Human Development
University/College Preparation

This course offers a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human development throughout the lifespan. Students will learn about a range of theoretical perspectives on human development. They will examine threats to healthy development as well as protective factors that promote resilience. Students will learn about physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development from the prenatal period through old age and will develop their research and inquiry skills by investigating issues related to human development.

 

Prerequisite: Any university, college, or university/college preparation course in social sciences and humanities, English, or Canadian and world studies

 

COURSES DETAILS

Type

University Preparation

Credit Value

1.0

Curriculum Policy

https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/ssciences9to122013.pdf#page=246

 

 

OVERALL CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS

 

A. RESEARCH AND INQUIRY SKILLS

A1. Exploring: explore topics related to human development, and formulate questions to guide their research;

A2. Investigating: create research plans, and locate and select information relevant to their chosen topics, using appropriate social science research and inquiry methods;

A3. Processing Information: assess, record, analyse, and synthesize information gathered through research and inquiry;

A4. Communicating and Reflecting: communicate the results of their research and inquiry clearly and effectively, and reflect on and evaluate their research, inquiry, and communication skills..

 

B. DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES, AND RISK AND RESILIENCE

B1. Theoretical Perspectives: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of theoretical perspectives on human development;

B2. Risk and Resilience: demonstrate an understanding of threats to healthy development throughout the lifespan and of a variety of protective factors that can increase an individual’s resilience and reduce the impact of these threats.

 

C. UNDERSTANDING PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

C1. Physical Development and Brain Physiology: demonstrate an understanding of physical development, including brain physiology and development, throughout the lifespan;

C2. Sensory and Motor Development: demonstrate an understanding of sensory and motor development at different stages of the lifespan;

C3. Factors Affecting Physical Development: demonstrate an understanding of contextual factors that can affect physical development, particularly brain development, throughout the lifespan and of the effects of these factors.

D. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT, AND INTELLIGENCE

D1. Cognitive Development: demonstrate an understanding of theories of cognitive development and of changes in aspects of cognitive development throughout the lifespan;

D2. Language Acquisition and Development: explain the processes and physiological foundations of language acquisition and development throughout the lifespan;

D3. Intelligence: demonstrate an understanding of issues related to defining, measuring, and developing intelligence;

D4. Factors Affecting Cognitive Development and Language Use: analyse the effects of contextual factors on cognitive development and language use throughout the lifespan.

E. SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PERSONALITY

E1. Social-Emotional Development: demonstrate an understanding of social-emotional development throughout the lifespan and of ways of influencing such development;

E2. Personality and Identity: demonstrate an understanding of various influences on personality development and identity formation throughout the lifespan;

E3. Factors Affecting Social-Emotional Development: demonstrate an understanding of how factors affect social-emotional development, with an emphasis on the process of socialization.

 

TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES

Teachers will bring enthusiasm and varied teaching and assessment approaches to the classroom, addressing individual students’ needs and ensuring sound learning opportunities for every student. The activities offered should enable students to relate and apply these concepts to the social, environmental, and economical conditions and concerns of the world in which they live. Opportunities to relate knowledge and skills to these wider contexts will motivate students to learn in a meaningful way and to become life-long learners. Teachers will help students understand that problem solving of any kind often requires a considerable expenditure of time and energy and a good deal of perseverance. Teachers also will encourage students to investigate, to reason, to explore alternative solutions and to take the risks necessary to become successful problem solvers. Effective instructional approaches and learning activities draw on students’ prior knowledge, capture their interest, and encourage meaningful practise both inside and outside the classroom. Students will be engaged when they are able to see the connection between the scientific concepts they are learning and their application in the world around them and in real-life situations. Due to its importance, students will have opportunities to learn in a variety of ways- individually, cooperatively, independently, with teacher direction, through hands-on experiences, and through examples followed by practice. The approaches and strategies teachers use will vary according to both the object of the learning and the needs of the students. Teachers will accomplish this in online environment with the use of: virtual labs, online simulations, animations, videos, discussion forums, live chat and other interactive objects.

 

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

As summarized in Growing Success 2010, the primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning.

The seven fundamental principles given below lay the foundation for rich and challenging practice. When these principles are fully understood and observed by all teachers, they will guide the collection of meaningful information that will help inform instructional decisions, promote student engagement, and improve student learning.

To ensure that assessment, evaluation, and reporting are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of learning for all students, teachers use practices and procedures that:

• are fair, transparent, and equitable;
• support all students;
• are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all students;
• are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course;
• are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
• provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement;
• develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning.

 

Seventy per cent of the final grade (a percentage mark) in a course will be based on evaluation conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement, with special consideration given to more recent evidence. Thirty per cent will be based on a final evaluation administered at or towards the end of the course.

 

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS

All students can succeed. Some students are able, with certain accommodations, to participate in the regular course curriculum and to demonstrate learning independently. Accommodations allow access to the course without any changes to the knowledge and skills the student is expected to demonstrate. The accommodations required to facilitate the student’s learning can be identified by the teacher, but recommendations from a School Board generated Individual Education Plan (IEP) if available can also be consulted. Instruction based on principles of universal design and differentiated instruction focuses on the provision of accommodations to meet the diverse needs of learners.

Examples of accommodations (but not limited to) include:

• Adjustment and or extension of time required to complete assignments or summative tasks
• Providing alternative assignments or summative tasks
• Use of scribes and/or other assistive technologies
• Simplifying the language of instruction

 

THE FINAL GRADES

The final Grades

The evaluation for this course is based on the student’s achievement of curriculum expectations and the demonstrated skills required for effective learning. The final percentage grade represents the quality of the student’s overall achievement of the expectations for the course and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for the discipline. A credit is granted and recorded for this course if the student’s grade is 50% or higher. The final grade will be determined as follows:

• 70% of the grade will be based upon evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade will reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration will be given to more recent evidence of achievement.
• 30% of the grade will be based on final evaluations administered at the end of the course. The final assessment may be a final exam, a final project, or a combination of both an exam and a project.

 

THE REPORT CARDS

Two official report cards are issued – midterm and final. Each report card will focus on two distinct but related aspects of student achievement. First, the achievement of curriculum expectations is reported as a percentage grade. Additionally, the course median is reported as a percentage. The teacher will also provide written comments concerning the student’s strengths, areas for improvement and next steps. Second, the learning skills are reported as a letter grade, representing one of four levels of accomplishment. The report cards contain separate sections for the reporting of these two aspects. The report card also indicates whether an OSSD credit has been earned.