| Unit name | Developmental Psychology and individual Differences |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EDUCM0101 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Hoicka |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Education |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit explores research and theory in developmental psychology, how these link to individual differences, and their implications for educational contexts. It looks at cognitive, social, and emotional development from the early years to adulthood, and factors which influence individual differences within these constructs. Students will critically engage with theories and explanations of how and why people are different, whether and how such differences can be measured, and what the implication of such differences are for education.
Why is this unit important?
This unit is important because it provides students with a space in which to think deeply about the ways in which human development vary, through the lens of different psychological constructs which have direct relevance to educational contexts and practice. Developmental Psychology and Individual Difference are both core compulsory areas of the BPS accredited curriculum, and good understandings of both are central to careers both in schools and in professional psychological practice.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit will introduce students to key underlying principles of the Psychology of Education, such as individual variation in universal psychological constructs, and thinking about change over time in human development. These are important for being able to engage with material across the course, for being able to critically reflect on research and theories you encounter in this and other units, and for developing your own research ideas for the dissertation in TB2.
Overview of content
This unit will cover a range of topics, looking at human development, how educational settings can support the development of specific areas of individual difference (e.g., personality, executive function, IQ, prosociality), and the factors affecting the development of these areas. Throughout the unit, this learning is linked to the implications for educational practice and students are encouraged to reflect on how these impact educational experiences for a range of learners. The unit also involves critical engagement with the history of developmental psychology and the psychology of individual differences, and the ethical implications of that history both for academia and for professional practice.
How students, personally, will be different as a result of the unit:
· You will develop an understanding and critical appreciation of current approaches of developmental and educational psychology and the importance of acknowledging individual differences, which is valuable in psychology and education related roles
· You will become reflective and critical readers of developmental and individual differences psychology research
· You will be confident in relating psychological research to their future professional practice in a range of educational and psychology-based roles
· You will gain confidence in presenting information in different written formats and for different audiences, a key skill for future employability
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the unit students will be able to:
1. Explain and analyse key concepts of developmental psychology and individual differences
2. Critically evaluate and interpret research and theory relating to developmental psychology and individual differences
3. Explain and evaluate the importance of a variety of factors in human development
4. Critically evaluate the relationship between developmental and individual differences psychology and education in a variety of contexts
5. Analyse the implications of developmental and individual differences psychology research for educational settings
This unit will be taught by a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops and interactive group work. The unit will engage students in collaborative learning via group work, small tasks, inquiry-based teaching and allow time for questions, game-based learning and the blending of traditional methods with technology.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (formative):
Students will have the opportunity to bring a 300-word draft outline of their essay to a live session and receive peer and staff feedback. Students will also do mini assignment building up to their essay/MCQ exams, e.g., how to find, summarise, and critique articles.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
MCQ exam 30% (ILOs 1-5)
A 2000-word essay on development, individual difference, and the implications this has for educational practice 70% (ILOs 1-5)
When assessment does not go to plan
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, failed components will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis. Students will resubmit a revised version of the original work.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EDUCM0101).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
