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EDEF 300

I. Course Title: Human Development and Learning: Birth through Adolescence (GE)

II. Course Number: EDEF 300 

III. Credit Hours: 3 credits

IV. Prerequisites: None

V. Course Description: 

Covers critical components of human development from the prenatal stage through adolescence, including theories, ethics, research and applications. Personal, social, cognitive, professional, and cultural perspectives related to working with children and adolescents are explored.

Note(s): General Education and Cultural or Behavioral Analysis designated course.  This course will not satisfy in-major requirements for psychology majors.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

This course examines the critical components of child and adolescent development, including defining the field, theories, ethics, research, and applications. Factors affecting the various domains and stages of development are addressed. The interaction of economic, social, racial, ethnic, religious, physical, and cognitive perspectives will be explored. Skills contributing to an understanding of development issues including, but not limited to low socioeconomic status, attention deficit disorders, developmental disabilities, gifted education including the use of multiple criteria to identify gifted students, substance abuse, trauma, including child abuse and neglect and other adverse childhood experiences and family disruptions, will be addressed. Each developmental period, from conception to adolescence, is explored in turn. 

I. Defining the field of child development

    A. Theories of and research in child development

    B. Ethics in regard to working with children

    C. Applications of theories, research, and ethics

        1. Personal perspectives

        2. Social policy perspectives

        3. Professional perspectives

        4. Cultural perspectives

II. Exploration of the developmental stage of prenatal development

    A. Biological influences (heredity and genes)

    B. Environmental influences

        1. Preparing for parenthood

        2. Applications regarding influences on prenatal development

III. Exploration of the developmental stage of birth and the newborn baby

    A. Theoretical perspectives

    B. Stages of childbirth

    C. Newborn baby

    D. Infants at risk

    E. Post-partum family relationships

    F. Cultural diversity in birth and the newborn baby

IV. Exploration of the developmental stage of infancy and toddlers (birth to age 2)

    A. Theoretical perspectives

    B. Physical growth

    C. Motor development (gross and fine motor)

    D. Perceptual development

    E. Cognitive development

        1. Information processing 

        2. Social influences on early cognitive development

    F. Language development

    G. Brain development

    H. Social and emotional development

        1. Temperament

        2. Attachment

        3. Developmental Disabilities 

    I. Factors affecting development

    J. Applications regarding infant and toddler development

V. Exploration of the developmental stage of early childhood (2 through 4-5 years)

    A. Theoretical perspectives

    B. Physical growth

    C. Motor development (gross and fine motor)

    D. Perceptual development

    E. Cognitive development

        1. Egocentrism

        2. Animism

        3. Centration

        4. Scaffolding

    F. Language development

        1. General language development

        2. Linguistic diversity

    G. Brain development

    H. Social and emotional development

        1. Gender

        2. Peer influences

        3. Moral development

        4. Identity

    I. Factors affecting development

         1. Cultural diversity

         2. Media and technology

    J. Applications regarding early childhood development

VI. Exploration of the developmental stage of middle childhood (5-6 through 10 years)

    A. Theoretical perspectives

    B. Physical growth

    C. Motor development (gross and fine motor)

    D. Perceptual development

    E. Cognitive development

        1. Transitivity

        2. Information processing

        3. Selective attention

        4. Memory 

        5. Working memory

        6. Storage and retrieval of information

        7. Metacognition and metamemory

        8. Intellectual development, creativity, and achievement

    F. Language development

    G. Brain development

    H. Social and emotional development

        1. Gender

        2. Peer influences

        3. Moral development

        4. Identity

        5. Parenting style

I. Factors affecting development

        1. Cultural diversity

        2. Media and technology

    J. Applications regarding childhood development

VII. Exploration of the developmental stage of adolescence 

    A. Theoretical perspectives

    B. Physical growth and development

    C. Cognitive and brain development

        1. Imaginary Audience

        2. Personal Fable

        3. Abstract thought

    D. Social and emotional development

        1. Gender

        2. Peer influences

        3. Moral development

        4. Identity

    E. Factors affecting development

        1. Cultural diversity

        2. Media and technology

    F. Applications regarding adolescent development

VII. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

Instructional strategies may include but are not limited to the following: large and small group instruction, observations conducted by students, student presentations, role-play/simulations, cooperative learning, demonstrations/modeling, web-enhanced instruction, analysis of vignettes and case studies, guest speakers, and lecture.

VIII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

Goals, objectives, and assignments address Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Licensure Standards for Professional Studies requirements in Human Growth and Development for prek-12, special education, secondary education, early/primary prek-3 education, elementary education, and middle education.

Having successfully completed this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Identify and describe the physical, social and emotional, cognitive, and intellectual development of children and adolescents.
  2. Identify and distinguish the major theories and theorists in child and adolescent development.
  3. Use the lens of human development in guiding learning experiences for children and adolescents.
  4. Identify and describe when children and adolescents may need to be referred for possible developmental delays and/or giftedness.
  5. Discuss how diversity and equity interact with development.
  6. Identify children experiencing family disruptions, substance abuse, trauma, and/or child abuse and neglect, and their adverse childhood experiences. 
  7. Recognize signs of abuse and/or neglect and describe responding and reporting requirements for educators.

IX. Assessment Measures:

Assessment measures may include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Quizzes and tests
  • Project related to the specific age of children that the students intend to teach
  • Class presentations
  • Participation and active engagement in whole and small group work
  • Assignment of additional readings related to the age range that the students intend to teach
  • Completion of on-line "Child Abuse and Neglect: Recognizing, Reporting, and Responding for Educators" Certificate program

Other Course Information:

None

Review and Approval

Revised April, 2009

August 2020

March 01, 2021

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