Because
of the flexibility built in to the options for this assignment, I am providing
some general guidelines for what I will be looking for as I grade these.
I will consider the following questions:
a) Was the paper effective in highlighting
key connections between the observation(show) and the content (concepts, theories,
terms, ideas, etc.) presented in the book/lecture/videos? (10 points)
b) Was there an evident *depth* of elaboration with
these connections? [For example, if you are doing an observation
on toddlers, I'm not looking for a report on how
'neat' it was to watch babies learn how to talk, it matched closely what was said
in lecture, and that it was very very interesting. *Elaborate*
on specific things you saw, what kinds of speech were being produced, (one-word,
or two word combinations, sentences?), where does this fall on the expected developmental
trajectories, etc. Discuss critical issues such as the types of environments that
you think would be most effective in enhancing language development, other factors
that may be important to consider, etc.] (This
is just an example.) In general, whether you're reviewing a movie, discussing
an interview or describing an observation, I'm looking for *critical,
analytical thinking* in how you make the connections between course material
and real life. (20 points)
c) Did the paper demonstrate a high quality of writing, detailed and appropriate
description of the show or observation, clear organization of ideas?(10 points)
(From the syllabus, this is
the Overview for the Application paper)
This short paper (4-5 pages) will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your
understanding of the research, theories, and ideas in the text, lecture, and class
discussions and apply your knowledge to "real world" situations. There is no need
to do outside reading for this paper. Your paper should demonstrate how your knowledge
of developmental psychology informs real experiences or issues and may focus on
any one of the following:
a) TV show/Movie evaluation: Pretend that you are a reviewer for the FCC.
Choose a television show or a full-length movie and identify its target audience
(e.g., Sesame street – preschoolers). Evaluate the appropriateness of the television
show/movie for that age group. What makes it appropriate or inappropriate? What
rating would you give the show/movie?
b) Observations at a school or other natural setting: Observe a preschool,
elementary, or high school lunch or recess for at least 30 minutes. You will need
to make all the necessary arrangements, but feel free to ask me for advice or
suggestions. Another option is to unobtrusively observe children or adolescents
at the mall, library, museum. What aspect of development do you see/overhear?
Explain your observations in light of research and theories in human development.
Or...
c) Intergenerational or cross-cultural interviews: Choose someone of another
generation or another culture to interview. Develop interview questions based
on what we have learned about childhood. How do these experiences differ from
your own? Be sure to relate these issues back to the text and discussions from
350. Or...
d) Design your own: You may develop another idea for an application paper
as long as it fulfills the requirements discussed above and you discuss it with
me in advance.