will be a combination of
true/false, multiple-choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, short-answer, and designing of an
observation form questions. Students will need a pen or pencil. The final is not
cumulative.
Be on time for the exam. If you are late for the exam and a student has already finished it
and left the classroom, you will receive a zero for the exam.
No exam will be given to students before the scheduled exam time. A make-up exam will
not be given except in the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the
student (e.g. severe illness or death in the family). In such situations, email the instructor
immediately and later, provide a written documentation by an appropriate professional.
3. In-Class Activities
Several times throughout the semester, students will participate in activities during class.
These will be unannounced and may take place at the beginning, middle, or end of class.
Students must write their own names on the in-class activity sheets.
Students who arrive 15 minutes late (by classroom clock) to class may not write their
names on the activity sheets. Likewise, students who leave class early, after completing
the activity, will not receive credit. An in-class assignment needs to be handed in right
after it is finished for credit. Falsification will result in no credit for the activity, plus
additional point reduction in the course score.
Late Assignment Policy
 All observation assignments must be turned in AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CLASS
ON THE DAY THEY ARE DUE. Both the hard copy and the Turnitin copy need to
be on time. After 10 minutes, the assignments are considered late. An assignment
will receive a reduction of 20 points for being late each week. With the 20 points
reduction, use the week until next class meeting to make the late assignment a good
one so you earn all the rest of the points.

Assignments delivered via E-mail are not accepted. However, if you are not able
to turn in your assignments during class because of extraordinary circumstances, your
Turn-It-In copy still needs to be submitted by the time it is due, and you need bring a
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hard copy of the assignment and a documentation signed by a professional by the
next class. After verification of your circumstances, your assignments will then be
considered on time. The last day to turn in all assignments is 11am on Tue. May 6.

Attempts to correct any error in earned points would not be honored if it has been two
weeks since the points were posted on Blackboard. Within a week after points are
earned, grades will be posted. Please monitor your own progress and contact the
instructor immediately if you suspect any error.

Missed in-class assignments must be made up within two weeks after your absence.
A written documentation signed by an appropriate professional is needed to make up
an in-class activity. Each student is allowed only one absence for the semester and
may make up the missed in-class assignment without documentation.
Student Work Samples
Your works, without the name, may be selected by the instructor to keep on file. The
work that is selected with be used solely for the purposes of evaluation from higher
education accreditation institutions (e.g., NAEYC, NCATE).
Student Disability Services (http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/sds/)
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this
class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473.
To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student
Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not
retroactive, and that I cannot provide accommodations based upon disability until I have
received an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is
appreciated.
Blackboard
The course syllabus, assignments, and announcements will be posted on Blackboard.
Announcements might also be sent via Email. It is recommended that students provide an
SDSU Rohan student Email account for Blackboard and check for course communication
on a regular basis.
Student Blackboard Support: http://its.sdsu.edu/blackboard/BB9/index.html
Guidelines for Turnitin.com
Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission
for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All
submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference
database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. You may submit
your papers in such a way that no identifying information about you is included. Another
option is that you may request, in writing, that your papers not be submitted to
Turnitin.com. However, if you choose this option you will be required to provide
documentation to substantiate that the papers are your original work and do not include
any plagiarized material.
Absence from a Class
The course schedule is subject to change. Changes made will be announced in class. It is
the student’s responsibility to find out about the changes from your classmates or the
instructor if you are absent from a class. Students need to borrow the detailed notes from
their classmates after being absent.
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Below please write down the names, phone numbers and emails of three classmates
whom you could call to borrow notes after your absence.
1.
2.
3.
To be enrolled in CFD 270L, I have read and accept the policies and terms as herein
stated.
___________________________________________ __________________________
Student Signature
Date
 Keep this page for yourself.
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CFD 270L-2 (Tuesday) Tentative Course Schedule
Week & Date
Topic/Assignment Due
Reading
1.
1/28
Introduction to the course
2.
2/4
Introduction: What is observation?
General guidelines for observing children
Methods, behavior, plans, and contexts
Due: copy of TB clearance
Chapter 1
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
3.
2/11
Observation and recording methods
Objective V.S. Subjective
Introduction to the SDSU Children’s Center
Chapter 5
bring mini
observations
4.
2/18
Tour of SDSU Children’s Center; meet in the conference room
5.
2/25
Observing the newborn
Narrative descriptions
*Explanation of observation exercise #1
Chapter 14
Chapter 6
instructions
6.
3/4
Observing the infant
Interpretation and evaluation
APA writing style, brief review for exam #1
Chapter 15
Chapter 13
APA manual
7.
3/11
Observing the toddler
Frequency counts and duration records
*Explanation of observation exercise #2
Due: Observation exercise #1
Chapter 16
Chapter 11
instructions
8.
3/18
Exam #1
9.
3/25
Observing the toddler
Event sampling
10.
4/1
No class – Enjoy your spring break!
11.
4/8
Observing the preschooler
Time sampling
*Explanation of observation exercise #3
Due: Observation exercise #2
Chapter 16
Chapter 7
instructions
12.
4/15
Observing the preschooler
Checklists
Chapter 16
Chapter 12
12.
4/22
Observing the preschooler
Rating Scales
Chapter 16
Chapter 12
13.
4/29
Anecdotal records
Review of exam #2
Due: Observation exercise #3
Chapter 10
16.
5/6
Exam #2
Chapter 16
Chapter 8