GL/PSYC 3300 3.00

Introduction to Development: Infancy and Childhood

The goal of the course is to teach the fundamentals in the field, and to test a student's ability to integrate this knowledge in a comprehensive and critical manner. The course is organized to give students an introduction to the basics; for infants, preschoolers, and the older children; in terms of theory and research, and in terms of fundamental areas such as perception, thinking, language, intelligence, social skills, gender differences, and morality; the course gives practical suggestions but it is an academic one, in particular, about theory and research, trying to give students a better understanding of what develops and the mechanisms of change. Nature and nurture interact in development. By better understanding the developmental process, and being able to think better about all the advice put out to the public, we can become better parents and workers with children.