Information Package / Course Catalogue
Child Development I
Course Code: ÇGP102
Course Type: Required
Couse Group: Short Cycle (Associate's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 3
Prt.: 0
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 3
Objectives of the Course

The objective of this course is to enable students to monitor the physical, motor, cognitive, language, and social-emotional development stages of children from the prenatal period to the end of early childhood (0-6 years) from both theoretical and practical perspectives, and to analyze developmental characteristics and core developmental theories at an academic level.

Course Content

Core concepts and principles of development, factors influencing development, developmental theories, prenatal development and the birth process; physical, motor, cognitive, language, social, and emotional developmental characteristics of children during infancy (0-2 years) and preschool period (2-6 years), alongside the monitoring and support of these developmental domains.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.Explain the core concepts, principles, and factors of development at an academic level.
2.Relate core developmental theories (Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, Freud) to the behavioral characteristics of children.
3.Distinguish the milestones and characteristics of developmental domains (physical, cognitive, language, social) during infancy (0-2 years).
4.Analyze the alteration and transformation processes of developmental domains in the preschool period (2-6 years).
5.Interpret prenatal processes, neonatal characteristics, and early childhood care models from a professional perspective.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Trawick-Smith, J. W., & Smith, T. (2014). Early childhood development: A multicultural perspective. Nobel Publishing Group.
2.Babies Berk, L. E. (2013). Infants and Children:Prenatal Through Middle Childhood, Nobel Publishing Group.
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Introduction to Child Development: Core concepts of development (growth, maturation, learning, readiness) and developmental principles.
Week 2 - Theoretical
Factors Influencing Development: Heredity, environment, critical periods, and historical time concepts.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Developmental Theories - I: Introduction to developmental theories, Maturation Theory (Gesell), and Behavioral/Social Learning Theories (Watson, Skinner, Bandura).
Week 4 - Theoretical
Developmental Theories - II: Psychoanalytic/Psychosocial Theories (Freud, Erikson), Cognitive Developmental Theory (Piaget) and Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky).
Week 5 - Theoretical
Developmental Theories - III: Information Processing Theory, Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner), Attachment Theory (Bowlby), and Humanistic Theories.
Week 6 - Theoretical
Physical and Motor Development in Infancy (0-2 Years), Prenatal Developmental Stages, and Neonatal Reflexes.
Week 7 - Theoretical
Cognitive Development in Infancy (0-2 Years): Characteristics of the sensorimotor stage and object permanence.
Week 8 - Theoretical
Language Development in Infancy (0-2 Years): Receptive and expressive language stages, supporting communication in infancy. (Midterm)
Week 9 - Theoretical
Social-Emotional Development in Infancy (0-2 Years): Development of self, emotional expressions, and temperament characteristics.
Week 10 - Theoretical
Physical and Motor Development in the Preschool Period (2-6 Years): Fine and gross motor skills, perceptual-motor development.
Week 11 - Theoretical
Cognitive Development in the Preschool Period (2-6 Years): Preoperational stage, symbolic thinking, and centration.
Week 12 - Theoretical
Language Development in the Preschool Period (2-6 Years): Vocabulary, grammatical rules, and egocentric speech.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Social-Emotional Development in the Preschool Period (2-6 Years): Self-concept, peer relationships, stages of play development, and emotion regulation.
Week 14 - Theoretical
Integrated review of all developmental domains from ages 0 to 6; comprehensive evaluation of the reflections of developmental theories on child behaviors through case studies and exemplars.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Quiz1%10
Verbal Examination1%10
Midterm Examination1%20
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory140342
Individual Work141128
Quiz1011
Midterm Examination1112
Final Examination1112
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)75
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
OÇ-1
5
3
3
3
2
4
5
4
3
4
OÇ-2
5
4
4
4
2
5
5
4
3
4
OÇ-3
5
5
4
4
3
5
4
4
4
4
OÇ-4
5
5
4
4
3
5
4
4
4
4
OÇ-5
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
4
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026