Developmental Psychology

The study of developmental psychology is essential to understanding how humans learn,

mature and adapt. Throughout their lives, humans go through various stages of development.
Developmental psychology deals with how people develop and adapt at different life stages. By
leaning developmental psychology, teachers conduct researches and observations to help people
reach their full potential, for example, studying the difference between learning styles in children
and adults.
Propositions of developmental psychology
Some of the basic propositions of developmental psychology can be shortlisted from the
principles of developmental psychology. These principles are true to human development and are
referred to as the general principles of development. The propositions are as follows;

The principle of differentiation, development proceeds from simple to complex, from

homogenous to heterogeneous and from general to specific.
Another principle is structure, this generally precedes function. All physical components of
the body including the brain usually mature and get ready before they can be functional.
The principle of uniqueness of individuals asserts that, every individual is unique; that means
there are no two people that are exactly alike. Every childs pattern and rate of growth is
peculiar to him or her.
And the principle of modifiability of rates and patterns of growth view growth as natural but
the rate and pattern of growth can be modified by various factors and techniques. Such
factors are Nutrition and Drug taken by the mother.

Implications of the Developmental Psychology to Teachers education

The fact that the students in the class are at varying levels of growth and development,
have acquired different types of potentialities. This implies that, though the same curriculum is
being used, the classroom setting must be appropriate and rich enough to accommodate these
differences. A teacher must deal with a group of students in the classroom with caution, because
the characteristics of each student are different. It is therefore very important to understand the
different characteristics of students at various levels of growth and development to create
effective learning and efficient. The use of instructional aids of various types often helps greatly
in this situation.

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 Also, the children are at various levels of developments, meaning that, they cannot all
perform the same developmental tasks. The teaching strategy of the teacher must reflect this in
the classroom, otherwise not all the pupils will be carried along. This should be noted too during
skill performance. Developmental psychology can assist teachers in determining the appropriate
method of learning, and be able to relate the characteristics and uniqueness of the individuals, the
type of learning, learning styles and levels of development being experienced by the learner.

On the other hand, Piaget is quite explicit concerning teacher education. He believes that
full university training for teachers, at all levels (especially primary) is essential. This training
should focus on developmental psychology researches proposed and developed by the teachers
themselves during their teaching practice and educational researchers. Thus, Piaget argues that
the dichotomy of classroom teacher-educational researcher should be eliminated. And that
teachers should not only attend graduate-level lectures (on Piaget's theory, for example), but in
order to attain a true understanding of their students growth and development, they need to
conduct psychopedagogical research. Piaget feels that there is a gripe social problem in our
(African) society in that, the teaching profession is a low-status one. The public underestimates
the value of our children's teachers, and their low status is at least a partial consequence of
current methods of certification. Piaget believes that it is by and through research that the
teaching profession will cease to be, merely a trade and acquire the dignity it deserves.

Finally, For example in teaching mathematics, some research demonstrates that there is
new, emerging knowledge of the developmental psychology of children's learning of
mathematics, this was learning by doing. The research of Peterson and her colleagues was based
on the idea that, children's learning is a process of active construction of knowledge. By being
given access to this knowledge, the teachers who have often used a lecture approach to teach
constructivists contents of the subject matter, modified their knowledge and understanding of
children's mathematics learning, changed their classroom instruction, and improved their
childrens' mathematics problem solving and learning of number facts.(Peterson et al., 1990).
The need for child study by the teacher is emphasized.

References

De Lisi, R. (Nov. 1979) The Educational Implications of Piaget's Theory and

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 Assessment Techniques. Princeton N.J.: ERIC
Accessed: Monday, May 29, 2017, 9:21:57 PM
From: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED182349.pdf

Peterson, P. L., et al. (1990) EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AS A "FOUNDATION" IN

TEACHEREDUCATION: REFORMING AN OLD NOTION, Teachers College Record-
Article. Spring: Michigan State University.
Accessed: Monday, May 29, 2017, 9:11:32 PM
From:https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/50a8/3417ea8e3d6083db74c2559d49f39963542a.p
df
Pourchot, T.L. and M.C. Smith, (2004) Some Implications of life Span Developmental
psychology for Adult Education and Learning. PAACE Journal of Life Long Learning,
Vol. 13, 2004, 69-82.
Accessed: Monday, May 29, 2017, 9:17:42 PM
From:https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?
q=cache:PNyOT12pUmkJ:https://norssiportti.oulu.fi/file.php
%3F4686+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk

QUESTION: The developmentalist paradigm of teacher education is rooted in developmental

psychology. What are some of the propositions of developmental psychology? What are the
implications of developmental psychology to teacher education?

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