What do you think? Are children ACTIVE or PASSIVE in their development? Give an example.
Remember that the issue is NOT about active or passive learning in a classroom. It is about whether
children are active or passive in their development. Do they actively seek out certain situations to learn
certain things or do that passively absorb what’s in their environment?
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Chapter 1: Issues and Debates: Early vs. Late Learning Options Menu: Forum
What experiences are most important in development; those that occur early in life or later in
development? Have any of you had experience more recently that have been influential in your
development?
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Some Early Childhood Experiences Shape Adult Life, But Which Ones?
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/12/19/371679655/some-early-childhood-experiencesshape-adult-life-but-which
This is an interesting article that is relevant to this issue.
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Chapter 1: Psychoanalytic Theories Options Menu: Forum
You are now familiar with two very different psychoanalytic theories. Please post comments or
questions about Freud’s Psychosexual Theory and/or Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory. Have you observed
any events that could be interpreted as support for either theory?
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Chapter 1 Cognition: Piaget: Did he underestimate children? Options Menu: Forum
One of the criticism of Piaget’s theory is that he underestimated children’s cogitive abilities. Have you
seen evidence of this? Give examples.
Perhaps you agree with the criticism that Piaget underestimated children’s cognitive abilities. However,
be very careful not to discount the entire theory because of this.
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Chapter 1: Vygotsky Options Menu: Forum
I mentioned in the recording that this was a theory that future teachers and parents would like because
it shows how important they are in children’s cognitive development. Do you think this approach might
influence your teaching philosophy or how you see your role? How will this theory influence your
teaching of children?
Remember that Vygotsky not only suggests that adults are important in children’s development – he says
that they are active in children’s development in terms of providing assistance to children (scaffolding)
as needed. Be sure to mention how this will influence how you approach your repsonsibility for
children’s cognitive development. Many students tend to focus on being a role model, which is
important, but Vygotsky’s theory focuses on cognitive development. I want to hear how you will
approach having an impact on children’s cognitive development using Vygotsky’s concepts.
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Technology and Social Development Options Menu: Forum
http://apa.org/monitor/2016/02/smartphone.aspx
Smartphone=not-so-smart parenting?
Psychologists and other child development experts are exploring how parents’ use of technology affects
kids and the best ways to help families reconnect in the Digital Age.
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Chapter 1: Operant conditioning Options Menu: Forum
One issue that always comes up when I talk about punishment and reinforcement is discipline of
children. Take a look at the sites in the “Discipline” tab in the menu about different types of discipline.
Has anyone had any experience using these? Are they effective? What do you think about the negative
consequences of spanking?
Please read the appropriate information and listen to the lecture before responding to this forum – or
any other forum. Many students respond with their opinion but that is NOT what is being asked. Your
responses should be based on the research. I know that many people have very strong opinions about
disciplining children. Why do you think that is?
Here are a couple of interesting sites related to the phrase “spare the rod, spoil the child” that is
supposedly in the Bible:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/328950.html
http://gracethrufaith.com/selah/spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child/
Please note that the phrase is really not from the Bible and any related phrases did not show up in the
Bible until 1377. Hmm. . . .
Comments?
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Again, the American Psychological Association has some great information. Please read the
following article.
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/04/spanking.aspx
What do you think?
Here are other interesting links regarding research on spanking:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2014/04/22/parents-still-spank-their-kids-fortrivial-reasons-even-when-researchers-are-listening-in/
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/05/health/spanking-children-healthy-discipline-study/index.html
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Chapter 1: Brofenbrenner Options Menu: Forum
Brofenbrenner’s Theory shows how complex the influences are on a child’s development. Can you think
of influences from the exosystem or the macrosystem on a child’s development? Give examples.
I love the responses to this forum!!
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Chapter 2: Research Methods and Designs Options Menu: Forum
It’s hard to think of any discussion questions to ask you about research methods or designs. Maybe you
have questions for me? If something is not clear, please ask here.
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Chapter 3: Social Influence on sex ratios Options Menu: Forum
In the lecture on heredity, I mentioned that culture can influence the ratio of males to females. Are you
familiar with the example used in the lecture? Do you know other countries with an imbalance of males
to females?
Feel free to provide some additional information on this topic!
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Chapter 3: Environmental Influences on Prenatal Development Options Menu: Forum
Lecture concentrated on environmental influences on development. Are there terratogens that weren’t
mentioned that you are familiar with? For those of you who have been pregnant, did your physician
give you any special instructions about exposure to terratogens?
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Chapter 3: Birth Options Menu: Forum
Many of you have either directly or indirectly experienced childbirth. Have you taken a
childbirthing class? Did it help? Were you able to have contact with the baby soon after birth?
Did you know how to take care of the baby when you brought him or her home? How did you
know? Please relate your experience to the information presented in the lecture and the text.
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Chapter 3: Goodness of Fit Model Options Menu: Forum
When I talked about how temperament can change over time depending on the child rearing style of
the parents, I also asked how you could make it easier for a difficult child on their first day of daycare.
So what are your ideas? Does anyone have a difficult child? Have they gotten easier over time?
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Tantrums Options Menu: Forum
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/12/05/143062378/whats-behind-a-temper-tantrum-scientistsdeconstruct-the-screams
What’s Behind A Temper Tantrum? Scientists Deconstruct The Screams
Children’s temper tantrums are widely seen as many things: the cause of profound helplessness among
parents; a source of dread for airline passengers stuck next to a young family; a nightmare for teachers.
But until recently, they had not been considered a legitimate subject for science.
What do you think?
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Helping Babies Sleep Options Menu: Forum
I thought these articles might be interesting (and helpful) to some of you. I included two different
media presentations of the research. They are both good in their own way so check them both out.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/10/health/sleepless-infants-mom-depressed/index.html?hpt=he_bn6
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/09/10/160880210/let-sleepless-babies-cry-for-a-while-if-theywant-to
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Early therapy can change brains of kids with autism Options Menu: Forum
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
A type of behavioral therapy can actually normalize brain activity in kids with autism
The Early Start Denver Model is a type of play therapy
Measuring brain activity could be a biomarker for autism, experts say
About 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with autism, according to the CDC
http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/31/health/autism-therapy-brain/index.html?hpt=he_c2
We don’t talk about autism in this class but I thought that many of you might have experience with
someone who has autism or are interested in the topic. Tell me what you think about this article.
Chapter 1
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History of Childhood
We have not always had a concept of childhood. In the past, children were just seen as miniature
adults. Find out how that changed.
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History of the Study of Childhood
In this lecture, the history of the evolution of the study of child development is discussed.
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Developmental Psychology Today
What is Developmental Psychology? What aspects of development are studied?
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Issues and Debates
What questions are left to be answered about development?
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Theories
What is a theory?
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Psychoanalytic Theories
Here Freud’s Psychosexual Theory is introduced.
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Freud’s Psychosexual Theory of Development
Details of how personality develops according to Freud.
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Erickson’s Psychosocial Theory
Erickson felt like Freud emphasized sex to much and developed his own Psychoanalytic Theory of
Development.
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Cognitive Theories
Cognitive Theories are introduced including Piaget and Information Processing.
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Learning Theories Part One
Introducing learning theories.
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Learning Theories Part Two
More Learning Theories
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Other Theories
Includes Ethological Theories, et