DQ 1 Module
Learning Resources
Note: Be sure to complete this module’s Discussion before reviewing the Learning Resources.
Required Resources
- Report: America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2008
http://www.childstats.gov/pdf/ac2008/ac_08.pdfAs you read this report, consider the following questions:
- What is your personal definition of well-being?
- How are children faring overall in terms of the indicators used in the report?
- How may this new knowledge and understanding impact your professional goals and future work with children and families?
Optional Resources
- Report: UNICEF: Child Poverty in Perspective: An Overview of Child Well-Being in Rich Countries
http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/rc7_eng.pdf - Web Site: The Annie E. Casey Foundation: Kids Count Data Center
http://datacenter.kidscount.org/Note: This page connects you with state- and city-level data for over 100 measures of child well-being.
Activating Prior Knowledge
In the next 12 weeks, you will focus on “the well-being of children.” Pause now to consider what this phrase means to you and how, based on your current knowledge and experience, you define and determine a child’s well-being based. To prepare for this Discussion, draw on your own experiences and previous coursework to help you reflect on the following:
- What does the term “well-being” mean to you?
- How do you determine the well-being of a child?
- What factors influence a child’s well-being? Which factors do you consider to be most important, and what do you know about these factors?
- What would like to learn or gain from this course?
When you have gathered your thoughts, follow the instructions below for this Discussion.
By Day 3 of Week 1:
Post your responses to the following:
- Write a definition of the phrase “the well-being of children” that reflects your current knowledge and thinking. As part of your definition, explain what the term “well-being” means to you. Describe how you would determine a child’s well-being and the factors that have the most influence on children’s well-being. Support your reasoning with examples from your own experiences or previous coursework.
- Explain what you hope to gain or learn from this course. As part of your response, identify factors related to the well-being of children with which you would like to know more, and why.
