Daraga Community College

Daraga Albay

Prof Ed 1: MODULE 2

I- Title: Human Development

II- Introduction:
Every living creature is called to become what it is meant to be. The caterpillar is meant
to become a butterfly: a seed into a full grown herb and a human baby into a mature person.
This module allows you to learn the concept and meaning of human development.
Distinguish also between the traditional and life span approach of development.
How does this development take place? What do experts say about development?

III-Learning Outcomes:
In this module you are expected to: define human development and distinguish between
the traditional and life span approach of development.

IV- Learning Experiences and Assessment Activities

Human Development - is the scientific study of how and why human beings change over the
course of their life. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to
include adolescence, adult development, aging, and the entire lifespan. Developmental
psychologists aim to explain how thinking, feeling, and behaviors change throughout life.

Development- refers to that human follow and mainly focuses on the attainment of skills and
abilities
Two Approaches to Human Development

1. If you believe that a child shows extensive change from birth to adolescence, little or no
change in adulthood and decline in late old age, your approach to development is traditional.
2. In contrast, if you believe that even in adulthood development change takes place as it
does during childhood, your approach is turned life-span approach.
Characteristics of human development from a life-span perspective, Paul Baltes
(Santrock 2002), an expert in life-span development, gives the following characteristics:
1. Development is lifelong -it does not end in adulthood. A child will continue developing even
in adulthood.
2. Development is plastic – plasticity refers to the potential for change. Development is
possible throughout the lifespan. No one is too old to learn. There is no such thing as “I am too
old for that…”. Aging is associated with declines in certain intellectual abilities. These declines
can be prevented or reduced. In one research study, the reasoning abilities of older adults were
improved through retaining (Willies & Schose, 1994 cited by Santrock J., 2005)
3.Development is multidimensional – development consists of biological ,cognitive, and
socio-emotional dimensions. Development as a process because it is the product of
biological,cognitive and socioemotional process (Santrock, 2002)
Development is relatively orderly - a child will learn to sit, crawl then walk before they
can run. The muscular control of the trunk and the arms comes earlier as compared to the
hands and fingers. This is the proximodistal pattern. During infancy, the greatest growth
always occurs at the top – the head – with physical growth in size, weight and future
differentiation gradually working its way down from top to bottom (for example, neck, shoulders,
middle,trunk and so on). This is the cephalo – caudal pattern.
Development takes place graduall a child won’t develop into pimply teenagers
overnight. It takes years before they become one. In fact, that;s the way of nature, The bud
does not blossom suddenly. The seed does not germinate overnight. While some changes
occur in a flash of insight, more often it takes weeks, months, or years for a person to undergo
changes that result in the display of developmental characteristics.
4. Development is contextual –individuals are changing beings in a changing world.
Individuals respond to and act on contexts. These contexts include the individual’s biological
make up, physical environment, cognitive processes, historical, social, and cultural contexts.
5. Development involves growth, maintenance and regulation – growth, maintenance and
regulation are three (3) goals of human development. The goals if individuals vary among
developmental stages. For intense, as individuals reach middle and late adulthood, concern with
growth gets into the back stage while maintenance and regulation take the center stage.
Prepare your answer for this question next virtual meeting.
If your approach to human development is traditional, are the characteristics of human
development from a life span perspective acceptable? Explain your answer
V. Key Point
This module discusses about the human development and the traditional and life span
approach of development

VI-Looking Ahead
Please study this module for your advance reading.

VII-References:
Brenda B, Corpuz,Ma, Rita D. Lucas, Heide Grace L. Borabo and Paz I. Lucido (2018)
The Child and Adolescent Learner and Learning Principle Metro Manila:LorimarPublishing ,Inc
www.merriam-webster.com
 Activity
September 27,2020

Answer all the questions below:

1. ‘’Growth is an evidence of life’’ or “development is an evidence of life.” What does this

mean? What does this imply to a person’s development?
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2.Interpret the quotation in relation to human development. “Man is an unfinished
project. He is always in the process of becoming”
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3.Like you, each of your future student is bundle of possibilities. How would you look at
them in terms of development?
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Note: Submit it through google classroom, email or messenger within this day.