Learning

in ED101

Module
The Child and Adolescent Learners
and Learning Principles

By
Prof. Helen Ablong Tampus

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course focuses on child and adolescent developments with emphasis on current
research-based knowledge through content knowledge and its application within and/or
across curriculum teaching areas to develop critical and creative thinking and theory on
biological, linguistic, cognitive, social, and emotional dimensions of development. This
would also promote fairness, respect, and care to encourage learning. Further, this includes
factors that affect the progress of development of the learners to suit their gender, needs,
strengths, interests and experiences and build relationships with parents/guardians and shall
include appropriate pedagogical principles applicable for each development level with the aid
of verbal and non-verbal classroom communication strategies and positive use of ICT.

At the end of the course, the learners are able to: 1.) Analyze content knowledge and its
application within and/or across curriculum teaching areas; 2.) Demonstrate an understanding
of the different research-based theories related to the broad dimensions of child and
adolescent development and their application to each particular developmental level of the
learners; 3.) Respond to the pedagogical principles suited to diverse learners’ needs and
experiences at different developmental levels; 4.) Contextualize knowledge of laws, policies,
guidelines and procedures that provide safe and secure learning environments; 5.) Embody
positive and non-violent discipline in the management of learner behavior; and 6.)
Internalize teaching strategies that develop critical and creative thinking, and/or other higher-
order thinking skills

Module 2
Biological Development

Welcome to ED101- The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning

Principles! This module will help you understand how children and adolescents learn. You
will be introduced to the basic concepts regarding human development. The discussion of the
substantial ideas related to child and adolescent development will provide you with a
motivating and thought-provoking module rich in informative lesson from scholarly works.
Sources will be cited in this module to enrich the discussion. We hope that you will be
engaged to know more about this course. First things first, let us know the institutional
learning outcomes of our beloved Negros Oriental State University (NOrSU). You will be
introduced to NOrSU’s vision, mission, core values, quality policy and the goals of our very
own College of Teacher Education (CTEd).

Now, let’s familiarize the institutional policies of Negros Oriental State University.

Vision of
A dynamic, competitive and globally responsive State University

Mission of
The University shall provide excellent instruction, relevant and responsive research and
extension services and quality-assured production through competent and highly motivated
human capital.

Core Values
S – Spirituality

2 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

A – Accountability
P – Professionalism
P – Patriotism
H – Harmony
I – Integrity
R – Respect
E - Excellence

Quality Policy
NOrSU commits itself to the provision of quality instruction, research, extension services and
production as well as compliance to applicable regulatory requirements and continual
improvement of its management system.

College of Teacher Education Goals

As education is life, the CTEd Programs commit to:

T–ransfer knowledge in demonstrating relevant research-based teaching pedagogies

incorporating 21st century literacy, numeracy, scientific and technological skills

E-xpose students to a variety of interactive teaching strategies and assessments

A-dapt a classroom learning environment that engages learners, individually or in group, in
meaningful exploration, discovery, and hands-on activities

C–ollaborate with professionals and stakeholders in the enhancement of responsive learning

programs to meet curriculum goals

H–one teaching skills necessary to cater to diverse learners

E-nrich personal and professional growth and development among teachers, students, and
the community

R-espond to community needs through relevant extension services and linkages

S–upplement acquisition of knowledge and skills with desirable values based on professional
and ethical teaching standards

Directions on How to Use this Module Properly

Each module contains the following parts:

 Behavioral Objectives
These are the general goals in each module. Read them carefully. They are the
objectives that you are going to meet at the end of the module.

 Specific Objectives

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 These are the learning objectives for the particular lesson targeting the cognitive
(knowledge), affective (attitude) and psychomotor (skills).

 Motivation
These are questions or activities that will stimulate you before you begin with your
journey to the lesson that you are going to learn.

 Discussion
This contains new information for you to learn. In this part, a thorough discussion
will be given in or order for you to properly grasp the lesson.

 Suggested Learning Activity

This is an activity that can enrich your learning since you will be given tasks or
activities based on the discussion which you are going to answer.

 Practice Task/Assessment
This is another test in line with the objectives in each lesson. Varied methods of
assessment will be given.

 Assignment
This part serves as an enrichment of the topic being discussed or as a sort of reflection
or insights

 Feedback
This is an evaluation whether you fully understand the lesson at the end of the
session. You are going to rate yourself at the end of the lesson. You can write your
questions and clarifications in this part.

Introduction
This module will give you a description of how human life develops before
and after birth. The discussions in this module came from the internet and other
relevant sources.

Behavioral Objectives
1. Identify factors affecting biological/physical development.
2. Discuss the two (2) theories; Development Milestone and Ecological System
3. Gather research information related to the theories and application of
biological development.

Contents of this Module

A. Biological beginnings
B. Physical and Motor Development
C. Neuroscience and Brain development
D. Factors Affecting Biological/ Physical Development
E. Developmental Milestones (Gesell) and Ecological Systems Theory
(Bronfenbrenner)
F. Current Research Pedagogical Applications

Lesson 1: Biological Beginnings

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Learning Objectives

1. Trace the course of pre-natal development process.

2. Discuss the characteristics of each stage/process.
3. Give insights of what’s really happening to some unborn child in the womb of the
mother.

Motivation/Prompting Questions

What is inside the mother’s womb? Reflect on the picture and write your reflection below.
___________________________________________________________________________
________
___________________________________________________________________________
________

Cari Nierenberg - Live Science Contributor May 19, 2015

Has each one gone through this life’s stage? ___________

What life stage of biological development does the picture show? __________

Discussion

In this lesson you will be learning the stages of the pre-natal development. To begin
with our lesson you will be watching a video to have a clear picture of when and how human
life begins and develops. Please open the link below for your reference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKyljukBE70

Check your own understanding from the video you have just watched.
1. When does life begin? ___________
2. How did it happen? __________

The 3 stages of Prenatal Development

5 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

 Illustration by Katie Kerpel. © Verywell, 2017.

Germinal Stage: (The first two weeks after conception)

This includes the (a) creation of the zygote, (b) continued cell division and (c) and the
attachment of the zygote to the uterine wall.

The details of development during this period are as follows:

a) 24-30 hours after fertilization-the male (sperm) and female (egg) chromosome unite

b) 36 hours-the fertilized ovum, zygote, divides into two (2) cells

c) 48 hours (2 days)- 2 cells become 4 cells

d) 72 hours (3 days)- 4 cells become a small compact ball of 16-32 cells

e) 96 hours (4 days)- hollow ball of 64-128 cells

f) 4-5 days – inner cell mass (blastocyst) still free in the uterus

g) 6-7 days – blastocyst attaches to the wall of uterus

h) 11-15 days – blastocyst invades into uterine wall and becomes implanted in it

i) differentiation of cells as inner and outer layers of the organism are formed

j) The blastocyst (inner layer of the cells) develop into an embryo

k) The trophoblast (outer layer of the cells) that develop during this period later provides
nutrition and support for the embryo (Nelson, Textbook of Pediatrics, 17th ed., 2004).

Embryonic Stage (2-8 weeks after conception)

The mass cells called the zygote become embryo. The following developments take place:

a) Cell differentiation intensifies

b) Life-support systems for the embryo develop and
c) Organs appear
d) As the zygote gets attached to the wall of the uterus. Two cells are formed
e) Endoderm – the inner layer of cells, develops into the digestive and respiratory
systems
f) The outer layer of cell is divided into two parts- the ectoderm and the mesoderm.
The ectoderm (outermost layer) becomes the nervous system, sensory receptors (eyes,
ears, nose) and skin parts (nails, hair)
The mesoderm (middle layer) becomes the circulatory, skeletal, muscular, excretory

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 and reproductive systems.
This process of organ formation during the first two months of pre-natal development
is called organogenesis.

As the 3 layers of the embryo form, the support systems for the embryo develop
rapidly. The life-support systems are the placenta, the umbilical cord and the amnion.
The placenta consists of a disk-shaped group of tissues in which small blood vessels
from the mother and the offspring intertwine but do not join. The umbilical cord
contains two arteries and one vein that connects the baby to the placenta. The amnion
is a bag or an envelope that contains a clear fluid in which the developing embryo
floats. All these embryo life-support systems develop from the fertilized egg and not
from the mother’s body.

Fetal Stage (2 months to 7 months after conception)

Growth and development continue dramatically during this period. The details of the
developmental process are as follows (Santrock, 2002):

a) 3 months after conception – fetus is about 3 inches long and weighs about 1 ounce;
fetus become active, moves its arms and legs, opens and closes its mouth, and moves
its head; the face, forehead, eyelids, nose, chin, can now be distinguished and also the
upper and lower arms, hands and lower limbs; the genitals ca now be identified as
male or female.
b) 4 months after conception – fetus is about 6 inches long and weighs 4 to 7 ounces;
growth spurt occurs in the body’s lower parts; pre-natal reflexes are stronger; mother
feels arm and leg movement for the first time.
c) 5 months after conception- fetus is about 12 inches long, weighs close to a pound;
structures of the skin (fingernails, toenails) have formed; fetus is more active.
d) 6 months after conception – fetus is about 14 inches long and weighs one and half
pound; eyes and eyelids are completely formed; fine layer of head covers the head;
grasping reflex is present and irregular movements occur.
e) 7 months after conception – fetus is about 16 inches long and weighs 3 pounds
f) 8 and 9 months after conception – fetus grows longer and gains substantial weight,
about 4 pounds.

Learning Activities

1. Write the BIG IDEAS on this topic. Trace the course of pre-natal development. Give
insights of what’s really happening to some unborn child in the womb of the mother.
Cite some hazard incidents that may affect the development of the fetus.

Concept Related Periods Characteristics Insights

7 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

Assessment

A. Filling the blanks

1. ______________ refers to the process in which a baby develops from a single cell
after conception into an embryo and later a fetus
2. ______________ the process of organ formation during the first two months of pre-
natal development.
3. ______________ develops during the germinal period and later into an embryo.
4. ______________ the life-support system that consists of a disk-shaped group of
tissues.
5. ______________ Growth and development continue dramatically during this period.

B. Essay

Discuss why pregnant mothers are advised not to smoke, not to drink alcoholic
drinks, not to take in any medication without doctor’s advice.

Assignment
This is your Project worth 50 points.

Pretend you are 4 months old in the womb. Your mother is concentrating of doing abortion.
Write her a LETTER convincing her that you are a human being developing contrary to what
she and other pro-abortionists are thinking. Describe to her the development that has already
taken place in 4 months. Reflect what you learned on pre-natal development in this module.

Feedback
Write your comments about lesson 1 of module 2

How did you find the lesson?

___________________________________________________________________________
___.

Lesson 2: Physical and Motor Development

Learning Objectives
1. Identify and discuss the six big ideas under physical and motor development.
2. Trace the physical and motor development of growing infants and toddlers.
3. Draw implications of these principles and processes to parenting and caregiving.

8 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

Motivation/Prompting Questions
Review: In module 1 you learned about cephalocaudal and proximodistal pattern.

What is the difference between cephalocaudal and proximodistal pattern of development?

Use the picture below to figure out your answer.

Answer: ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Discussions

There are 6 big ideas under the physical and motor development. These are the following:
cephalocaudal, proximodistal, height and weight, brain, motor development, sensory and
perceptual development.

1. Cephalocaudal trend is the postnatal growth from conception to 5 months when the
head grows more than the body. This trend also applies in the first months after birth.
Infants learn to use their upper limbs before their lower limbs. Same pattern occurs in
the head area. The top part of the head which are the eyes and the brain grow faster
than the lower parts such as the jaw.
2. Proximodistal trend is the pre-natal growth from 5 months to birth when the fetus
grows from the inside of the body outwards. This also applies in the first months after
birth as shown in the earlier maturation of muscular control of the trunk and arms
followed by the hands and fingers. Proximodistal trend refers to the development of
motor skills from the center of the body outward.
3. Height and Weight
 Within couple of weeks newborn babies drop 5-10% of their body weight due to
baby’s adjustment to neonatal feeding. Once they adjust to sucking, swallowing
and digesting, they grow rapidly.

 Breastfeed babies are typically heavier than bottle-fed babies through the first 6
months. After 6 months, breastfeed babies usually weigh less than bottle-fed
babies.

4. Brain Development- Among the most dramatic changes in the brain in the first 2
years of life are the spreading connections of dendrites to each other.
Myelination and myelinization is the process by which the axons are covered and
insulated by layers of fat cells, begins prenatally and continues after birth. The
process increases the speed at which information travels through
Nervous system
 At birth the newborn’s brain is about 25% of its adult weight. By the second
birthday, the brain is about 75% of its adult weight.

9 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

  Shortly after birth, a baby’s brain produces trillions more connections between
neurons than it can possibly use. The brain eliminates connections that are seldom
or never used. (Santrock, 2002) The infant’s brain is literally waiting for
experiences to determine how connection are made.
 Depressed brain activity has been found inchildren who grew up in a depressed
environment (Circhetti, 2002-cited by Santrock, 2002)

5. Motor Development of infants and toddlers begin from reflexes, to grow motor and
fine motor skills.
 Reflexes- The newborn has some basic reflexes which are automatic and serve as
survival mechanisms before they have the opportunity to learn.
Some common reflexes of babies are:
 Sucking Reflex – It is initiated when something touched the roof of an infant’s
mouth. They have strong sucking reflex which helps.
 Rooting Reflex – The baby responds by turning his/her head in the direction of
the touch and opening their mouth for feeding.
 Gripping Reflex- Babies will grasp anything that is placed in their palm. The
strength of this grip is strong and most babies can support their entire weight in
their grip.
 Curling Reflex- When the inner sole of a baby’s foot is stroked the infant respond
by curling his/her toes.
 Startle/Moro Reflex-Infants will respond to sudden sounds or movements by
throwing their arms and legs out, and throwing their heads back.
 Galant Reflex-When an infant’s middle or lower back is stroked next to the spinal
cord, he/she will respond by curving his/her body toward the side which is being
stroked.
 Tonic Neck Reflex-The tonic neck reflex is demonstrated in infants who are
placed on their abdomens. Whichever side the child’s head is facing, the limbs on
that side will straighten, while the opposite limbs will curl.
(http://www.mamashealth.com/child/inreflex.asp)
a. Gross Motor Skills

b. Fine Motor Skills- are skills that involve a refined use of the small muscles
controlling the hand, fingers, and thumb. The development of these skills
allows one to be able to complete tasks such as writing, drawing, and
buttoning.

6. Sensory and Perceptual Development adult vision.

The newborn senses the world which she/he is born through her/his senses of vision,
hearing, touch, taste and smell. As she/he advances physically his/her sensory and
perceptual abilities also develop
 Vision: The newborn’s vision is about 10-30 times lower than normal adult
vision. By 6 months of age, vision becomes better and by the first birthday, the
infant’s vision approximates that of an adult. (Banks & Salapatek, 1983 cited by
Santrock, 2002)
 Hearing: The sense of hearing in an infant develop much better before the birth of
the baby. When in the womb, the baby hears his/her mother’s heartbeats, the
grumbling of his/her stomach, the mother’s voice and music.
 Smelling: Young infants who were breastfed showed a clear preference for
smelling their mother’s breast pad when they were 6 days old.
 Touch and Pain: They do feel pain. Newborn males show a higher level of
cortisol (an indicator of stress) after the circumcision than prior to surgey (Taddio,
etal, 1997 cited by Santrock, 2002)
Babies respond to touch. A newborn automatically sucks an object placed in
his/her mouth, or a touch of the cheek makes him turn his head toward the side
that was touched.

10 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

  Taste: Based from a study conducted with babies only two hour old, made
different facial expressions when they tasted sweet, sour, and bitter solutions
(Rosentein and Oster, 1988, cited by Santrock, 2002)
 Intermodal Perception: It is the ability to relate, connect and integrate information
about two or more sensory modalities such as vision and hearing. In a study
conducted by Spelke and Owsly (1979), it was found out that as early as at 3 ½
months old, infants looked more at her mother when they also heard her voice and
longer at their father when they also heard his voice.

1. What are the big ideas under the physical and motor development?
2. What are its implications to the total development of children?

Learning Activities
I would like you to discover the characteristics and behaviors of infants, mobile infants
and toddlers when considering their physical and motor development. Please watch the
videos from the given links.

https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/physical-development/lesson-1

https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/physical-development/lesson-2?
module=7536

https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/physical-development/lesson-3?
module=7536

https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/physical-development/lesson-4?
module=7536

 Come up with a graphic presentation of the milestone of the various aspects of

physical development during infancy and toddlerhood.

Assessment

Read the following scenarios that highlight some characteristics and behaviors of young
infants, mobile infants, and toddlers when considering physical development, specifically
gross- and fine-motor skills. After reading the scenarios, consider all you have learned
throughout this lesson.

Which characteristics or behaviors would be considered fine-motor skills and which would
be considered gross-motor skills? Write these down and then think about possible ways you
could support each of these young children. Be sure to add ideas to your chart as you

11 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

complete the remaining lessons and learn even more about the physical development of
infants and toddlers.

1. Young infant (birth to 8 months)

Bobby’s provider knows it is important to give him time on his tummy when he is awake.
Bobby is four months old. “Tummy time” will help him strengthen his muscles and learn to
raise his head and body with his arms to look around. Sometimes his provider uses a
supportive pillow to put under Bobby’s arms and chest to help support his body so that he
can look around and reach for a toy while he is on his tummy.

2. Mobile infant (8 months to 18 months)

Ms. Kendra, a family child care provider, is caring for twins. She is excited to see which of
the 13-month-old twins will walk first. Carrie was quite eager to crawl and enjoys moving
around the room to explore. Cindy was more content to sit and play with her toys and started
to crawl after Carrie learned. Both girls are pulling themselves up in their cribs. Ms. Kendra
is thinking even more about child proofing areas in her home as she prepares for the new
walkers.

3. Toddler (18 to 36 months)

Deondre was born six weeks premature and at 25 months of age, he shows some delays in
motor development. Deondre’s parents are working with specialists to help facilitate his
motor development. Deondre enjoys sitting on the floor while looking at books and playing
with puzzles that have large knobs. He works hard at turning and pushing the pieces into
place. Deondre claps along with his family child care provider to show his delight at
completing a puzzle.

Assignment

Having learned the physical development of infants and toddlers, as a future parent or
caregiver of children, reflect on this line:

1. What you should do more often for infants and toddlers.

2. What you should refrain from doing to facilitate their growth and development.

Feedback

12 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

How did you find the lesson? Write your comment below.

________________________________________________________________
___

Lesson 3: Neuroscience and Brain Development

Learning Objectives
1. Discuss the brain development for kids.
2. Explain the implications of brain weight over body weight in human development.
3. Reflect on the issues of brain disorders and its effect on human development.

Motivation/Prompting Questions
Let’s know the following terms first before we can proceed to our lesson

1. Neuroscience ________________________________________________________
2. Neurons _____________________________________________________________
3. Synapse _____________________________________________________________
4. Dendrites ____________________________________________________________
5. plasticity
I would like you to study the picture and discover when and how brains develop.

slideplayer.com

Please open the link to explore the neuroscience and brain development for kids.
https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/brain/episode1/index.html

1. Discuss on when and how brains develop for kids from the video you have just
watched.

13 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

 _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
__________________________

Discussion
The brain is the ultimate organ of adaptation. It takes in information and orchestrates
complex behavioral repertoires that allow human beings to act in sometimes marvelous,
sometimes terrible ways. Most of what people think of as the “self”—what we think, what
we remember, what we can do, how we feel—is acquired by the brain from the experiences
that occur after birth. Some of this information is acquired during critical or sensitive periods
of development. (Charles A. Nelson) Children's brains develop rapidly from ages birth
through three. Brain development affects all areas of a child's growth. There are four main
areas of development: motor (physical), language and communication, social and emotional,
and cognitive. Brain development is part of cognitive development.

The links below will bring us into the realization of how brains develop from conception till
full grown up individuals.

https://www.newheightseducation.org/educational-articles/neuroscience-and-brain-child-
development/

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/dev.html

https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/brain/episode1/index.html

https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/brain/episode2/index.html

Learning Activity
 Explain why body weight has surprising impact on brain function
Use the link below to figure out your answers.

https://neurosciencenews.com/body-weight-brain-function-16770/

Assessment
A. Check the letter from the given choices which has the answer for each question.
1. The system that controls everything you do
A. Nervous
B. Olfactory
C. Respiratory
D. Endocrine
2. Without the nervous system, you couldn’t:
A. Walk
B. Breadth
C. Think

14 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

 D. All of the above
3. The nervous system is made up of these three parts
A. Brain, heart, and spinal cord
B. Brain, spinal cord, and nerves
C. Nerves, arteries, and veins
D. Nerves, liver, and heart
4. Rate of neurons developed for fetus at 4 weeks in the womb
A. 150,000 every minute
B. 250,000 every minute
C. 350,000 every minute
D. 450,000 every minute
5. The nervous system develops from embryonic tissue called the
A. Ectoderm
B. Mesoderm
C. Endoderm
D. Bioderm

B. Discuss how the brain develops in a child in -

1. 4 weeks at the womb _______________________________________
2. At birth ________________________________________________________
3. Two years old ______________________________________________
4. Three years old ________________________________________

Assignment
Research on at least three issues/problems that affect human brain development. Reflect on
these issues and their effects on human growth and development.

Feedback
Write your comments about lesson 3 of module 2.

________________________________________________________________
___

Lesson 4: Factors Affecting Biological/ Physical Development

Learning Objectives

15 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

 1. Identify and discuss the factors that affect biological and physical development.
2. Reflect on the factors that contribute to the growth and development of children.
3. Explain the parents and educators’ responsibilities in the total development of
children entrusted to their care.
4.

Motivation/Prompting Questions
In the previous lessons you learned about how child develops from conception till birth. In
our lesson today I would want you to connect your ideas about nature and nurture in learning
the factors that influence the growth and development of every child.

Reflect what’s in the picture then write your reflection below.

Reflection: ______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________

Discussion
In the video that you will be watching from the link given below, I would want you to
identify the factors that affect the growth and development in children.

https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/factors-that-affect-growth-and-development-in-
children/

1. What are the factors that influence the growth and development of children from the
video you have just watched?
2. List them down and discuss each.

Learning Activities
As future educator and parent, how would you support young kids in facing challenges? The
following links will help you figure out your answers.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/the_importance_of_taking_on_challenges_for_young_childr
en

16 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

Assessment
How will the parents and educators NURTURE children’s development in the following
areas?

Areas of Development Parent Educator

Cognitive

Socio-cultural

Physical

Mental

Spiritual

Assignment
Conduct an interview to parents/guardians and gather information regarding their experiences
in rearing children from infancy to toddlerhood.

________________________________________________________________
____________

________________________________________________________________
____________

Feedback
Write your comments below for lesson 4 of module 2.

Lesson 5: Developmental Milestones (Gesell) and Ecological Systems Theory

(Bronfenbrenner

Learning Objectives
1. Describe each of the layers of Bronfenbrenner’s biological model.
2. Identify factors in one’s own life that exerted influence on one’s development.

17 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

 3. Use the biological theory as a framework to describe the factors that affect a child and
adolescent development.

Motivation/Prompting Questions
Study the paradigm below

What does the paradigm show?

What is ecology? _____________________________________________

What is ecological system? _______________________________________________

The figure above

shows the
Bronfenbrenner’s
Ecological System
Theory. Reflect on
the different
factors that exert
influence on the
individual’s
development.

Reflection:
______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Discussion
Bronfenbrenner’s biological systems theory presents child development within the context of
relationship systems that comprise the child’s environment. It describes multipart layers of
environment that has an effect of child’s development. You can also refer the following
discussion in the given link. https://www.psychologynoteshq.com/bronfenbrenner-
ecological-theory/

1. The Microsystem is the layer nearest the child. This layer comprise of structures such
as family, school and neighborhood in which the child directly interacts with. In this
layer, relationship effects happen in two directions-both away from the child and
toward the child. This means that the child is affected by the behavior and beliefs of
the parents and likewise the child also affects the behavior and beliefs of the parents.
Bronfenbrenner calls these bi-directional influences, and he shows how they occur
among all levels. This is quite similar to what Erikson termed as “mutuality” in his
psychosocial theory.

18 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

 2. The Mesosystem is the layer that serves as the connection between the structures of
the child’s microsystem. Example of this is the interaction between parents and
teachers.
3. The Exosystem is the bigger social system which the child does not function directly.
This includes the city government, the work place and mass media.
The child may not interact directly with what is in the exosystem, but he is likely feel
the positive or negative impact this system creates as it interacts with the child’s own
system.
4. The Macrosystem is the environment that includes the cultural, values, customs and
laws. The belief system contained in one’s macrosystem permeates all the interactions
in the other layers and reaches the individual.
5. The Chronosystem involves the “pattern of stability and change” in the child’s life.
Example is the timing of other siblings coming or the timing of parental separation or
even death.

Learning Activities
Reflect on this quotation from Urie Bronfenbrenner “Children need people in order to
become human”

Reflection:
___________________________________________________________________________
_

________________________________________________________________

Assessment
A. Recall your childhood years. You may also ask your parents/guardians for some
information. Answer the following sentence completion items.

1. When I was 5 years old, my parents

____________________________________________________________________
2. As a child my unforgettable playmates were
____________________________________________________________________
3. When I was in elementary, I regularly watched the television show
_____________________________________________________________________
__
4. When I was growing up, we went to church
_____________________________________________________________________
__

19 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

 5. I cannot forget my teacher who
_____________________________________________________________________
__
6. When I was growing up, I was away from
_____________________________________________________________________
__
7. When I was in high school, I was close to
_____________________________________________________________________
__
8. As a child, I can recall this big news about
_____________________________________________________________________
__
9. The most serious challenge our family experienced was
_____________________________________________________________________
__
10. The most important thing that I learned from my elementary school was
_____________________________________________________________________
__
B. Looking at your answers in the Activity, describe how these people or circumstances
have influenced your attitudes, behavior and habits.

___________________________________________________________
__

Assignment
1. Please reflect on this line: Bronfenbrenner said that the “instability and
unpredictability of family life is the most destructive force of the child’s
development.” Write your reflection below.

___________________________________________________________________________
_

1. What would be the effect of this to the child’s behavior and beliefs?

2. As a future educator how will you support your student in terms of instability and
broken relationships with his immediate environment?

Feedback
Write your comments below

________________________________________________________________
______

Lesson 6: Current Research Pedagogical Applications

Learning Objectives

20 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

 1. Identify the pedagogies that support children’s total development.
2. Discuss the principles for students’ development and their implications for adults.

Motivation/Prompting Questions

What is the role of an educator/adult

in child’s physical and Cognitive
development?
_______________________

What is the role of the classmate in the learning

development of the student?

________________________
Posted by Christine Sarikas Gen Ed. Jan 2020

Discussion

In the previous lessons you learned about growth and physical development of a child. As the
child develops his fine and motor skills, his metacognitive knowledge should also be
developed. As a future educator you have a great role in supporting the total development of
children in your class.
Young children may find contented learning in class when they are engaged in play. They are
happily building with blocks and other manipulatives which can create an intricate roadway
that has captured their interest. As an educator you are looking for activities that children are
captivated and where they are capable of going further with their play.
When you feel that your intervention can take their play to higher levels of learning then use
this opportunity as co-creator and help provoke a framework for the children to go from
“what they know” to “what else they could know!” This is scaffolding technique. It is a
framework to describe an adult’s supportive role in children’s learning. It enables the child to
solve a problem, carry out a task or achieve a goal which is just beyond his or her abilities.
During play children’s social and emotional skills are developed, scaffolding is the bridge to
new skill levels through modelling the skills, giving clues and asking questions. When the
child is trying out the new skill and reaches mastery, the educator will start withdrawing the
support. (Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education 2014) Vygotsky scaffolding and the
related concept of the zone of proximal development are the teaching methods that can
help students learn much more information much more quickly than they would with
traditional instruction. Educators or peers are the "scaffolding" who help the student expand
her learning boundaries and learn more than she would be able to on her own.
In the given link below you will discover the pedagogical applications used by adults to
develop child’s biological development. The title of the study in the given link is
“Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310550/

21 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

Learning Activities

Read this section about Cognitive Development then answer the question below.
Studies of early cognitive development have led researchers to understand the developing
mind as astonishingly competent, active, and insightful from a very early age. For example,
infants engage in an intuitive analysis of the statistical regularities in the speech sounds they
hear en route to constructing language (Saffran, 2003). Infants and toddlers derive implicit
theories to explain the actions of objects and the behavior of people; these theories form the
foundation for causal learning and more sophisticated understanding of the physical and
social worlds. Infants and young children also are keenly responsive to what they can learn
from the actions and words directed to them by other people. This capacity for joint attention
may be the foundation that enables humans to benefit from culturally transmitted knowledge
(Tomasello et al., 2005). Infants respond to cues conveying the communicative intentions of
an adult (such as eye contact and infant-directed speech) and tune in to what the adult is
referring to and what can be learned about it. This “natural pedagogy” (Csibra, 2010; Csibra
and Gergely, 2009) becomes more sophisticated in the sensitivity of preschoolers to implicit
pedagogical guides in adult speech directed to them (Butler and Markman, 2012a,b, 2014).
Young children rely so much on what they learn from others that they become astute, by the
preschool years, in distinguishing adult speakers who are likely to provide them with reliable
information from those who are not (Harris, 2012; Jaswal, 2010; Koenig and Doebel, 2013).
This connection of relationships and social interactions to cognitive development is
consistent with how the brain develops and how the mind grows.

1. How do early educators contribute to the cognitive growth of children in their first 3
years?
___________________________________________________________
___________

Assessment
1. The word “pedagogy” means
a. To guide the child
b. To lead the child
c. To educate the child
d. To understand the child
2. Pedagogy is the study of
a. Education
b. Guiding students
c. Learning process
d. Teaching methods
3. Which one of the following indicates child’s physical growth
a. Negative
b. Quantitative
c. Qualitative
d. Positive
4. The best method to study growth and development of the child is –
a. Psychoanalytic theory
b. Comparative method
c. Developmental method
d. Statistical method
5. Concrete examples of Scaffolding
a. Educators or peers
b. Theories
c. Methodologies
d. Principles

22 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

 6. “Individual learns from his own mistakes” This statement is based on
what learning theory?
a. Instrumental conditioning
b. Insight
c. Trial and error
d. Classical conditioning
7. What should the role of teacher in meeting the individual differences?
a. Try to know the abilities, interest, and aptitude of individual
differences
b. Try to adjust the curriculum as per the needs of individuals
c. Both a & b
d. None of these
8. Teachers should present information to the students clearly and in
interesting way and relate this new information to the things students
a. Don’t know
b. Already know
c. Willing to know
d. Not willing to know
9. If a child has mental age of 5 years and chronological age of 4 years then
what will be the IQ of the child?
a. 125
b. 80
c. 120
d. 100
10.Which of the following statements is not true?
a. Growth is a biological process
b. Development is a quantitative process
c. Education is a goal-oriented process
d. Learning is a process of behavioral changes

http://mcq.cetjob.com/2018/09/pedagogy-mcq-for-teacher-exam-child-
development-quiz-1.htm

Assignment

Discuss the following concepts (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310550/)

1. Developing Implicit Theories: Implication for Adults
2. Infant’s sensitivity to Teaching Cues: Implication for Adults
3. Effects of Language used by adults: Implication for Adults

Feedback
 How did you find answering lesson 6?
 Write your comments below
________________________________________________________
_________

23 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

References

http://examsupdate.blogspot.com/2015/09/mcq-on-child-development-and-
pedagogy.html
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pubs/documents/
child_adol_dev_teacher_ed.pdf

https://www.universalclass.com/articles/self-help/research-on-child-
development-in-understanding-positive-parenting.htm
https://www.psychologynoteshq.com/bronfenbrenner-ecological-theory/

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/
the_importance_of_taking_on_challenges_for_young_children

https://www.newheightseducation.org/educational-articles/neuroscience-and-brain-child-
development/

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/dev.html

https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/brain/episode1/index.html

https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/brain/episode2/index.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKyljukBE70

https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/physical-development/lesson-1

https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/physical-development/lesson-2?
module=7536

https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/physical-development/lesson-3?
module=7536

https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/physical-development/lesson-4?
module=7536

24 I ED101 THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES