MODULE 1: HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: MEANING,

CONCEPTS AND APPROACHES

Activity

1. Here are some pictures of seven-year-old Naschielle and three-year-

old Kenn. Each one is a bundle of possibilities. Describe what they
were before birth (their point of origin) and who they will possibly be
after birth unto adulthood. What will they possibly become? Expound
on your answers.

The pictures of Naschielle and Kenn shows a clump of possibilities

that may happen in the future. Though they may differ in terms of
socioeconomic status in life, each of them will develop into different
aspects as to what career path they may take or situations that they will
encounter as they progress and reach the adulthood.

ANALYSIS

1. State five characteristics of human development from a life-span

perspective and their implications to child care, education and
parenting.

Characteristic of a human Educational Implication to

development from a life-span Child Care, Education and
perspective Parenting
1. Development is lifelong. This characteristic of life-span
perspective implies that
development occurs even until
our last breath. In child-care, an
individual in its childhood is
mostly a curious one, this
curiosity is bought until its
education starts. As children
grow, their education leads them
to development, even until they
are in parenthood. Development
 never stops it continues as long
as a person lives.
2. Development is plastic This characteristic of life-span
perspective implies that a change
occurs in development, in child-
care, children undergo drastic
changes as well as their needs,
and those needs must be
provided for the child’s welfare.
In education, learning means
being subjected to change.
However small the change is,
development takes place, so
regardless of age, changes
through development occurs. In
parenting, improvement due to
any deliberate effort to help
parents be more effective in
caring for children is
development. As a child grows,
ones parenting style should
develop and match with the
child’s needs.
3. Development is This characteristic of life-span
multidirectional perspective implies that in
adolescence, puberty consists of
physiological and physical
changes with changes in
hormone levels, the development
of primary and secondary sex
characteristics, alterations in
height and weight, and several
other bodily changes. But these
are not the only types of changes
taking place; there are also
cognitive changes, including the
development of advanced
cognitive faculties such as the
ability to think abstractly. There
are also emotional and social
changes involving regulating
 emotions, interacting with peers,
and possibly dating.
4. Development is This characteristic of life-span
multidirectional perspective implies that self-
regulation is one domain of
puberty which undergoes
profound multidirectional
changes during the adolescent
period. During childhood,
individuals have difficulty
effectively regulating their actions
and impulsive behaviors.
Scholars have noted that this
lack of effective regulation often
results in children engaging in
behaviors without fully
considering the consequences of
their actions.

5. Development is contextual This characteristic of life-span

perspective implies that
contextualism refers to the idea
that three systems of biological
and environmental influences
work together to influence
development. Development
occurs in context and varies from
person to person, depending on
factors such as a person’s
biology, family, school, church,
profession, nationality, and
ethnicity. The three types of
influences that operate
throughout the life course:
normative age-graded influences,
normative history-graded
influences, and nonnormative
influences, these three influences
operate throughout the life
course, their effects accumulate
with time, and, as a dynamic
package, they are responsible for
how lives develop.
2. “Growth is an evidence of life.” Or “development is an evidence of life.
What this mean? What does this imply to a person’s development?

Growth is evidence of existence. Growing up is always hard to do.

That we grow is a law of nature. Newman once said that “growth is the
only evidence of life”. When you make active decision, you begin your
own journey of personal growth and development, you’ve taken the first
step towards a better and brighter future. Growth and development are a
transformational process, in which improvements are made in your
physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, and/or financial state.
This process is often triggered by an important life event that inspires
you to improve and empower yourself by discovering where your full
potential lies. The result is a more satisfying and meaningful life, which
is evident in your relationships, place of work, self-image and self-
confidence, as well as your worldview. People want to grow and develop
themselves because they are unsatisfied with their life and the direction
it is heading. To change its course and create a satisfying life,
undergoing the personal growth and development process is essential.
Once this process is underway the results are endless. You will find
meaning and purpose in yourself that was absent before. Life goals will
become possible. You will use your full potential to benefit yourself and
others. New skills and talents will be discovered. Old relationships will be
strengthened and new ones will be easily formed. All of which will give
you a boost in your self-image and self-confidence.

3. If approach to human development is traditional, are the

characteristics of human development from a life-span perspective
acceptable? Explain your answer.

Yes, Traditional approaches to human development have emphasized

change from birth to adolescence, stability in adulthood, and decline in
old age. The changes in body, personality, and abilities may be great
during these later decades. Strong developmental tasks are imposed by
marriage and parenthood, by the waxing and waning of physical prowess
and of some intellectual capacities, by the children’s exit from the nest,
by the achievement of an occupational plateau, and by retirement and
the prospect of death.
 Reflection

From this module, it had come to my realization that a human

development is a pattern of movement that begins at conception and
continues through the life span of a well human being. Also, it includes
growth and decline. The human development can be positive or negative.
Growth deals with quantitative changes while development deals with
qualitative changes. Development is relatively orderly. Development has
proximodistal pattern that deals with the development from inward to
upward. Another pattern is the cephalocaudal pattern which the
development is from head to toe and from top to bottom. Development
also takes place gradually. The pattern of development is more likely be
similar, the outcome of development process and the rate of development
are varying among individuals. Development as a process is complex
because it is the product of biological, cognitive and socio-emotional
process. The biological process is a physical change. The cognitive
process is about knowledge, thoughts, language. The socio-emotional is a
process that focuses on dealing with people. The human development
has five (5) different approaches. It includes life-long, multi-dimensional,
plastic, contextual and involves growth, maintenance and regulation. The
life-span of a human development occurs al throughout the life-span of
an individual. The development never stops until death. The traditional
occurs human development that shows extensive change from birth to
adolescence, little or no change in adulthood and decline in the late old
age. The life-long development does not end by adulthood and no
development stage dominates the development. The multi-dimensional
consists of biological, cognitive and socio-emotional dimensions. The
plastic development is possible throughout the life-span. The contextual
development are individuals that can adopt changing beings in a
changing world. Development and learning result from a dynamic and
continuous interaction of biological maturation and experience. I have
developed and broaden my knowledge about the meaning, concepts and
approaches of a human development. This module asserts more
knowledge on the development of a human.

DE ASIS, RAIKA MAE P.

BPED - II