03079 - Developmental Psychology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will be able to demonstrate:

• Knowledge and understanding of the main theories of development across psychological domains — motor, perceptual, communicative-linguistic, cognitive, emotional, and relational.

• In-depth knowledge of the stages of psychological development in early and middle childhood.

• Familiarity with the research methods and designs commonly used in studies on human development.

• Awareness of children’s fundamental needs at different developmental stages and understanding of the processes that foster healthy psychosocial adjustment.

• Understanding of the dynamic interaction between risk and resilience factors influencing individual development and family contexts.

• Theoretical and methodological skills to establish effective relationships with individuals (children and adolescents) and groups.

• Knowledge of tools and techniques for observing behavior in educational settings.

• Ability to design educational interventions inspired by the theoretical approaches covered in the course.

• Capacity for self-assessment, using appropriate tools to reflect on and evaluate one’s own professional practice.

• Application skills to transfer psychological knowledge to educational contexts and to further develop professional competences according to emerging challenges.

• Information literacy skills, including the ability to use databases and bibliographic resources to collect information and prepare research or intervention projects.

Course contents

During the course, students will become familiar with the main theoretical perspectives, research methods, and intervention approaches used in educational and developmental contexts. The course will address the key stages of development across multiple domains and the main contexts that influence growth and learning.

Main Theoretical Frameworks

• Piaget’s theory of cognitive development

• Vygotsky’s sociocultural approach

• Bruner’s theory of narrative thought

Methods

• Research designs in developmental psychology

• Observation techniques in educational settings

Developmental Domains

• Communicative and linguistic development

• Emotional development, temperament, and attachment

• Development of the self

Contexts of Development

• The family environment

• Peer relationships and school context

• The role of new technologies in development

Readings/Bibliography

Santrock J. W. (2020). Child Development (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill. Cahapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14.

Teaching methods

Lectures will be complemented by in-class group discussions and the presentation of video materials.

Assessment methods

The final assessment consists of a written exam (duration: 60 minutes) including four open-ended questions. The final grade is expressed on a 30-point scale. Each question carries a maximum of 7.5 points.

Student responses are evaluated according to the following criteria:

1. Completeness of the answers;

2. Consistency and relevance of the content;

3. Ability to demonstrate critical thinking and personal elaboration;

4. Appropriateness of terminology, and grammatical and syntactic accuracy.

If all answers are particularly clear, comprehensive, and show full mastery of the subject, “cum laude” (honors) will be added to the final grade.

Two exam sessions are offered in each examination period (January/February, June/July, September/October). In case of failure, students are not required to skip the following session.

Exam registration must be completed through the AlmaEsami online platform:
👉 https://almaesami.unibo.it

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or disabilities, either temporary or permanent, are advised to contact the University’s dedicated office in advance:
👉 https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en

The office will provide recommendations for possible exam adjustments, which must be submitted to the instructor at least 15 days before the exam date for approval, in accordance with the learning objectives of the course.

Teaching tools

Lectures will be supported by the use of PowerPoint presentations and a video projector. The video projector will also be used to show in-class video materials related to the topics covered during the course.

A virtual learning platform (virtuale.unibo.it [https://virtuale.unibo.it] ) will be used to provide students with the PowerPoint slides and additional resources designed to encourage further study and thematic exploration.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Cristina Matteucci