In Week Two, we focused on the important role observations play in the assessment of young children. From conducting observations professionals working with young children may have some areas of concern about a child’s development. When this happens, they often use a developmental screener as the next step in ensuring a child’s success. Screeners are a “brief assessment to identify possible problems that may later be further evaluated using more extensive and more accurate assessment” (Howard, V. F., & Aiken, E., 2015, p. 149). In this discussion, we will look at the connection between observations and screeners, the purposes of screeners, and including families in the screening process.

To prepare for your discussion, you will need to read the case study in the introduction of Chapter 5 and watch the Observation, Screening, Assessment, and Documentation video.

Using both the Observation, Screening, Assessment and Documentation video and Chapter 5 of your course text as support, discuss the following:

• Explain the relationship between observations and screeners in the assessment of young children. Include at least two specific examples of how they are connected.
• Discuss how the information shared in the video does or does not align with the screening process shared in the case study in the introduction section of Chapter 5 of the course text. Include at least two specific examples to support your thinking.
• Based on your understanding of the purposes of screeners, how will you use screening in your current or future work with young children? Make sure to include specific examples that are connected to the purposes of assessment shared in the video and the course text.

Guided Response: Review several of your peers’ responses. Respond to at least two of your peers and share with them at least one more way they could use screeners with young children that was not shared in their initial post. In addition, provide them with at least two ideas for how they can involve the child’s family in the screening process.

Though two replies is the basic expectation, for deeper engagement and learning you are encouraged to provide responses to any comments or questions others have given to you. Remember, continuing to engage with peers and the instructor will further the conversation and provide you with opportunities to demonstrate your content expertise, critical thinking, and real-world experiences with this topic.

Discussion 2

“Screening devices are brief, easy-to-administer assessments that evaluate a vast array of cognitive, social, emotional, behavioral, motor, language, and other behaviors and skills” (Howard, V. F., & Aiken, E. , 2015, p.149).In this discussion forum we will take a look at some specific screeners in order to better understand how we can use them to help children meet and exceed their developmental milestones. There are three parts to this discussion.

Step 1: To help you decide which screening assessments you want to further explore, make sure to read section 5.4 of your course text. Then, choose one commonly used screening assessment from three different developmental domains located in the chart below.  You do not need to purchase any screeners to complete this discussion, but instead just need to read the information on the website to understand the purpose of the screener.

Step 2: Create a three circle venn diagram using the Three Circle Venn Diagram template that compares and contrasts the three screeners you chose. Please view the Sample Screener Venn Diagram for an example of what you are doing. If you need additional help with how to create a three circle venn diagram, please watch THIS VIDEO. In your venn diagram, you will need to address the following about each of the three screeners you chose:

• Age of children the screener is used with.
• The skills the screener measures.
• Who typically administers the screener.
• What you might see during an observation that would lead you to using this screener.
• What information you can learn about a child from administering the screener.

Step 3: Upload a PDF copy of your three circle venn diagram as an attachment to the discussion forum and address the following:

• Discuss how you can use the three screeners you examined together to ensure the children you working with are meeting their developmental milestones. Use your course text to support your response.
• Explain what your next steps would be after administering the three screeners to a child whose development you were concerned about.
• Discuss the importance of involving families in the screening process. Make sure to include specific examples that are connected to the three screeners you chose.

Guided Response: Review several of your peers’ posts. Respond to at least two of your peers by respectfully stating whether you agree or disagree with the next steps they shared in their initial post about what they would do after administering the screener. If you agree with their next steps, provide evidence to support your decision. If you disagree, explain what you feel they need to do differently and why.

Though two replies is the basic expectation, for deeper engagement and learning you are encouraged to provide responses to any comments or questions others have given to you. Remember, continuing to engage with peers and the instructor will further the conversation and provide you with opportunities to demonstrate your content expertise, critical thinking, and real-world experiences with this topic.

1. Write a research report based on a hypothetical research study.  Conducting research and writing a report is common practice for many students and practitioners in any of the behavioral sciences fields.

   A research report, which is based on scientific method, is typically composed of the different sections listed below:

   1. Introduction: The introduction states a specific hypothesis and how that hypothesis was  derived by connecting it to previous research.
   2. Methods: The methods section describes the details of how the hypothesis was tested and clarifies why the study was conducted in that particular way.
   3. Results: The results section is where the raw uninterpreted data is presented.
   4. Discussion: The discussion section is where an argument is presented on whether or not the data supports the hypothesis, the possible implications and limitations of the study, as well as possible future directions for this type of research.

   Together, these sections should tell the reader what was done, how it was done, and what was learned through the research.  You will create a research report based on a hypothetical problem, sample, results, and literature review.  Organize your data by creating meaningful sections within your report. Make sure that you:

   • Apply key concepts of inferential hypothesis tests.
   • Interpret the research findings of the study.
   • Examine the assumptions and limitations of inferential tests.
   • Develop a practical application of the research principles covered in this course.

   Focus of the Research Report

   To begin, create a hypothetical research study (you do not have to carry out the study; you will just have to describe it) that is based on the three pieces of information listed below.  Once you have your hypothetical study created, write a three- to four-page research report (excluding title and reference pages) that outlines the study.  You are encouraged to be creative with your research study, but be sure to follow the format outlined below and use a writing style that is appropriate for scholarly research reports and adhere to APA formatting as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

   Your hypothetical research study should be based on the following information:

   • Recent research has indicated that eating chocolate can improve memory.  Jones and Wilson (2011) found that eating chocolate two hours before taking math tests improved scores significantly.  Wong, Hideki, Anderson, and Skaarsgard (2009) found that women are better than men on memory tests after eating chocolate.
   • There were 50 men and 50 women who were randomly selected from a larger population.
   • A t-test was conducted to compare men and women’s performance on an assessment after eating chocolate. The results showed an independent t-test value of t .05(99) = 3.43; p < .05

   Your research study must contain the following:

   1. Title Page
      1. Title of your report
      2. Your name
      3. The course
      4.  Instructor
      5. Date
   2. Introduction
      
      1. Introduce the research topic, explain why it is important, and present the purpose of the paper and the research question and hypothesis.
      2. Discuss how this study is related to other research on the topic.
      3. Elaborate on the information from the references you were given.  State how they relate to your hypothesis.
      4. Your introduction must:
         • Consist of a paragraph explaining what you are studying and why. Use previously cited research to explain your expectations and discuss how those expectations led to your hypothesis.
         • State a clear and testable hypothesis and whether it is one-tailed or two-tailed.
         • Make sure it is understandable to someone who has not read the rest of your pape yet.State the null hypothesis.
         • Include a justification of the direction of your hypothesis.  In other words, explain why you chose the direction of your hypothesis if it is one-tailed (e.g., previous research suggests that people with big feet are more likely to score higher on math  tests; therefore the hypothesis is one-tailed) or if it is two-tailed (e.g., previous research is not clear on which group will perform better; therefore, the hypothesis is two-tailed).
         • Describe why this study is important.
   3. Method
      1. Design: State the experimental design of your study, the independent and dependent variables, and what the task was (e.g., what you had the participants do).
      2. Participants: Identify and describe your sample, how the participants were selected to be in the study, and why you chose them.  Provide details for how each individual was assigned to each group.
      3. Procedure: Describe the precise procedure you used to conduct this research (i.e., exactly what you did).  It should be clear enough that anyone could replicate your study.  This is the subsection where you tell the reader how you collected the data.
      4. Data Analysis: Describe the statistical procedure used in the study to analyze the data.
   4. Results. In this section, you will describe the statistical results:
      1. State the statistical tests that were used.
      2. Justify the choice of test.
      3. State the observed value and significance level and whether the test was one or two tailed.
      4. State your conclusion in terms of the hypothesis.
      5. Did you accept or reject the null hypothesis?
   5. Discussion: Discuss your results as they relate to your hypothesis.
      1. Did you accept the hypothesis or reject it?
      2. Compare your results to the previous studies mentioned in the introduction. Are your results similar or different? Discuss why.
      3. Tell the readers what your findings mean. Why did you get the results you did?
         • Identify limitations to your study.
         • Suggest ways your study could be improved.
         • Suggest ideas for future research, not just a continuation of your study, but research that is similar to this study. Perhaps one of the variables could be changed or a different sample could be investigated.
         • Finish with a concluding paragraph that is a statement of your findings and the key points of the discussion.
   6. Conclusion: Write a paragraph detailing your experience with writing a research report. Discuss how easy/difficult it was to write a false report that reads like real results, and how this experience might affect you review research in the future. Do you think this experience will provide you with a useful skill in your potential career?
   7. References: You will create a minimum of three fictitious references in the following format based on the information you have created in the preceding sections of the report:
      1. Author, A., & Author, B. (Publication year). Title of the article. Journal Name, volume number(issue number), page numbers.
      2. Example: Jones, A., & Williams, B. (2013). Why monkeys are good pets. Journal of Silly Science, 23(4), pp. 221-222.

   You may access the The Critical Thinking Community website for tips on how to formulate your report in a logical and meaningful manner.

   Writing the Research Report
   
   The Assignment:

   1. Must be three to four double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
   2. Must include a title page with the following:
      1. Title of paper
      2. Student’s name
      3. Course name and number
      4. Instructor’s name
      5. Date submitted
   3. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
   4. Must include the sections with the appropriate headings and content listed above.
   5. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Imagine that you have identified an issue within your community and are going to do a needs assessment.

Create a detailed outline that you will use to compose a letter that explains the selected community needs assessment tool to your community.

Address the following in your outline:

• Identify an issue in your community that the needs assessment will be focusing on and provide a brief history of the problem.
• Describe the necessary steps in the planning process for determining which needs assessment tool will be used.
• Explain the assessment tool that will be used.
• Discuss the plans for implementing the needs assessment tool.

190 words Outline

Scored: 15/15

PENN FOSTER EXAM 00786800

WRITING SKILLS WRITNG

ASSIGNMENT PART III

Writing Skills, Part 3

When composing your essay, remember to
• Choose a topic from your personal knowledge and experience. Remember that you must utilize
your first-hand experience to prove your authority to write on a topic. Purely generalized and/or
factual information is not acceptable.
• Write in your own words, from your perspective or point of view, using the pronoun “I.”
• Capture your reader’s attention with an interesting introductory paragraph.
• Use specific examples from your personal experience.
• Use concrete or vivid words.
• Use complete sentences, varying your sentence length and structure.
• Use fully developed paragraphs, where each paragraph has only one main idea with enough
supporting details to develop that idea clearly and logically.
• Write a total of 750 to 2,500 words on your topic. (If your essay is typed and double-spaced, your final draft should be between three and ten pages.)

Using everything you have learned from this course, finish the paper you began in Part 1 and revised in Part 2. Your final essay should be between 750 and 2,500 words long. If you are typing your paper, using a font equivalent to Times New Roman 12, with standard one inch
margins and double spacing, your paper should be between three and ten pages.

Before submitting your work for grading, be sure the paper follows a logical order, and check your writing to make sure you are sticking to a single point of view. Make certain that you are offering your personal experience, and remember that factual and/or generalized information
is not acceptable. Do your best to add a hook to the beginning of your essay, and try to give your writing punch.

As you work on this writing assignment, use all of the ideas discussed in this course. Then, as you revise, refer to Writing Skills, Part 1 to double-check your usage and grammar. As always, proofread your exam before submitting it to an instructor for grading.

On the next page of this study unit is a copy of the grading rubric that will be used to score your essay. Keep the listed criteria in mind when completing your final revisions. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact an instructor.

 Introduction (10 points):

Establishes a specific topic and approach and sets an appropriate tone/mood for the rest of the essay. Engages the reader and creates interest.
10–9 8–7 6–5 4–1 0

Coherence and unity (25 points):

Ideas flow clearly and logically as essay is developed. Each paragraph
contains one main idea (with enough detail to develop that idea clearly and logically) and a
connection to the ideas that precede and follow it. Clear transitions are present between sentences as well as between paragraphs. Author remains focused on the topic.
25–22 21–18 17–14 13–1 0

Support for ideas (20 points):

Adequate detail and accurate support provided for each idea introduced. Specific, accurate, and relevant examples are used to show meaning. Essay does not simply make blanket claims without support.
20–18 17–14 13–10 9–1 0

Sentence structure (10 points):

Sentences are varied in both structure and length. Sentences are complete, expressive, clear, and to the point. No run-on sentences or fragments.
10–9 8–7 6–5 4–1 0

Spelling and word choice (10 points):

Essay is free of spelling errors. Appropriate language is chosen for each situation, fitting the mood/tone set in the introduction. Word choice complements, does not inhibit, clarity.
10–9 8–7 6–5 4–1 0

Punctuation (10 points):

Essay is free of errors such as comma splices, misplaced commas, and inappropriate end punctuation. All punctuation is used correctly so as not to interfere with comprehension.
10–9 8–7 6–5 4–1 0

Grammar (10 points):

Essay uses correct and consistent verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, clear pronoun-antecedent agreement, and so on. Grammar errors do not interfere with comprehension.
10–9 8–7 6–5 4–1 0
Conclusion (5 points):

Provides adequate closure and reinforces the meaning/significance established in the introduction. Effectively wraps up the essay.
5 4 3–2 1 0
Totals