| What is development? | Development can be seen as the the changes that occur in all of us as we go through our lives. |
| Development exists in many forms. Name 5 of them. | 1. Physical development - change in the size, shape, and functioning of our bodies. It explains why we can run faster as a high school student compared to in elementary school.
2. Personal development - changes in how we understand our selves, values and goals in life.
3. Social development - changes in how we behave and interact with others. For example, like making new friends.
4. Emotional development - changes in how we manage and regulate our feelings.
5. Cognitive development - changes in our thinking that occur as a result of maturation and experience. |
| Give 2 reasons why understanding development is valuable. | 1. First, because all of us have gone through the process, and will continue to go through it our entire lives, it gives us insights into ourselves and the people around us.
2. Understanding development can make us better teachers because it helps us understand why our students think and act the way they do. |
| There are 3 general principles applied to all forms of development (Berk, 2013; Boyd & Bee, 2012; Feldman, 2014). What are they? | 1. Development depends on both heredity and environment. Heredity interacts with the environment, through the experiences we provide, to maximise development.
2. Development process in orderly and predictable pattern. Development is relatively systematic and predictable. For example, we babble before we talk, crawl before we walk, learn concrete concepts before abstract ones. These patterns exists in virtually all human beings.
3. People develop at different rates. While development is generally systematic and orderly, the rate at which individual progress varies. "He's a late bloomer". These differences influence the effectiveness of our instruction and our interaction with our students. |
| Briefly describe what is Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of development. | Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model offers a comprehensive description of the environmental factors influencing all forms of development (Bronfenbrenner,1979; 2005; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006). |
| Illustrate Brofenbrenner's bioecological model of development with a diagram. | The individual > Microsystem > Mesosystem > Exosystem >Macrosystem > Chronosystem |
| What is meant by the ecological component in Bronfenbrenner's model? | The ecological component in Bronfenbrenner's model suggests that our development is influenced by a complex set of systems in the environment, including family, peers, social institutions, such as mosques and schools, and individuals' communities and cultures (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006).
Each system in the model is nested in a larger system, and each layer is viewed as impacting development (Dodge, 2011; Lee, 2010). |
| In Bronfenbrenner's model, what is the microsystem? | The microsystem, the innermost level, is composed of the PEOPLE and ACTIVITIES in our immediate surroundings, such as family, peers, neighbourhood, and school.
For example, your parents probably expected you to do your homework, accept responsibility and follow through with your promises. These expectations were all part of the environmental influence on your development. |
| In Bronfenbrenner's model what is the mesosystem? | The mesosystem consists of the INTERACTIONS among the elements of the microsystem, and healthy development depends on how effectively the elements work together (Lee, 2010; Lerner, Lewin-Bizan & Warren, 2011).
For example, schools that promote high levels of parental involvement provide a more effective environment for development than those that don't (Lezotte &Snyder, 2011; O'Connor, Dearing & Collins, 2011). |
| In Bronfenbrenner's model what is the exosystem? | The exosystem includes SOCIETAL influences, such as parents' jobs, school systems, and workplace conditions, such as health care, that influence both the mesosystem and the microsystem.
For example, parents' jobs affect the amount of time they have to spend with their children, and wealthier school systems are more likely to provide better nurses, counselors, and smaller class sizes. |
| In Bronfenbrenner's model, what is the macrosystem? | The macrosystem is the CULTURE in which a child develops and it influences all the other systems (Cole & Packer, 2011; Goodnow, 2010).
For example, some cultures such as Japan and Korea, focus strongly on social influences and conformity while American and European culture focuses on the individual and emphasise autonomy (Goodnow, 2010). |
| In Bronfenbrenner's model, what is the chronosystem? | The chronosystem is the TIME-DEPENDENT element of our environments. These may include changes in the environment, evolution of technology, changes in domestic and world politics, war, economic recession and societal changes. |
| What are some criticisms you can make about Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of development? | 1. It has a tendency to ignore the role of cognition in development.
2. The way children think about themselves, their abilities, and their relationships with others also influence development.
3. Brofenbrenner's assertions are difficult to examine with research, so his theory is difficult to assess empirically.
4. The model is vague on the role of genetics and hereditary factors on a child's development.
5. While it may seem intuitive, one needs to have a lot of cultural knowledge (macrosystem) to properly explain the individual because according to the theory the topmost layer influences the ones in the bottom. How do we define and talk about culture? Sometimes talking about culture is difficult because of issues like racism, sexism, discrimination, social injustice etc. |
