Qualification: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
Unit: Unit 3.15: Use longitudinal studies to observe, assess and plan for children’s needs
Learning outcome: Be able to critically evaluate the outcomes of Longitudinal Studies
Assessment criteria: Critically evaluate the outcomes of Longitudinal Studies
For the final assessment criterion of this unit, you will be required to critically evaluate the outcomes of your longitudinal study.
This will need to be written up as an essay or report and will contain information about the observations and assessments you conducted as well as the activities you planned and implemented in line with a child’s developmental needs.
The write-up should begin with an introduction which lays out the purpose of your study and what you hoped to achieve from it. It should also include any ethical considerations, including how you obtained consent from your supervisor and the parents/carers of the child.
You should describe the observation methods you used and why you chose these particular techniques. You should also evaluate the effectiveness of these methods and how they might be improved in future studies.
You will need to link your records to current frameworks (e.g. the EYFS) and theoretical perspectives related to your study. As well as the primary area of development that you studied, you can also describe how it has linked to a child’s holistic development. For example, even though your study may have been concerned with a child’s mathematical literacy, you could explain how a group maths game helped a child to develop social skills.
It is essential to include information about how you promoted equality and inclusivity in your study and how activities were planned and implemented to meet a child’s needs and interests.
You should also include information about how you worked in partnership with others, including parents/carers and other professionals, and reflect on and evaluate your role.
At the end of your write-up, you should summarise the conclusions of your study, what you have learned from it, and what you might do differently in hindsight.