Undergraduate - UnitEDF2210 - Child and adolescent development

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Synopsis

This unit has been designed to provide the opportunity for students to explore significant aspects of child and adolescent development within the context of teacher education. It considers psychological, motivational, social, cognitive, biological and socio-cultural perspectives of child and adolescent development and the possible implications for learning. Students inquire into strategies for teaching and learning with children and adolescents based on contemporary knowledge of development, which takes into consideration the range of diversity that is now common in P-10 classrooms.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit students should be able to:

• understand both childhood and adolescence as discrete but also diverse periods of individual development in our society
• identify how development of children and adolescents in general and specific behaviours and skills of individuals link to contemporary theoretical perspectives
• examine the likely impact of factors such as culture, family, genetic inheritance and life experiences on child and adolescent development
• analyse a range of learning theories, particularly related to the education of children from entry to primary school until the end of Year 10
• examine how teacher-student relationships are influenced by issues of development.

Fieldwork

10 days professional placement

Assessment

Task 1: Case Study (2000 words) 50% and Task 2: Research paper (2000 words) 50%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Angela Fitzgerald

Contact hours

12 hours per week equivalent