User Name and Password:  

You must use a user name and password after the first week of class. Without these words you will not be able to access the course materials. The format of your username and password are clearly posted on the main page of your course. If you still need assistance with your username and password, please go to this page and read the instructions: http://www.bcconline.com/orient/password.htm .

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Required Textbooks:

Puckett, Margaret B. and Black, Janet K. (2008).  Meaningful Assessments of the Young Child, (3^rd Edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Harms, Thelma, Clifford, Richard M. and Cryer, Debby (2005).  Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale – Revised Edition. New York: Teacher’s College Press.

Robert, Perrin (2007). Pocket Guide to APA Style, (2^ndEdition).  Houghton Mifflin Company

In the box below, type, I have my textbook for CHLD20 or I will have it by the end of the first week of class.

Office Hours

Online Office Hours:  Wednesday from 6 pm – 7 pm.  I will be online during this time and will respond immediately.  Assignments submitted at this time will still have a one week return time.

In the space below type, I understand the instructor’s office hours.

Catalog Description: 

This course will focus on appropriate use of assessment and observation strategies to document development growth, play and learning in order to join with families and professionals in promoting children's success and maintaining quality programs. Recording strategies, rating systems, portfolio, and multiple assessment methods are explored.

Course Objectives:

1. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of the developmental domains, observation and assessment play in intervention and the legal and ethical responsibilities, including confidentiality related to assessment in early childhood settings when working with typically and atypically developing children.
    
2. Identify and evaluate logistical challenges, biases, and preconceptions about assessing children and how they compare to the position statements of key groups including NABE and NAEYC regarding assessment and documentation.
    
3. Identify and apply basic quantitative and qualitative observation and recording techniques and compare them to historic and current state widely-used assessment tools and processes.
    
4. Articulate the value of involving families and other professionals in the observation and assessment process for all children and the effect of social context, child's state of health and well-being, primary language, ability and environment on assessment process.
    
5. Use observation tools to identify patterns, trends and anomalies in individuals and groups of children (e.g., DRDP-R, Ages and Stages) and to identify quality in play-based environment, curriculum, and care routines (e.g., ITERS-R, ECERS-R, SACERS-R, FCCERS-R).
    
6. Illustrate the use of observation and assessment to implement curriculum and environmental changes in support of both group and individual needs.

Student Learning Outcomes:

At the completion of this class the learner will have a better working knowledge to:

1. Critically compare the purpose, value and use of formal and informal observation and assessment strategies and ethical implications within cultural and social contexts in early childhood settings as they pertain to the value of partnerships with families and other professionals.
    
2. Describe and evaluate the characteristics, strengths and limitations of common assessment tools with all children's developmental, cultural and linguistic characteristics.
    
3. Demonstrate systematic observation methods to provide data to assess the impact of the environment, interactions and curriculum on all domains of children's learning and development that support observation within play-based environments, curriculum and care routines for typically and atypically developing children.

In the space below type, I have read and am aware of the main objectives of the class.  Further, I agree to abide by these objectives.

In the space below type, I understand and agree to abide by the grading scale listed above.  I also understand how points can be accumulated in this class and that no late work will be accepted.

Syllabus Disclaimer:

This schedule is tentative and is subject to modification.

A syllabus is not a contract between the instructor and students, but rather a guide to course procedures on attendance, requirements, grading, objectives and class topics and reading schedules.  The instructor reserves the right to amend the syllabus when circumstances dictate or unusual opportunities for students learning arises.  Student will be notified.

In the space below type I understand that a syllabus is not a contract between instructor and students but rather a guide to course procedures on attendance, requirements, grading, objectives and class topics and reading schedules.  The instructor reserves the right to amend the syllabus when circumstances dictate or unusual opportunities for students learning arises.  Student will be notified.

Students are expected to attend class on a regular basis.  Attendance through an online course is noted as assignments are turned in and discussion questions are answered.

If the student misses the assignment for two weeks in a row, or misses three assignments, he or she will be dropped by the instructor.

Students need to check the instructor’s posting a minimum of once a week for information pertaining to the class.

Students will need to download the DRDP-R from the home page (Desired Results Developmental Profile–Revised) and save it in order to resubmit the assignments as needed. There are 44 pages in total. We will be using it along with the video vignettes to document and assess children throughout this class.  (You may be able to go online and access the specific measure and complete your documentation that way without downloading; however for me it’s easier with the material in hand.) 

When emailing assignments, make sure that you annotate the specific assignment.

Please type your name in the space below to indicate that you understand the attendance and participation policy.

Chapter 1 – Assessments of Young Children: Striving for Meaningful Practices

Document what you observed in the video on the anecdotal sample provided and use the following DRDP-R measures to determine if the child is Not Yet, Emerging, Competent? Send the anecdotal to me as an attachment.

DRDP-R: Children are Personally and Socially Competent. Indicator: Self Concept (SELF), Measure #'s 1& 2, and Indicator: Social Interpersonal Skills (SOC), Measure #'s 3 through 8.

Chapter Review Question #1 – How can objective observations help you to know children better?  List the ways.

Discussion Question #1 – Students with the last name starting with the letter A – J answer: "What do you think of when you hear the word "Observation"?   Students with the last name starting with the letter K – P answer: "Think of a time when you observed something or someone, what did you learn"?  Students with the last name starting with the letter Q – Z answer: "What kind of information can be learned by observing children"?  Please respond to a student with the opposite question – did you have a similar experience? 

Chapter 2 – The Big Picture: Development, Diversity, and Standards

• OandA_GTKY_CH2_Setting Up and Observation System
• OandA_ROTT_CH2_Facilitate Learning

Document what you observed in the video on the anecdotal sample provided and use the following DRDP-R measures to determine if the child is Not Yet, Emerging, Competent? Send the anecdotal to me as an attachment.

DRDP-R: Children are Personally and Socially Competent. Indicator: Self Regulation (REG), Measures #'s 9 through 11

Chapter review question #2 – "What is the connection between curriculum and assessment?"  Give an example.

Discussion Question #2 – We are going to document an observation of an object in clear, accurate, detailed, informative and descriptive sentences.  Students with the last name starting with the letter A – J describe a "vegetable" (without naming it), students with the last name starting with the letter K – P describe a "flower" (without naming it), and students with the last name starting with the letter Q – Z describe a "fruit" (without naming it).  Please respond to a student with the opposite question by naming the vegetable, flower or fruit and why you thought it was that object.

Chapter 3 – A Planning Format for Meaningful Assessments I: Formal Assessments of Young Children

Document what you observed in the video on the anecdotal sample provided and use the following DRDP-R measures to determine if the child is Not Yet, Emerging, Competent? Send the anecdotal to me as an attachment.

DRDP-R: Children are Personally and Socially Competent. Indicator: Language (LANG), Measure #'s 12 through 15.

Chapter review #3 – "Why should we be concerned with the performance, process and products?"   Give an example of each.

Discussion #3 – Discuss the difference in the concept of assessment OF learning and assessment FOR learning.  Give an example

Chapter 4 – A Planning Format for Meaningful Assessments II: Informal Assessments of Young Children

• OandA_ROTT_CH5_BreakdownGoals
• OandA_ROTT_CH6_OrganizingCurriculum
• OandA_ROTT_CH8_Transition,ShortandLongRangePlanning

Document what you observed in the video on the anecdotal sample provided and use the following DRDP-R measures to determine if the child is Not Yet, Emerging, Competent? Send the anecdotal to me as an attachment.

DRDP-R: Children are Effective Learners. Indicator: Learning (LRN), Measure #'s 16 & 17, and Indicator: Cognitive Competence (COG), Measure 3's 18 through 21. Document

Chapter review question #4 – "Describe what focused observation involves."

Discussion Question #4 – Students with the last name beginning with the letter A – M answer the question "Discuss the importance of reliability and validity," and students with the last name beginning with the letter N – Z answer the question "Whether formal or informal strategies are used with the reliability and validity."  Respond to students with the opposite question.

Chapter 5 – Portfolio Development and Assessment

Document what you observed in the video on the anecdotal sample provided and use the following DRDP-R measures to determine if the child is Not Yet, Emerging, Competent? Send the anecdotal to me as an attachment.

DRDP-R: Children are Effective Learners. Indicator: Math (MATH), Measure #'s 22 through 28.

Chapter review questions #5 – "Give an example of five products and what the child can learn with each product."

Discussion Question #5 – Discuss the importance of a portfolio, the contents that you would put into a portfolio, and what do you consider to be important and why. 

Chapter 6 – Collaborating with Young Children to Promote Their Self-Assessment and Learning

Document what you observed in the video on the anecdotal sample provided and use the following DRDP-R measures to determine if the child is Not Yet, Emerging, Competent? Send the anecdotal to me as an attachment.

DRDP-R: Children are Effective Learners. Indicator: Literacy (LIT), Measure #'s 29 through 33

Chapter review question #6 – "How does interaction in the classroom effect a students learning?" Give an example.

Discussion Question #6 – Students with the last name beginning with the letter A – M answer the question "What is teacher-directed and the value and give an example."  Students with the last name beginning with the letter N – Z answer the question "What is child-directed and it’s value and give an example."  Please give different examples and respond to a student with the opposite question.

Chapter 7 – Collaborating with Families to Promote Meaningful Assessments

• OandA_GTKY_CH6_School-AgePortfolio
• OandA_GTKY_CH6_Soccer Activity
• OandA_GTKY_CH6_MusicandMovement
• OandA_GTKY_CH6_ReviewPersonalPortfolio
• OandA_GTKY_CH6_Self-helpandDramaticPlay

Document what you observed in the video on the anecdotal sample provided and use the following DRDP-R measures to determine if the child is Not Yet, Emerging, Competent? Send the anecdotal to me as an attachment.

DRDP-R: Children Show Physical and Motor Competence. Indicator: Motor Skills (MOT), Measure #'s 34 through 36

Chapter review question #7 – "How do quality relationships affect the child’s development?"

Discussion Question #7 – Students with the last name beginning with the letter A – M answer the question "How would you involve parents in your program?" Give an example.  Students with the last name beginning with the letter N – Z answer the question "How would you include the parents in your classroom with decision making for their children with regards to developmental goals."  Give an example.  Please respond to a student with the opposite question.

Chapter 8 – Making Readiness Assessment Meaningful

Document what you observed in the video on the anecdotal sample provided and use the following DRDP-R measures to determine if the child is Not Yet, Emerging, Competent? Send the anecdotal to me as an attachment.

DRDP-R: Children are Safe and Healthy. Indicator: Safety and Health (SH), Measure #'s 37 through 39.

Chapter review question #8 – "Why are engaging learning experiences necessary for the development of children?"

Discussion Question #8 – Students with the last name beginning with the letter A – M answer the question "What is the value of early relationships, and why is it so important." Students with the last name beginning with the letter N – Z answer the question "What is the value of play and why?"

Chapter 9 – Program Evaluation: An Essential Component of a Meaningful Early Childhood Assessment System

Discussion Question #9 –   Please share 3 things that you have learned in this class and how you will implement them into your own program.

Please type in the space below, I understand and agree to abide by the course schedule and due dates listed above.  I realize that if I require a proctor I must fill out a proctor form by the end of the second week of class.

Online Courses:

It is your responsibility to confirm your enrollment either via the Internet at https://bcregweb.barstow.edu  or by calling (760) 252-2411 x7236 if you are having problems accessing the course material. After you have confirmed your enrollment, go to http://www.bcconline.com/orient/ and read the password link. Following this procedure will ensure you are helped in the fastest manner possible.