SAN JOSE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
San Jose, Malilipot, Albay
COURSE TITLE: Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles
COURSE CODE: Professional Education I
COURSE CREDIT: 3 units, 3 hours/week, 54 hours total
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Major exams, summative quizzes, per unit outputs as specified
in the assessment, end of course learning log (reflective learning)
and portfolio (compilation of outputs of each unit).
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course focuses on child and adolescent development with emphasis on current
research and theories on biological, linguistic, cognitive, social and emotional dimensions of
development. Further this includes factors that affect the progress of development of the
learners and appropriate pedagogical principles applicable for each developmental level of
the learners. It also addresses laws, policies, guidelines and procedures that provide safe
and secure learning environments and the use of positive discipline in the management of
learner behavior.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the course, the students can:
1. demonstrate content knowledge and its application within and/or across curriculum
areas;
2. demonstrate a deep understanding of the different research-based theories related to
the four dimensions of child and adolescent development;
3. reflect on the applicability of the theories to each developmental level of the learners;
4. gain knowledge of laws, policies, guidelines and procedures that provide safe and
secured learning environments, and;
5. demonstrate knowledge of positive and non-violent discipline in the management of
learner behavior.
CONTENT: Unit 1- BASIC CONCEPTS
TIME ALLOTMENT: Week 1 and 2
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the unit the students can:
a. explain the basic concepts related to child and adolescent development;
b. explain how current research and theories on child and adolescent development
contribute to teaching and learning within and across different.
A. DEFINITIONS of CHILD and ADOLESCENT LEARNER
Child is a young human being below the age of puberty or below the legal age of
maturity. Biologically, a child is a human being between the stages of birth and
puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty.
Adolescent is any person between ages 10 and 19.
B. GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT
Growth is the progressive increase and continuous advancement of the child from
birth to maturity.
Development is the process by which an organism grows and changes over the
course of his life.
The three issues on human development:
1. Nature vs Nurture
Nature refers to an individual’s biological inheritance while nurture refers to
environmental experiences.
2. Continuity vs discontinuity
Continuity is the gradual, cumulative change while discontinuity is the
distinct change.
3. Stability vs change
Stability is the state or quality of being stable; quality of being unchanging
while change is a transformation from one state, condition or phase to another.
C. DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS and EDUCATION (Robert James Havighurst)
Developmental task is the task expected of every individual in each stage of
development.
1. Prenatal period – from conception to birth
This involves tremendous growth – from a single cell to an organism complete
with brain and behavioral capabilities.
2. Infancy -from birth to 2 years
This is a time of extreme dependence on adults. Many psychological activities
are just beginning – language, symbolic thought, sensorimotor coordination and
social learning.
3. Early childhood – 3 to 6 years
This is the pre-school years. Young children learn to become more self-
sufficient and to care for themselves, develop school readiness, skills and spend
many hours in play with peers.
4. Middle and late childhood – 6 to 11 years
This is the elementary years. The fundamental skills of reading, writing and
arithmetic are mastered. The child is exposed to the larger world and its culture.
Achievement becomes a more central theme of the child’s world and self-control
increased.
5. Adolescence – 12 to 19 years
Begins with rapid physical changes – dramatic gains in weight and height,
changes in body contour and the development of sexual characteristics. Pursuit
of independence and identity is prominent. Thought is more logical, abstract and
idealistic. More time is spent outside of the family.
6. Early adulthood – from early 20’s through the 30’s
It is time of establishing personal and economic independence, career
development, selecting a mate, learning to live with someone in an intimate way,
starting a family.
7. Middle adulthood – 30 to 60 years
It is a time of expanding personal and social involvement and responsibility, of
assisting the next generation in becoming competent and mature individuals and
of reaching and maintaining satisfaction in a career.
8. Late adulthood – 60 and above
It is time for adjustment to decreasing strength and health, life review,
retirement and adjustment to new social roles.
D. DOMAINS of DEVELOPMENT
1. Biological process – involves changes in the individual’s physical nature.
2. Cognitive process – involves changes in the individual’s thought, intelligence and
language.
3. Socio-emotional process – includes changes in the individual’s relationship with
other people, changes in emotions and personality.
SUGGESTED LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Answer the following questions:
1. Is development a continuous process? Support your answer.
2. Give the implications of the developmental tasks to you as a future facilitator of
learning (as a teacher).
3. Which has a more significant influence on human development – nature or nurture?
Support your answer.
4. How can parents contribute to their children’s favorable development?
5. Write a two-paragraph reflection on “What makes me the person that I am now.”
Prepared by:
BERNARDITA B. MANALO
Instructor
