ED3BCD: Children's Development

Module code: ED3BCD

Module provider: Institute of Education

Credits: 40

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Ms Pamela Cottrell, email: pamela.cottrell@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 29 August 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to expand students’ understanding of the role that child development has had on childcare and educational theory and practice. Influential theories and theorists are selected and analysed in relation to ideology and practice when investigating different aspects of child development. Different ways of knowing about children are introduced from the worlds of psychology, anthropology, education, sociology, neuro-science and literature and the way in which these different perspectives add to our understanding of children is discussed. In exploring different ways of knowing, students will be introduced to different research methodologies through study of relevant research reports. 

Aims:

To develop knowledge and understanding of: 

• The individual and diverse ways in which children develop and learn 
• How to meet children’s needs and enable them to develop and learn 
• The links between theoretical perspectives and practice 
• How children’s wellbeing, development, learning and behaviour can be affected by a range of influences and transitions 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Recognise the expected pattern of children’s development and draw on how children’s development impacts learning 
2. Illustrate how to respond appropriately and take into account children’s ways of thinking in order to promote learning and development 
3. Improve effective personalised provision for the children with whom students work 
4. Be able to select and use a range of resources suitable for children’s ages, interests and abilities 

Module content

Students will be introduced to the module in semester one with the module being taught over semester one and two. There will be initial inputs in semester one to the module expectations and the required tasks relating to the assessments e.g. observations and relevant investigation in respect of an identified child’ development.    

Learning opportunities will focus on key child development areas including: 

• attachment theories 
• cognitive development 
• early literacy and early reading 
• early numeracy 
• social and emotional development and children’s identity 
• physical development 
• gender 
• inclusion 
• moral development 
• special educational needs and disabilities 
• supporting children with English as an additional language  
• supporting children’s development through technology  

Within the first semester students will complete a short response paper (1500 words). In the second semester students will compete a 3000 word (40 credit ) essay.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Online materials will support a combination of lectures, seminars, group discussions, case studies and independent research. Complementary work-based tasks, independent activities and directed tasks will contribute to the achievement of the intended learning outcomes.  

Study hours

At least 45 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

One observation can be submitted via email to your academic tutor for feedback 

Examples of multiple-choice questions shared during lectures 

Reassessment

Additional costs