Seneca College Early Childhood Education Department
ECY 200 Infant and Toddler Development
Fall 2022 Prof. Martha McKay

Opinion Paper/Essay Assignment Outline 20% Due: Week 5
Essay – is a coherent set of ideas fashioned into a presentation or an argument. An essay/ argument can report evidence (report), form an opinion (opinion essay), or compare or contrast ideas.
For this brief opinion paper/ essay, students will choose one of the topics presented below and explore how the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to adapt and make changes to the way we offered services and supports to families, pregnant women, new parents and/or infants and toddlers. Students will consider what impact these changes might have on infant and toddler development over the next few years? Also, how might you expect early education programs to change in order to accommodate these “children of the pandemic” in the future?
Choose one of the topics below and find at least two (2) resources that address the topic. You can use newspaper or magazine articles (such as The Globe and Mail, Today’s Parent etc.…), and at least one (1) website for a community or health related service or program in Ontario (such as a hospital maternity program, a family support program, a childcare center or program). Your resources must be published between 2020 and 2022.
NOTE: This paper is to be a maximum of 5 pages. Keep that in mind when finding resources. This is not an in-depth research paper. You are presenting ideas and opinions; you are not expected to be finding solutions to current social and developmental issues.
Make use of the Seneca library ECE homepage. https://library.senecacollege.ca/ece/home
TOPICS: Choose one of the following. Identify one or two concepts or questions for the future within the chosen topic. Do not attempt to cover everything about your topic.
1. The Labor and Delivery ward. How did COVID-19 change the birthing experience for pregnant women and partners/family members? Should we be concerned with any long-term developmental outcomes for the children born during the past two and a half years?

2. Bringing the newborn home; friends and family members keep away! How did social distancing, and lockdown regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic impact the opportunity for supporting new parents and new babies in the early post-natal period of development? Should we be concerned with any long-term developmental outcomes for these children?

3. The socialization of infants and toddlers; when we all get back to childcare, should we expect big changes? How do you think COVID – 19 changed the face of infant and toddler childcare over the past 2 and a half years? What changes in social and emotional development might we expect to see and how should we prepare to support these children in group care over the next few years?

Your paper MUST BE ONLY 4 to 5 pages in length.
FORMAT
 Cover Page: Includes – Seneca College ECE Accelerated Diploma Program; FALL 2022, your full name; professor’s full name; course code and course name; name of assignment
 All external resources have been properly cited and referenced in APA format throughout the assignment and in a final reference page.
 Please ensure that your final product is professional in appearance.
 No spelling, sentence structure or grammatical errors. Make sure to Proofread your work before submitting.
 THIS ASSIGNMENT WILL BE SUBMITTED THROUGH SAFEASSIGN ON BLACKBOARD ON OR BEFORE THE END OF CLASS TIME ON WEEK 5.

MARKING RUBRIC for Essay
Weighting: 20%
STUDENT: _______________________________________________________________________________________________
0
Work is
Unsat. Not up to expected standards. 1
Work is less than
satisfactory: Achievement
has barely met expectations. 2 – 3
Work is
satisfactory:
Achievement has met expectations 4
Work is good: Work has slightly
exceeded expectations 5
Work is very good. Achievement
has exceeded expectations
MARK
The topic of the paper is presented in a clear and direct manner. The introduction successfully outlines the student’s focus and sets a professional tone.

Within the broader topic the student effectively presents one or two concepts or current questions to be considered in this paper.

The student is able to present critical thinking and an informed opinion on the chosen topic. The reader will know the student’s perspective and opinion upon concluding this paper.
Student effectively includes relevant COVID – 19 related information from at least two (2) resources (*articles, websites, research papers etc.) in the paper.
*Resources must be published within the past 2 ½ years.
There is evidence of understanding the impact of the current social climate due to COVID -19 on social development of infants and toddlers and their family members.
 All external resources have been properly cited and referenced in APA format throughout the
 assignment and in a final reference page.
The assignment is submitted through SafeAssign on or before the due date.
No grammar, sentence structure or spelling mistakes. No typographical errors. The assignment is professional in appearance.
The paper is a MAXIMUM of 5 pages of written work.
MARK out of /40
WEIGHTED MARK out of /20