Online
The student will study human development from conception through adolescence. All domains of development (physical, social, emotional and cognitive) and the interactions among these domains will be addressed. Emphasis will be on the implications for early childhood professional practice. Basic research methods and developmental theories will be introduced. The theories of Freud, Piaget, Erikson, Vygotsky, Skinner, Gardner and others will be included. Child development in the context of gender, family, culture, and society will be studied. This course is part of the Illinois Gateways to Opportunity Early Childhood and Infant/Toddler Credentials.
Course Alignment
General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Responsibility
This course provides an examination of developmentally appropriate activities for school-age children up to 12 years old. Focus will be on planning both indoor and outdoor activities to meet individual and group needs
Faculty Contact Information
Upon Request
Melissa Kapidis
L333
(815) 802-8676
mkapidis@kcc.edu
Business & Technology
Course Information
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify and describe theories of typical and atypical development in all domains and explain the interaction between individual and contextual factors and development and learning.
- Justify and promote the use of evidence-based practices supportive of each child’s unique patterns of development and learning.
- Describe the interrelationship between developmental domains, holistic well-being (including health, nutrition, safety and environment) and adaptive /living skills.
- Identify stages and variations across the developmental domains, with emphasis on prenatal, infant, early childhood development but also including middle childhood and adolescent development.
- Apply developmentally appropriate early care and educational practices based on knowledge and understanding of theories and integration of research of typical and atypical growth, development, behavior and learning.
- Define how cultural, familial, biological, and environmental influences, including stress, trauma, protective factors, and resilience, impact children’s well-being, and learning, and overall development.
- Explain how socio-cultural context, such as gender, family, race, ethnicity, language, ability, socio-economics, religion, and society impacts development.
- Interpret children’s unique developmental patterns and identify supportive resources for children who may benefit from further assessment.
- Demonstrate knowledge of processes of first and second language acquisition.
- Integrate research, developmental theories, and observational data to make decisions about evidence-based practice supporting children’s learning and development.
- Why do we study children/ Child development theories
- Biological beginnings
- Prenatal development
- Birth
- Physical development in infancy
- Cognitive development in infancy
- Socioemotional development in infancy
- Physical development in early childhood
- Cognitive development in early childhood
- Socioemotional development in early childhood
- Physical development in middle childhood
- Cognitive development in middle childhood
- Socioemotional development in middle childhood
- Physical development in adolescence
- Cognitive development in adolescence
- Socioemotional development in adolescence
Textbook: Bumgarner, Marlene A. (2011). Working with School-Age Children.
Pearson
Evaluation/Grading for this course will be based on quizzes, assignments,
class activities, and class participation, as follows:
Chapter Questions/Discussion 160 points
Activity Planning 50 points
SAY Observation 30 points
Journal Article Review 30 points
SACERS Observation 50 points
Quizzes 100 points
Final Exam 50 points
Total Points 470 points
Program Grading Scale
A 100-90%
B 89-80%
C 79-70 %
D 69-60 %
F 59-0 %
Business, Technology & Human Services
Dean, Paul Carlson; 815-802-8858; V105; pcarlson@kcc.edu; Division Office – W102; 815-802-8650
Mandated Reporter: State law mandates that workers in certain
professions must make reports if they have reasonable cause to suspect
abuse or neglect. In this instance mandated reporters include: School and
Child Care Personnel: Teachers, school personnel, educational advocates
assigned to a child pursuant to the School Code, truant officers, directors
and staff assistants of day care centers and nursery schools, and child
care workers.
Mandated reporters who make good faith reports have the same immunity
from liability under the law as non-mandated reporters. However, a
mandated reporter’s failure to report suspected instances of child abuse
or neglect to DCFS constitutes a Class A misdemeanor; simply reporting
suspicions to a superior does not satisfy legal requirements. In Illinois the
number 1-800-25-ABUSE is the number that is utilized to make reports. If
you have any questions regarding mandated reporting please discuss with
your instructor.
Student Support Hours/ Office Hours: Student support hours are
designed to be flexible to meet a wide variety of student’s needs and
availability. Faculty will be available to meet before and after courses
depending on scheduling. It is important that students understand that
faculty is available to support you in your educational goals. Please reach
out when you need support or help at any time during the semester. You
are encouraged to make an appointment with faculty to meet in-person or
virtually through Zoom. An appointment will also ensure that faculty will be
able to avoid any other conflict and dedicate that time to helping you. You
are also welcomed to drop in or stop by when you are on campus. If the
door is open, I encourage you to stop in and say hello. The classroom will
be available for you to use any time the Professors are present. You do not
have to have a reason to stop by. You are welcome to use the room to work
on projects or for a quiet space to use while you are on campus.
Attendance/Participation: Regular attendance at all scheduled class
sessions is expected. It is the student’s responsibility to notify his/her
instructor if and why he/she is unable to attend any class session.
Students are expected to check in to the learning management system
(LMS) -CANVAS regularly. If for any reason a student is unable to complete
their work due to illness or other circumstances, please contact the
instructor prior to the due date. Participation opportunities will be
available at each class session. Points will be awarded at each class
participation opportunity. These points will be earned by active
participation and CANNOT be made up. For hybrid and online courses,
online participation will be included into class participation.
Assignments: All assignments are due at the date and time specified by the
instructor making the assignment. All assignments must be submitted in
the appropriate place in the LMS/ Canvas. Assignments will not be
accepted through email or canvas messaging. It is the responsibility of the
student to submit the assignment in the appropriate place or seek
assistance in order to submit the assignment. Any late work will be
deducted 10 percent for each course day the assignment is late.
Assignments will receive an “F” after one week following the deadline unless
the student has received an extension from the instructor making the
assignment. The extension must be granted PRIOR to the time the
assignment is due. All late work must still be submitted to the instructor
making the assignment in order to meet course objectives. Students will
not receive a grade for the course until all course assignments have been
submitted.
*All assignments will be due on Monday by 11:59 PM, unless otherwise
specified in canvas*
Early Childhood Academic Honesty Policy
Cheating: Cheating can take many forms in a classroom: copying or using
another student’s work, using your own work from another class without
my prior permission (i.e., not writing original work for this class), adjusting
format to make papers appear longer, working in groups on individual
assignments (whether openly or in secret), sharing or stealing answers for
tests or assignments, etc. No form of cheating is acceptable. Cheating on
an assignment will be taken seriously and discipline action will follow.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is defined in section 17.6.B of the KCC Code of
Conduct: “Taking, reproducing, and/or using as one’s own, without proper
attribution, the ideas, writings, paraphrases, data, reports, graphic
designs, or computer codes of published or unpublished work of another
person in completing an academic assignment. Prohibited conduct may
also include the unauthorized submission for credit of academic work that
has been submitted for credit in another course.”
Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:
· submitting someone else’s paper
· using published material, including materials published online, without
proper attribution/citation
· paraphrasing or quoting someone without attributing the quote in your
paper (that is, without providing an in-text citation) even if the source is
included on the works cited page
· working with someone (without my permission) to write your paper &
submitting it as your own
· submitting automated writing (including chatGPT or other AI tools) as
your own work
When in doubt, add the citation. You are expected to cite all sources of
information. If you are in doubt, inquire with the faculty teaching the
course or utilize KCC tutoring. In your ECED courses, you are expected to
follow APA citation guidelines and formatting.
Student Found to be in Violation of KCC Academic Honesty Policy:
Students found to be in violation of KCC’s academic honesty policy will
result in disciplinary action.
The first instance of academic dishonesty or plagiarism the student will be
given a zero, required to meet with the professor, given resources for the
student success center, and allowed to redo the assignment after meeting
with the professor. A verbal warning from Academic Affairs may go on the
student’s recorder if the severity of the academic dishonesty warrants it.
· A second incident of academic dishonesty will result in a zero for the
assignment with no opportunity to redo the assignment. The student will
be required to meet with the professor to continue in the course. A verbal
or written warning will be reported to Academic Affairs.
· Additional incidences of academic dishonesty or failure to meet with the
professor will result in course failure with no opportunity for the student to
withdraw. The student will be reported to Academic Affairs and the
incident of Academic Dishonesty will appear on the students record.
Students found to be consistently violating the student code of conduct
could potentially be suspended from the institution.
Extra Credit Opportunities - Extra credit opportunities can be made for
students who are seeking to better their grade in the course. In order to
qualify for extra credit opportunities, you must first complete all regular
course assignments. EC must be completed in a timely manner to be
considered.
Early Childhood Program Requirements - Basic laboratory experience is
required or optional in many early childhood courses within the program.
Specific tasks performed in the lab setting will vary according to skills,
interests and course requirements. Prior to initiating lab assignments and
projects, Early Childhood Students must meet requirements for staff in
early childhood/ child care facilities as outlined by the Illinois Department
of Children & Family Services Child Care Facility Regulations: (1) High
School diploma or its equivalent; (2) Must be able to obtain a DCFS
Criminal Background Clearance; (3) a completed health form; and (4) a
signed mandated reporter form. It is a student’s responsibility to make
sure all requirements are current and on file with the program coordinator.
Clinical Experience - Students planning to enroll in the Clinical Experience
should refer to the college catalog for specific eligibility requirements.
Clinical applications are due to the Program Coordinator no later than
midterm of the semester before the student is planning to student teach.
Students submitting late applications will waive consideration for
placement with the clinical group for that semester, unless space is
available.
| Topics | Task/ Assignments Due Friday before 11:59 PM – see canvas |
Week 1 6/1/26 | Introduction/ Course Overview/ Syllabus Explanation Introduction to Child Development
|
|
Chapter 1: Introduction
|
| |
Week 2 6/8/26
| Chapter 2: Biological Beginnings
|
|
Chapter 3: Prenatal Development
-Introduce Prenatal Assignment | Quiz 1 over Chapters 1-3- Theory
| |
Week 3 6/15/26
| Chapter 4: Birth
|
|
Chapter 5: Physical Development in Infancy
|
| |
Week 4 6/22/26
| Chapter 6: Cognitive Development in Infancy
| Parent Interview Paper Due
|
Chapter 7: Socioemotional Development in Infancy
| Quiz 2 over Chapters 4-7
| |
Week 5 6/29/26
| Chapter 8: Physical Development in Early Childhood
-Introduce Child Study Project |
|
Chapter 9: Intellectual Development in Early Childhood
|
| |
Week 6 7/6/26 | Chapter 10: Socioemotional Dev. in Early Childhood
| Quiz 3 over Chapters 8-10
|
Chapter 11: Physical Development in Middle Childhood
| Child Study Project Due
| |
Week 7 7/13/26 | Chapter 12: Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood
|
|
Chapter 13: Socioemotional Development in Middle Childhood
| Quiz 4 over Chapters 11-13
| |
Week 8 7/20/26 | Chapter 14: Physical Development in Adolescence
Chapter 15: Cognitive Development in Adolescence
|
|
Chapter 16: Socioemotional Development in Adolescence
|
| |
Final | Final Exam- Online: Ch 14-16 & Review over the Semester- Due by July 24 @11:59 PM – No late work accepted | |
Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change. | ||
College Policies, Resources and Supports
For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide.
KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:
- Clubs and organizations
- Counseling and referral services
- Office of disability services
- Student complaint policy
- Transfer services
- Tutoring services, etc.
The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright.
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.