Child & Adolescent Learners Learning Principles (PEC 111) Module 2 PDF

# THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES (PEC 111) ## MODULE 2: Biological Development ### A. INTRODUCTION: Hello, future teachers and psychometricians! I hope that you are doing well as you are reading this module. If you have questions about module 1, please feel free to ask...

# THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES (PEC 111) ## MODULE 2: Biological Development ### A. INTRODUCTION: Hello, future teachers and psychometricians! I hope that you are doing well as you are reading this module. If you have questions about module 1, please feel free to ask in our consultation time. This module will focus on the first dimension of human development which is biological development. In this module, you are expected to analyze the factors that affect the biological development of children and explore various systems or environment that greatly affect the child. In a nutshell, biological development is the progressive changes in size, shape, and function during the life of an organism. These changes could also be because of the environment where the child exists. For us to learn about this interesting topic further, let us read this module. ### B. PRE-DISCUSSION ACTIVITY: What is the most obvious change that we could see to a developing child? ### C. DISCUSSION: **TAKE NOTE:** Biological development, the progressive changes in size, shape, and function during the life of an organism by which its genetic potentials (genotype) are translated into functioning mature systems (phenotype). #### Differences between Phenotype and Genotype * **Phenotype** refers to an individual's observable traits, such as height, eye color and blood type. A person's phenotype is determined by both their environmental factors. * **Genotype** refers to the genetic makeup of an organism; in other words, it describes an organism's complete set of genes. In a narrower sense, the term can be used to refer to the variant forms of a gene, that are carried by an organism. **Which of the statements below refer to phenotype or genotype?** 1. Biological sex in healthy humans is determined by the presence of the sex chromosomes in the genetic code: two X chromosomes (XX) makes a girl, whereas an X and a Y chromosome (XY) makes a boy. 2. Skin complexion and behavioral traits that are due to environmental factors. **TAKE NOTE:** Early child development is influenced by a wide variety of both biological and environmental factors. Biological factors can play a particularly important role in early development. These factors influence a child in both positive and negative ways. ## FACTORS AFFECTING A CHILD'S BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: ### A. Nutrition * Proper nutrition is a vital factor in a child's overall development. Prior to birth, a mother's diet and health play a key role. For example, folic acid intake of 400 micrograms (mcg) daily for three months prior to conception and during early pregnancy significantly decreases the risk of certain birth defects of a baby's brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida). * Folic acid is also known as Folate or vitamin B9 and folacin, is one of the B vitamins. Folate is found mainly in dark green leafy vegetables, beans, peas and nuts. Fruits rich in folate include oranges, lemons, bananas, melons and strawberries. #### What is anencephaly? * A pregnant woman who lacks folic acid might cause a birth defect to a child which is known as anencephaly. Anencephaly is a serious birth defect in which a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull. #### What is the life expectancy of children with anencephaly? * Several studies have reported anencephaly to be 100% lethal in the first year of life. Others reported 100% fetal demise within the first several days to weeks. There have been few case reports of anencephalic infants with prolonged survival. #### What is spina bifida? * Spina bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord do not form properly. It is a type of neural tube defect. The neural tube is the structure in a developing embryo that eventually becomes the baby's brain, spinal cord and the tissues that enclose them. #### What is the defect with a child suffering from spina bifida? * When the neural tube does not close all the way, the backbone that protects the spinal cord does not form and close as it should. This often results in damage to the spinal cord and nerves. Spina bifida might cause physical and intellectual disabilities that range from mild to severe. ### B. Gender * A child's physical body has distinctive reproductive organs and becomes further differentiated as special sex hormones are produced that play a role in gender differences. Boys typically produce more androgens (male sex hormones), while females produce estrogens (female sex hormones). #### What is hirsutism? * Hirsutism is a condition in women that results in excessive growth of dark or coarse hair in a male-like pattern - face, chest and back. * Hirsutism is caused by an excess production or action of hormones called androgens, secreted by the ovaries or adrenal glands and produced locally in the hair follicle. #### What is alopecia? * It is a condition that causes hair to fall out in small patches, which can be unnoticeable. Alopecia areata is a disease that happens when the immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. Hair follicles are the structures in skin that form hair. While hair can be lost from any part of the body, alopecia areata usually affects the head and face. #### What causes alopecia? Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease. This means that your immune system mistakenly attacks a part of your body. When you have alopecia, cells in your immune system surround and attack your hair follicles (the part of your body that makes hair). ### C. Genetic Inheritance * Genetic inheritance is a basic principle of genetics and explains how characteristics are passed from one generation to the next. Genetic inheritance occurs due to genetic material, in the form of DNA, being passed from parents to their offspring. * From the time of conception, a child has already acquired genes coming from both the father and mother. These genes are where the traits for physical characteristics originate. Curly or straight hair, big or small eyes, tall or short physique, lightweight or heavyweight, and a petite or large body structure. These are evident characteristics which unfold over time as a person grows and develops. * For example, if both of your parents have green eyes, you might inherit the trait for green eyes from them. Or if your mom has freckles, you might have freckles too because you inherited the trait for freckles. Genes aren't just found in humans - all animals and plants have genes, too. ## URIE BRONFENBRENNER'S ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM'S THEORY: Bronfenbrenner recognized there are multiple aspects of a developing child's life that interacts with and affects the child. His work looked beyond individual development, taking into account wider influencing factors and the context (or ecology) of development. He proposed the 'Ecological Systems Theory' based on these dynamic interactions that the environments have on the developing child. **What are the five systems/ environments in Bronfenbrenner's ecological system's theory?** 1. **Microsystem:** * The microsystem is the first level of Bronfenbrenner's theory, and are the things that have direct contact with the child in their immediate environment, such as parents, siblings, teachers and school peers. * Relationships in a microsystem are bi-directional, meaning the child can be influenced by other people in their environment and is also capable of changing the beliefs and actions of other people too. * Furthermore, the reactions of the child to individuals in their microsystem can influence how they treat them in return. * The interactions within microsystems are often very personal and are crucial for fostering and supporting the child's development. * If a child has a strong nurturing relationship with their parents, this is said to have a positive effect on the child. Whereas, distant and unaffectionate parents will have a negative effect on the child. 2. **Mesosystem:** * The mesosystem encompasses the interactions between the child's microsystems, such as the interactions between the child's parents and teachers, or between school peers and siblings. * The mesosystem is where a person's individual microsystems do not function independently, but are interconnected and assert influence upon one another. * For instance, if a child's parents communicate with the child's teachers, this interaction may influence the child's development. Essentially, a mesosystem is a system of microsystems. * According to the ecological systems theory, if the child's parents and teachers get along and have a good relationship, this should have positive effects on the child's development, compared to negative effects on development if the teachers and parents do not get along. 3. **Exosystem:** * The exosystem is a component of the ecological systems theory developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner in the 1970s. It incorporates other formal and informal social structures, which do not themselves contain the child, but indirectly influence them as they affect one of the microsystems. * Examples of exosystems include the neighborhood, parent's workplaces, parent's friends and the mass media. These are environments in which the child is not involved, and are external to their experience, but nonetheless affects them anyway. * An instance of exosystems affecting the child's development could be if one of the parents had a dispute with their boss at work. * The parent may come home and have a short temper with the child as a result of something which happened in the workplace, resulting in a negative effect on development. 4. **Macrosystem** * The macrosystem is a component of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory that focuses on how cultural elements affect a child's development, such as socioeconomic status, wealth, poverty, and ethnicity. * Thus, culture that individuals are immersed within may influence their beliefs and perceptions about events that transpire in life. * The macrosystem differs from the previous ecosystems as it does not refer to the specific environments of one developing child, but the already established society and culture which the child is developing in. 5. **Chronosystem** * The fifth and final level of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory is known as the chronosystem. * This system consists of all of the environmental changes that occur over the lifetime which influence development, including major life transitions, and historical events. * These can include normal life transitions such as starting school but can also include non-normative life transitions such as parents getting a divorce or having to move to a new house. ### D. ASSESSMENT: **Under which system do the following descriptions belong to? Try to answer!** a. Interconnections between the microsystems, such as between the family and teachers or relationship between the child's peers and the family. b. This layer is comprised of cultural values, customs, and laws. c. Elements within this system can be either external, such as the timing of a parent's death, or internal, such as the physiological changes that occur with the aging of a child. d. Those factors lie beyond the immediate environment of the child. For example, a child's experience at home may be influenced by their parent's experience at work. e. Factors located within the immediate environment of the child which interacts directly with the child and has the greatest impact on them, such as people and events in the home.