ECED 420 - Assessment Tools and Documentation

Credits: 3
Students will learn why observation, assessment, and documentation are essential elements of reflective practice. They will study and analyze various assessment tools used to document a child’s development and early learning experiences. Observations of children while using these tools will provide students the skills necessary for assessing the needs of each child, taking into account individual and cultural differences.

Prerequisite: Admission into BAS in Early Childhood Education or instructor’s permission.

Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Clarify terminology, vocabulary, and guiding principles related to assessment of all young children in early childhood programs.
Identify a framework for developing an assessment system that is grounded in standards, responsive to diversity among children, and connected directly to a child’s social and emotional learning (SEL).
Describe in detail the specific types and purposes of assessment in early care and education settings, and associated best practices and the young child’s mental health.
Provide suggestions for assessment instruments designed for screening, designing and monitoring instruction, diagnosis of special needs, and program evaluation.
Provide a convenient and accessible listing of assessment instruments and their primary characteristics.

Program Outcomes

Apply relationship-based principles and strategies that support young children and families.
Assess and analyze children’s development, skills, and behavior based on culturally and developmentally appropriate practices.
Design and create inclusive environments that promote social/emotional learning and are responsive to the needs of all children and families including those considered vulnerable.
Select and apply appropriate intervention strategies for classroom management while promoting a positive emotional climate that is reflective of and responsive to the culture being served.
Screen, assess, and identify children with mental health challenges.
Demonstrate leadership abilities and collaborative skills necessary to resolve interpersonal and organizational challenges that may occur in an early childhood setting.
Establish and maintain connections with appropriate support services and community resources.
Demonstrate the ability to engage in reflective observation, consultation, and practice, and possess the ability to integrate it into the early learning setting.
Advocate for families and young children through service, education, and leadership.

College-wide Outcomes

Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.
Responsibility - Responsibility encompasses those behaviors and dispositions necessary for students to be effective members of a community. This outcome is designed to help students recognize the value of a commitment to those responsibilities which will enable them to work successfully individually and with others.
Written Communication - Written Communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas in written form.