58762 - Psychology of Development and Education

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will:

• demonstrate knowledge of the major theories of development across the main domains of psychology, including motor, perceptual, communicative-linguistic, cognitive, emotional, and social development;
• demonstrate an in-depth understanding of psychological development during early and middle childhood;
• critically understand the main concepts and theories of lifespan development across different cultural contexts;
• demonstrate knowledge of the research methods and study designs used in lifespan developmental research;
• demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the relationships among physical, psychological, and social development;
• possess the theoretical and methodological skills needed to build effective relationships with individuals and groups;
• demonstrate knowledge of the main tools and techniques for observing behavior in educational settings;
• be able to design educational projects aimed at promoting psychological competencies and tailored to different developmental stages and life contexts;
• be able to plan educational interventions grounded in established psychological theories and models;
• demonstrate knowledge of the tools required to understand and critically evaluate the psychological aspects of their own professional practice;
• be able to apply the psychological knowledge and skills acquired in educational settings and further develop them in response to the professional challenges they encounter;
• be able to use bibliographic databases and scientific literature to retrieve information on previously unfamiliar topics and to develop research and intervention projects.

Course contents

The course will be held during the second semester (from March to May) at Palazzo Vespignani, Imola.

The course is part of the Integrated Teaching Module "Interpersonal Relationships: Psychological, Educational, and Clinical Perspectives," which comprises three courses: Clinical Psychology, Developmental and Educational Psychology, and General Psychology.

The course will address selected topics in developmental and educational psychology that are essential for enabling future Professional Educators to understand the fundamental aspects of human psychological development. Particular attention will be devoted to the theoretical and methodological foundations of contemporary developmental psychology, with the aim of fostering the acquisition of a shared scientific language that will facilitate effective collaboration within multidisciplinary teams that include psychologists.

Specifically, the course will cover the following topics:

• Developmental psychology across the lifespan;
• Methodological foundations of research in child development;
• Prenatal development;
• Cognitive development;
• Socio-emotional development.

Readings/Bibliography

The lectures, together with the materials provided during class, are considered necessary for exam preparation.

The materials will be available through the Studenti Online platform (link in the upper-right menu on this page).

The reference textbook is:

Santrock, J. W. (2026). Developmental Psychology (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Teaching methods

The lectures will be held in person.

The course will be delivered through face-to-face lectures, complemented by the viewing and discussion of videos.

Assessment methods

The Integrated Teaching Module "Interpersonal Relationships: Psychological, Educational, and Clinical Perspectives" requires a separate final assessment for each of its three courses, with each exam graded on a 30-point scale. Upon passing all three examinations, students will receive a single final grade, calculated as the rounded average of the three marks (rounded to the nearest whole number). Honours (30 cum laude) will be awarded if the student obtains 30/30 in all three examinations, with at least one grade of 30 cum laude.

The examination for this course is oral and consists of three questions to be answered in approximately 15 minutes. Assessment will follow the criteria below:

• 0 points: No answer or a completely incorrect answer (e.g., off-topic).
• 1–4 points: Partially relevant answer that is insufficiently developed, or an answer containing both correct and clearly incorrect elements.
• 5–8 points: Partially correct but incomplete answer, or a superficial response, or one lacking clear logical connections between the concepts presented.
• 10 points: Substantially or completely correct, comprehensive, and well-argued answer.
• Bonus: If all three answers are particularly clear, comprehensive, and demonstrate full mastery of the subject matter, 1 bonus point will be added to the total score. For exams already scoring 30/30, this bonus allows the student to be awarded 30 cum laude.

Students must register for the examination through the AlmaEsami application.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a useful tool to support independent study by providing opportunities for further exploration, summarization, and self-assessment. However, with regard to the assessment of learning, the use of AI during in-person examinations is prohibited. Any use of AI in this context constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Please note: Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint slides and videos will be used throughout the course.

Office hours

See the website of Margaret Addabbo