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Study guide: Developing as a learner

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  • Student resources/
  • Developmental psychology/
  • Revision (review): Development/
  • Study guide: Developing as a learner

In order to prepare for exams, it is important to prepare a "tailor-made" study guide.  A study guide should reflect your own learning and not just what someone tells you is the "best" research to use on an exam.

For the topic "Developing as a learner," you will find an attached study guide.  I recommend that you attempt to fill it in before looking at the responses below.  There is both a paper and a digital copy available.

Developing as a learner study guide

Digital Developing as a learner study guide

Question 1: Discuss one theory of cognitive development.

Terms/theories: Piaget's stage theory; object permanence, preoperational thought; conservation, Vygotsky's sociocultural theory; zone of proximal development; more knowledgeable other;

Research: Baillargeon (1986); Piaget and Inhelder (1956); Hughes (1975); Li et al (1999); Vygotsky: Nichols (1996); Prior and Welling (2001)

Critical thinking: Evaluating state theories; applications in education; cross-cultural support; Vygotsky takes a more holistic approach; lack of empirical support for some aspects of theories; reliance on language development in Piaget's original studies; cross-sectional vs longitudinal designs; the theory is descriptive rather than explanatory; level of reliability.

Different command terms: Evaluate, Evaluate research, Contrast two theories...

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Question 2: Discuss brain development in developing as a learner.

Terms/theories: neuroplasticity; localization of function; synaptic pruning

Research: Chugani (1999); Bachevalier et al. (1999); Giedd (2004); Blakemore (2008)

Critical thinking: a reductionist approach to learning; limitations of using brain scan techniques in research; how brain development theory supports other cognitive theories; the ability of researchers to understand what brain activity means in terms in learning; applications of the theory to education.

Different command terms: Evaluate research

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Question 3: Discuss one or more research methods used in the study of developing as a learner.

Terms/theories: research methods = interviews, observations, experiments, correlational studies, and case studies.

Research: Any research could be used. Experiments: Baillargeon (1986); Piaget and Inhelder (1956); Hughes (1975); Li et al (1999); Nichols (1996); Prior and Welling (2001) Correlational studies: Chugani (1999); Giedd (2004)

Critical thinking: Most research is experimental with age being the variable - so research is mostly quasi-experimental.  This leads to correlational findings and cause and effect is difficult to establish; reliability of findings; artificiality and ecological validity.

Different command terms: Evaluate or contrast.

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Question 4: Discuss ethical considerations in the study of developing as a learner.

Terms/theories: Ethical considerations include: informed consent, anonymity, right to withdraw, deception, undue stress or harm, and debriefing.

Research: Any research could be used to discuss ethical considerations.

Critical thinking: Informed consent:  Baillargeon (1986) or any study using children requires parental consent; undue stress or harm: Giedd (2004) the importance of making sure that children are not stressed in the use of MRI; when research is done with children (or any participants!) it is important that their anonymity is kept.  It may be the case that a researcher observes delayed development.  This information would then be conveyed to the parents during the debriefing and the implications discussed.

Different command terms: This question may only be asked as a "discuss" question.

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