Postgraduate - UnitEDF6504 - Developmental psychology and counselling and research

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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12 points, SCA Band 1, 0.250 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Education
Offered	Clayton First semester 2015 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Mrs Janene Swalwell

Synopsis

This unit provides students with an advanced understanding of typical and atypical psychological development across the lifespan as well as methodological approaches to research in educational and developmental psychology more generally. Within the context of an introduction to the advanced therapeutic counselling process, students learn to facilitate the cycle of effective intervention and change. This unit comprises three sections: typical and atypical development, counselling and research methodology. Counselling areas (further advanced in EDF6512) include self-reflection, mentoring, establishing a professional relationship, appropriate communication, counselling and specific intervention skills for children, adolescents, adults, elders and families. Students are introduced to an advanced theoretical understanding of developmental psychology, focusing on a dynamic perspective of developmental outcomes as the result of person-environment interactions. Discussion also includes the development of children with disabilities in the context of the family and how to facilitate their education within the community. The unit includes a component on advanced research methodologies in educational and developmental psychology.

Outcomes

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

demonstrate evidence-based understanding of human developmental stages and processes, throughout the lifespan
demonstrate high level skills in psycho-educational assessment and treatment approaches for problematic and atypical development
demonstrate the basics of high level skills in the requisite counselling processes and therapeutic skills including trust, role appreciation, self-reflection and collaboration for effective case management to facilitate positive adjustment in human development
gain an overview and understanding of the range of research methodologies appropriate for the field of educational and developmental psychology.

Assessment

Participation in class and a sequence of online quizzes (2400 words equivalent, 30%)
Case study (2800 words equivalent, 35%)
In vivo counselling session (2800 words equivalent, 35%)

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 24 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

3 contact hours per week

(b.) Additional requirements

independent study to make up the minimum required hours per week

Chief examiner(s)

Mrs Janene Swalwell

Prerequisites

Successful completion of an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) accredited four-year sequence in psychology and enrolment in MPsych (Educational and Developmental).