Read the course Syllabus on Course Home.

Read Chapter 1, “An Introduction to Child Development,” and Chapter 2, “Theoretical Perspectives and Research” in your textbook, Child Development: A Topical Approach.

Watch the following *MyPsychLab® videos:

·               The Basics: Scientific Research Methods

·               The Big Picture: Genes, Evolution, and Human Behavior

*To access MyPsychLab videos and MyVirtualChild, go to MyPsychLab under Course Home.

Unit 1: Unit 1: Introduction to Child and Adolescent Development – Discussion

After you have completed the Reading, and without reviewing your classmate’s responses, post your initial response to the following Discussion. Your post should be at least 200-250 words in length and should extend the discussion of the group, supported by your course materials and/or other appropriate resources.

Methods for Studying Behaviors

In your Reading this week, you learned about the five major perspectives on child development (refer to Table 2-3) as well as the various types of research that can be utilized to gather information on development (refer to Table 2-4).

Imagine that you are working as a human service professional to evaluate the developmental progress of children. Today, you are working with two and three-year-old brothers whose mother was addicted to cocaine during the pregnancies, as well as over the last two years. The children play in your office and refuse to talk to you or even look at you. You decide that you need to conduct further research to determine the needs of each child.

Discuss which perspective(s) you would utilize to conceptualize the children’s current development and needs. Then, explore which type of research you feel would be most beneficial in gaining any additional information needed in your analysis. Discussion responses should be on topic, original, and contribute to the quality of the Discussion by making frequent informed references to course materials and Seminars. Remember to respond to at least two classmates with comments that forward the Discussion. Once you have posted your answer, offer suggestions or ask questions about your classmates’ designs.

A strong literature review not only plays a foundational role for setting up a research proposal and/or dissertation but also plays an important role in the results and discussion sections that are presented after the data has been collected and analyzed. As you move into this module’s discussion, consider all you have learned about the literature review including the continuing process you explored in this module’s readings.

Tasks:

In a minimum of 400 words, post your responses to the following:

Part 1:

• Why is the literature review a needed piece of a research proposal? How can a weak literature review diminish a research proposal?
• Once the data has been collected and you are moving into the completion of the research report, how will you continue to pull from your literature review in the results and discussion section of your report?

Part 2:

• What did you find to be the most valuable task in the research or writing process?
• What strengths and weaknesses did you find in yourself through the research and writing process that you covered in this course?
• How do you see yourself applying the skills you have gained through this course in your future career in human services research?

Submission Details:

• By Saturday, September 3, 2016