472-201 Cognitive Development

472-101 Physical Development.

485-201 Learning Area (EC): Mathematics 2.

A focus on neurological development will lead to a study of factors affecting the development of cognition in children. Relevant classical and contemporary psychological theories of cognitive development including learning theory, Piaget's cognitive-developmental theory, Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, in their original and more recent forms and information processing and connectionist approaches will be subjected to critical examination. The processes of knowledge acquisition including sensation, perception, attention, memory, concept formation, language, symbolic reasoning and thinking will be studied and related to the structure and content of knowledge in various domains including the physical and social worlds. Further topics include the development of intelligence and of academic skills, and an introduction to developmental research methodology.

Assignments totalling 2000 words and a 2-hour written examination.

• L Berk, Child Development. (6th edn), Allyn & Bacon, 2003.