Archive for month: August, 2020

Content Review

Directions:

• Respond to each item. Each response should be concise and between 2–3 paragraphs in length.
• Use MS Word to write your responses, and submit your answers to all three questions in one Word document.
• Copy and paste each question within the document, so that your Instructor can see which question you are responding to.

1. In Chapter 1 of Diversity in Early Care and Education, Janet Gonzalez-Mena introduces the concept of transformative education and discusses the role of dialogue. Review the information presented on pages 25–26 (including Point to Ponder 1.9). Using an example related to the care of infants or toddlers that you have read about or observed in the first four weeks of this course, explain what the terms transformative education and dialogue mean, as well as how these concepts relate to each other.
2. Differences between individuals’ concepts of time, which are shaped by culture, can lead to conflicts. Review the information on time concepts presented on pages 38–39 of Diversity in Early Care and Education and then review the information on outcomes to cultural conflicts addressed on pages 54–56 of the text. Describe one or more conflicts that may arise between an infant/toddler professional and a family member if the two individuals have different views on time. Then, using this example, compare and contrast two or more of the five outcomes described on pages 54–56, and explain the advantage(s) of one outcome over the other.
3. On page 56 of Diversity in Early Care and Education, Janet Gonzalez-Mena refers to the challenge issued by the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for infant/toddler professionals to move beyond dualistic thinking toward holistic thinking. Using an example related to the care of infants or toddlers, explain what holistic thinking means and describe how it presents a better alternative for addressing the needs of everyone involved.

ASSIGNMENT 2

Application: Applying Knowledge of Culture and Family-Centered Care to Practice in Infant/Toddler Programs

In this course, you have learned a great deal about the often abstract and complex subject of culture and how it can influence behaviors, interactions, and communication in infant/toddler programs. Imagine that you now have an opportunity to share what you have learned in this course about culture and family centered care and education with other infant/toddler professionals. What information would be most valuable for professionals who will be working with infants/toddlers and their families?In preparation for this assignment, consider the key insights you have had or the most important ideas you have encountered in this course. The following is one example: It is important for infant/toddler professionals to learn directly from families rather than make assumptions about their values and beliefs based on cultural stereotypes. You may wish to consult the Learning Resources and the assignments you for each week to guide your thinking. For this Application Assignment, describe 10 key insights or major ideas from this course that you would most like to share with infant/toddler professionals to help them build culturally responsive relationships and environments. For each key insight or major idea, include the following:

• Explain why it is significant to a professional’s work with infants/toddlers and families and may help build culturally responsive relationships and environments.
• Provide one or more specific examples from the Learning Resources and assignments to illustrate how the key insight or major idea could be put into practice in an infant/toddler program. Be sure to cite your sources.

Assignment length: 2 pages

Let’s Move!

There have been many initiatives in the United States implemented to encourage schools to not only promote physical activity for young children, but to also increase awareness in students about proper nutrition. In this discussion, we will explore the development of curriculum, assessment, and instruction for physical activity. Begin preparing by reviewing the website about the Let’s Move program. Now, imagine that your school or center is considering becoming part of the Let’s Move program. Recall the five key elements of the Let’s Move program, along with initiatives for promoting proper nutrition; these elements are physical education, physical activity during school, physical activity before and after school, staff involvement, and family and community engagement. 

Now, further imagine that in an effort to achieve school-wide change, your principal or director has asked all teachers to brainstorm ideas on how they will create an active classroom, thus addressing the second Let’s Move key element (i.e., Physical activity during school) and how the teachers will promote healthy nutrition. For this discussion, you will create a plan for how you will address these topics. Remember to review the Instructor Guidance and other required readings for this week to further prepare for this discussion.

Initial Post: Create an initial response in which you

* State the age/stage of children your ideas are best suited for.

* Explain the benefits of exercise and proper nutrition, and the positive impact each has on learning. Support your explanation with at least one scholarly resource. 

* Describe at least two ways you will encourage development of gross motor skills for this age group on a daily basis. Make sure to include how you will assess learning, as well as all materials you will need and how your classroom design or outdoor environment will support these activities.

* Explain your stance on the following debate, making sure to consider which category you would place yourself in and why. Support your decision with at least one scholarly resource.

Debate: In the United States, there has been significant debate about the role that schools and childcare centers play in ensuring children are receiving enough time to be physically active. One side of the debate feels that schools and centers should focus more on academics and promoting social and emotional growth, placing more emphasis on parents promoting physical growth at home. The other side of the debate feels that physical development and being active is just as important as academics, and therefore should be given equal time in schools.

Your third longer-term assignment in this course is a presentation or short paper in which you will share your question derived at the end of your observation journal in learning block 4-3 and discuss why it is important and how developments in the social sciences contribute to our understanding of ourselves, each other, and the world around us. This final reflection will assess the following course outcomes, which you focused on throughout the fourth theme (Weeks 7 and 8):  Investigate major developments in the progression of social scientific thought for informing critical questions that drive social scientific inquiry  Articulate the value of the social sciences for their impact on contemporary issues Prompt Your third project is a presentation or short paper (you are free to choose) that explores the question you posed at the end of your observation journal. With that question as your topic, you will explain why the answer to it is important to understanding yourself, other people, and the world around you and how the social sciences have developed to help us answer these important questions. The critical elements of this assessment will be evaluated by the information in your presentation or paper. Be sure your actual question is apparent on the presentation or paper. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed in your submission: I. Explain why your question is important to you as a member of society. II. Detail the major developments in social science thinking that drive questions regarding studying the individual. Use course resources to back up your discussion. III. Explain how finding the answer to your question might impact others around you. For instance, who might be most invested in the answer? IV. Detail the major developments in social science thinking that drive questions regarding studying others. Use course resources to back up your discussion. V. Explain why studying human behavior and identity is a valuable human endeavor. VI. Detail the major developments in social science thinking that support the study and advancement of the social sciences as necessary and valuable. Use course resources to back up your discussion. Supporting Work and Resources Throughout the fourth theme of this course, there are supports you will use as you work directly on different elements of the final reflection. 1. In learning block 2-7, you submitted your observation journal. Review your submission and the feedback for this assignment via the Project 2 submission link in the My Grades section of the course. Use the question you created from your observation journal for your final reflection. You are free to incorporate any feedback from your instructor on this question into your final reflection. 2. In learning block 6-3, you submitted a micro-presentation or short answer response to give you an opportunity to practice elements of the final submission. For this assignment, you reflected on what you considered to be some of the most significant developments covered in the third theme of this course and addressed the following: a. Identify the developments and how they impact individuals or larger groups/cultures. b. Describe how the developments changed society’s understanding. How is the development applicable outside of the social sciences? View this submission and the feedback for this assignment via the My Grades section of the course and incorporate this assignment into your final reflection. 3. If you choose to submit a presentation instead of a paper, you may use PowerPoint, Prezi, or another presentation platform of your choosing. Reference the Supporting Resources document for instructions on how to use different presentation programs. Be sure to include notes as needed in your presentation in order to meet the outlined critical elements. 4. In learning block 7-1, it was suggested for you to work on Section III of your project. If completed, use this as well as the instructor feedback when working toward your final submission. You can view this via the Student Dashboard. 5. Learning block 8-1 includes a Final Reflection Submission Checklist that you can use to ensure you have met all the requirements of this project. Your instructor is available to provide guidance and answer any questions you may have as you work to finalize your final reflection.

HSMN 610 9041 Concepts in Homeland Security (2175)

For this paper, you are required to select a US federal government strategy document (National security strategies) and compare and contrast it to a strategy document from another governmental entity.

Suggested length is 3-5 pages.

Your points will be allocated on the following criteria:

Offering creative and/or critical opinions;
 Expressing yourself clearly and concisely;
Forming logical arguments and conclusions;
 Identifying and discussing counter-arguments;
 Grammar and compliance with APA (6th edition).

Use 3-5 references

HSMN 610 9041 Concepts in Homeland Security (2175)

In the past decade-plus, the FBI has become an experienced counterterrorism agency. But, has this evolution come at the expense of its traditional domestic law enforcement role? Clearly, the privacy versus public safety dialogue is ongoing and robust, especially in light of the NSA’s data mining program, PRISM and how the FBI might have used the information to promote terrorism investigations.

For this assignment, focus on one or all of the following questions:

(i) Would the overall homeland security mission be better fulfilled if the FBI returned to its roots and a domestic intelligence agency created?

(ii) What should the domestic intelligence architecture look like?

(iii) How does the U.S.’ effort compare to that of other countries?

Suggested length is 3-5 pages

Your points will be allocated on the following criteria:

Use of Memo format:

            TO: (Your choice)

            FROM: (You)

            PURPOSE: (One to two sentence “bottom-line up front” explanation of what the memo seeks to achieve.)

            BACKGROUND: (Relevant historical information regarding the topic)

            DISCUSSION: (Analysis of topic)

            RECOMMENDATION: (Summation of purpose and analysis)

Offering creative and/or critical opinions;


Expressing yourself clearly and concisely;

Forming logical arguments and conclusions;


Identifying and discussing counter-arguments;


Grammar and compliance with APA (6th edition).

Your professor researches the Turkana pastoralists of Kenya, investigating both the genetic changes that allow them to easily digest milk and the role that dairy animals have played in their history. Your professor most likely uses which of the following methods in her research?

A) Sociolinguistics

B) Interdisciplinary science

c) the biocultural approach

D) archaeological excavation