Steps to Include in the Paper
Steps 1-3 will provide an overall description of behaviors/skills in the 3 domains for the infant you have chosen to focus on:
Step 1. Choose 9 concepts/behaviors that you will focus on in your paper. List of potential concepts. You may also choose other concepts from the textbook that are not listed. The 9 concepts must be sampled across all 3 developmental domains. Specifically your choices must include:
3 concepts related to PHYSICAL development
3 concepts related to COGNITIVE development
3 concepts related to PSYCHOSOCIAL development
Step 2. For each concept/behavior you chose: Define and explain each concept based on information found in your textbook, primarily in Chapter 3. You may also use other reputable sources. This should be a thorough definition and explanation that includes enough description and elaboration to demonstrate a deep understanding of the concept. See the Format instructions for a sample. Your definition/explanation should be 3-5 sentences in length and you must use appropriate page citations.
Hint: In Step 2, Defining the 9 concepts (behaviors), try to include the following information:
A detailed definition of the concept(behavior) from the book–if you quote the book, use quotation marks and then discuss what this definition means in your own words! You may also use other sources for this definition, but be sure to provide APA citations to those sources, and include the full references in the Reference Section at the end of the paper.
At least 1 example of what the concept (behavior) would look like in real life (NOT from the video).
The typical age or age range at which this behavior is expected to appear or is typically observed
The general importance of this behavior for infant development and later development
At least one APA page citation.
Step 3. For each concept/behavior: Connect this concept to what you observed during the Infant Observation. Objectively describe, in 1 paragraph and in as much detail as possible, what the infant &/or the adult caregivers were doing. Then compare what you observed to the concept definition information and explain how the babies or caregivers demonstrated the concepts. See page 2 for a sample. You may use examples from the other infants in addition to your chosen infant.
Hint: In Step 3, Connecting to Observation, please be sure to connect your description of the infants’ actual behaviors back to what you discussed in Step 2!
Step 4. (Written only once) Describe multiple influences on the infant’s current level of development by using class theories & concepts. Focus on your chosen infant from the video and use information you observed throughout the video about the child’s experiences, interactions, home & other environments to make 3 or more connections between this information and the actions/behaviors you observed. Each response must be supported by at least one page citation from the textbook—so you will have at least 3 separate citations. (Hint: Use theories such as Ecological Systems & other theories, and other textbook information to explain how & why the infant might have developed each action/behavior you choose to discuss. An “A “grade paper will clearly apply at least 3 different theories.)
Step 5. (Written only once) Identify materials &/or activities that will extend play and support further development and learning for your chosen infant. Using the same infant from the previous step, identify one specific item or activity that you would provide to support and further extend this child’s development & learning to the next developmental level for each of the 3 domains (3 items/activities total—one for each domain). Provide a 3-5 sentence description & justification for each item/activity. Keep in mind the age and developmental level of the infant and the infant’s interests based on your observation. Each of these 3 suggestions must be supported by at least one page citation from the textbook or other reputable source—for at least 3 separate citations. (Hint: Theories, class discussion, and online resources will be helpful here)
Step 6. Include a Reference section that lists all the sources you cited in Steps 2, 4, & 5.
Format for Writing the Paper
The general format for this paper, and a sample of Steps 2 (Define) & 3 (Connect), are provided here. Please put your name, Section #, and Date in the upper right Header of the first page. All other pages should have your last name and page # in the upper right corner. Papers must be typed and double-spaced. In your Title for this paper, please include the name of the infant you have chosen to focus on. In Step 3 (Connect to Observation) please be sure to use this infant, but you may also include examples of the other infants’ behaviors. Please use all Headings and Subheadings shown here, as well as numbering and bullet points.
Infant Observation of [add name of chosen infant here]
Physical Development
1. Concept: Pincer grasp [this is an example—you may choose any appropriate Physical concept]
Definition and Explanation: The pincer grasp is described as the use of the thumb and index finger to pick up small objects in a well-coordinated way. (Lally & Valentine-French, 78). The average age at which most infants achieve the pincer grasp is around 9 months. (Matheson, lecture 7/6). This allows infants to manipulate and explore small objects, turn knobs, and open lids on small items. For example, after achieving the pincer grasp, an infant should be able to open the lid to a box of raisins and pick out an individual raisin to eat.
Connect to Observation: During Baby Day, I noticed that several of the children were interested in the Elmo telephone. Lucas grabbed the phone and started to pull Elmo’s eyelids up and down and open and close the lid on the phone using his thumb and index finger. He was easily able to use the pincer grasp to do this, and at 13 months, this would be expected. When 8-month-old Anna tried to do the same thing after watching Lucas, she had a difficult time coordinating her thumb and index finger. Instead, she just pushed the eyelids up and down with one finger, and couldn’t open the lid without help from her mom.
2. Concept: [a second concept of your choice for the Physical Domain]
Definition and Explanation:
Connect to Observation:
3. Concept: [third Physical domain concept]
Definition and Explanation:
Connect to Observation:
Cognitive Domain
4. Concept: [first Cognitive domain concept of your choice]
Definition and Explanation:
Connect to Observation:
5. Concept: [second Cognitive concept]
Definition and Explanation:
Connect to Observation:
6. Concept: [third Cognitive concept]
Definition and Explanation:
Connect to Observation:
Psychosocial Domain
7. Concept: [first psychosocial domain concept of your choice]
Definition and Explanation:
Connect to Observation:
8. Concept: [second psychosocial concept]
Definition and Explanation:
Connect to Observation:
9. Concept: [third psychosocial concept]
Definition and Explanation:
Connect to Observation:
Multiple Influences on Current Level of Development
[This is where you discuss Step 4 with page citations from the textbook]
Extending Play & Supporting Future Development in the 3 Domains
[This is where you discuss Step 5 with page citations from the textbook]
References
[Provide the APA formatted reference to our textbook, and the references to any other reputable sources you may have used. If you use other sources, you MUST cite them in the appropriate section of your paper first]
Additional Example: Here is a second example of how to write Steps 1-3 (Concepts, Definitions, and Connect to Observation):
Cognitive Domain
Concept: Joint attention
Definition and Explanation: Joint attention refers to an infant or toddler and a caregiver both paying attention to the same toy or action. The caregiver may label the toy or describe the action as the infant begins to realize that where a caregiver is looking provides information about what the caregiver is saying (Matheson, 10/7/19 class lecture). Frequent use of joint attention will help infants develop a better understanding of language and communication, and also helps infants learn to sustain their attention. Joint attention begins around 3 to 4 months of age. Infants become much better at accurately sustaining joint attention by 10 to 11 months of age, and by their first birthdays, they are using joint attention to make sense of the caregiver’s words.
Connect to Observation: In the video, I noticed that Hattie and her mother often engaged in joint attention when they were looking at books together. Mother would read and point to pictures in the book as Hattie looked on closely. Hattie clearly followed her mother’s gaze and also her pointing, and kept her attention on the book for quite some time. During the first birthday party for Mari, her parents kept looking at the cake and then at Mari, and gestured toward the cake as they sang. Mari engaged in joint attention by looking from her parents to the cake, and hopefully gained some understanding of what “Happy Birthday” meant.
https://vimeo.com/446599811
