This paper will provide students with an overview of the major theories, methods and findings of developmental psychology, with a focus on those that pertain to infancy and childhood. Students will become familiar with the major paradigms for understanding child development, and their strengths and limitations, as well as the implications of various approaches for methods of research and social interventions.

The paper will discuss current research questions and methods, focusing on key questions in physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development during infancy and childhood. Students will be encouraged to think systematically about questions in the field, to go beyond the anecdotal evidence that is so pervasive in thinking about children, and to consider how to go about asking and answering questions that take into consideration the complex factors that contribute to development.

Paper Requirements:
To get the most out of this paper, you should participate actively in both Wednesday and Friday classes, and in order to do this, you should complete the reading before attending class. The marked assessments of the paper are one observation assignment, three article critiques (one practice completed in lab, two completed independently), and three in-class tests. The intent of all of these assessments is to help you to master the concepts, knowledge and skills involved in this area. It will all work best if you use the text in an active and timely way to prepare for class and for your assignments.

Whenever possible, notes for Wednesday classes will be posted on Moodle before noon on Wednesday, so you have access to them before the class. Friday classes and labs will include small group quiz review, activities, discussion, questions, and videos/observation, so prepared notes will not always be available, but materials used in the sessions (e.g., handouts) will be posted on Moodle. Wednesday and Friday classes will typically be recorded, but technical glitches do occur, so that can’t be guaranteed, and there are activities that are not conducive to recording, so you are strongly encouraged to attend class, and use the recordings for review. The classes will not be simply review of the material in the chapters—you are expected to read the chapters, and the class sessions will be expansion and use of the concepts and information in the chapters. Please feel free to ask questions about the reading material if you have any trouble understanding it, either before, during, or after class sessions, or at office hours.

A copy of the outline and other resources (e.g., information and consent forms for observation, articles for article critique) is posted on Moodle, and your assignments will be submitted using Moodle; if you are having any difficulty accessing Moodle, please consult the IT helpdesk as soon as possible. You DO NOT have to hand in hard copies of assignments.