Students
ECH 452 – Child Development: Research and Practice
2017 – S1 External
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Senior Lecturer
Shirley Wyver
Contact via Through iLearn if enrolled, otherwise by email
Room 232, X5B
No fixed hours, but available for appointments most days during session.
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| Credit points |
Credit points
3
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
6cp at 200 level including (ECH218 or ECH228 or EDUC262 or PSY235)
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| 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. Most topics support understanding of EYLF and PDHPE curriculum although links will not always be made explicitly.
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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 | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journal article quiz | 10% | No | 13 April |
| Essay 1 or quiz | 45% | No | 21 April or 27 April |
| Essay 2 or Exam | 45% | No | 4 June or exam period |
Journal article quiz
Due: 13 April
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 an article on peer victimization and peer rejection in early childhood - look it up using the doi: 10.1080/15374416.2014.940622
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: 21 April or 27 April
Weighting: 45%
Select one of the following:
Quiz option: 9.30am-10.30am 27th April
Quiz questions will be taken from 4 journal articles. Further details published in your assessment guidelines (posted on iLearn). You need to register by 13 April if you wish to select the quiz as your assessment option. The quiz is currently scheduled to take place in X5B 041, but check the timetable closer to the date in case there are room changes.
Essay option: 2,500 word essay 21st April (midnight)
Based on one of the ECH452 topics (refer to your assessment guidelines on iLearn and details below).
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: 4 June or exam period
Weighting: 45%
Select one of the following:
Essay 2: 2,500 word essay due 4 June
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 1 exam period
Questions taken from a selection of journal articles. Refer to the Assessment Guide on iLearn. You must register on iLearn before 30 April if you wish to select the exam as your option.
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
Most students complete ECH452 without attending formal classes. Resources are available online. If you are interested in attending a class let Shirley Wyver know by 1 April. If there is a group of 10 or more interested in having a class on 27 April after the quiz, a schedule will be organised to work through some of the topics. The classes won't be compulsory, but will just be for those students who are interested in having a class discussion.
Key Delivery and Resources
- Lectures delivered through Echo (available through iLearn)
- Journal readings
Unit Schedule
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Lecture – Young children’s risk-taking. Lecturer – Dr Helen Little q Reading (Brussoni et al., 2015)
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Lecture – Outdoor Play and Children’s Activity Lecturer – Dr Shirley Wyver q Reading (Laukkanen et al., 2015) |
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Lecture – Self-regulation Lecturer – Dr Shirley Wyver q Reading (Shapiro et al., 2014)
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Lecture – Body image Lecturer – Dr Shirley Wyver q Reading (O’Dea & Amy, 2011) This is an open access article. You can obtain it for free without going through the MQ Library. Go to http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/8/1/68 |
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Other lectures and readings Readings associated with 4 of the final lectures/topics will form the major study material for the multiple choice or short answer component of your exam. The other readings will be used as the basis of an essay topic in the exam (you only need to select one topic for the essay).
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Lecture – Autism Lecturer – Associate Professor Mark Carter exam Reading (Barbaro & Dissanayake, 2016) |
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Lecture– Childhood Anxiety Lecturer – Dr Frances Gibson or Shirley Wyver eeReading (Mian, 2014) |
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Lecture – Infant and Young Children’s Sleep Lecturer – Dr Shirley Wyver exam Reading (Staton, Smith, & Thorpe, 2015) |
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Topic (no lecture) – Mental Health Impacts of Detention on Child Asylum Seekers exam Reading (Newman, Proctor, & Dudley, 2013)
Note: You may select this as a topic for your essay, but be aware that it may be more difficult to find high quality developmental references for this topic than some of the other topics. |
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Topic (no lecture) – ADHD exam Reading (Ullsperger, Nigg, & Nikolas, 2016)
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Lecture– Social Skills Lecturer – Dr Shirley Wyver eeReading (Caemmerer & Keith, 2015) |
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Topic (no lecture) – Transgender Children ee Reading (Olson, Durwood, DeMeules, & McLaughlin, 2016)
Note: You may select this as a topic for your essay, but be aware that it may be more difficult to find high quality developmental references for this topic than some of the other topics. |
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_2016.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
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/
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Assignment extensions and late penalties
Applications for extensions must be made via AskMQ at https://ask.mq.edu.au as a "Disruption to Studies" request before the submission date. Students who experience a disruption to their studies through ill-health or misadventure are able to apply for this request. Extensions can only be granted if they meet the Disruption to Studies policy and are submitted via ask.mq.edu.au. This will ensure consistency in the consideration of such requests is maintained.
In general, there should be no need for extensions except through illness or misadventure that would be categorised as unavoidable disruption according to the University definition of same, and currently available at:
http://students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/exams/disruption_to_studies/
Late submissions without extension will receive a penalty of 5% reduction of the total possible mark for each day late (including weekends and public holidays). You are reminded that submitting even just 1 day late could be the difference between passing and failing a unit. Late penalties are applied by unit convenors or their delegates after tasks are assessed.
No assessable work will be accepted after the return/release of marked work on the same topic. If a student is still permitted to submit on the basis of unavoidable disruption, an alternative topic may be set.
Students should keep an electronic file of all assessments. Claims regarding "lost" assessments cannot be made if the file cannot be produced. It is also advisable to keep an electronic file of all drafts and the final submission on a USB untouched/unopened after submission. This can be used to demonstrate easily that the assessment has not been amended after the submission date.
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://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources 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
This unit previously included a quiz on APA style to help students check their referencing and writing skills. If you are unsure of your abilities with APA style, check the Macquarie University website for their extensive list of links to style guides. For specific concerns, check with 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.