Università Roma Tre

The course includes lectures, exercitations, group and individual exercises - in presence and at a distance - relating to the observation as a systematic technique for collecting information on infant behavior, with reference to the changes that this method has had over time and the different types of observation. Furthermore, the characteristics of the different observational strategies, the conditions that guarantee their validity and reliability, and the practical planning for their use will be presented. To develop the skills necessary to use observation, different tools will be presented on different aspects of child development (cognitive, communicative and linguistic, social and relational, etc.).

Following topics will be presented:
The observation: method and theory
• Myths and reality on observation
• Observation as a detection technique
• Different types of observation

Observation in practice
• Quality of the observer
• Validity of the observation
• Data recording procedures

Observational tools
• Cognitive development
• Communicative and linguistic development
• Social and interpersonal development
• Emotional development

Aureli T., Perucchini P., Osservare e valutare il comportamento del bambino, il Mulino, Bologna 2014
D’Odorico e Cassibba, Osservare per educare, Carocci
Exercises: Cassibba e Salerni, Osservare i bambini: Tecniche ed esercizi, Carocci.