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Development of the Thinking Child (PSYC30019)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Assoc Prof Katherine Johnson
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
In developmental science the interaction between nature and nurture takes centre stage in answering questions about the reasons for variability in the emergence and growth of children's cognitive abilities. Recent advances in cognitive and neuropsychological assessment procedures provide new ways of understanding changes in typical and atypical development.
This subject examines the development of preadolescent children's thinking abilities: specifically, the significance of cognitive, neurological and neuropsychological factors in typical and atypical development. Current research on developmental plasticity and sensitive periods in development will be reviewed. Special attention will be paid to the prenatal and postnatal development of the central nervous system, as well as the impact of neurological insult on children's cognitive development. Of particular interest are the challenges associated with assessing the changing nature of children's cognitive competencies (e.g., executive functioning, reasoning, working memory, theory of mind, attention, planning and strategic skills), as well as how these are manifested in children with specific disorders (e.g., ADHD) or with particular physical difficulties (e.g., deaf and blind children). Special attention will be paid to the development of language, reading, number and mathematical abilities, focusing specifically on the diagnosis and remedial interventions of children with dyscalculia and dyslexia.
Intended learning outcomes
The subject aims to:
- to critically evaluate perspectives on the relationship between cognitive and neuropsychological development
- to evaluate the adequacy of research methods used to study cognitive-neuropsychological developmental issues
- to interpret cognitive-neuropsychological development research data
- to understand analytic issues associated with studying variability in development
- to describe typical and atypical developmental patterns and change trajectories
- to review contemporary analytic methods for assessing developmental change
- to construct meaningful research hypotheses about cognitive-neuropsychological development
- to write lab reports that reflect an understanding of core issues in cognitive-neuropsychological development
Generic skills
Students in this subject will be given appropriate opportunity and educational support to develop the following skills to:
- integrate and differentiate theoretical approaches in order to develop an understanding of contemporary issues
- relate theory to practice
- discern and manipulate relationships between theoretical and methodological claims
- present, develop and support an argument for a position and anticipate criticism
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
No prerequisites are required for this subject
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
512370 Cognitive and Neuropsychological Development 3
512308 Development of the Thinking Child
Recommended background knowledge
Prior coursework in at least two Level 2 psychology subjects, including Cognitive Psychology and/or Developmental Psychology, is recommended. Level 2 psychology subjects are: Biological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Personality & Social Psychology.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Assessment
Additional details
Three written reports of 1000 words each (33% each) to be submitted during semester.
Each piece of assessment must be completed (hurdle requirement).
Attendance of at least 80% of the laboratory classes is a hurdle requirement. In case of failure to meet the hurdle requirement, additional work iwll be required before a passing grade can be awarded.
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator Katherine Johnson Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 Hours Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 23 July 2018 to 21 October 2018 Last self-enrol date 3 August 2018 Census date 31 August 2018 Last date to withdraw without fail 21 September 2018 Assessment period ends 16 November 2018 Semester 2 contact information
Assoc Prof Katherine Johnson
Time commitment details
Estimated total time commitment for this subject is 170 hours.
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
No prescribed texts.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Graduate Diploma in Psychology Major Psychology Informal specialisation Science-credited subjects - new generation B-SCI and B-ENG. Major Psychology Informal specialisation Selective subjects for B-BMED - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
subject coordinator approval required
Last updated: 27 April 2024