2025
Child Development
Name: Child Development
Code: PSI14998L
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area:
Psychology
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English
Regime de Frequência: Presencial
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
To know various theoretical perspectives on child development.
To know and understand child development and the fundamental processes that underlie it.
To understand the interdependence between the various aspects physical, cognitive, emotional and social in a childs development.
To understand the impact of contexts and cultures and, more specifically, understand and reflect on education and the relationship and interaction with the teacher/educator on the child's development.
To mobilize an attitude of analysis, reflection and discussion, critical and well-founded, of the themes explored.
To facilitate the acquisition of knowledge from various theoretical perspectives on child development.
To know and understand child development and the fundamental processes that underlie it.
To understand the interdependence between the various aspects physical, cognitive, emotional and social in a childs development.
To understand the impact of contexts and cultures and, more specifically, understand and reflect on education and the relationship and interaction with the teacher/educator on the child's development.
To mobilize an attitude of analysis, reflection and discussion, critical and well-founded, of the themes explored.
To facilitate the acquisition of knowledge from various theoretical perspectives on child development.
Contents
Introduction to developmental psychology theory and research
Life span development; aspects, periods and influences on development.
Main theoretical perspectives on development.
Child development psychology and being a child
The foundations of development
Heredity and Environment. Pre and perinatal development
Physical and motor development. The dynamic development of action and thought.
The childs Cognitive and Language development
The child's cognitive development: Piagetian, information processing, and socio-contextual approaches
The development of Language
The childs psychosocial development
Emotional and personality development
Social development and social relationships: parents and peers
Relational influences on personality development and emotional development
Development contexts
Cultural context, symbolic and behavioral inheritances
Care and development contexts.
Life span development; aspects, periods and influences on development.
Main theoretical perspectives on development.
Child development psychology and being a child
The foundations of development
Heredity and Environment. Pre and perinatal development
Physical and motor development. The dynamic development of action and thought.
The childs Cognitive and Language development
The child's cognitive development: Piagetian, information processing, and socio-contextual approaches
The development of Language
The childs psychosocial development
Emotional and personality development
Social development and social relationships: parents and peers
Relational influences on personality development and emotional development
Development contexts
Cultural context, symbolic and behavioral inheritances
Care and development contexts.
Teaching Methods
As a way of promoting the acquisition of knowledge, a set of fundamental texts is available to students. The framework of the curricular unit is done by the teacher using expository methods, questioning and oral presentation, some videos and some practical exercises. Trying to promote the construction of solid theoretical bases on developmental psychology, questioning and reflection and critical discussion of topics among and with students are used.
Students, in small groups, choose a developmental domain to delve into and observe at least one child. The theoretical-practical work aims to promote understanding of the different domains of development and how they are expressed and interconnected, and also to highlight the importance of observation and relational contexts and promote critical reflection.
Students, in small groups, choose a developmental domain to delve into and observe at least one child. The theoretical-practical work aims to promote understanding of the different domains of development and how they are expressed and interconnected, and also to highlight the importance of observation and relational contexts and promote critical reflection.
Assessment
The objectives of the curricular unit, and the relation between the two types of assessment tasks proposed and the objectives is explained. The process and chronology of assessment moments is agreed with students.
The assessment involves 2 elements and each element is worth 50% of the final grade:
An individual written test of fundamental knowledge about the child's development (which can be single or taken in two moments, one in the middle and the other at the end of the semester)
A theoretical-practical work on a theme and a development domain of the students' choice, and an observation is made in small groups, and presented and discussed in the and delivered in writing.
Throughout the semester, continued feedback will be given to students about the work they are carrying out, which allows them to assess the degree to which they are, or are not, achieving the objectives proposed for this curricular unit in order to improve their self-awareness
The assessment involves 2 elements and each element is worth 50% of the final grade:
An individual written test of fundamental knowledge about the child's development (which can be single or taken in two moments, one in the middle and the other at the end of the semester)
A theoretical-practical work on a theme and a development domain of the students' choice, and an observation is made in small groups, and presented and discussed in the and delivered in writing.
Throughout the semester, continued feedback will be given to students about the work they are carrying out, which allows them to assess the degree to which they are, or are not, achieving the objectives proposed for this curricular unit in order to improve their self-awareness
Teaching Staff
- Catarina Marques Silveira Vaz Velho [responsible]
- Fátima Henriques Leal
Certificações
