ACTIVITY 1

I. The 14 Learner-Centered Psychological Principles

(These principles focus on how students learn best)

1. The Nature of the Learning Process

Learning is an active process. It requires students to engage, put in effort, and aim
towards specific goals. Learning doesn't just happen—it involves participation and
hard work.
2. Goals of the Learner
Students are driven by their own personal goals, interests, and values. When learning
connects to what students care about, they are more motivated to succeed.
3. Construction of Knowledge
Learners build new knowledge by connecting it to their past experiences and what they
already know. Learning is a process of building and expanding understanding.
4. Strategic Thinking
Good learners plan, organize, and check their progress. They use strategies like time
management, note-taking, and self-assessment to help them succeed.
5. Thinking about Thinking (Metacognition)
Learners who are aware of how they think can control and improve their learning.
They can recognize if they understand something or need more help.
6. Motivation to Learn
Students need to see learning as meaningful and valuable. When they understand why
learning is important, they are more motivated to try and persist.
7. Intrinsic Motivation
Learning is most effective when students are curious and interested. When students
learn because they want to—not just because they have to—they learn better and more
deeply.
8. Developmental Influences
A learner’s age, maturity, and developmental stage affect how they learn. Teachers
must consider the learner's level of development when teaching.
9. Social Influences
Learning often happens in a social setting. Interaction with teachers, classmates,
family, and others helps students learn new ideas and skills.
10. Individual Differences
Every student is unique. They have different learning styles, abilities, backgrounds,
and paces of learning. Teachers need to recognize and adjust to these differences.
11. Emotional Influences
Emotions strongly affect learning. Positive emotions like happiness and confidence
help students learn, while negative emotions like fear can block learning.
12. Personal Responsibility
Students need to take responsibility for their own learning. They should actively
participate and not just wait for the teacher to do everything.
13. Learning Strategies
Successful learners use different strategies such as summarizing, asking questions, and
practicing. Using a variety of strategies helps them learn better.
14. Standards and Assessment
Regular feedback and assessment help students know their progress. Assessments
guide improvement and help both learners and teachers adjust learning strategies.
II. Characteristics of Human Development from a Life Span Perspective

1. Lifelong
o Development happens from birth to death. We continue to grow, learn, and change
at every age.
✅ Example: Babies learn to walk, adults can learn new skills, and older people can
still develop new hobbies.
2. Multidimensional
o Human development involves different aspects:
▪ Physical (body changes)
▪ Cognitive (thinking and learning)
▪ Emotional (feelings)
▪ Social (relationships)
✅ Example: A child grows taller (physical), learns to read (cognitive),
makes friends (social), and controls emotions (emotional).
3. Multidirectional
o Sometimes we improve, sometimes we decline.
✅ Example: As we grow older, we may become wiser (gain), but our eyesight might
get weaker (loss).
4. Plastic (Flexible)
o Development can still change or improve through experiences, learning, and practice.
✅ Example: You can learn a new language or sport at any age.
5. Multidisciplinary
o Different areas of study like biology, psychology, education, and sociology help us
understand human development.
✅ Example: Teachers, doctors, and psychologists all study development from
different angles.
6. Contextual
o Development depends on where and how we live, including:
▪ Family
▪ Culture
▪ School
▪ Community
✅ Example: A child growing up in the Philippines may have different
experiences from a child in Japan.
7. Growth, Maintenance, and Regulation of Loss
o Life is about gaining abilities, maintaining them, and managing losses.
✅ Example: As a student, you gain knowledge, maintain good health, and later
learn to handle challenges like stress.

Key Takeaway:
Human development is a lifelong, flexible, and unique journey that is shaped by many factors
like family, culture, and experiences.
Each person grows physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially in different ways throughout life.
III. Stages of Human Development and Developmental Tasks

1. Prenatal Stage (Conception to Birth)

Development Focus: Formation of body parts, organs, and brain.
Tasks: Healthy growth and development inside the mother’s womb.
2. Infancy and Toddlerhood (0 to 3 years)
Development Focus: Physical growth, basic trust, and early learning.
Tasks:
✅ Learning to walk, talk, and eat.
✅ Developing trust with parents or caregivers.
✅ Starting to explore the environment.

3. Early Childhood (3 to 6 years)

Development Focus: Developing basic skills and independence.
Tasks:
✅ Learning to dress and feed themselves.
✅ Building friendships.
✅ Understanding right and wrong.
4. Middle Childhood (6 to 12 years)
Development Focus: Mastering academic skills and social relationships.
Tasks:
✅ Learning to read, write, and solve problems.
✅ Making more friends and learning teamwork.
✅ Developing self-confidence.

5. Adolescence (12 to 18 years)

Development Focus: Physical changes (puberty), identity, and independence.
Tasks:
✅ Understanding oneself and planning for the future.
✅ Building deeper friendships and romantic interests.
✅ Learning to make good decisions.
6. Early Adulthood (18 to 40 years)
Development Focus: Building a career, intimate relationships, and family life.
Tasks:
✅ Finding a job or career.
✅ Developing close relationships (friendship, love, marriage).
✅ Starting a family and becoming responsible.

7. Middle Adulthood (40 to 65 years)

 Development Focus: Contributing to society and guiding the next generation.
Tasks:
✅ Raising children or helping others.
✅ Building a stable life and career.
✅ Preparing for retirement.

8. Late Adulthood (65 years and above)

Development Focus: Reflection on life and adjusting to aging.
Tasks:
✅ Looking back and feeling satisfied with life (or regret).
✅ Adjusting to retirement and possible physical limitations.
✅ Staying connected with family and friends.

Summary Table:

Stage Age Range Developmental Tasks

Prenatal Conception - Birth Healthy growth in the womb
Infancy & Toddlerhood 0-3 years Trust, walking, talking, exploring
Early Childhood 3-6 years Independence, basic skills, social learning
Middle Childhood 6-12 years Academic skills, social interaction, confidence
Adolescence 12-18 years Identity, independence, decision-making
Early Adulthood 18-40 years Career, love, family, responsibility
Middle Adulthood 40-65 years Stability, contribution, life management
Late Adulthood 65+ years Life reflection, adjustment, social connection

IV. Stages of Psychosexual Development (Sigmund Freud)

Sigmund Freud believed that personality develops in childhood through five stages. In each stage, the
focus is on a different part of the body that gives pleasure (called an "erogenous zone").
How a person moves through these stages can shape their personality. If a stage is not completed
properly, it may cause problems later in life (he called this "fixation").

1. Oral Stage (0 to 1 year)

• Focus: Mouth
• Pleasure from: Sucking, biting, eating
• Key Task: Developing trust and comfort through feeding.
• ✅ Example: Babies put things in their mouths to explore and feel comforted.

2. Anal Stage (1 to 3 years)

• Focus: Anus
• Pleasure from: Controlling bladder and bowel movements (toilet training)
• Key Task: Learning self-control and responsibility.
• ✅ Example: Learning when and where it is proper to go to the bathroom.
 3. Phallic Stage (3 to 6 years)
• Focus: Genitals
• Pleasure from: Discovering differences between boys and girls.
• Key Task: Identifying with the same-sex parent.
• ✅ Example: Boys become close to their mothers; girls become close to their fathers.
Freud called this the Oedipus/Electra complex.

4. Latency Stage (6 to 12 years)

• Focus: Dormant sexual feelings (rest period)
• Pleasure from: Developing friendships, hobbies, and learning.
• Key Task: Building social and communication skills.
• ✅ Example: Children focus on school, sports, and friendships
5. Genital Stage (12 years and above)
• Focus: Genitals (mature sexual interests)
• Pleasure from: Forming romantic relationships.
• Key Task: Developing balanced love and work life.
• ✅ Example: Teenagers and adults develop healthy romantic and emotional connections.

V. Basic Cognitive Concepts by Jean Piaget

Jean Piaget is known for his theory of cognitive development, which explains how children
think and learn as they grow. He believed that children are active learners who build knowledge
through experiences.

Piaget’s basic cognitive concepts:

1. Schemas (Mental Frameworks)

• Definition: Schemas are patterns or ideas we use to understand the world.
• ✅ Example: A child knows that a dog has four legs and barks. This idea is stored as a
“dog” schema.
• Key Idea: As we grow, we create and adjust our schemas.
2. Assimilation
• Definition: Using existing schemas to understand new things.
• ✅ Example: A child sees a cat and says, “Dog!” because they know animals with four
legs are dogs.
• Key Idea: We try to fit new experiences into what we already know.
3. Accommodation
• Definition: Changing schemas to fit new information.
• ✅ Example: The child learns that the cat is not a dog and makes a new schema for cats.
• Key Idea: We adjust our understanding when we learn something new.
4. Equilibration (Balance)
• Definition: The process of balancing assimilation and accommodation to create stable
learning.
• ✅ Example: A child keeps learning and updating ideas to better understand the world.
• Key Idea: We feel comfortable when our knowledge matches what we experience.
Summary:

• Schemas = mental categories or ideas

• Assimilation = adding new information to what you know
• Accommodation = changing what you know to fit new things
• Equilibration = finding balance in learning
• Cognitive Stages = steps in thinking from birth to adulthoo