Select your subject (should be of an age separated from you by at least 10 years). This can beyour own child, a grandparent or other relative, a co-worker, sibling, or neighbor. You will needto spend at least 8 hours with this person to fully assess and observe them.
2. Obtain their consent to be included in your course project. You should at all times protect their identity (only refer to them by initials and age in your paper) and this consent can be verbal if they are unable to write, with co-signature by another. For example you select a four year old – you can explain the consent to them, their parent, and receive the parent’s signature on the
following statement/ form).
a. “I agree to be observed and questioned regarding my developmental stage by this
Western Michigan University Honors Student in order for the student to have the learning experience of applying developmental theory and philosophy to assessment. I do not anticipate any harm and am free to not answer questions that make me uncomfortable or exceed the boundaries that I have determined. The benefit of this evaluation is real world learning experience for the student, and I may also benefit by learning more about myself. I am free to exit this evaluation at any point. I do not anticipate receiving any compensation for my participation. I understand that my identity will be kept private by the student and no identifiers will be used or stored in any manner. It is not the function of this assessment to provide a treatment plan or
therapy recommendations.”
b. Have their consent as an appendix to your paper, cosigned by you and dated.
3. Select a theorist that you will use as your evaluative framework, e.g. Piaget’s cognitive development stage theory, Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory, Bowlby’s attachment theory, Marcia, Temple, Vygotsky, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, Kohlberg’s moral
understanding stage theory, or you may choose from a thematic framework: sociocultural, behavioral, attachment, etc. Using two different theories will enhance your learning. See rubric above.