Module 1

Human Development: Meaning

Concept and Approaches
 What is Human Development?
Human Development is the pattern of movement or change that
begins at conception and continues through the life span. Development
includes growth and decline. This means that development can be positive or
negative (Santrock, 2002).
Some Major Principles of Human
Development
 1. Development is Relatively Orderly.
• The proximodistal principle states that development proceeds from the
center of the body outward. With this principle, the trunk of the body
grows before the extremities of the arms and legs. Development of the
ability to use various parts of the body also follows the proximodistal
principle.
• The cephalocaudal principle refers to the general pattern of physical and
motoric development followed from infancy into toddlerhood and even
early childhood whereby development follows a head-to-toe progression.
 1. Development is Relatively Orderly.
• By understanding how characteristics develop, we can make relatively
accurate and useful prediction about learners and design effective
instructional strategies based on our knowledge of development
(Santrock, 2002).
2. While the patter of development is likely to be similar, the outcomes of
development processes and the rate of development are likely to vary
among individuals.

• As a result, we can expect individual differences in development

characteristics and variation in the ages when people will experience
events that will influence their development.
 3. Development Takes Place Gradually.
• While some changes occur in flash of insight, more often it takes weeks,
months, or years for a person to undergo changes that result in the display
of developmental characteristics.
4. Development as a process is complex
because it is the product of biological,
cognitive and socioemotional process
(Santrock, 2002).
 I. Biological Process
• Biological process involve changes in
individual’s physical nature.
• They will experience hormonal changes
when they reach the period of puberty, and
cardiovascular decline as they approach
late adulthood. All these show the
biological processes in development.
 II. Cognitive Processes
• Cognitive Processes involve
changes in the individual’s
thought, intelligence, and
language.
 III. Socioemotional Process
• Socioemotional Process include
changes in the individual’s
relationship with other people,
changes in emotions, and changes in
personality
Two Approaches to Human
Development
 Traditional
Approaches
If the child will show
extensive changes from
birth to adolescence, little or
no changes in adulthood and
decline in late old age, your
approach to development is
Traditional
 Life-Span
Approach
If you believe that even
in adulthood
developmental change
takes place as it does
during childhood, your
approach is termed life-
span approach.
 Characteristics of Life-Span
Development
• Development is Lifelong.
• Development is Multidimensional.
• Development is Plastic.
• Development is Contextual.
• Development involves Growth, Maintenance, and Regulation.
Twelve Principles of Child Development and
Learning
1. All areas of development are important.
2. Learning and development follow sequences.
3. Development and learning proceed at varying rates.
4. Development results from maturity and experience.
5. Early experiences have profound effects on development and learning.
6. Development moves to greater independence.
Twelve Principles of Child Development and
Learning
7. Children develop best with secure relationships.
8. Development is influenced by multiple social and cultural backgrounds.
9. Children learn in a variety of ways.
10. Play is important for developing self-regulation and promoting language,
cognition, and social competence.
11. Development and learning advance when children are challenged.
12. Children’s experiences shape their motivation and approaches to learning.