TEDX1887X - Early Childhood: Typical & Atypical Development
Course Description
The first chapter presents an introduction to the study of child development from conception to age 8. We will examine the historical roots and methods of child study, major psychological theories, and developmental principles and definitions. This information will provide grounding for the following chapters on specific ages and developmental areas.
In the second chapter we will start to study child development chronologically. We begin with conception and prenatal development and care, and then continue through labor and birth. Next, we consider the special characteristics and needs of the newly delivered baby, including common developmental variations. This overview will include both typical and atypical development.
The third chapter focuses on infants and toddlers; the first three years of life (ages 1–36 months). We will look at growth and development in the domains of motor-perceptual, cognitive, language, brain, and social-emotional development. This chapter details milestones, red flags, developmental variation, and how adults can safely and appropriately facilitate the development of infants and toddlers.
Finally, Chapter Four discusses early and early middle childhood, or the magic years, ages 3–8 years old (Fraiberg, 1959). The preschool and early elementary school periods are times of great discovery, testing, and wonder. Students will learn about typical and varied 3–8-year-old development in all areas—moral, social, self-esteem, early learning, motor skills, communication abilities, social and brain development, and more. Indicators, or red flags, that suggest developmental delay or deviation are detailed in all chapters, and resources for further research are provided.
Each chapter contains additional handouts or attachments that cover specific topics from the chapter in greater depth. They are provided for you to read, ponder, and apply to the early childhood education setting in which you work. Some of the topics are intended for you, as the professional, while others are intended for you to pass on to parents, when appropriate. Each chapter also contains web links that you can choose to access if you want to see videos or research in action related to chapter concepts.
View Early Childhood: Typical & Atypical Development syllabus for additional information.
Key Benefits
- 100% online self-paced course.
- No prior experience required.
- No textbooks and other materials required for purchase.
Learning Modules Include
- Chapter One: Introduction to Child Development
- Define child development and basic developmental principles
- Understand historical and emerging viewpoints on child study
- Recognize major theories and recent trends
- Identify research methods, designs and ethics
- Appreciate the importance of child development to early childhood educators
- Chapter Two: Prenatal & Newborn Development
- Outline family contexts of family planning and preparation
- Describe the process of conception
- Explain the stages of prenatal development
- Understand the role of genes and chromosomes in development
- Define proper prenatal care and risks to the developing infant
- Identify labor and birth options and processes
- Discuss atypical conception, prenatal development, labor and birth
- Define newborn assessment and care
- Understand typical and atypical newborn appearance and abilities
- Chapter Three: The Development of Infants & Toddlers
- Discuss growth patterns and motor development milestones
- Describe the development of language and cognitive skills
- Define basic brain development principles and terms
- Understand normal socio-emotional development of infants and toddlers
- Describe cognitive and language development
- Recognize common variations and atypical infant and toddler development
- Chapter Four: The Development of Preschoolers (3–5 Years) & Young School Agers (5–6 years)
- Understand the typical sequence of growth and motor development, including health issues
- Describe preschool and young school-age cognitive development and related theories
- Identify language development milestones including emergent literacy approaches
- Discuss typical 3-to-8-year-old social-emotional development and milestones
- Define developmentally appropriate educational practices for young children
- Learn types of atypical development and developmental variations
Course Learning Outcomes
- Understand basic principles of growth and the foundation of development from conception through 8 years, including genetic and environmental influences.
- Identify the historical roots, common research practices, and prominent child development theorists and theories.
- Describe sequences, characteristics, and concepts of development in the domains of motor and perceptual, cognitive and communication, and social and emotional development for each stage.
- Explain individual and cultural differences in child development and socialization.
- Examine how to create environments, programming, and interactions that support the development of young children, including those with special needs, individually and in groups.
- Recognize and find professional resources on the typical and atypical development and needs of children prenatal–8 years.
Requirements to Enroll
No application is needed to enroll. All learners are eligible to enroll in the course. There are no admission requirements. It is recommended that learners have a high school diploma or GED, and have basic computer and internet knowledge.
Semester Open-Enrollment Schedule:
- Spring = January - April
- Summer = May - August
- Fall = September - December
*Please note that students are only allowed to register max 5 TEDX courses per semester period*
Estimated Time to Completion
This course can be completed in approximately 40 hours of asynchronous work.
Access Time
Learners will have access to their course learning modules for up to 365 days from the date of enrollment.
CEUs and PDUs
- CEUs 4.0 National University Continuing Education Units
Certificate of Completion
Learners will be awarded a National University Workforce and Community Education, Professional and Continuing Education Certificate of Completion after satisfying the course requirements below:
- Complete all four information sections showing a competent understanding of the material presented in each section.
- Complete all four section examinations, showing a competent understanding of the material presented. You must obtain an overall score of 70% or higher, with no individual exam score below 50%, to pass this course. *Please note: Minimum exam score requirements may vary by college or university; therefore, you should refer to your course addendum to determine what your minimum exam score requirements are.
- Complete a review of any section on which your examination score was below 50%.
- Retake any examination, after completing an information review, to increase that examination score to a minimum of 50%, making sure to also be achieving an overall exam score of a minimum 70% (maximum of three attempts). *Please note: Minimum exam score requirements may vary by college or university; therefore, you should refer to your course addendum to determine what your minimum exam score requirements are.
- Complete a course evaluation form at the end of the course.
Refund Policy
We at National University want all of our students to have a positive and rewarding learning experience. In the event that a student is not completely satisfied with a course, we offer a refund policy to ensure satisfaction.
To be eligible for a refund, the student must submit a written request, including a valid reason, within 9 calendar days of registering for the course. Additionally, the student must not have attempted more than 25% of the course.
To request a refund, email PACE@nu.edu and include your full name, student ID, and course name. Your reason for requesting a refund will be carefully reviewed, and we reserve the right to refuse a refund if we determine the request to be invalid.
If you meet the eligibility criteria and are approved for a refund, we will issue a refund to your original method of payment within 60 days of the refund approval.