Answer to Question 1
ANSWER: Every observer will look through a frame of reference limited by education and training, personal life situations, own childhood, experiences with children, and the society in which the observer grew up. In addition, other factors like biases for or against individual or groups of children based on sex, race, and prior experience with the family may obscure the objectivity of the observation. Factors affecting the observer such as health concerns, stress, and outside pressure may interfere with objectivity. The observer first must examine his or her own frame of reference for subjective influences.
Answer to Question 2
ANSWER: Advantagesefficient guides observer in what are the important criteria to look for if sequential, it could alert observer to lags or guide in curriculum planning for next skill; documents changes in development over time; clear illustration of developmental continuum
Disadvantagesthe actual details of the activity or incident are lost with only the criteria recorded; two observers may observe the same behavior and have different opinions about the meaning and criteria rating dependent on checklists match to childs age and ability and on the criteria being easily understood and observable may be time-consuming to do all developmental areas on all children in the class in a short time