Module 1

Human Development: Meaning, Concepts, and Approaches

Image source: Teacher’s Alley, 2017 June 01

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the module, you must have:

a. defined human development in your own words; and

b. distinguished between the traditional and life-span approaches of
development.

Introduction

Every living creature is called to become what it is meant to be. The

caterpillar is meant to become a butterfly; a seed into a full-grown herb, bush, or
tree; and a human baby into a mature person, the person “who is fully alive, the
glory of God” in the words of St. Irenaeus. In this module, you will be acquainted
with how human development as a process takes place. You will also appreciate the
different approaches which may enable you to understand better the development
of your future students. That, like you, each of them is also a bundle of possibilities.
Abstraction
The discussion is based from and/or extracted from the book, "Child and
Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles: OBE and K to 12-based", 2018,
Lorimar Publishing Inc. No alteration is made in discussing salient concepts and
terms. Rightful citation is credited to the authors: Brenda B. Corpuz, Maria Rita D.
Lucas, Heidi Grace L. Borabo, and Paz I. Lucido.

Development is defined as systematic changes and continuities in the

individual that occur between conception and death or “from womb to tomb”. By
describing changes as “systematic”, we imply that they are orderly, patterned, and
relatively enduring; temporary and unpredictable changes such as mood swings are
therefore excluded. We are also interested in “continuities” in development, ways in
which we remain the same or continue to reflect our pasts. The systematic changes

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and continuities of interest to students of human development fall into three broad
domains:

a. Physical development refers to the growth of the body and its organs during
childhood; the functioning of physiological systems; the appearance of
physical signs of aging during adulthood; gains, losses, and continuities in
motor abilities; and so on.

b. Cognitive development deals on the changes in perception, language,

learning, memory, problem-solving, and other mental processes.

c. Socio-emotional development is a child's ability to understand the feelings of

others, control his or her feelings and behaviors, get along with other
children, and build relationships with adults.

Even though child development experts often specialize in one or another of

these three aspects of development, they appreciate that humans are whole beings
and changes in one area affect the others. The baby who develops the ability to
crawl, for example, now has new opportunities to develop her mind by exploring the
contents of shelves and cabinets and to hone her social skills by accompanying her
parents from room to room.

How do you think humans typically change from birth to old age? Many
people picture the life span this way: First, there are tremendous positive gains in
capacity from infancy to young adulthood; then there is little change at all during
young adulthood and middle age; and finally, there is only loss of capacities – a
process of deterioration – in the later years. This stereotyped view of the life span is
large, although not entirely, false. It has some truth for biological and physical
development. Traditionally, biologists have defined growth as the physical changes
that occur from conception to maturity. We do indeed become biologically mature
and physically competent during the early part of the life span. Aging, in a biological
sense, is the deterioration of organisms (including human beings) that leads
inevitably to their death.
Biologically, then, development does not involve growth in early life, stability in early
adulthood, and the declines associated with aging in later life.

Most developmental scholars today have rejected this simple model of the
life span, however. When they speak of development, they now mean more than
positive changes that occur in infancy, childhood, and adolescence. They believe
that developmental change consists of both gains and losses or may simply
represent a difference between earlier and later behavior (as when a four-year-old
who once feared loud noises comes to fear hairy monsters under the bed instead).
Also, child development experts today use the term aging to refer to a wide range of
changes, both positive and negative, in the mature organism. They maintain that
both positive and negative changes – gains and losses – occur in every phase of
the life span, and so we should not associate aging only with loss.

Consider this:

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 a. From early childhood to young adulthood, although we certainly do gain
many new abilities, we also experience negative changes such as
increased rates of depression and suicide.

b. From our teenage years to our 40s, when we are supposedly not changing
much, we are typically gaining self-confidence and other psychological
strengths, and we are aging as well.

c. Although many elderly adults do find themselves becoming somewhat

slower mentally, many are also still acquiring knowledge and expertise that
young people lack.

In short, development involves gains, losses, just plain changes, and

sameness in each phase of the life span. Above all, one should abandon the idea
that aging involves only deterioration and loss, such that maturation and learning
are two important processes underlying the developmental change. The former is
the biological unfolding of the individual according to a plan contained in the genes
(the hereditary material passed from parents to the child at conception); while the
latter is the process through which experience brings about relatively permanent
change in thoughts, feelings, or behavior.

Two Approaches to Human Development

If you believe that Nicole and Gab will show extensive change from birth to
adolescence, little or no change in adulthood, and decline in late old age, your
approach to development is traditional. In contrast, if you believe that even in
adulthood developmental change takes place as it does during childhood, your
approach is termed the lifespan approach. Paul Baltes, an expert in life-span
development, gives the following characteristics:

a. Development is lifelong. It does not end in adulthood.

b. Development is plastic. Plasticity refers to the potential for change.
Development is possible throughout the lifespan. No one is too old to learn.
There are no such things as “I am too old for that. . .”

c. Development is multidimensional. The development consists of biological,

cognitive, and socio-emotional dimensions.

d. Development is contextual. Individuals are changing being in a changing

world. Individuals respond to and act on contexts. These contexts include
the individual’s biological makeup, physical environment, cognitive
processes, and historical, social, and cultural contexts.

e. Development involves growth, maintenance, and regulationGrowth,

maintenance, and regulation are three (3) goals of human development.
The goals of individuals vary among developmental stages. For instance,
as individuals reach middle and late adulthood, concern with growth gets
backstage while maintenance and regulation take the center stage.

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Name: Heveanah Alvie Jane Balaba
Section: BSED Science 2A
Professor’s Name: Daryl Niko Cempron

State five characteristics of human development from a lifespan perspective. And their implications
for child care, education, and parenting.

Characteristics of human The educational implication to Child

development from a lifespan Care, Education, and Parenting
perspective

1. Development is lifelong This aspect of the life-span perspective

says that growth continues even after we
pass away. When a child is young, they
are often quite curious, and this curiosity
lasts until they begin school. As kids get
older, their education helps them flourish,
even after they become parents. As long
as a person is alive, development takes
place.

2. Development is plastic Child care involves significant changes

affecting children’s needs, necessitating
certain requirements to be met. Education
should be inclusive, while parenting
development aims to assist parents in
providing better care, changing as the
child matures to meet their demands.

3. Development is The life-span perspective suggests

multidimensional growth is influenced by physical, mental,
and socioemotional characteristics. Child
care should incorporate workouts, healthy
meals, meditation, and social skills for

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 physical development, while education
enhances intelligence, language, and
school relationships. Parenting, while
focusing on physical, mental, and
socioemotional processes, is similar to
child care.

4. Development is contextual The life-span perspective suggests that a

person’s past, including culture, beliefs,
and environment, influences their
development. For example, a child’s
reaction to a severe guardian in daycare
can influence their behavior as a parent.
This can be applied to education, where
individuals with different backgrounds
may react differently.

5. Development involves growth, Development involves growth,

maintenance, and regulation.
maintenance, and regulation, involving
bodily changes, appropriate food choices,
and effective study habits to ensure
growth in school and knowledge
acquisition.

2. Growth is “evidence of life” or “development is evidence of life”. What does this mean?
What does this imply to a person’s development?

– The expression “growth is evidence of life” or “development is evidence of life” suggests

that the process of growth and development is an essential aspect of the living organism,
and as such, is an indicator of vitality and strength. This implies that personal development

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is not only a natural process but an essential one for a person’s well-being. In other words,
ongoing growth and development are necessary for a person to thrive and reach their full
potential. It is through these processes that a person gains new skills, knowledge, and
experiences that serve to expand their abilities and capabilities, and ultimately lead to a
greater sense of fulfillment and satisfaction with life.

3. If your approach to human development is traditional, are the

characteristics of human development from a lifespan perspective acceptable?
Explain your answer.

–Traditional approaches to human development may not fully accept the characteristics of
development from a lifespan perspective, as they focus on specific stages and markers,
overlooking ongoing growth beyond them. The lifespan perspective, on the other hand,
acknowledges the interconnected nature of physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and moral
development across the lifespan, requiring a more holistic and adaptable approach.

4. Below are the principles of child development and learning which are the bases of
developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) in early childhood programs for children from
birth through age 8, which were stated in the position paper of the National Association for
the Education of Young Children (2009). They affirm the characteristics of the lifespan
development approach we just discussed. Find out which one is a re-statement of the
principles of human development by stating the characteristics of human development from
a lifespan perspective in the second column.

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 Characteristics of Human
Principles of Human Development
Development from a Lifespan
(NAEYC, 2009)
Perspective
a. All the domains of development and e.g., Development is
learning- physical, social and emotional, multidimensional
and cognitive – are important, and they are
closely interrelated. Children's
development and learning in one domain
are influenced by what takes place in other
domains.

b. Many aspects of children's learning and Development is contextual.

development follow well-documented
sequences, with later abilities, skills, and
knowledge building on those already
acquired.

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c. Development and learning proceed at varying Development is lifelong
rates from child to child, as well as at uneven
rates across different areas of a child's
functioning.

d. Development and learning result from a Development is multidimensional

dynamic and continuous, interaction of
biological maturation and experience.

e. Early experiences have profound effects, both Development involves growth,

cumulative and delayed, on a child’s maintenance, and regulation
development and learning; and optimal periods
exist for certain types of development and
learning to occur.
f Development proceeds toward greater Development involves growth,
complexity, self-regulation, and symbolic or maintenance, and regulation
representational capacities. Development
involves growth, maintenance, and regulation

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g. Children develop best when they have Development is contextual
secure, consistent relationships with
responsive adults and opportunities for
positive relationships with peers.

h. Development and learning occur in and are Development is multidimensional

influenced by multiple social and cultural
contexts.

i. Always mentally active in seeking to Development involves growth,

understand the world around them, maintenance, and regulation
children learn in a variety of ways; a wide
range of teaching strategies and
interactions are effective in supporting all
these kinds of learning.

j. Play is an important vehicle for developing Development is multidimensional

self-regulation as well as for promoting
language, cognition, and social
competence.

k. Development and learning advance when Development is contextual

children are challenged to achieve at a
level just beyond their current mastery, and
also when they have many opportunities to
practice newly acquired skills.
l. Children’s experiences shape their Development is lifelong
motivation and approaches to learning,

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such as persistence, initiative, and
flexibility; in turn, these dispositions and
behaviors affect their learning and
development.

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References

Books

Acero, V., Javier, E., & Castro, H. (2008). Child and Adolescent Development. First
Edition. Manila: Rex Book Store.
Corpuz, B., Lucas, M., Borado, H., Lucas, M. R. & Lucido, P. (2018). Child and
Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles. OBE - and K to 12 – Based.
Manila: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
Lucas, M. R., Borabo, M., Bilbao, P. and Corpuz, B. (2020). Field Study.
Observations of Teaching-Learning in Actual School Environment. OBE- and
PPST- Based. Manila: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
Sigelman, C. K. (1999). Life-Span Human Development. 3rd Edition. Brooks/Cole
Publishing Company.

Webpages

Defining human development. (n.d.). Lumen lifespan development.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-lifespandevelopment/chapter/defininghu
man-development/
What is human development and why is it important. (n.d.). Maryville University.
https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/human-development-
andfamily-studies/resources/stages-of-human-development/

Online video

The Royal Ocean Film Society. (2017, May 2). Some Kind of Connection- the Up
Series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVQ96wfbf_0

Image

Teacher’s Alley. (2017, June 01). Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development.

[Infographic]. http://myteachersalley.blogspot.com/2017/06/eriksons-theory-
ofpsycosocial.html

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