MAIE730 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT & LEARNING

Course Description

Key human development theories that continue to guide research and practice are examined in this engaging text.  Ten key theories are grouped into three categories – those that emphasize biological systems, environmental factors, and those that reflect an interaction between the two.  This organization enhances students’ ability to evaluate, compare, and contrast theories both within and across categories.  Each category is introduced with an overview of their unique perspectives and the rationale for grouping them together.  Discussion of each theory includes the cultural/historical context during the theory’s development, its key concepts and ideas, extensions of the theory in contemporary work, an example showing a modification of the theory, an application of how the theory is used to inform practice, and an analysis of how the theory answers six basic questions that a human development theory should address.  Each chapter includes an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the theories to facilitate comparisons.  Theories that have a clear life-span focus along with cases and examples that address issues across the life span are included.

Course Code: MAIE730

Credit hours: 3

Pre-Requisites: None

Learning Objectives:

A major objective of this course is to foster critical thinking and an active approach to learning.

  • The students will be able to understand what the basic human development is.
  • The students will be able to understand what a theory on human development is and what it means.
  • The students will be able to understand the impact of these theories on the development of the family, the school, and the community.
  • The students will be able to understand case studies that reflect real life situations and how these theories apply to them.
  • The students will be able to understand ten different theories on human development and how they have guided research, intervention, and practice in numerous fields such as developmental psychology, life-span development, education, medicine and nursing, social work, human services, counseling, parenting, therapy, and mental health.

Course Outline:

  1. Part I

Part I includes evolutionary theory, psychoanalytic theory, and cognitive developmental theory, which place a comparatively strong emphasis on biological factors that guide the direction of development.

  1. Part II

Part II includes learning theories, social role theory, and life course theory, which place a comparatively strong emphasis on environmental factors that guide the direction of development.

  1. Part III

Part III includes psychological theory, cognitive social-historical theory, bio-ecological theory, and dynamic systems theory, which emphasize the ongoing interaction of the person and the environment.