Graduate Diploma in Child Development Organization
The course comprises 36 10-hour units of which 28 units are prescribed. The four main sections of the course are:
(1) Group A Components: Introductory Components in Child Development, (2) Group B Components: Inter-disciplinary Studies in Child Development.
(3) one component from a wide range of elective subjects
(4) an individual project with either theoretical or practical orientation or six further units of elective subjects.
Two types of inter-disciplinary study will be undertaken within the course.
Firstly, lectures in the core course (Inter-disciplinary Studies in Child Development) will present some of the material in an inter-disciplinary manner through lectures and discussions. Second, as the students will come from varying backgrounds and professional training, discussion of integration of concepts, methodology, pro- cedures, epistemology, terminology and data will also cross disciplines.
The Group B components are planned as an inter-disciplinary study in which an attempt will be made to integrate concepts, methods and philosophical considera- tions drawn from the sciences and humanities which have relevance to the growth, development and upbringing of children 0-8 years.
GROUP A COMPONENTS
DISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT Human Communication
Theories of Child Development
Biological Aspects of Child Development Sociology of Childhood Within the Family Research Evaluation
Current Issues in Child Development GROUP B COMPONENTS
INTER-DISCIPLINARY STUDIES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT Introduction to Behavioural Studies in Child Development Child and Family Study
Analysis of Developmental Concepts The Developing Child (0-8)
Observation and Inference in Behavioural Sciences
20 hours 30 hours 20 hours 30 hours 20 hours 20 hours
20 hours 20 hours 30 hours 50 hours 20 hours
One elective 20 hours
selected from components in other Graduate Diploma courses, for example:
Intellectual Abilities and Their Development 20 hours
Auditory Development and Deviations 20 hours
Visual Development and Deviations 20 hours
Social/Emotional Development 20 hours
Intellectual Retardation 20 hours
Language Development 20 hours
Australian Children's Folklore 20/40 hours
The Parent Perspective 20 hours
Parenthood and Education 20 hours
Relationships between Parents and Professionals 20 hours
Parenting Project 20 hours
(See relevant section of this handbook for further details.) 96
Graduate Diploma In Child Development Individual Work totalling
may take one of the following forms:
Theoretical Project Practical Project Coursework (electives)
60 hours 60 hours 60 hours 60 hours Primary teachers enrolled in the course will be required to undertake the full 60 hours as a practical project to be undertaken and supervised within the primary school. Where it seems appropriate, primary teachers may be permitted to undertake a further 60 hours of elective studies so that the range of elective options available to them may be increased to include from the Graduate Diploma in Infant Education course:
Language Arts 60 hours
Mathematics 60 hours
Curriculum Development 60 hours
Curriculum Options:
Science 40 hours
Drama 40 hours
Social Studies 40 hours
Music 40 hours
Art 40 hours
Movement 40 hours
(See relevant section of this Handbook for further details.) GROUP A COMPONENTS Human Communication — CD 534
A prescribed component: 2 units — 20 contact hours.
Aims and Objectives
To work towards increased understanding of human communication In working with parents, teachers, committees and community.
To develop increased effectiveness in specific communication skills related to professional situations.
To contribute to the student's understanding of empathy and its place In the human communication process.
To add insights to the student's understanding of cultural barriers and cultural consonance especially as they Impinge upon the communication process.
Organization and Teaching Methods
Ten two-hour sessions. The course will Include lectures, discussions and a number of experiential group sessions aimed at developing interviewing and helping skills. Role playing and simulation techniques will also be used.
Content
An introduction to interpersonal skills and their role in communication. Con- sideration of the communication process, effective communication and commonly encountered barriers to effective communication.
A consideration and practice of communication skills including:
a) attending skills b) listening skills c) responding skills d) skills of assertion —
(i) dealing with criticism (ii) dealing with anger.
e) interviewing skills
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Graduate Diploma in Child Development f) collaborative problem-solving skills.
Application of these skills in interviewing and helping situations.
Consideration of factors affecting relationships between people in personal and professional situations.
Consideration of factors likely to impede effective communication in multi- professional groups.
Recording and analysing the processes involved in structured and informal interview situations.
Representative References
Argyle, M., The Psychology of Interpersonal Behaviour. Penguin, 1973.
Bolton, R. H., People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others and Resolve Conflicts. Englewood Cliffs, 1979.
Claydon, L. et al, Curriculum and Culture. George Allen and Unwin, 1977.
Johnson, D., Reaching Out. Prentice-Hall, 1972.
Goffman, E., Encounters. Penguin, 1972.
Theories of Child Development — CD 535 A prescribed component: 3 units — 30 contact hours.
Aims and Objectives
Students are expected to:
attain a sound understanding of the major theoretical perspectives of child development;
develop a critical, evaluative approach to theoretical writings on child development;
demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the work of several individual theorists representative of different theoretical perspectives;
develop an ability to present organized and clear review papers in oral seminar presentations and written comparative appraisals.
Content
(a) Background Lectures: Approaches
— The role of theory in the study of child development
— The importance of different theoretical perspectives on issues in development
— Criteria of evaluation and comparison of theories
— Basic aspects of theory construction
— Terms and definitions in analysis of theories
— Assumptions and models of human development
— Historical changes in concepts of childhood (b) Summaries on Theories:
— Naive theories of Psychology (Heider)
— Descriptions of developmental milestones (e.g. Gesell, Havighurst)
— The psychoanalytic tradition (e.g. Freud, Erikson, Jung, Adler, Anna Freud)
— Behaviourist approaches (e.g. Skinner, Hull, Miller and Dollard)
— Social learning theories (e.g. Sears, Whiting, Kagan, Mowrer, Bandura and Walters)
— Humanistic perspectives (e.g. Maslow, Rogers, Butler)
— Cognitive development approaches (e.g. Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner, Kohlberg)
— Principles of development (e.g. Lewin, Barker, Werner, Bronfenbrenner, Kagan)
— Applied theories (e.g. Montessori, Durkin, Kephart, Koppitz).
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Graduate Diploma in Child Development Organization and Teaching Methods
After the introductory sessions, classes will be organized around presentation of hour-long seminar papers by individuals or small groups of students. Students will be given the opportunity to plan the sequence of seminars and to select theorists for oral presentation from the major categories above. All categories will be included.
Representative References
Achenbach, T. M., Research in Developmental Psychology: Concepts, Strategies and Methods. New York, The Free Press, 1978.
Cohen, D., Psychologists on Psychology: Modern lnnovaters Talk About Their Work. New York, Taplinger Publishing Company, 1977.
Crain, W. C., Theories of Child Development: Concepts and Applications.
Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice Hall, 1980.
Freud, S. (1938), An Outline of Psychoanalysis. London, Hogarth, 1973.
Hall, C. S. and Lindzey, C., Theories of Personality. 2nd Edition. New York, Wiley, 1970.
Kuhn, T. S., The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1962.
Langer, J., Theories of Child Development. New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc., 1969.
Maier, H. W., Three Theories of Child Development: Erikson, Piaget and Sears.
3rd Edition. New York, Harper and Row.
Maslow, A. H., The Farther Reaches of Human Nature. New York, Viking, 1971.
Thomas, R. Murray, Comparing Theories of Child Development. Belmont, California, Wadsworth Co., 1979.
Biological Aspects of Development — CD 533
A prescribed component: 2 units — 20 contact hours.
Aims and Objectives
Students will be expected to:
extend their knowledge of the main aspects of the physical development of children during the period of birth to early childhood;
acquire understanding of the neurological bases of behaviour; the effects of environmental factors in relation to developmental progress and the etho- logical and genetic perspectives on human interaction and behaviour;
apply knowledge gained to the understanding of and provision for Individual children.
Organization and Teaching Methods Ten two-hour lecture/discussions.
Content
Structure of the nervous system; localization and Inter-relation of function.
Development and maturation of the nervous system; neurological aspects of percep- tion, language development; body laterality; neurological differences In children when compared with adults; common neurological deficits.
Developmental process underlying the emergence of motor competency. Innate motor patterns of the neonate, their disappearance, the emergence of secondary motor patterns and onset of voluntary movement.
Growth in the early childhood period; sex differences in height, weight and physical performance.
Neurological basis of innate biological components of behaviour Influencing interpersonal and social relationships; facial and body cues to emotional state;
parent/child interactions, dominance and submission; the physiological states of fear and anger. Genetic determinants of behaviour.
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Graduate Diploma in Child Development Representative References
Batshaw, M. L. and Perret, Y. M., Children With Handicaps — a Medical Primer.
London, Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 1981.
Bradshaw, J. L. and Nettleton, N. C., Human Cerebral Asymmetry. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall, 1983.
Britta, H., Motor Development Normal and Retarded. Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1976.
Dickerson, J. W. T. and McGurk, H. (eds.), Brain and Behavioural Development:
Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Structure and Function. Guildford, Surrey University Press, 1982.
Eibl-Eibesfeldt, I., Ethology: the Biology of Behaviour. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1975.
Springer, S. and Eutsch, G., Left Brain/Right Brain. San Francisco, W. H.
Freeman & Co., 1981.
Sociology of Childhood within the Family — CD 536 A prescribed component: 3 units — 30 contact hours.
Aims and Objectives
Students are expected to:
widen their understanding of the social influences on the development of the individual through an examination of the socialization processes through which the child passes with particular reference to primary socialization within the family;
examine the nuclear family as it exists in Australia and the sub-cultural variations (i.e. social class, ethnic groups, rural-urban community) in definition and function of the family, parental roles, childhood, sex-roles, life styles, parental aspirations for and expectations of children;
develop a critical awareness of the traditional nuclear family and of the alternative patterns of family life that exist in Australia and other industrial societies;
explore both the contentions that the family is a social unit in decline and that the family is a social unit in transition;
develop an awareness of the degree to which the society defines the roles of parenthood and childhood within the family, and the degree to which a personal interpretation is placed on these roles in order to examine role conflict and variation in role performance.
Organization and Teaching Methods
Fifteen two-hour lectures, discussions, films and video presentation.
Content
An exploration of the meaning of socialization and of the socialization process, an analysis of the explanatory capacity of the concept.
The meaning of family and an application of the various analytical frameworks through which It may be understood, e.g. a primary group, a functional approach, a life-cycle approach, a social network, a sub-system within a system.
An analysis of life style, role definition and child-rearing practices of Australian families of different social class; of different ethnic origin and of different geographic location.
Alternative family situations and structures (e.g., the communal family, the single parent family, the dual-worker family) from the perspective of children and the impact on child development.
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Graduate Diploma in Child Development Sex-role socialization in Australia and the social and cultural forces that contribute both to continuity and change in this process.
The meaning of childhood and the range of at-risk factors associated with it in a society such as Australia.
Representative References
Aspin, L, The Family: An Australian Focus. Longman, 1982.
Brown, R. G. (ed.), Children Australia. George Allen & Unwin, 1980.
Burns, A. and Goodnow, J., Children and Families in Australia. George Allen &
Unwin, 1979.
Congalton, A. and Daniel, A., The Individual in the Making. Wiley, 1976.
Goode, W., The Family. Prentice Hall, 1982.
Hunt, F.S., Socialization in Australia. Australia International Press, 1978.
Phillips, S., Young Australians. Harper and Row, 1979.
Richards, L, Having Families. Penguin, 1978.
Royal Commission on Human Relationships: Final Report, Vol. 2. A.G.P.S., 1977.
Sargent, M., Sociology for Australians. Longman, 1983.
Tucker, N., What is a Child? Fontana, 1977.
Research Evaluation — ES 504
A prescribed component; 2 units — 20 contact hours.
Aims and Objectives
Students are expected to:
acquire a knowledge of terminology, and procedures basic to understanding research in early childhood development and education;
develop an introductory knowledge of research methods, design and statistics used for description and inference;
develop a critical and questioning attitude towards research;
acquire skills necessary to undertake evaluation of research reports both as separate entities and in relation to other related research.
(No attempt will be made to require students to compute or use statistics.) Organization and Teaching Methods
There will be ten lecture/discussions, each of two hours duration.
Content
The main aim of this component is to help students to develop skills necessary for them to evaluate research, thus it will not be necessary for students to be able to design their own research or undertake statistical calculations. However, they will be required to understand the assumptions underlying both the use of certain research designs and the use of selected statistics.
Topics to be introduced and discussed include:
Research ideology, role of theory In research, types and scope of research Levels or forms of research
Historical research
Survey research descriptive
— comparative
— evaluative Case study/observational research
Experimental research — research design, methods of measurement, sampling techniques, data collection.
Descriptive statistics — measures of central tendency
— variability, measures of dispersion 101
Graduate Diploma in Child Development
— normal distribution
— correlation Inferential statistics — probability
— sign test
— chi square
— t test
— analysis of variance
— analysis of covariance
Evaluation of research to be considered under the following headings:
— the problem being researched
— review of the literature
— methods of measurement
— sampling techniques
— data collection
— statistical analysis of data
— interpretation of findings.
Representative References
Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C. and Razavieh, A., Introduction to Research in Education.
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, N.Y., 1972
Fox, D. J., The Research Process in Education. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, N.Y., 1969.
Hopkins, K. D. and Glass, G. V., Basic Statistics for the Behavioural Sciences.
Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1978.
Lehmann, I. J. and Mehrens, W. A., Educational Research, Readings in Focus.
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, N.Y., 1971.
Lovell, K. and Lawson, K. S., Undertaking Research in Education. Unibooks, Univ. London Press, 1970.
Millman, J. and Gowan, D. B., Appraising Educational Research. Prentice-Hall, N.Y., 1974.
Nisbet, J. D. and Entwistle, N. J., Educational Research Methods. Unibooks, Univ. London Press, 1970.
Open University, Educational Studies: A Third Level Course. Methods of Educational Enquiry. Blocks 1.6. Open Uni. Press, London, 1973.
Current Issues in Child Development — CD 572 A prescribed component: 2 units — 20 contact hours.
Aims and Objectives
Students will be expected to explore a range of issues relevant to child development. These could include:
(a) gaining an understanding of the moral and legal rights of parents, of child- ren and of professionals working with parents and children;
(b) exploring the extent to which particular groups in society are discriminated against by the legal system;
(c) gaining a deeper understanding of family support services and children's services and critically evaluating the bases upon which policies for such services are formulated in Australia;
(d) exploring concerns in the philosophy of mind and epistemology.
Content
Students will identify specific issues, relevant to them, which could be the basis for a discussion programme in this subject. These could include concerns drawn
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Graduate Diploma in Child Development from the philosophical literature in child development such as the nature of intention and the problem of structure. Additionally, the law and its relationship to family, children and professionals working within family and children's studies will be examined. The relationship between the State and the family and the responsibility of each for the developing child will be examined in the light of family and children's services which currently exist in Australia.
Organization and Teaching Methods
A co-ordinated programme of discussion topics will reflect both students' requests for specific topics and content which has been designated for this subject.
The nature of the content of this subject makes it desirable that a range of visiting experts should be co-ordinated into the programme.
Representative References
Braybrooke, E. K, et al., Ignorance is No Excuse. Cheshire, 1976.
Edgar, Don, Australian Family Policy. I.F.S. Discussion Paper No. 1, 1980.
Henderson, R. F., Poverty in Australia. Commission of Inquiry Into Poverty, Canberra, A.G.P.S., 1975.
Senate Standing Committee on Social Welfare, Through a Glass Darkly:
Evaluation in Australian Health and Welfare Services, Canberra, 1979.
Spagne, R. L, Advances in Law and Child Development. A Research Annual, Vol. 1, 1982.
Steiner, G. Y., The Futility of Family Policy. Washington, The Brookings Institution, 1981.
Other references will be added to match topics chosen by students.
GROUP B COMPONENTS
Introduction to Behavioural Studies - C D 544
A prescribed component: 2 units — 20 contact hours.
Aims and Objectives
The students are expected to:
study some of the methodologies of psychology, sociology, biology and education as they relate to the study of child development and behaviour;
develop a deeper appreciation of the contribution of each perspective and the limitations of each perspective;
develop an understanding of the epidemiological perspective of child development.
Content
An examination of the various ways In which the disciplines of psychology, sociology, biology, education and the epidemiological perspective attempt to answer questions about child development;
a consideration of the limitations of the methodologies which are applied to the study of human development and behaviour;
an examination of contrasting approaches to the study of child development which will include ecological models, e.g. Urie Bronfenbrenner and Michael Lamb, experimental methods, e.g. Tom Bower and Mavis Hetherington and naturalistic methods, e.g. Jerome Kagan and Roger Brown.
Organization and Teaching Methods
The particular method used in this component will Include lectures and seminars from representatives of the above disciplines, video and audio tapes, fieldwork tasks, discussion and student participation.
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Graduate Diploma in Child Development
Representative References
Achenbach, T., Research in Developmental Psychology: Concepts Strategies Methods. Collier MacMillan, 1978.
Bronfenbrenner, U., The Ecology of Human Development. Cambridge, Massa- chusetts, Harvard University Press, 1979.
Dickerson, J. W. T. and McGurk, H. (eds.), Brain and Behavioural Development:
Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Structure and Function. Guildford, Surrey University Press, 1982.
Madge, M., The Tools of Social Science. London, Longmans, 1965.
Observation and Inference in Behavioural Sciences — CD 568 A prescribed component: 2 units — 20 contact hours.
Aims and Objectives
Students are expected to:
develop skills of accurate observation using a variety of techniques and methods of recording observations;
collect, organize and analyse information about individual children and families;
utilize observational skills in selected developmental assessment of children;
critically evaluate standard assessment techniques;
examine the relationship between interpretation, inference and the applica- tion of observation techniques.
Content
Introduction to Issues in Observation:
Professional ethics, role of the observer, objectivity, definition and selection of variables, awareness of the influence of psychological set, observer bias, establishment of rapport, sources of error (selectivity of attention, interpreta- tion, memory), naturalistic observation, structured observation.
Observation and its Application:
The use of observation techniques in dyadic interaction (child-child, child- adult and adult-adult) and in group interaction.
The application of a variety of techniques of observing and recording (running and anecdotal records, time sampling, check lists, rating scales, coding — verbal and non-verbal, etc.) in family settings, early childhood programmes and professional work settings.
Organization and Teaching Methods
Lectures/discussions, videos, films, students' practical exercises and applied tasks.
Representative References
Cartwright, C. A. and Cartwright, G. P., Developing Observation Skills. New York, McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1974.
Cohen, D. H. and Stern, V., Observing and Recording the Behaviour of Young Children. Columbia University Press, 1974.
Michelson, L., Foster, S. and Ritchey, W., 'Social-Skills Assessment of Children'. In Lahey, B., and Kazdin, A. (eds.), Advances in Clinical Child Psychology. Volume 4, New York, Plenum Press, 1981.
Sattler, J., Assessment of Children's Intelligence. Philadelphia, Saunders, 1974.
Szasz, S., The Body Language of Children. New York, Norton, 1978.
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Graduate Diploma in Child Development Child and Family Study — CD 569
A prescribed component: 2 units — 20 contact hours.
Aims and Objectives
Students are expected to:
extend their understanding of developmental assessment and have some experience of administering standardized developmental scales and psychological tests;
apply the skills of observation, assessment, and data collection in order to investigate child development in a family context;
observe, record and analyse interaction in process and assess interaction as a contributor to child development;
observe and analyse variation in child development within different social contexts;
collect information on family use of community resources and assess the strengths and deficiencies of community services currently available to families with young children.
Content
The content of this component, though directly related to the study of the child and the family, will depend on the area selected by the student for study. Areas which could be studied include parent/child interaction, sibling Interaction or the relationship between families and referral agencies meeting special needs.
Organization and Teaching Methods
A tutorial system will operate in order that students will be given Individual opportunity to plan their study and undertake the study under supervision. Some seminars will be provided, particularly in the area of assessment techniques, and students will present reports of their individual studies In student seminars.
Representative References
Students will utilize appropriate references from other components in the course supplemented by further references suggested by their tutors.
Analysis of Developmental Concepts — CD 570
A prescribed component: 3 units — 30 contact hours.
Aims and Objectives
Students are expected to:
develop an appreciation of Individual differences within the normal range of development;
identify and consider those concepts and processes which have direct application to the study of child development;
consider the specific concepts which have been developed In relation to the study of particular aspects of development, e.g. cognitive, language, motor, social and affective;
examine the extent to which generalization of concepts occurs;
develop an interdisciplinary view of human development and behaviour;
develop an understanding of the contemporary Issues in the study of child development.
Content
An examination of the concept of development and of new directions In develop- mental research. The course will include an investigation of such areas as life-span developmental psychology, developmental psycholinguistics, developmental psychobiology, developmental psychopathology and social/emotional development.
The specific developmental concepts which will be examined are physical development, cognitive development, language development, social and moral
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