Effective: 2022-05-01

Course Description

The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.

General Course Purpose

EDU 207 provides K-12 classroom teachers with knowledge and understanding of theories of human development, including genetic and environmental influences. Students will learn to create classroom environments by analyzing various developmental stages, including sensory, cognitive, language and social stages.

Course Objectives

• Lifespan Development
• Explain the relationship between biology, maturation, environment, and culture in terms of their impact on development, and learning.
• Identify and define stages of human development.
• Compare various types of developmental research.
• Compare and contrast the research methods commonly used to study human growth and development.
• Describe challenges associated with research in lifespan development.
• Developmental Theories
• Explain Freud's theory of psychosexual development.
• Evaluate Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development.
• Summarize Piaget's theory of cognitive development.
• Explain Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
• Explain BF Skinner's Behavioral Theory
• Explain John Dewey's impact on education.
• Explain cognitive learning frameworks.
• Prenatal Development & Infancy
• Explain the role of genetics in prenatal development.
• Describe the interaction between genetics and the environment.
• Describe physical growth and development in infants and toddlers.
• Describe self-awareness and emotional development during infancy.
• Contrast styles of attachment.
• Early Childhood
• Describe physical changes in early childhood.
• Describe the physical, social, emotional and cognitive changes in early childhood.
• Describe Piaget's preoperational stage of development.
• Describe Vygotsky's model, including the zone of proximal development.
• Explain Erikson's psychosocial theory as it applies to early childhood.
• Examine concerns about childhood stress and trauma.
• Middle Childhood
• Describe physical development during middle childhood.
• Describe language development in middle childhood.
• Compare Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences and Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence.
• Examine Erikson's stage of industry vs. inferiority as it relates to middle childhood.
• Describe the importance of peer relationships to middle childhood.
• Adolescence
• Describe pubertal changes in body size, proportions, and sexual maturity.
• Describe brain development during adolescence.
• Describe moral development during adolescence.
• Examine changes in family relationships during adolescence.
• Explain Piaget's theory on formal operational thought.
• Describe cognitive development in adolescence.
• Adulthood to Death
• Describe changes in body size, proportions, and sexual maturity.
• Describe brain development during adulthood.
• Examine changes in family relationships during adulthood.
• Social and ecological influences across the lifespan
• Recognize systemic and environmental factors that affect human development, functioning, and behavior.
• Describe Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory.
• Analyze the interconnectedness between school, family, community and culture and the interactions between teachers and these systems to promote growth and learning.
• Examine the effects of crisis, disaster and trauma on learning and development across the lifespan and the teacher's role.

Major Topics to be Included

• Lifespan Development
• Development Theories
• Prenatal Development & Infancy
• Early Childhood
• Middle Childhood
• Adolesence
• Adulthood to Death
• Social and ecological influences across the lifespan