028227 Learning and Development across the Lifespan

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Description

Effective teaching strategies for learners of any age require an understanding of how humans develop biologically (biosocially), psychosocially (emotionally, socioculturally and affectively) and cognitively, and how the influence of these developmental aspects change over the lifespan. This subject develops theoretical perspectives on human development and applies them to the learning context. Neuroscientific research contributes additional insights into learning and how the body and brain interact in the culture and socio-material environment. These perspectives provide theoretical resources that can inform the practice of those working in diverse educational settings, enabling them to cater for diverse learner needs and goals.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

• Operate professionally in a range of educational settings, with particular emphasis on their specialisation (GTS 1, 2) (1.1)
• Design and conduct effective learning activities, assess and evaluate learning outcomes and create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments (GTS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) (1.2)
• Analyse and synthesise research and engage in inquiry (GTS 3) (2.1)
• Operate ethically with a commitment to social justice (GTS 4, 7) (5.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject addresses the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

1.1 Operate professionally in a range of educational settings, with particular emphasis on their specialisation (GTS 1, 2)

1.2 Design and conduct effective learning activities, assess and evaluate learning outcomes and create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments (GTS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

2.1 Analyse and synthesise research and engage in inquiry (GTS 3)

5.1 Operate ethically with a commitment to social justice (GTS 4, 7)

Teaching and learning strategies

Students will develop and use a number of different learning strategies: flipped learning opportunities such as online topic materials, and quizzes; undertaking a case study of a learner in an educational setting, and critical reading of academic texts. Lectures will provide an overview of the theoretical aspects from a number of perspectives, highlighting their historical contexts, examining areas of contestation, and signalling new and emerging ideas. Tutorials will explore ways of using the theoretical perspectives as resources for understanding their pedagogical implications in their contexts of educational practice.

Content (topics)

This subject will explore key theories and research drawn from psychology, social-cultural theories of learning, and cognitive science on how humans learn and change over the lifespan.

1. Issues in developmental psychology – frameworks for understanding how humans change and stay the same over time (PA 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 5.1);
2. Biosocial development – how heredity and environment interact in human physical growth and change (PA 2.2, 5.1);
3. Cognitive development – how thinking and learning changes over time (PA 2.1, 2.2, 5.1);
4. Psychosocial development – social aspects of learning (PA 6.3, 2.4, 2.5, 5.1);
5. Neuroscientific research implications for learning – the impact for the learning context of understanding of how the brain functions (PA 2.2, 5.1);
6. Communities of practice and activity systems – learning as socio-cultural activity, collective learning and change in shared domain (PA 2.10).

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Reading-based Class Test

Assessment task 2: Individual Assignment - Learner Scenario

Assessment task 3: Examination

Minimum requirements

Participation in all workshops is important in this subject because information, practice and feedback is only available through the essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the lecturer.

It is a requirement of this subject that students selected to attend the Language Development Tutorials must attend 80% in order to pass the subject. Students who do not attend will receive a Fail grade.

Required texts

Margetts, K., & Woolfolk, A. (2019). Educational psychology (5th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Pearson.

References

Bergin, C. A. C., & Bergin, D. A. (2018). Child and adolescent development in your classroom: Topical approach (3rd ed.). Boston, MA, US: Cengage Learning.

Bergin, C. C., Bergin, D. A., Walker, S., Daniel, G., Fenton, A., & Subban, P. (2018). Child and adolescent development for educators. South Melbourne, Vic.: Cengage.

Berk, L. E., & Meyers, A. B. (2016). Infants, children, and adolescents (8th ed.). Boston; 2016: Pearson.

Carey, S., Zaitchik, D., & Bascandziev, I. (2015). Theories of development: In dialog with Jean Piaget. Developmental Review, 38, 36-54. doi://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.lib.uts.edu.au/10.1016/j.dr.2015.07.003

Duchesne, S., & McMaugh, A. (2016). Educational psychology for learning and teaching. South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning Australia.

Hattie, J., Horvath, J. C., & Lodge, J. M. (2016). From the laboratory to the classroom: Translating science of learning for teachers. New York, NY: Routledge.

Hoffnung, M., Hoffnung, R. J., Pause, C., Seifert, K. L., Smith, R. B., Swabey, K., . . . Yates, K. (2016). Lifespan development. Milton, Qld: John Wiley & Sons.

Hoy, A. W. (2019). Educational psychology. New York, NY: Pearson.

Margetts, K., & Woolfolk, A. (2019). Educational psychology (5th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Pearson.

McCormick, C. B. (2018). Child and adolescent development for educators (2nd ed.). New York, New York: The Guilford Press.

McInerney, D. M., & Putwain, D. W. (2017). Developmental and educational psychology for teachers: An applied approach. New York, NY: Routledge.

Peterson, C. (2014). Looking forward through the lifespan: Developmental psychology (6th ed.). NSW Australia: Pearson.

Santrock, J. W. (2018). Educational psychology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Sigelman, C. K., Cunial, K., De George, L., & Rider, E. A. (2019). Life-span human development. South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage.

White, F. A., Hayes, B. K., & Livesey, D. J. (2016). Developmental psychology: From infancy to adulthood. Melbourne, Vic: Pearson Australia.

Other resources

Online podcasts, lectures, documents and videos