BSc Education

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Development and childhood

Course unit fact file
Unit code EDUC13022
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 1
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Offered by School of Environment, Education and Development
Available as a free choice unit? Yes

Overview

This unit is designed to guide students to critically examine key theory and research in developmental psychology and to critically evaluate applications and extension of developmental psychological theory in relation to education and child development.

Session content is structured around key pre-session reading, structured debate and discussion during the taught session, and a plenary activity to be covered post-session.  Topics include:

 - Attachment theory

 - Cognitive development (Piaget and Vygotsky)

 - Language development

 - Moral development

 - Peer relationships .

-  Gender development

 

Aims

  • To provide coverage of the BPS qualifying syllabus core area for developmental psychology
  • to develop understanding of theory and research in psychological aspects of human development and applications thereof

 

Learning outcomes

 

Knowledge and understanding

 

Demonstrate an understanding of a number of key theories in developmental psychology, their underpinning research and their limitations.

 

Intellectual skills

 

Discuss and debate chosen topics in developmental psychology and critically evaluate their strengths and limitations of their underpinning research.

 

Critically evaluate applications and extensions of developmental psychological theory in relation to education

 

Practical skills

 

 

Transferable skills and personal qualities

 

 

 

 

Take charge of their own learning and undertake self-directed study to produce a credit-bearing assignment

Written communication

Oral communication (contributing to discussion and debate)

Working with others (group work)

IT skills (word processing, accessing electronic databases and library facilities, managing references)

 

 

Teaching and learning methods

Content sessions (e.g. including discussion and debate, case/scenario based learning, and other approaches to learning and teaching)

Blended learning approaches by offering pre and post session stimulus material online for asynchronous group online discussion and private learning. 

 

Assessment methods

Assessment task

Length 

How and when feedback is provided Weighting within unit

Using one of the theories discussed in either the cognitive development or the social/emotional development blocks consider the extent to which it is relevant to education

2,500    Written feedback (utilising Turn-it-in), within University guidelines.

100%

Students are also required to complete an online ‘mid term quiz’, as indicated on Blackboard.  This assessment covers a breadth of knowledge from across the unit.  

This assessment is open book may be completed at any time, and multiple re-sits are allowed.  However, a pass mark of at least 80% is required in order to be able to submit your credit-bearing assignment.

Feedback methods

Written feedback (utilising Turn-it-in), within University guidelines.

Recommended reading

 

Bee, H. & Boyd, D. (2008). Lifespan Development. (5th Edition (Int. Ed). London: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon

Berger, K. S. (2014). The developing person through the lifespan. 9th Edition. London: W H Freeman

Lightfoot, C., Cole, M. & Cole, S. R. (2013). The development of children.7th Edition). New York: Palgrave MacMillan

Smith, P.K., Cowie, H. & Blades, M. (2015). Understanding Children’s Development. 6th Edition. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 30
Independent study hours
Independent study 170

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Pamela Qualter Unit coordinator

Additional notes

Activity

Hours Allocated

Staff/ Student contact

20* interactive lectures @ 1.5 hours

30

Online discussion board (pre and post guided activities)

40

Private study, reading and assignment preparation

130

Total Hours

200

 

Return to course details