Spring 2016  |  PA 5413 Section 001: Early Childhood and Public Policy (59257)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
Student Option
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person Term Based
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
01/19/2016 - 05/06/2016
Thu 06:00PM - 08:45PM
UMTC, West Bank
Hubert H Humphrey Center 30
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
State/federal/int'l policies/legislation touching first 5 years of child's life. Family, community, institutional roles in promoting children's social/cognitive/emotional development. Health, mental health, poverty, special needs, economic/social justice. Part of Early Childhood Pol cert. prereq: Grad or instr consent
Class Notes:
This is the cornerstone course for the Early Childhood Policy certificate at the U of M (http://www.hhh.umn.edu/degrees/certificate/EarlyChildhoodPolicy.html). See Course Guide for more information about 5413. http://classinfo.umn.edu/?hayak006+PA5413+Spring2016 http://classinfo.umn.edu/?nsmerill+PA5413+Spring2016
Class Description:
PA 5431 Early childhood and public policy will be taught in Spring 2015 by Dr. Momo Hayakawa and Nicole Smerillo, MPP. Momo has a PhD in Child Development from the University of Minnesota and currently works as a Research Associate at the Human Capital Research Collaborative, where she is the Project Manager of the Child-Parent Center Expansion program and is involved in the implementation and evaluation of a preschool through third grade educational intervention targeted toward children from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds. She has also supported the implementation of a parent program within the Midwest Child-Parent Center intervention program across 30 schools in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, working with principals, teachers, community liaisons, and various school staff to implement a culturally sensitive evidence-based program. Nicole Smerillo has a MPP from the Humphrey School and a certificate from the early childhood policy program. She is currently a Senior Research Analyst with the Human Capital Research Collaborative, also pursuing her PhD in Education Policy and Leadership in OLPD at the UMN. Her research involves short and long term impacts of high quality PreK-3rd grade programs. Humphrey School and Institute of Child Development faculty, Art Rolnick, Judy Temple and Arthur Reynolds will participate in the class on various dates. Invited guests will include members of the policy, research, and advocacy community. PA 5431 is a required course for students seeking the University of Minnesota's Early Childhood Policy Certificate. All interested students, however, are invited to register. Class time will consist of lectures, discussion, invited speakers, small group activities and student presentations.
Description: How can public policy improve the lives of children and families? Research and policy aimed at this goal requires an in-depth understanding of how and why children develop the way they do. To what extent do governmental policies that affect children and families reflect the knowledge developmental scientists have about factors influencing child development? This course is designed to provide an intensive overview of the science of child development, with an emphasis on young children. Students will come away with an understanding of key factors in healthy development and understand how science informs public policy. This course will highlight context and use an ecological approach (e.g. family, school, community) to child development as a foundation for analyzing programs and policies for children and their families. Students will become acquainted with ecological theories of child development and with related research and tools to measure child development. Students will then draw on these theories and research studies to analyze current federal, state, and local programs and policies aimed to reduce childhood poverty and child neglect/maltreatment, and promote child health /mental health and school readiness. Students will write a major term paper in which they will use theory and research on child development to analyze a program or policy of choice.
Grading:
Standard University of Minnesota grading policies will be in effect. All grading will be based on a rubric that will be presented to students at the time of the assignment. Per the syllabus, grading will be based on in-class participation, on-line discussion assignments, reflection papers on current policy topics, assignments, and the final term paper.
Exam Format:
Final term paper in lieu of exam.
Class Format:
The course structure will be a mix of lecture, group discussions, weekly guest speakers, and student presentations. Nicole will instruct the majority of the first half of the semester, while Momo will instruct the majority of the second half of the semester.
Workload:
Students are expected to complete reading assignments on time, participate in on-line and in-person discussions, and attend all classes regularly.
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/59257/1163
Syllabus:
http://classinfo.umn.edu/syllabi/hayak006_nsmerill_PA5413_Spring2016.pdf
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
15 October 2015

ClassInfo Links - Spring 2016 Public Affairs Classes

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