Active learning ideas
This topic examines the journey of human growth from infancy through to old age. Students focus on two major theories: Piaget's stages of cognitive development and Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. These frameworks help students understand how our thinking becomes more complex and how our social priorities shift as we encounter different life challenges.
Activity 01
Set up stations with classic Piagetian experiments, such as conservation of liquid or mountain tasks. Students watch videos of children performing these tasks and must identify which stage of development the child is in.
How does our thinking change as we grow?
Activity 02
Students reflect on the 'Identity vs. Role Confusion' stage they are currently in. They share (as much as they are comfortable) what factors in their Australian teenage life contribute to their sense of self.
What are the key stages of psychosocial development?
Activity 03
Students hold a mock trial for a fictional character who has committed a crime. The 'defence' argues that nurture (upbringing) was the cause, while the 'prosecution' argues it was nature (genetics).
How do nature and nurture interact to shape development?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Development stops once you reach adulthood.
Students often focus only on childhood. Using Erikson's full lifespan model helps them see that psychological development continues through middle and late adulthood, with unique challenges at every stage.
Piaget's stages are fixed and happen at the exact same age for everyone.
Students can be too rigid with age ranges. Teachers should use examples of how environmental factors and individual differences can speed up or slow down the transition between stages.
Methods used in this brief
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