Lifespan Development and Learning

Course Description

This course integrates learning theories and principles with advanced study of early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school development in relation to educational practice. Perspectives on behaviorism and cognitive and social learning are explored in the context of their practical application by the professional in the classroom.

Topics and Objectives

Beliefs About How People Learn

• Analyze one's beliefs about the nature of humankind and the factors and actions, which contribute to learning by the individual and society.
• Evaluate one's understanding of the developmental stages and of learning theories that are appropriate to learners from varied cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Developmental Stages Across Domains

• Analyze the major challenges and the cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development of each life stage, with emphasis on the application of information to the educational setting.
• Analyze prevailing theories of moral development, and trace the characteristics of moral thought and behavior through the various human development stages.
• Analyze gender and cultural differences that may impact development.

Historical Overview of Cognitive Development and Learning Theories

• Analyze and compare behaviorist, cognitive, and social learning theories, and review their historical origin.

Behaviorism

• Evaluate the extent to which classical and operant conditioning are utilized in the classroom setting, and analyze their effectiveness in changing student behavior, attitudes, and learning achievement.
• Analyze the affects of aversive stimuli on learning and behavior.

Impact of Technology on Learning Theory

• Analyze the impact of technology on the learning process.

Motivation and Affect

• Identify the characteristics of motivation and affect.
• Analyze the ways by which motivation and affect impact the learning process both in and out of the classroom setting.

Social Learning

• Define and analyze social learning and evaluate its affect on children in infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood.

Learning Styles

• Compare various learning styles and analyze the implications of different learning styles for teaching practices.

Cognitive Learning

• Analyze the affect of cognitive events on the learning process.
• Analyze developmental theory in the context of learning stages and processes.

Theories of Memory

• Analyze theories of memory and human information processing.
• Identify techniques related to memory and human information processing that can be successfully applied in the classroom setting.

Transfer and Problem Solving

• Analyze theories of transfer and problem solving.
• Identify concepts associated with transfer and problem solving that are useful in facilitating learning in the classroom setting.

Application of Development and Learning Theories

• Apply developmental and learning theories to current educational practice.