27228 Lifespan Development

Subject level: Undergraduate

Handbook description

This subject investigates human growth and development across the lifespan. It examines the effects of age, gender, ethnicity, culture and development stages on physical capacity. It also analyses the effects of physical activity and health behaviours on growth and development.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. describe and discuss the processes of human growth and development over the life span with particular reference to physical, cognitive and socioemotional development
2. critically analyse how age, gender, cultural background and developmental stages influence individual exercise capacity and motivation to adopt an active lifestyle
3. evaluate the impact of physical activity on human growth and development across the lifespan.

Contribution to graduate profile

This core subject in the Bachelor of Human Movement and BM in Sport and Exercise programs provides students with an understanding of human growth and development processes, the effects of an active lifestyle on personal development, and the factors influencing lifespan health and physical activity. The focus of this subject is to critically analyse the interaction between physical activity and human growth and development. This subject forms the basis for the study of exercise physiology, sport and exercise psychology, exercise prescription, personal development and health.

Teaching and learning strategies

The lectures and tutorials include a range of teaching and learning strategies. Key concepts are taught using individual and group exercises, discussion of scenarios, problem solving, case studies, role play and DVD analysis. Content for this subject will be supported by UTSOnline.

Content

• Theories of development
• Genetic foundations of development: DNA, genes and chromosomes
• Heredity and environment interaction
• Physical growth during specific developmental periods
• Cognitive and socioemotional development during the lifespan
• The interaction between health, physical activity and development
• Adolescent development: identity issues and sociocultural influences
• Diversity in lifespan development: the influence of age, gender, ethnicity, culture and other sociocultural factors on growth and development

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Mid Semester Exam (Individual)

Assessment item 2: Reflective Journal (Individual)

Assessment item 3: Final Exam (Individual)

Required text(s)

Santrock, JW, 2008, Life Span Development (11th edn), McGraw-Hill, Boston.

Indicative references

Bauman, A, Bellew, B, Vita, P, Brown, W and Owen, N, 2002, Getting Australia Active: Towards Best Practice for the Promotion of Physical Activity, National Public Health Partnership, Melbourne.

Berger, K, 2005, The Developing Person through the Lifespan, Worth Publishers, New York, NY.

Berk, LE, 2001, Development through the Lifespan, Allyn & Bacon, Boston.

Bouchard, C, Blair, S and Haskell, W, 2007, Physical Activity and Health, Human Kinetics, Champaign, Il.

Erikson, EH, 1968, Identity: Youth and Crisis, W.W.Norton, New York.

Gallahue, DL and Ozmun, JC, 2006, Motor Development in Young Children, In B Spodak and ON Saracho (Eds), Handbook of research on the education of young children (2nd edn), Erlbaum, Mahwah, NY.

Haywood, KM and Getchell, N, 2005, Lifespan Motor Development, Human Kinetics, Champaign, Il.

Papalia, DE, Sterns, HL, Feldman, RD and Camp, CJ, 2002, Adult Development and Aging, McGraw Hill, New York.

Peterson, C, 2004, Looking forward through the lifespan, Pearson Education Australia, Sydney.

Sattler, DN, Kramer, GP, Shabatay, V and Bernstein, DA, 2000, Lifespan Development in Context: Voices and Perspectives, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.

Weiss, MR, 2004, Developmental Sport and Exercise Psychology: A Lifespan Perspective, Fitness Information Technology, Morgantown, WV.

Journals

Developmental Psychology

Journal of Educational Psychology

Child Development

Sex Roles

Journal of Research on Adolescence

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology