Module Identifier |
ED10210 |
Module Title |
CHILD DEVELOPMENT |
Academic Year |
2004/2005 |
Co-ordinator |
Dr Jennifer M Horgan |
Semester |
Semester 2 |
Course delivery |
Lecture | 10 Hours |
|
Seminars / Tutorials | 5 Hours |
Assessment |
Assessment Type | Assessment Length/Details | Proportion |
Semester Exam | 2 Hours | 60% |
Semester Assessment | Continuous Assessment: Assignment of 2,000 words | 40% |
|
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
-
to understand the main reasons for studying children;
-
to critically appraise "the case study approach" to child study;
-
to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of group and experimental methods of child study;
-
to critically examine the value of cross-cultural studies to understand child development;
-
to understand and evaluate the concept of "needs of children" as put forward by Kelma Pringle;
-
to understand and appraise the concept of intelligence;
-
to understand and evaluate the construction and application of IQ tests;
-
to appraise the main arguments in the nature/nurture debate;
-
to critically reflect on the key arguments in the debate on "race and intelligence".
-
understand and evaluate the evidence linking child-rearing practices to personality development;
-
to understand and appraise the arguments relating early experiences to intellectual development;
-
to understand the basic principle of Piaget's development psychology;
-
to understand the development of "race awareness" in young children.
Brief description
This module introduces students to the methods of child study, child-care practices, and the developmental psychology of Piaget. Through these, it examines the development of intelligence, personality and language in children.
Aims
-
to introduce basic concepts relating to child development from the major schools of psychology, namely, Cognitive, Behaviourist, and Clincial;
-
to initiate students to understand and appraise these concepts relating to child development;
-
to encourage students how to critically understand the explanatory power of the 'psychological concepts' in the light of their own childhood experiences.
Content
The lectures are based on the following topics:
-
introduction - what is psychology?
-
methods of child study, psycho-metric and clinical;
-
child care practices - a comparative perspective;
-
development of self-concept and self-image;
-
Piaget's psychology of child development;
-
nature versus nurture: is intelligence/personality inherited or acquired?;
-
development of racial and gender attitudes in young children;
-
intelligence and its measurement;
-
fostering good inter-ethnic relations in schools.
The tutorials provide opportunities to discuss and investigate in greater detail themes from the lectures.
Reading Lists
Books
SMITH, P K et al (2003) Understanding Children's Development (4th Edition):
Blackwell
ATKINSON, R L et al (1993) Introduction to Psychology
London: Harcourt Brace)
DAVENPORT, G C (2002) An Introduction to Child Development:
Collins
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 4