From Theory to Practice Project

To demonstrate understanding and synthesis of the course content, students will create a project which will focus on a specific age group and identify ways that developmental and learning theorists explain and interpret the child’s development and behaviours. The student will suggest strategies that can support a child at that age level, both in the home and in the learning context. There will be an individual grade for this assignment.

There are 2 components to this project:

PART A Written portion – Essay Style

1. Describe the most important developmental and behavioural characteristics of this stage, addressing the following domains: social and emotional Consider what would be most important for a parent and/or educator to know about this age.

2. Describe what each theorist has said about your age group, both with general information about the theory itself and specific information about his/her theory related to the age group focus (developmental and behavioural information). Then identify at least one strategy that can be used to support the learning and behaviour of the child, either in the home or at school. Refer to each theorist separately and explain why the strategy(ies) is connected to the theorist.You will need to cite sources and prepare a reference page. Discuss 6 theorists:

• Erik Erikson
• Jean Piaget
• Lawrence Kohlberg
• Lev Vygotsky
• Howard Gardner
• your choice of theory or theorist

PART B: Presentation

Take some chances and explore your artistic side. Some ideas are:

• creating a webpage – try wikispaces
• filming a video – imovie is cool or upload a video to YouTube
• composing a rock opera, rap song, or adding new lyrics to a familiar song
• preparing an informational powerpoint presentation as if for parents or teachers
• assembling a scrapbook or baby book
• writing a script and acting it out (e.g. a play group or peer group interacting with “the teacher” highlighting and analyzing developmental behaviors; a panel of experts meeting to discuss the age being addressed; etc)