Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development: Tufts University

Courses

Course Numbers & Descriptions in Child Development

Undergraduate Courses
Undergraduate and Graduate Courses
Graduate Courses

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Undergraduate Courses

1 Introduction to Child Development. A survey of child development from infancy through adolescence. The course covers the major cognitive, physiological, emotional, and social changes that occur during this period. Midterm and final exams; observation and testing reports. Required for majors. Fall/Spring. Gidney, Wolf

4 Topics in Child Development. Course allows beginning students to go beyond the introductory level in a particular area of child development. Topics include social cognition, children and their families, and moral development. Focused readings and study of selected topics of student's choice form a major part of the course. Assignments include project report. Fall/Spring. Members of the department

7 The Child and the Educational Process. The study of child development as related to diverse educational programs for young children. Includes observations at the Eliot-Pearson Children's School as well as other selected environments, to strengthen understanding of how theories and values inform diverse approaches to early education. Lectures, videos, small group discussions of reading assignments and observational reports. (This course is a prerequisite for Child Development 135, 136 and must be taken prior to or concurrent with Child Development 171, 172.) Prerequisite: Child Development 1 or consent. Fall. New

9 Developmental Crises. Discussion, readings, and films in areas of major stress such as birth and death, marriage and divorce. Focus on the impact of these experiences on children in the early and middle years and on their parents. Spring. Members of the department

51 Intellectual Development in Young Children. Contemporary theory and research on the development of intellectual processes from infancy through adolescence are examined. Cognitive-developmental theories and research are emphasized and compared with psychometric, information-processing, cultural context, feminism, and other approaches. Course project provides opportunity for analysis of one's own learning experiences. Prerequisite: Child Development 1 or Psychology 1. Spring. Feldman

61 Personal-Social Development. This course deals with personality and social development from infancy to adolescence. Topics to be covered include attachment, sex-role development, empathy and friendship, social cognition, and moral development. A combination chronological/topical approach will be followed. Prerequisite: Child Development 1 or Psychology 1. Fall. Wertlieb, Camara

62 Childhood across Cultures. Intermediate-level study of child development, with emphasis on cultural perspectives integrating psychological and anthropological theory. Children's development examined across cultures and in the context of the various social institutions and settings within which they live. Fall. Mistry

64 Parent-Child Relationships. Examines the parent-child relationship from a variety of perspectives, including cross-cultural and social class differences, differences between mothering and fathering, and the parents' influence on the child's psychological development (e.g., sex role). Emphasis is on the interactive influences of parents and children. In the last part of the course, programs for altering parent-child interactions are explored. While most of the readings are based on recent empirical studies, the course includes short stories and novels. Case histories are also relied on to capture complex, intangible phenomena like communication, trust, and intimacy. Prerequisite: Child Development 1 or Psychology 1. Fall. Rothbaum, Pinderhughes

85 Promoting Positive Youth Development: Applying Developmental Science in the Community. Introduction to theory and research about using developmental science within community settings to promote positive development among children and adolescents. Focal topic varies each semester -- for example, building civil society through community-based child development programs, promoting positive development of teenage mothers and their infants, or promoting healthy alternatives to interpersonal, family and community violence. Prerequisites: CD1 and one additional CD course or instructor permission. Spring. Lerner

90 The Exceptional Child. The special problems of preschool and elementary-age children who deviate from normal patterns of development. Orthopedic disabilities, sensory impairments, emotional and social problems, and deviations in intellectual potential. Distinguishing characteristics and developmental problems are presented in each diagnostic category. Lectures, discussions, films, visiting speakers, and field trips. Prerequisite: Child Development 1 or consent. Spring. Zeller

99 Community Field Placement. Work and study in a variety of programs serving children and families. Placements include child advocacy programs, museums, hospitals, children's media, social service centers, and government agencies. Placements are supervised in a seminar or in consultation. Prerequisite: consent. Variable credit. Fall/Spring. Members of the department .

Undergraduate and Graduate Courses

115 Applied Elementary Curriculum. (Cross-listed as Education 115.) Seminar examining issues that relate to curriculum and teaching in elementary schools. Topics focus on constructivist theories of learning and development for children with diverse needs, interests, abilities, and educational and cultural backgrounds. Students in this course concurrently teach one day a week in area schools. Prerequisite: consent. Spring. Reynolds

116, 117 Interdisciplinary Elementary Curriculum. (Cross-listed as Education 116, 117.) This two-semester sequence of courses focuses on the curricula of language arts and social studies in the fall semester and on mathematics and science in the spring semester. Emphasis on the intersection between teacher knowledge and children's understanding of content and concepts. Prerequisite: consent. Reynolds

120 Evaluation of the Young Child. Appraisal of the development of the young child from two through six years of age. Test administration; written analysis of procedures; techniques of interviewing, counseling, and reporting to parents. Prerequisite: Child Development 1 and consent. Spring/Summer. Garcia-Sellers, Gillette

122 Assessing Young Children with Special Needs. Study of techniques and instruments for screening and assessment (informal and formal) of young normal and special-needs children in cognitive, language, social, perceptual, and motor areas. Test administration, written analysis of results, formulation of individualized education programs, interpreting results to parents and professionals. Prerequisites: consent and placement with young special-needs children. Spring. Members of the department

124 American Sign Language and the Deaf Community. Introductory course in manual communication and deafness. Covers basic sign-language structures, vocabulary, and finger spelling. Orientation to deafness covers topics such as educational approaches, family dynamics, social identity, and language acquisition. Fall/Spring. Clark, Lipsky

125 American Sign Language II. Basic conversational course in ASL. Through class participation, field experiences, guest speakers, and presentations, students extend their signing skills. Topics include historical, psychological, linguistic, and social aspects of American Sign Language. Prerequisite: Child Development 124 or equivalent. Fall/Spring. Clark, Lipsky

126 American Sign Language III. The third in this series of classes focuses on the development of complicated conversational skills and the expansion of various conversational strategies in ASL. Includes basic rules of grammar, fingerspelling, and cultural behaviors of the Deaf community to expand students’ exposure to the language and culture of the Deaf community. Prerequisite: CD124 and 125 or equivalent. Fall/Spring. Lipsky

130 Fieldwork with Young Children. Work with children pre-kindergarten through grade 2 at the Eliot-Pearson Children's School, the Tufts Educational Day Care Center, and other nearby schools. Essential aspects of typical child development emphasized. Laboratory experience, seminar, conferences. (May be used to meet prepracticum requirements for state licensure as early childhood teacher.) Enrollment limited. Prerequisite: consent. Fall/Spring. Given

135 Supervised Teaching I. Supervised teaching with children in a variety of settings, such as preschools and day-care centers. Three hours per week of supplementary workshops and seminars. This course is part of a total program leading to state licensure. Students should be aware of the necessary prerequisites and additional course requirements. Variable credit. Fall/Spring. Allen

136 Supervised Teaching II. Supervised teaching in kindergarten through second grade in private and public elementary schools. Three hours per week of supplementary workshops and seminars. This course is part of a total program leading to licensure. Students should be aware of the necessary prerequisites and additional course requirements. Semester or yearlong placements are available. Variable credit. Fall/Spring. LeeKeenan, New

140 Problems of Research: Statistics. Elementary statistics procedures up through and including analysis of variance. Instruction and practice in use of prepackaged computer programs useful in social science research. Prerequisites: Senior or graduate status and background in fundamental mathematics or elementary statistics. Spring. Rothbaum

141 Independent Study. Individual study of an approved topic. Members of the department

142 Problems of Research: Methods and Design. Introduction to research design and field and laboratory methods relevant to child-study research. Topics will include experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational design; measurement of behavior; data reduction; generalizability of findings; and ethical issues. Students will analyze and evaluate research studies and prepare a research proposal. Prerequisite: consent. Fall. Garcia-Sellers

143 Technologies of The Self. This course explores how new technologies have an impact in the way we think about identity and the way we construct our sense of self and community. Particular attention will be paid to how children and teenagers might use these technologies in their developmental quest. Computers are not only instrumental machines but also psychological tools that evoke questions about who we are, where do we come from and where are we going. During the course students will become both users and designers of such technological tools, ranging from multi-user virtual environments to robotics. Through the semester students will read and discuss materials from a wide variety of sources such as educational technology, developmental psychology, human computer interaction and artificial intelligence. The three hour long class will be divided into a first part devoted to theoretical issues, and a second part or design studio, a hands-on workshop in which students will experiment with new technologies. Students from a wide range of disciplines are encouraged to enroll. The goal is to have a group with expertise in the areas of child development, education, computer sciences and engineering. Enrollment is limited to 15 students. Bers

144 Qualitative and Ethnographic Methods in Applied Social Science Research. An interdisciplinary overview of qualitative research methods. Focus on providing tools and strategies for practitioners and researchers in social sciences to pursue systematic inquiry in applied settings. Spring. Mistry

145 Technological Tools for Thinking and Learning. (Cross-listed as Education 182.) This course explores the design and use of new technologies in the learning environment (schools, museums, after-school programs, etc.). The underlying philosophy of this course is "constructionism", which states that people learn better when engaged in making and designing their own computational meaningful projects; therefore, we will become designers of technological tools to be used in educational settings with children pre-K to high school and we will become researchers to assess the thinking and learning fostered by the different tools. We will also explore current research and debates regarding educational technologies and we will have guest speakers who are experts in the field. Through the semester we will read and discuss materials from a wide variety of sources. We will also become familiar with new technologies ranging from collaborative on-line systems to robotic construction kits, to programming environments for children. The goal of the course is to build both technical expertise as well as theoretical knowledge to be able to choose adequate technology, integrate it into the learning environment and design research studies to evaluate its success or failure. There are no pre-requisites. Permission of instructor required for undergraduates. Bers

146 Applied Data Analysis. As a second course in statistics, the focus will be on methods of exploratory data analysis, general linear model techniques (regression, correlation, and ANOVA), and analysis of categorical data (contingency table analysis). Students will learn by doing through hands-on work using Excel and SPSS software with real data from the social and behavioral sciences. Skills in interpreting research findings will also be developed. Prerequisite: Intro stats course w/ a social and behavioral science focus. Fall. Phelps

151 Advanced Intellectual Development of Young Children. Contemporary theory and research on the development of intellectual processes from infancy through adolescence. Compares cognitive-developmental theories and research to psychometric, information-processing, and other approaches. Topics include assessment procedures, theoretical interpretations, research results, and implications for applied work with children. Outside-of-class "metahobby" project required. For graduate students and seniors. Fall/Summer. Feldman

152 Development of Thought and Language. Focus on relationship of thought and language, including review of theoretical underpinnings of nativist, constructivist, behaviorist, and sociocultural perspectives. This relationship will be examined in light of selected topics such as development of knowledge, metalinguistic awareness, narrative structure, mathematical knowledge, and others. Seminar format. Prerequisite: consent. Spring. Gidney

153 Culture and Learning: Issues for Education. This interdisciplinary course addresses issues raised by the increasing cultural diversity of children in schools and human-service settings. Focus on the analytic tools and theoretical frameworks for understanding and bridging differences between children's culturally acquired learning styles and the culture of schools or other human-service settings. Fall. Mistry, New

154 Development of Literacy. Literacy development in the young child from psychological, anthropological, and educational perspectives. Development of children's knowledge about the nature and functions of printed language, acquisition of language abilities supporting literacy, description of culturally conditioned beliefs, and behavior patterns related to literacy. Assessment of children's abilities, analysis of home and school settings. Special attention to cultural minority groups. Gidney

155 The Young Child's Development of Language. Human language is examined as a form of communication and compared with animal signal systems. Other topics are phonological, syntactic, and semantic development; language, culture, and thought; language and social class; and language and bilingualism. Fall. Gidney

156 Applied Aspects of Physiological Development. Introduction to physiological, particularly neurophysiological, development in children. Topics include development of cerebral lateralization and the relationship between linguistic processes and the acquisition of reading ability. Emphasis on integrating knowledge of physiological development with disorders of learning, e.g., developmental dyslexias and childhood aphasia. Field observations in local hospitals and clinics. Prerequisites: junior, senior, or graduate status; Child Development 1 or Psychology 1. Fall. O'Brien, Wolf

157 Theories of Spiritual Development. (Cross-listed as Comparative Religion 157.) The nature of spiritual development as understood by various cultures and religions. Studies major works by preeminent philosophers and psychologists in the field, including Cassirer, Kohlberg, Oser, Fowler, Freud, and Erikson. Examines the imagery and thought in aesthetic creations. Provides case studies of individuals and communities as illustrations of different theoretical perspectives. Fall. Scarlett

158 Psychological Study of Creativity. Evaluation of what is known about the creative person, process, and product; and the conditions requisite for expression of creative potential, especially extreme potential. Prerequisite: Child Development 1 or Psychology 1. Spring. Feldman

159 Understanding Children through Film. Course that examines selected topics in child development and in the lives of children and adolescents through the medium of film. This is not a film course- we will not focus on film as art (e.g. consideration of film-making techniques). Rather the course will consider film as a window on children’s lives. The principle goal of the course is for students to explore and learn about the many ways that childhood and adolescence is constructed and experienced across boundaries of nationality, ethnicity, gender, class, ability, gender identity, and romantic orientation. Another aim of the course is the development of students’ critical faculties when viewing a work of “art” and their ability to bring their knowledge of children and child development in the appraisal of a film. Prerequisite: CD 1 or Psy 1. For UG’s only. Spring. Gidney

160 Children and Family Change. Theories and research on the impact of separation, divorce, and remarriage on the social and cognitive development of children. Topics will include children's understanding of the separation and divorce experience, postdivorce parent-child relationships, and school and family interactions. Implications of research findings for parenting after divorce, legislation and judicial practice, school policies, and planning of intervention programs. Prerequisite: Child Development 1 or Psychology 1. Fall. Members of the department

161 Advanced Personal-Social Development. This course deals with personality and social development from infancy through adolescence. Topics to be covered include continuity in development, attachment, sex-role development, empathy and friendship, social cognition, and moral development. A combination chronological/topical approach will be followed. Advanced course for seniors and graduate students. Spring/summer. Members of the department

162 Child, Family, and Society. Societal change together with cultural and racial diversity among families in relation to child rearing and education. The transformation of the modern nuclear family to the postmodern permeable family. Introduction to families of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Summer. Members of the department

163 Infancy. A survey of current research and theories in the area of child development through the first two years. Students will have the opportunity to observe newborn and infant behavior. Topics covered include genetic inheritance; development of sensory and motor systems; perception; early learning; early social interaction; attachment, including normative and atypical development. Emphasis placed on experimental evidence and methods as well as application. Fall. Easterbrooks

164 Cultural Diversity in Child and Family Services. Review of theoretical and applied approaches for providing services to young children and families from culturally diverse backgrounds, particularly families who have recently immigrated from non-Western countries. Topics include early intervention, comprehensive assessment, health care, and school integration. Students have the opportunity to visit programs and acquire focused experience with infants, young children, and parents. Spring. Garcia-Sellers

166 Children's Play and the Developing Imagination. The origins, forms, effects, and determinants of children's play, including parent-infant play, peer play, play common to different age groups, and play used in educational and therapeutic settings. Readings of classic and current papers on play; student observation studies; analyses of children's jokes, toys, games, playgrounds, and problems in playing. Scarlett

167 Children and the Mass Media. Why educators, broadcasters, advertisers, and politicians consider children a special audience of the mass media. Examination of children's media content (television, video, computers, film, and print) and the effects of media on children and adolescents. Regulations that govern children's media use, including V-chip, ratings systems, and Internet access. Student projects on media literacy and other topics. Dobrow

168 Adolescent Development and the Transition to Adulthood. The physical, cognitive, emotional, and social developments of adolescence and the transitions from childhood to adulthood. Emphasis on individual differences and the impact of family, school, peers, community, culture, and historical context. Consideration given to interventions aimed at promoting positive youth development. Lerner

170 Seminar in Early and Elementary Education. Study of various interpretations of 'best practices' in early childhood and elementary education as they correspond to contemporary theories of child development and learning. Analysis of education within specific cultural, historical, and political context(s), as they inform notions of developmentally appropriate practices. Major emphasis on sociocultural theory and concept of teaching as collaborative inquiry and reflective praxis. Observations at the Eliot-Pearson Children's School and a variety of other settings in the greater Boston area. Assignments include individual as well as small team projects; all students will develop a personal philosophy statement. Prerequisite: graduate status or consent. Fall. New

171 Curricula for Young Children. This theory-to-practice course addresses planning, implementation and evaluation of curriculum for children in preschool through early elementary classroom settings. A focus on understanding children's thinking and learning agendas and also on state mandated curriculum frameworks as bases for curriculum decisions. Exploration of selected physical materials for learning in the Curriculum Resource Laboratory. The course will include emphasis on an integrated and project-based approach to an early childhood curriculum that (a) builds upon contemporary social constructivist theories of teaching and learning; and (b) uses principles and practices of documentation to support ongoing assessment of children's learning. For students without access to children in classroom settings, practicum in one of the campus laboratory sites will be required to complete course assignments. Prerequisite: Please consult with instructor to arrange classroom placement. Eisenberg

172 Reading and Language Arts for Young Children. Approaches to teaching reading to elementary-school-aged children and an examination of methods for integrating reading and language arts instruction into the total curriculum. Spring. Members of the department

173 Curricula for Young Children: Math, Science, Technology. This course explores how to create and implement curriculum for young children, with a focus in the areas of math, science and technology. It also pays special attention to their integration with other areas of study and with everyday experience. The underlying philosophy of this course is that people learn better when engaged in making and designing their own meaningful projects; therefore, we will become designers of curriculum and technological tools to be used in the classroom. We will also observe how children play with these materials and we will learn how to use on-line tools to document the learning experience. This course has three pillars: observation and evaluation of math, science and technology curriculum in the classroom, design of innovative curriculum and technological environments, and documentation of the experience using new technologies. Bers

174 Designing Educational and Therapeutic Environments. Examines ways in which individuals are affected by the environments they inhabit. Fosters awareness of physical space as a critical variable in development and therapy. Imparts skills for planning for children, including homes, day care centers, schools, hospitals, playgrounds, special needs, and therapeutic programs. Special attention is given to the impact of the environment on stress and well-being. Intended for professionals with educational or clinical objectives. Summer. Members of the department

175 Children’s Musical Development and Learning. (Cross-listed as Music 175.) Research, theory, and practices related to the development of musical skills and understanding in children from infancy through adolescence. Topics include development of musicianship; musical intelligence, and the relationship of music to other cognitive functions; acquisition of pitch and rhythm; family involvement in music learning; approaches to teaching music (Dalcroze, Kodály, Suzuki, Orff); music education for special learners, including gifted and talented; development of musical performance skills; resources for classroom and private music instruction; curriculum frameworks and standards for music education; and music therapy. Lectures, discussions, observations of children engaged in musical activities. A practicum in music learning and music teaching accompanies the course. May be taken as a graduate elective course, but may not be used to fulfill the degree requirements for the Master's Degree in Music. No prerequisites. Camara

176 Children's Literature. Analysis of literature for children from preschool age to early teens from developmental-learning and literary perspectives. Final project: story or book for children, or critique/analysis of some genre or issue of children's literature. Fall. Reynolds

177 Bilingual Children in U.S. Schools. Relationship of culture and language, including macro-level focus on issues related to linguistic and cultural integration of immigrant children and families, such as language and ethnic identity, language and nationalism. Topics will also include theoretical perspectives on second-language learning, bilingualism, and bilingual education. These topics will be examined using case studies from multilingual nations. Spring. Gidney

178 Creative Movement and Body Language. This course will expand students' self-awareness through an understanding of the mind/body connection; develop stronger communications skills through an integration of nonverbal and verbal experience; and explore creative potential through the avenue of body movement. Provides a developmental basis for the use of movement as an educational and therapeutic tool with emphasis on the early-childhood years. A practicum with children accompanies the course. Fall/Summer. Pasternack

179 Child Art. The nature and developmental implications of the art of the young child, with emphasis on the ways in which cognitive and expressive factors influence the artistic process. Consideration of appropriate materials and activities for preschool and elementary-school-age children. Studio work is an integral part of the course. Members of the department

180 Rights of Children to Social Services. Exploration of public policy toward children created and implemented through the action of courts, legislatures, and administrative agencies. Emphasis on health and public assistance programs, child abuse and neglect, foster care and adoption, and juvenile delinquency, including status offenders. Forums for advocacy: state legislature, courts, and state administrative agencies. Prerequisite: junior, senior, or graduate status. Spring, alternate years. Members of the department

181 Child Care: Policy and Practice. (Cross-listed as UEP 183.) Study of child care within the context of social policy, child development, and early-childhood education. Examination of legislation, funding, programming, curriculum, and staffing; and how age, stage, gender, race, culture, and family lifestyle affect the child's experience of child care. Students use Tufts Educational Day Care Center as a laboratory. Prerequisite: Child Development 1 or Psychology 1, or consent. Spring. Members of the department

182 Social Policy for Children and Families. (Cross-listed as Urban and Environmental Policy 182.) Intersection of child development and social policy. Case studies of processes through which social problems are defined, policies formulated and implemented. Models for analyzing existing and proposed policies and for interpreting program evaluation results. Topics may include child abuse and neglect, family leave, maternal and child public-health policy, child care, early-childhood education. Special attention to policies affecting disadvantaged and minority populations. Prerequisites: Child Development 1 or Psychology 1, and senior or graduate standing. Fall. Davies

183 Child Advocacy Educational Rights. Legal and constitutional rights of children in schools, including special and bilingual education, freedom from race and sex discrimination, and school law in general (e.g., discipline, civil liberties). Role and techniques of the advocate, defined broadly to include lawyers, law advocates and social workers, psychologists, and other professionals. Forums for advocacy: state legislature, courts, and state administrative agencies. Aptaker

184 Science and Math Curricula for Teachers of Young Children. Theory and content of science and math curricula for teachers of children in preschool and the lower elementary grades. Consideration of children's use of raw materials, tools, apparatus, games, and manipulatives as they relate to and promote scientific and logical reasoning. Field and classroom math and science activities will be demonstrated. Materials will be developed in the Curriculum Resource Laboratory. Members of the department

187 Teaching through Drama and Improvisation. (Cross-listed as Drama 187 and Education 187.) Review of the theory and practice of using drama in education. Aspects of dramatic expression, including dramatic play, improvisation, and story dramatization, as tools for extending the educational experiences of children and adolescents. Particularly suited for those interested in teaching preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school. Camara, Jorgensen

188 Seminar in Government Policy and the Family. (Cross-listed as Urban and Environmental Policy 188.) Examines government's role in promoting family development and well-being. Analysis of policies with implications for children and families. Case material from the United States and other countries. Topics will vary but may include parental leave, child protection, child care, health care, family support, and immigration. Prerequisite: Child Development 182 or consent. Spring. Jacobs

190 Children with Special Needs. The role that genetic mechanisms, trauma, environment, and acute and chronic disease play in affecting the child's physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. Students will observe children with various physical and developmental disabilities in both separate and integrated settings. Educational implications for children with these conditions will be discussed. Fall. Allen, Zeller

191 Developmental Psychopathology and Adaptation. Survey of approaches to understanding and helping children and adolescents with emotional, cognitive, and behavioral problems. Intensive consideration of conceptual frameworks and perspectives that describe and explain problems in childhood and adolescence. Understanding problems in the contexts of age groups and important settings. A holistic and developmental-contextual understanding of children's problems. Prerequisite: Child Development 1 or Psychology 1. Scarlett, Sang, McMenamy

192 Approaches to Problem Behaviors in Children. Prevention and management of problem behaviors in young children in a variety of settings (e.g., home, school, clinic, hospital). Theoretical approaches to identification and treatment of unusual or atypical behaviors interfering with development; clinical applications of specialized techniques. Spring. Members of the department

193 Pediatric Psychology. Research, clinical practice, and public policy focusing on children's health. Application of child development theories, methodologies, and empirical database to problems in health care. Focus is biopsychosocial and multidisciplinary, aiming at comparison and integration of perspectives of researchers, clinicians, advocates, and policymakers. Topics chosen from psychosocial stress and illness; adaptation to chronic illness including diabetes, childhood cancer and pediatric AIDS; mental health in primary care; behavioral and developmental pediatrics; schools as health-care delivery agents; prevention and health promotion; adolescent pregnancy. Spring. Wertlieb

194 The Inclusive Classroom. This course will focus on the historical roots, the challenges, the realities and the mission of the inclusion movement, especially as it applies to children with cognitive, physical, sensory, health, emotional, and behavioral disabilities and delays. Issues of culture, race, ethnicity, linguistic heritage, and economic status, and how these intersect with special education and classroom integration, will also be explored. Students will study the many facets of inclusion programming from differentiating instruction to understanding family perspectives to collaborating with specialists to the nature and benefits of heterogeneous classroom communities. Prerequisites: Consent. Spring. Allen

195 Developmental Disorders in Language and Reading. Principal foci for this course are aphasia, autism, deafness, and the dyslexias. Research and clinical studies of these disorders will be considered in weekly seminar meetings. Each student will have fieldwork experiences in appropriate clinical or educational settings. Prerequisite: Child Development 1 or consent. Gidney, Wolf

196 Curriculum for Children with Special Needs. Specialized instruction for children with developmental handicaps, including sensory and physical impairment, speech/language disorders, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and emotional disturbance. Emphasis on individualized instruction, therapeutic equipment, curricula, task analysis, and adapted materials. Making referrals to special placements, designing curriculum, and evaluating child progress. Prerequisite: Child Development 90 or 190. Members of the department

197 Learning Disorders. Overview of learning disorders and attention-deficit disorders in the context of child development and education. Emphasis on the strong links among cognitive development, self-esteem, and learning styles across the age span, and the importance of identifying learning disorders during preschool years. Impact of processing deficits on academic performance in reading, written language, and mathematics. Prerequisite: Child Development 1. Spring. Meltzer

Graduate Courses

199 Community Field Placement. Graduate equivalent of Child Development 99. (See description under Child Development 99.)

201 Graduate Seminar. Professional development seminar for doctoral students. Discussion of doctoral program and presentation of individual reports on basic topics to a seminar group for discussion and criticism. Fall/spring. Members of the department

211 Contemporary and Critical Perspectives on Child Development. Understanding the contemporary state of scholarship in generating and applying knowledge about child development. Core dimensions of the knowledge in distinct domains of child development (socio-emotional, cognitive, linguistic, physiological) as they have been studied over the history of the field; interpretation of the knowledge from multiple, and sometimes competing, theoretical perspectives. Mistry

232 Internship. (Master's degree students only.) Field placement related to child development and practice at an advanced level. Prerequisite: prior course work in early-childhood education, including student teaching and curriculum, or consent. Variable credit. Fall/Spring. Members of the department

235 Supervision. Theory and practice of supervision of students and other personnel in educational and human-service settings. Lectures, discussions, case studies, and videotapes as a means of strengthening the following competencies: analyzing the teaching process, developing educational materials, evaluation, communication skills. Students enrolled in this course will supervise students in a placement, including courses such as Fieldwork, Community Field Placements, and Student Teaching. Students taking this course must have evidence of direct applied experience with children. Offered in alternate years. Prerequisite: consent. Spring. Members of the department

236, 237 Doctoral Internship. Supervised field placement for doctoral students in one of the applied child development fields. Variable credit. Members of the department

238 Teaching Internship. A teaching internship on the preschool to elementary levels for a minimum of 400 hours, accompanied by a series of workshops and seminars. The course is intended for those seeking to meet the requirements for standard certification and others seeking professional development. Teaching interns are required to develop a portfolio documenting various facets of their teaching experience. Variable credit. Prerequisites: provisional certification and consent. Members of the department

240, 241 Directed Research. Supervised research on an approved topic in applied child development. Variable credit. Members of the department

242 Seminar in Research Methods. Design, methods, and data analysis used in applied research. Topics will vary but may include factorial quasi-experimental designs; data reduction procedures for multimethod multiple measure designs; development of scales and coding frameworks, descriptive analyses and inferential statistics for multivariate data and use of computer software packages. Prerequisite: graduate status. Spring. Members of the department

243 Technological Learning Environments: Math, Science, Technology. This course explores the design and use of new technologies in the learning environment (schools, museums, after-school programs, etc.). The underlying philosophy of this course is "constructionism", which states that people learn better when engaged in making and designing their own computational meaningful projects; therefore, we will become designers of technological tools to be used in educational settings and we will tests our designs with children pre-K to high school. We will also explore current research and debates regarding educational technologies. This semester the course will particularly focus on the role of new technologies for math and science education. Through the semester we will read and discuss materials from a wide variety of sources. We will also become familiar with new technologies ranging from collaborative on-line systems to robotic construction kits, to programming environments for children. The three hour long class will be divided into a first part devoted to theoretical issues, and a second part or design studio. The goal of the course is to build both technical expertise as well as theoretical knowledge to be able to choose adequate technology, integrate it into the learning environment and design research studies to evaluate its success or failure. Bers

243-15 Developmental Technologies Seminar. This research seminar for doctoral or advanced masters students explores research methods used in investigating how computers can have a positive impact in the lives of young people, as well as current research projects done in this field. The course is project-based and prepares students to learn about current academic journals in this field and the process of publication and grant writing in this interdisciplinary area. The course will use cases of current research projects done in the DevTech research group as a way to frame a wider discussion. Prerequisite: consent. Bers

245, 246 Thesis. Guided research on a topic that has been approved as a suitable subject for a master's thesis. Fall/Spring. Members of the department

247 Program Evaluation. (Cross-listed as Urban and Environmental Policy 256.) Purposes for and types and techniques of program evaluation. Study of the evaluation process, including design, implementation, and dissemination, with focus on development of relevant data collection, analysis, and report-writing skills. Emphasis on learning to match programs to evaluation models, optimizing eventual evaluation utilization. Students design evaluations for existing program. Fall. Jacobs

248 Applied Developmental Science: Theoretical Foundations. Philosophical, historical, and past and current theoretical foundations of applied developmental science. Topics include life‑span human development; action theory; life‑course sociology; bioecological human development; developmental systems theories, applications to children, youth, families, and communities and to American higher education, and civil society. Prerequisites: Prior course work in developmental theory and instructor permission. Lerner

249 Applied Multivariate Data Analysis. Students will be introduced to multivariate statistics, with a special emphasis on methods for studying change and effects of context. Topics will include general linear hypothesis testing, logistic regression, multilevel models, cluster analysis, principal component analysis, exploratory data analysis and structural equation modeling. The focus of the course will be on using the computer to analyze real data by using the statistical techniques introduced through lectures, interpreting the results and writing about the findings. Students should have a good background in multiple regression analysis, including the use and interpretation of dummy variables and interactions. Prerequisite: Graduate students only. 2 semesters of statistics and data analysis methods. Spring. Phelps

250 Reading Dyslexia and the Brain. A new seminar on current research on reading and the developmental dyslexias. Emphases will be placed on research in the cognitive neurosciences and on innovative, theory-based, reading intervention. Students will be able to participate in applied experiences and research projects at the Tufts NICHHD Center for Reading and Language Research. Prerequisite: Grad status or consent. Fall. Wolf

251 Seminar in Intellectual Development. The purpose of this course is to explore a selected topic in depth. The seminar may focus on a book, a monograph, a portion of the literature, or a theoretical methodological issue. Topics will vary from semester to semester. Prerequisites: Child Development 151, Psychology 147 or equivalent, and consent. Spring. Alternate years. Feldman

253 Advanced Seminar in Piagetian Psychology. Careful reading and analysis of selected works by Jean Piaget with a particular emphasis on educational and clinical implications. Student reports and a term paper on a topic of Piagetian psychology are required. Prerequisite: graduate status. Alternate years. Feldman

260 Seminar in Research on the Family. Analysis of conceptual frameworks and current research on child development and family life. Topics will vary but may include effects of family environments on the cognitive and affective development of children. Processes of family interaction and cultural and social-class variations in family interaction. Prerequisite: graduate status. Fall. Easterbrooks, Wertlieb, Minuchin

261 Seminar in Personal-Social Development. Seminar format for in-depth exploration of various topics in social and personality development. Topics may include development of the self, attachment, and emotional development. Prerequisite: graduate status. Typically, a single topic will be covered during the semester. Spring. Easterbrooks

272 Observation and Analysis of Classrooms. The process of observing and analyzing classrooms for children in preschool through the elementary grades, with emphasis on understanding the implementation of the developmental model in education. Developing competence in naturalistic observation and the documentation of child and teacher behavior; emphasis on teacher development and strengthening skills in supervision and peer evaluation. Spring. Members of the department

281 Consultation Strategies. This course examines consultation theory and practice. Through readings, classroom experiences, and a change project, students will increase their understanding of various consultation activities. The course contributes to the professional development of individuals in their present and future roles, including teacher, special educator, child development specialist, counselor, policy maker, or administrator. Such roles involve consultative relationships with parents, colleagues, other professionals, and members of the community. Both the consumer and the provider perspectives will be considered, aiming toward more effective functioning by both clients and consultants. Prerequisite: consent. Spring. Alternate years. Wertlieb

285 Advanced Research Methods in Applied Developmental Science. Methods for identifying measuring developmental change. Topics include multivariate versus univariate conceptions and analyses of change; developmentally-sensitive, descriptive, and explanatory research designs; classical versus developmental test theory; measurement equivalence across person and context; external and internal validity; convergent and divergent validation; triangulation within and across both quantitative and qualitative methods; and ethics and professional development. Prerequisites: Prior graduate courses in statistics and research design and instructor permission. Lerner

291 Seminar in Clinical-Developmental Psychology. Issues in psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and family therapy, review of other selected theories, and consideration of major classes of coping behaviors from a developmental perspective. Past or concurrent experience involving children with emotional or behavioral problems is required. Prerequisite: undergraduate course in psychopathology. Rothbaum

296 Seminar in Special Education. An in-depth exploration of four major topics: social and psychological aspects of disability; developmental conceptions of handicapping conditions; parental reactions to caring for a handicapped child; and current research concerning the integration of handicapped and nonhandicapped children. The course will link theory with practice through observations and case studies. Zeller

297, 298 Doctoral Dissertation. Supervised research on a topic approved for the dissertation.

401PT Master's Continuation, Part-time.

402FT Master's Continuation, Full-time.

501PT Doctoral Continuation, Part-time.

502FT Doctoral Continuation, Full-time.