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Introduction to EDST1508

The unit EDST1508, Understanding Child Development: Infants and Young Children, is offered by Macquarie University. This unit focuses on the development of infants and young children within the Australian social context.

General Information

• Unit Convenor: Shirley Wyver
• Credit points: 10
• Prerequisites: None
• Corequisites: None
• Co-badged status: None
• Unit description: This unit critically examines theories and research describing and explaining early childhood development and individual differences. It also explores implications for cognitive, social/emotional, language, and motor development during the first five years of life.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

• Differentiate the main theories of child development.
• Understand key aspects of development specifically related to the infant, toddler, and preschool years.
• Analyse the interconnection between biological and environmental factors, including cultural factors, that influence early development.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of evidence-based claims in child development.
• Evaluate research findings to provide evidence-based conclusions relevant to complex issues in early development.

General Assessment Information

General Submission Information

• Assessments must be formatted using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.
• All assessments must be submitted electronically.
• Turnitin plagiarism detection software is used to check all written assessments.

Special Consideration / Late Penalties

• A 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day an assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day.
• Applications for extensions must be made via Service Connect.

University Policy on Grading

• Assignments will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the University's Grading System and University Assessment Policy.

Assessment Tasks

• Annotated bibliography: 50% of the total mark, due on 11/04/2025.
• Final exam: 50% of the total mark, due during the exam period.

Annotated Bibliography

• Students will discuss and evaluate the findings of up to ten research studies related to specific areas of child development.
• Indicative time on task: 35 hours.

Final Exam

• Students will complete a 2-hour and 30-minute exam (plus 10 minutes reading time) consisting of multiple-choice, short answer, and essay questions.
• Indicative time on task: 35 hours.

Delivery and Resources

• The unit has two hours of weekly lectures and a one-hour weekly tutorial.
• Required textbook: Trawick-Smith, J. (2022). Early childhood development: A multicultural perspective (8th edition). Pearson.

Unit Schedule

• Topics to be covered include concepts in infancy and early development, classic theories to systems theories, researching infant and early childhood development, genetics and prenatal development, physical and motor systems, perceptual & regulatory systems, early attention - cognitive, early attention - social, language, temperament, attachment, significant relationships, and development of self.

Policies and Procedures

• Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central.
• Students should be aware of the Academic Appeals Policy, Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Progression Policy, Assessment Policy, Fitness to Practice Procedure, Assessment Procedure, Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public, and Special Consideration Policy.

Academic Integrity

• At Macquarie, academic integrity is at the core of learning, teaching, and research.
• The university offers a range of resources and services to help students reach their potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development, and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

• Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students, including academic success resources, library support, IT support, accessibility and disability support, mental health support, safety support, and social support.

Changes from Previous Offering

• EDST1508 will be offered for the first time in 2025, considering feedback from previous child development units.