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1. Current and Historical Theories of Child Development and Learning
2. Influences on Development
   1. Biological factors
      1. Heredity and genetics
      2. Maturation
   2. Environmental influences
   3. Supporting optimal development in school and at home
   4. Contexts of development
      1. Cultural
      2. Socio-Economic
      3. Historical perspectives
      4. Societal
   5. Other influences including but not limited to
      1. Family and parenting styles
      2. Schools and teachers
      3. Community support and resources
      4. Socio-political climate
3. Typical and Atypical Development in Infancy, Toddlerhood, Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, and Adolescence in the Domains of:
   1. Conception, prenatal development, and birth
      1. Influences on healthy development and birth
      2. Cultural variations
      3. Parenting a newborn
   2. Physical
      1. Growth and health
      2. Brain development
      3. Fine and gross motor
      4. Gender and sexuality
   3. Cognitive
      1. Learning
      2. Memory
      3. Processing skills
      4. Moral development
      5. Learning disabilities
      6. Language
      7. First and dual language development
      8. Literacy development
   4. Socioemotional
   1. Temperament
   2. Attachment
   3. Relationships
   1. Peers and Friendships
   2. Families
   4. Self-Concept
   5. Self-Esteem
   6. Self-Regulation
   7. Impact of guidance and discipline
4. Risk Factors Including but Not Limited to:
   1. Forms of abuse and neglect
   2. Trauma
   3. Housing and food insecurity
   4. Substance abuse and addictions
   5. Mental health
5. Observing Children
   1. Methodology
   2. Objective and subjective reporting
   3. Ethical considerations

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Identify the typical progression of development across all domains.
2. Describe the impact of multiple factors on development and wellbeing, including those related to biology, environment, and social interactions.
3. Summarize major theories of child development.
4. Apply objective and ethical techniques and skills when observing, interviewing, describing, and evaluating behavior in children.
5. Differentiate characteristics of typical and atypical development.

1. Exams (objective and essay) that demonstrate the students' ability to define principal theories of development, research methods, historical perspectives on child development, ethical issues, and recent trends in the field.
2. Research papers, essays and/or group projects that demonstrate student's ability to trace human development from conception through adolescence, analyze specific theories in child development, compare and contrast physical, cognitive and psychosocial development norms and deviations from typical development and analyze historical perspectives
   related to child development.
3. Instructor assessment of participation in classroom discussions, presentation of group projects, observational study, and direct classroom experience with children.

The Developing Person Through Childhood and Adolescence, Berger, current edition, Worth Publishers.

The Developing Child, Bee & Boyd, current edition, Pearson Publishers.