Course Syllabus
CE114: Early Childhood Development
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ctrl & Click on a link below to view that section in the syllabus.
Course Calendar
Course Description
Course Information
Course Materials
Course Outcomes
Discussion Boards
Grading Criteria/Course Evaluation
Instructor’s Grading Criteria/Timetable
Instructor and Seminar Information
Kaplan University Grading Scale
Netiquette
Policy
Projects
Rubrics
Seminars
Tutoring
COURSE INFORMATION
Term:
December 2010, 1005A
Dates:
December 8, 2010-February 22, 2011
Course Number/Section:
TOP
CE114-04
Course Title:
Early Childhood Development
Credit Hours:
5
Prerequisites:
None
It is strongly recommended that you complete the Campus Tour, available on your Student
Homepage. This essential tutorial discusses hardware and software requirements as well as
presenting an overview of learning with the eCollege platform.
INSTRUCTOR AND SEMINAR INFORMATION
Instructor Name and Credentials:
Marilyn J. Jones, Ed. S.
Kaplan Email Address:
mjones@kaplan.edu
AIM Instant Messenger Name:
KaplanMJJones
Course/Seminar Day and Time (ET):
Thursdays at 7 PM (ET)
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Please note that you are in a course that has flexible seminars. There will be 2 seminars
offered weekly and you can choose to attend the seminar that best fits your schedule. In
addition to what is above, an additional seminar is offered Thursdays at 9 PM (Instructor: Staci
Marton).
COURSE MATERIALS
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Textbook Information
Title: The Young Child: Development from Prebirth Through Age Eight
Author: Margaret B. Puckett & Janet K. Black
ISBN: 0536428093
Publisher: Prentice-Hall
eBook Information
A hardcopy of the textbook is not required. All chapters are in PDF form and are located in the
Doc Sharing area of the course. You will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat to read the PDFs.
Visit www.adobe.com for a free copy of the Adobe Reader.
Software Requirements
AOL Instant Messenger: If you are not an AIM Member you can download the free
service by visiting the following site: http://www.aim.aol.com/
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COURSE DESCRIPTION
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This course surveys the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of children from
birth through age eight. In order to provide developmentally appropriate care giving, nurturing,
and instruction for the most important developmental years in life. Topics will include:
attachment issues, developmental milestones, and developmentally appropriate strategies.
Using their understanding of how young children develop, students will discuss issues in early
childhood care, safety and health concerns, guidance techniques, and behavioral expectations.
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COURSE OUTCOMES
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Course Outcomes: By the end of this course, you should be able to:
CE114-1: Discuss the growth and development patterns in children between birth and the age
of five years
CE114-2: Describe developmental milestones in infants, toddlers, and early childhood
development
CE114-3: Discuss biological and environmental factors affecting infant, toddler, and early
childhood development
CE114-4: Explain the relevance of childhood development theories to infant, toddler, and early
childhood learning
CE114-5: Examine key issues in infant, toddler and early childhood care
General Education Outcomes: In addition, the following General Education outcomes are
assessed during this course:
GEL-1.1: Demonstrate college-level communication through the composition of original
materials in Standard American English
GEL-7.1: Identify the ethical issues within the field of infant, toddler, and early childhood
development
COURSE CALENDAR
Unit # and Topic
Unit 1: An Overview
of Early Childhood:
Birth to Age 5
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Learning Activities
Complete Discussion on “Introduce
Yourself”
Assessments
Complete Readings
(option 1 or option 2)
Read the Web Resources
Biography Project
Complete Discussion Questions
Complete Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Preview Final Project Information
4
Discussion Questions
Seminar requirements
Complete the Biography
Unit 2: The Infant
and Family at Birth
Complete Readings
Discussion Questions
Read the Web Resources
Complete Discussion Questions
Unit 3: Physical and
Motor Development of
the Infant
Complete Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2
Complete Readings
Complete the Web Resources
Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Discussion Questions
Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Complete Discussion Questions
Project
Complete Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Complete the Project
Unit 4: Psychosocial
and Cognitive
Development of the
Infant
Complete Readings
GEL-1.1: Demonstrate
college-level communication
through the composition of
original materials in Standard
American English
Discussion Questions
Complete the Web Resources
Complete Discussion Questions
Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Project
Complete Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Complete the Project
Unit 5: Physical and
Motor Development of
the Toddler
Complete Readings
Discussion Questions
Complete the Web Resource
Complete Discussion Questions
Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Complete Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Unit 6: Social and
Cognitive
Development of the
Toddler
Complete Readings
Discussion Questions
Complete the Web Resource
Complete Discussion Questions
Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Project
Complete Seminar requirements
5
(option 1 or option 2)
Complete the Project
Unit 7: Physical and
Motor Development:
Ages 4 and 5
Complete the Readings
Complete the Web Resource
Seminar requirements
Complete the Discussion Questions
(option 1 or option 2)
Complete the Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Project
GEL-7.1: Identify the ethical
issues within the field of infant,
toddler, and early childhood
development
Complete the Project
Unit 8: Psychosocial
and Cognitive
Development: Ages 4
and 5
Discussion Questions
Complete Readings
Discussion Questions
Complete the Web Resource
Complete the Discussion Questions
Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Complete Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
Unit 9: Theories and
Theorists: Birth to Age
5
Complete Readings
Discussion Questions
Complete Discussion Questions
Seminar requirements
Complete Seminar requirements
(option 1 or option 2)
(option 1 or option 2)
Complete the Final Project
CE114-1: Discuss the growth
and development patterns in
children between birth and the
age of five years
CE114-2: Describe
developmental milestones in
infants, toddlers, and early
childhood development
CE114-3: Discuss biological
and environmental factors
affecting infant, toddler, and
early childhood development
CE114-4: Explain the
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relevance of childhood
development theories to infant,
toddler, and early childhood
learning
CE114-5: Examine key issues
in infant, toddler and early
childhood care
Unit 10: Reflection on Early
Complete Readings
Childhood: Birth to Age 5Complete the Discussion Questions
GRADING CRITERIA/COURSE EVALUATION
Assessments
Number
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Points each
Total Points
Seminars
9
5
45
Discussions
9
35
315
Assignments
1 Biography
25
425
4 Projects
100
Quizzes
0
0
0
Final Project
1
215
215
KAPLAN UNIVERSITY GRADING SCALE
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Grade
Points
Percentage
Grade
Point
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
930 – 1000
900 – 929
870 – 899
830 – 869
800 – 829
770 – 799
730 – 769
700 – 729
670 – 699
93-100%
90-92%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
77-79%
73-76%
70-72%
67-69%
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
1.7
1.3
7
D
F
AU
CC
600 – 669
0 – 599
60-66%
0-59%
Audit
Credit by
Examination
Experiential Credit
Incomplete
Not Required
Pass
Repeat
Satisfactory
Transfer Credit
Unsatisfactory
Withdrawal
EC
I
NR
P
R
S
TC
U
W
1.0
0.0
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
INSTRUCTOR’S GRADING CRITERIA/TIMETABLE
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All course projects submitted on time will be graded within five days of their due date (the
Sunday of the following unit). Late projects will be graded within five days of their submission
date. Discussion and seminar grades will be updated each week no later than Sunday of the
week following the Unit’s completion.
POLICIES
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Students who wish to review current policies (academic appeals, attendance/tardiness,
plagiarism, etc.) should refer to the current Kaplan University Catalog and/or Addendum.
LATE POLICY
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Late Penalty Policy for Projects: Late projects are marked down 5 points per week late,
with a maximum of -20 points. While it is certainly to your benefit to submit projects on time,
you can see that even if you are late with projects, it is STILL worth it to get them in. Projects
are due Tuesday 11:59 pm ET of their assigned Unit.
Late Discussion and Seminar Policy: Discussion questions and the seminar “option 2”
discussion are also expected to be posted by the Tuesday night deadline. Late posts in the
threaded discussion greatly diminish the dialogue of class discussions and add little to the
community of inquiry if they are posted well after other students are contributing. Therefore, the
penalty for late discussion posts can be up to 25% off of your grade.
PLEASE ADVISE YOUR INSTRUCTOR IF YOU HAVE POSTED LATE TO A THREAD SO
THAT YOU CAN BE SURE YOUR INSTRUCTOR CREDITS YOU.
Your instructor may prefer that you email late discussion posts directly to him/her, so please
check.
Extenuating Circumstances: If you have extenuating circumstances that prevent you from
completing projects, or participating in the class, please contact the instructor to make
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alternative arrangements. The possibility of alternative arrangements is at the discretion of the
instructor. Active communication is the key to overcoming any hurdles you may encounter
during the term. If you are unable to contact your instructor, you should contact your academic
advisor.
Incompletes
Incompletes provide students with limited additional time to complete coursework after the
term’s end. To be considered for an incomplete, you should have completed approximately
75% of the coursework. Please see the Kaplan University catalog for further information.
Whether or not to grant an incomplete is your instructor’s decision. The deadline for
requesting an incomplete for the December A term is Monday, February 14, 2011.
Incomplete coursework is due March 4, 2011.
TUTORING
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Tutoring and many other resources are available in the Kaplan University Writing Center. You
can find everything from using commas to conducting research. You can learn APA citation,
review grammar, see sample essays, and this is just scratching the surface! In addition, you
can also chat with a live tutor during live tutoring hours (listed in the Writing Center) who can
help you locate material within the Writing Center, understand a particular assignment, and
explore the Kaplan library. Finally, you can submit a paper and receive comments specific to
that paper within 48-72 hours.
PROJECTS
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A description of all projects to be completed can be found under each of the units in the course.
Rubrics for all projects can be found in the “Rubrics” section at the end of this document, or click
here to skip to that section.
SEMINARS
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A description of all seminars to be held can be found under each of the units in the course. For
the day and time of seminar for this course, refer to the Instructor Information and Seminar Time
section of this document.
Seminar Participation (synchronous discussion): You can earn credit for seminar by
participating in 1 of the 2 options listed on the seminar page for a Unit.
Please note that you are in a course that features flexible seminars. There will be 2 seminars
offered weekly and you can choose to attend the seminar that best fits your schedule. The
planned seminar day/times are: 7 PM (ET) (Instructor: Marilyn Jones); 9 PM (ET) (Instructor:
Staci Marton)
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Seminar Option 1: Seminars will be held using the Flexible Seminar tool. Use the following
instructions to enter seminar:
To access your Seminar, log in to your home page and click on the course for which you are
attending Seminar. This will open two windows. The narrow window is called the remote control.
In the remote control, please click on the “Open Seminar” heading at the bottom of the remote
and then click the blue underlined text that says "Enter Open Seminar." After a brief pause, you
will be in the Seminar. Your name should appear on the left side of the screen.
Please find your Seminar Rubrics for Seminar option 1 in the “Rubrics” section at the end of this
document, or click here to skip to that section.
Seminar Option 2: Respond to the seminar discussion questions listed. Each response will be
graded individually and posted to the grade book using the rubric found in the “Rubrics” section
of this document.
Please find your Seminar Rubrics for Seminar option 2 in the “Rubrics” section at the end of this
document, or click here to skip to that section.
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DISCUSSION BOARDS
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A description of all discussion questions can be found under each of the units in the course.
Discussion Question Participation: Discussion Questions provide a forum for students to ask
questions and answer important questions about the course material. The discussion questions
also allow students to receive feedback from the instructor and other students in the class. The
instructor will interact with students within the discussion board each week. A discussion
question grade will be posted to the grade sheet for each Unit.
Please find your Discussion Board Rubrics for all discussions in the “Rubrics” section at the end
of this document, or click here to skip to that section.
NETIQUETTE
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Interactions in an online classroom are in written form. Your comfort level with expressing
ideas and feelings in writing will add to your success in an online course. The ability to write is
necessary, but you also need to understand what is considered appropriate when
communicating online.
The word "netiquette" is short for "Internet etiquette." Rules of netiquette have grown organically
with the growth of the Internet to help users act responsibly when they access or transmit
information online. As a Kaplan University student, you should be aware of the common rules of
netiquette for the Web and employ a communication style that follows these guidelines.
 Wait to respond to a message that upsets you and be careful of what you say and how you
say it.
 Be considerate. Rude or threatening language, inflammatory assertions (often referred to as
"flaming"), personal attacks, and other inappropriate communication will not be tolerated.
 Never post a message that is in all capital letters -- it comes across to the reader as
SHOUTING! Use boldface and italics sparingly, as they can denote sarcasm.
 Keep messages short and to the point.
 Always practice good grammar, punctuation, and composition. This shows that you’ve taken
the time to craft your response and that you respect your classmates' work.
 Keep in mind that threaded discussions are meant to be constructive exchanges.
 Be respectful and treat everyone as you would want to be treated yourself.
 Use spell check!
You should also review and refer to the Electronic Communications Policy contained in the most
recent Kaplan University Catalog.
**Note: This Syllabus is subject to change during current and future courses. Please refer to the
most updated Syllabus for this course provided by your instructor.
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RUBRICS
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Discussion Board Grading Rubric
Point
Discussion Grading Criteria
Range
Total:35
points
0-22
points
0-10
points
0-3
points
Content: Clear connections and references to previous and/or current unit
materials with career related examples, posts are on topic and contributes
to the quality of the discussion and makes reference to course readings, unit
materials or other relevant sources
Participation: Student answers all questions, meaningfully responds to
classmates 2+ times and promotes continued discussion with responses to
classmates that add value by advancing the group’s discussion
Mechanics: Grammar and spelling is correct and meets minimum word
requirement
Seminar Rubric Option 1
Maximum
Points
Grading Criteria
3 points
Content: Posts are on topic and contribute to the quality of the seminar
1 point
Participation: Frequent interaction on concepts being discussed by students
and instructor
Attendance: Student arrives on time and stays the entire seminar
1 point
Seminar Rubric Option 2 Assignments
Maximum
Points
3 points
1 point
1 point
Grading Criteria
Content: Response is on topic, original, and contributes to the quality of the
discussion.
Participation: Response makes frequent, informed references to unit
material
Mechanics: Grammar and spelling is correct and meets minimum word
requirement
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Project Rubrics
CE114 Rubrics Units 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9
Unit One Project: Biography
This project is given full credit (25 points) if a brief paragraph about why the student chose to
become an Early Childhood Professional is completed.
Unit 3 Project: Analysis of an Ideal Learning Environment
The paper was 1- to 2-page pages in length and free of grammar, usage
and spelling errors. OR The PowerPoint was 5- to 7-slide PowerPoint (not
including the title slide and reference slide) An opening and closing
paragraph/slide was included along with a title page or cover slide and a
reference page or slide.
Specific ideas were included about how Early Childhood Care Professionals
can create an environment that protects, encourages, enables, and
enriches young children.
A section was included analyzing what constitutes an ideal learning
environment.
Ideas and thoughts were supported with information from our text and/or
other resources.
Sources were properly credited. Note: it is not required that APA format for
citing sources be followed for this class; however, it is required to give credit
to the sources used and we encourage at least trying to cite using APA
format. No points will be deducted for incorrect citation, but points will
be deducted if no attempt at citation is made.
Total Points out of a possible 100
___/25 points
___/25 points
___/25 points
___/15 points
___/10 points
___/100 points
Unit 4 Project: Milestones of Development Chart Rubric: 100 points
You used the charts on milestones of development found in the text along
with other unit material to create a chart.
A paragraph reflected current thinking about expected patterns of growth
and development, that multiple biological and environmental influences
affect both the sequence and timing of motor skills.
The chart combined some landmarks and a reasonable sampling of
meaningful milestones from each area in each of the following stages from
birth to three years of age:
physical and motor development; 20 points
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___/15 points
___/15 points
___/60 points
psychosocial development; 20 points
and cognitive development 20 points
Project was free of grammar, usage, mechanics and spelling errors
Total Points out of a possible 100
___/10 points
___/100 points
Unit 6 Project: Parent Handout
An appealing and informative handout for parents was developed. This
handout is user-friendly and includes relevant information for parents on
behavioral expectations, physical changes, or ways to enrich their toddlers'
learning and language development.
The focus was on a key issue in infant, toddler, or early childhood growth
and development. The handout covers realistic expectations or
developmentally appropriate experiences.
This handout was free of grammar, usage and spelling errors. The handout
was user-friendly and not overloaded with print. Images, photos, font colors
and types may be added to make the product more attractive. (if included,
original photos or images should be used). Citing sources: If
information presented in the Parent Handout is taken directly from another
source, you must indicate the source on the flier itself. Direct quotes should
be placed in quotation marks followed with the source in parentheses.
Entire passages, lists, etc. may be indicated by a star *, with the source at
the bottom of the flier, also indicated with a star.
Total Points out of a possible 100
___/40 points
___/40 points
___/20 points
___/100 points
Project 7 Rubric: Write an "Early Childhood Educator Job Description" 100 points
Job description for Early Childhood Educators that includes expected
ethical behaviors and outlines the responsibility of confidentiality (ADA:
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and FERPA: Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act).
___/15 points
Job description addressed the skills, behaviors, knowledge, and
communication abilities that all educators should possess.
___/20 points
Standards to consider when hiring a teacher or aide for a Day Care Center
or Early Childhood Program were included. Specific credentials/experience
required were addressed.
Part Two: A cover letter to accompany the application for the position of
"Early Childhood Educator" was included.
___/10 points
The cover letter was no more than one page and addressed the following:
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___/45 points
Introductory Paragraph: Introduction and a description of relevant job
experience. Reasons and motivation for working in the early childhood
field were explained. (20 points)
Paragraph Two: The NAEYC description of Mission, Goals, Vision
Statement, Strategic Objectives and Philosophy and Values found at
http://www.naeyc.org/about/mission was used. Student work entails
description how their approach to working with children aligns with NAEYC
guidelines. (25 points)
Paper was free of grammar, usage and spelling errors. Assignment must
be written in Standard American English.
___/10 points
Total Points out of a possible 100
___/100 points
Unit 9 Final Project: Ideal Child Care Facility 215 points
Option 1: Visit a child care facility (includes a script for contacting a facility)
Student knowledge and experiences were used to analyze components
that make up an ideal child care program or facility.
The role Early Childhood Professionals play in the growth and
development of infants, toddlers, and young children ages 4 and 5 was
examined.
This project illustrated student’s knowledge of the course material. Support
from the text was provided, using several examples and references.
Specific topics, theories, and concepts discussed throughout the term were
applied to the paper.
Final Project included a cover page, introductory paragraph, citations,
concluding paragraph and reference page. It was free of spelling and
grammatical errors. The body of the work was 5 to 7 double-spaced pages
using a 12 pt. Times New Roman font (a total of 7 to 9 pages including the
cover page and reference page). Citing Sources: It is not required to follow
APA format for citing sources; however, credit must be given to the
sources used. Trying to use APA citation is encouraged. No points will
be deducted for incorrect citation, but points will be deducted if no
attempt at citation is made.
1. Describe the environment. Does the environment support the
safety, well-being, sanitation, health, and cognitive growth of
children?
2. How does this child care facility meet the social and emotional
needs of infants, toddlers, or young children? Are there
accommodations for special needs children? Are consistent
routines in place?
3. How does this child care facility support the physical and motor
development of infants, toddlers, or young children?
15
___/20 points
___/20 points
___/20 points
___/15 points
___/20 points
___/20 points
___/20 points
4. In what ways does this child care facility engage the language
growth of children, birth to age 5?
5. Ask about the ongoing communication between staff and parents,
and include your findings in this paper.
6. Look for and share evidence that this center supports the early
childhood developmental theories of one or more of the following
theorists: Piaget; Erikson; Gardner; Vygotsky; or Kohlberg.
7. What is your conclusion regarding the quality of this facility?
Total Points out of a possible 215
___/20 points
___/20 points
___/20 points
___/20 points
___/215 points
Option 2: Describe an ideal child care facility
Student knowledge and experiences were used to analyze components
that make up an ideal child care program or facility.
The role Early Childhood Professionals play in the growth and development
of infants, toddlers, and young children ages 4 and 5 was examined.
This project illustrated student’s knowledge of the course material. Support
from the text was provided, using several examples and references.
Specific topics, theories, and concepts discussed throughout the term were
applied to the paper.
Final Project included a cover page, introductory paragraph, citations,
concluding paragraph and reference page. It was free of spelling and
grammatical errors. The body of the work was 5 to 7 double-spaced pages
using a 12 pt. Times New Roman font (a total of 7 to 9 pages including the
cover page and reference page). Citing Sources: It is not required to follow
APA format for citing sources; however, credit must be given to the sources
used. Trying to use APA citation is encouraged. No points will be
deducted for incorrect citation, but points will be deducted if no attempt
at citation is made.
1. Using your visualization skills, enter an ideal child care facility and
look around to check out the environment. You see quality
equipment, age-appropriate materials, and ample and attractive
learning areas. It is an environment that provides for the safety,
health, sanitation, and well-being of young children. Consider that
there are different areas for infants, toddlers, and children ages 4
and 5. Would these areas meet the needs of children with special
needs? Describe this environment in your Final Project.
2. You hear a commotion. Turning, you witness two toddlers, a boy
and a girl, fighting over a shopping cart. The girl does not want to
give the boy a turn. She bites him. Considering what you have
learned about the behaviors of toddlers, what is an appropriate way
for the teacher to handle this situation? In general, share some
elements of behavioral expectations, appropriate discipline
strategies, and promoting pro-social behavior.
3. Now there is just the laughter, singing, and chatter of children at
play. You recall that productive play is the work of childhood. You
look around and see children engaged in role-playing, painting,
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___/25 points
___/25 points
___/25 points
___/20 points
___/20 points
___/20 points
___/20 points
building with blocks, and many other developmentally appropriate
activities. Considering what you have learned about the cognitive
and language development of children, describe how these or other
experiences support cognitive and language growth.
4. The children now go to eat their snack of cookies and milk. The
teacher fills out a daily journal to share with parents at the end of
the week. What are your thoughts on these routines? Do you find
the snack meets the nutritional needs of young children?
5. As you are leaving, the teacher claps out a chant to clean up and
join her for story time. You wish you could stay to hear the story.
Using your knowledge of the importance of books, describe the role
that books play in the development of language and literacy skills.
Give an example of using books with infants, toddlers, and
preschool-age children.
6. Thinking back to the theories of Piaget, Erikson, Gardner, Vygotsky,
and Kohlberg, how might one or more of these theories help Early
Childhood Professionals create an ideal setting for children?
Total Points out of a possible 215
A = 194-215, B = 172-193, C = 151-171, D = 129-150
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___/20 points
___/20 points
___/20 points
___/215 points