Students

ECH 452 – Child Development: Research and Practice

2014 – S3 External

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Shirley Wyver
Contact via Through iLearn if enrolled, otherwise by email
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
6cp at 200 level including (ECH218 or ECH228 or EDUC262 or PSY235) or admission to GDipAdvStEc or GDipECTeach or GDipEarlyChildhood
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit builds on material introduced in previous child development units. In doing so, the unit has two main focuses. The first is to develop students' skills in using child development research to develop effective programs and interventions for infants and young children. The second is to introduce students to research-based child development programs and interventions that have direct relevance to early childhood programs.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Investigate a child development topic in detail.
  • Become familiar with peer reviewed journal articles as a source of evidence in child development.
  • Understand the importance of evidence based approaches.
  • Understand limits to generalisability of research findings.
  • Appreciate the need to update knowledge regularly.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Journal article quiz 10% 15/12/2014
Essay 1 or quiz 45% 07/01/2015
Essay 2 or Exam 45% 23/01/2015

Journal article quiz

Due: 15/12/2014
Weighting: 10%

The purpose of this assessment is to ensure you understand how to access, read and interpret child development journal articles before progressing further in the unit.  10 multiple choice questions will be taken from:

Bugental, D.B., & Corpuz, R., & Samec, R. (2013). Outcomes of parental investment in high-risk children. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 116, 59-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2013.01.002


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Become familiar with peer reviewed journal articles as a source of evidence in child development.

Essay 1 or quiz

Due: 07/01/2015
Weighting: 45%

Select one of the following:

Quiz option: 9.30am-10.30am 7 January, 2015

Quiz questions will be taken from 4 journal articles.  Further details published in your assessment guidelines (posted on iLearn)

Essay option: 2,500 word essay 10 January, 2015

Based on one of the ECH452 topics (refer to your assessment guidelines on iLearn).


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Investigate a child development topic in detail.
  • Become familiar with peer reviewed journal articles as a source of evidence in child development.
  • Understand the importance of evidence based approaches.
  • Understand limits to generalisability of research findings.
  • Appreciate the need to update knowledge regularly.

Essay 2 or Exam

Due: 23/01/2015
Weighting: 45%

Select one of the following:

Essay 2: 2,500 word essay due 23 January, 2015

Based on one of the ECH452 topics (refer to your assessment guidelines on iLearn).  Some students select Essay 2 in order to finish the unit early.  The essay option allows students to have more control over their assignment completion time and can be useful if managing work, family or other commitments.

Exam:  Scheduled during the Session 3 exam period

Questions taken from a selection of journal articles.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Investigate a child development topic in detail.
  • Become familiar with peer reviewed journal articles as a source of evidence in child development.
  • Understand the importance of evidence based approaches.
  • Understand limits to generalisability of research findings.
  • Appreciate the need to update knowledge regularly.

Delivery and Resources

The on-campus session in ECH452 is optional.  If you are interested in attending the on-campus session on 7 January 11am-4pm, please register on unit iLearn site.  Discussions at the on-campus will support your understanding of unit material, but is not considered essential for successful completion of the unit. 

Key Delivery and Resources

Lectures delivered through Echo (available through iLearn)

Journal readings

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Investigate a child development topic in detail.
  • Appreciate the need to update knowledge regularly.

Assessment tasks

  • Essay 1 or quiz
  • Essay 2 or Exam

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Become familiar with peer reviewed journal articles as a source of evidence in child development.
  • Understand the importance of evidence based approaches.
  • Appreciate the need to update knowledge regularly.

Assessment tasks

  • Essay 1 or quiz
  • Essay 2 or Exam

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Investigate a child development topic in detail.

Assessment tasks

  • Journal article quiz
  • Essay 1 or quiz
  • Essay 2 or Exam

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Investigate a child development topic in detail.
  • Understand limits to generalisability of research findings.

Assessment tasks

  • Journal article quiz
  • Essay 1 or quiz
  • Essay 2 or Exam

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Investigate a child development topic in detail.
  • Become familiar with peer reviewed journal articles as a source of evidence in child development.
  • Understand the importance of evidence based approaches.
  • Understand limits to generalisability of research findings.

Assessment tasks

  • Essay 1 or quiz
  • Essay 2 or Exam

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Investigate a child development topic in detail.

Assessment tasks

  • Essay 1 or quiz
  • Essay 2 or Exam

Changes from Previous Offering

Previous offerings have included a brief compulsory quiz on APA style.  The quiz hasn't been included with this offering.  If you are not confident of your APA style and would like further advice, please contact the unit convenor.

Assessment Flexibility

This unit provides students with a lot of flexibility in selection of assessment content and type.  Think about your goals for the unit in deciding which type of assessment will best suit you.