Overview

This Assessment constitutes a Performance Task, in which you will observe individual children in authentic contexts and analyze various sources of information in order to assess each child and plan developmentally appropriate practices that can help each child progress along the child development continuum.

Your response to this Assessment should:

• Use the Assessment documents and video as required.
• Reflect the criteria provided in the Rubric.
• Adhere to the required assignment length.
• Use the APA course paper template available here.
• Download the Writing Checklist to review prior to submitting your Assessment.

Professional Skills: Written Communication is assessed in this Competency. 

This Assessment requires submission of one (1) document that includes your analysis of Case Study #1 and #2 along with your recommendations. Save this file as CD005_firstinitial_lastname (for example, CD005_J_Smith). When you are ready to upload your completed Assessment, use the Assessment tab on the top navigation menu.

Instructions

Before submitting your Assessment, carefully review the rubric. This is the same rubric the assessor will use to evaluate your submission and it provides detailed criteria describing how to achieve or master the Competency. Many students find that understanding the requirements of the Assessment and the rubric criteria help them direct their focus and use their time most productively.

Important note: Be sure to write an introduction and conclusion for your paper. Provide citations in the text of your paper to support your responses. Remember to list all references cited on a separate page at the end of your paper.

Rubric

This assessment has three-parts.  Click each of the items below to complete this assessment.

Part I: Case Study #1

Angelica, 9 months old

Review all of the documents and videos provided for Case Study #1.

Accessible player–Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload AudioDownload Transcript

Write a 1- to 2-page response that addresses the following:

• Choose one segment in the video of Angelica playing that illustrates her level of development in each of the domains of child development
• Describe the segment, and explain how it reveals characteristics of her physical, cognitive, or socio-emotional development
• What observation tools did you use in the process, and why?
• Make a clear connection to personal experience and/or professional practice

Part II: Case Study #2

Nathan, 4 years old

Review all of the documents provided for Case Study #2.

Write a 1- to 2-page response that addresses the following:

• Analyze the work sample from Nathan
• Describe insights related to Nathan’s physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development, using specific evidence from the work sample to support your response.
• Explain why work samples are valuable sources of information about a child’s development in specific domains.
• Make connections to the professional knowledge base

Part III: Analysis and Recommendation

In a 5- to 7-page response, analyze the information in each case study, and make a recommendation for developmentally appropriate practice for each child. Your response should include:

• A brief analysis of each child’s physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development, based on the documents and videos provided and your knowledge of the frameworks of early childhood development. Use specific examples from the case studies.
• A recommendation for at least two additional strategies that could be used to gather information from families about the development of the children in the case studies
• An explanation of how information from families supports assessment of children’s development and learning
• A recommendation for developmentally appropriate learning experiences for each child, with an explanation of how these experiences reflect the principles of developmentally appropriate practice
• A clear connection to personal experience and/or professional practice

Save this file as CD005_firstinitial_lastname (for example, CD005_J_Smith). When you are ready to upload your completed Assessment, use the Assessment tab on the top navigation bar.