Children’s Learning: Current Thinking
What are the latest theories concerning children’s development? Through this module, you’ll come to understand the most up-to-date thinking about how young children develop in our society. But this module isn’t simply about absorbing information – it also encourages you to critically engage with current thinking. You’ll look at everything from different learning styles to the nature/nurture debate and develop your own carefully-considered opinions.
Key Topics
In this module you will cover a range of topics:
• The work of key theorists such as Piaget, Bruner, Vygotsky, Rogoff, Pinker and others.
• Investigating the connections between physical and cognitive development and considering the importance of social and emotional development
• An understanding of what is known about what learning means neurologically and the possible implications of this for those involved in both teaching and learning.
• Looking at different learning styles in both adults and children, including Howard Gardner’s ‘multiple intelligences’
• Exploring arguments about the so-called competing contributions of the environment and genetics – the nature/nurture debate.
Assessment
There are a number of assessments that you complete as part of your coursework and forward to your academic tutor for grading and comments. You'll also take a summative assessment at the end of your module.