ECEC 1101 - Growth and Development of the Young Child

Knowledge of child development is a prerequisite to becoming a competent early childhood professional or a confident parent. This course is designed for:

• Individuals who plan a career in preschool or early childhood education and care,
• Individuals who plan to transfer to a 4 year degree granting institution, or
• Parents who want to better understand their children.

The course will introduce the sequence of development starting with prenatal development and progressing through adolescence. Students can expect to learn about the typical growth of children so they can better respond to each stage of development.

Course Description

An overview of all aspects of child growth and development from conception through adolescence. Child development theory, principles of sequential growth with emphasis on the significance of family, peers, school and culture.

Because we in the ECEC department think that the ability to apply knowledge is crucial to an early childhood professional's abilities, you will be required to observe children during this learning process. As you learn to accurately observe and interpret children’s behavior, you will also learn to follow early childhood field ethical standards of confidentiality. You will also become aware of the influence family, community and culture have on a child’s development. By the time you complete this course, you will be able to discuss:

• characteristics of developmental stages of children
• theories of development that help early childhood professionals understand the significance of these developmental stages.

Course Requirements

• There are no prerequisites for this course though this course is a prerequisite for most other ECEC courses.
• As in every ECEC course, observation of children is an integral part of the learning. (This can be done with a group of children in your home or at a child care center.) You will observe children of different ages for a total of 30 hours (about 2 hours per week).
• In addition to the lab hours, written tests covering textbook information are required. The tests are offered online.
• To benefit from this Internet delivered course, you should feel comfortable with the computer and interacting with others through an Internet format.
• You will have to purchase the required textbook for the course.

This method of learning is different from other methods only in the manner in which the material is presented. The content of the course is the same as other course delivery methods. However, the student is not bound by class times and can work on the course according to their individual schedule. This is not a self-paced course, but has deadlines for assignments and projects. Expect to spend at least 3-4 hours each week on course work including labs.

Students likely to succeed in this course tend to be highly responsible, self-motivated, and self-disciplined. Successful students complete assignments without due date reminders, have no problems asking questions and getting clarifications, and feel comfortable communicating online.

If you have never before enrolled in an online course, visit the COD web site, Succeeding in Internet Courses, to determine if this method of study will work for you. The Self Assessment Surveys will also guide you in your decision. Finally, Frequently Asked Questions will provide answers to basic questions about online classes, including hardware and software requirements.

Want to know more?

• For more information about this course, view the Course Summary or contact COD Online.
• For more information about the Early Childhood Education and Care Program refer to the ECEC Web Site.