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  2. EDU H236

Adolescent Development
EDU H236

Jointly Offered with: Faculty of Arts & Sciences as EDST 133

Course Information

Description

Adolescence marks change on multiple levels (e.g., biologically, cognitively, and socially) and in multiple contexts (e.g., family, school, community, and peers). In fact, it marks the largest growth period in human development outside of infancy. Driven by enhanced thinking and reasoning capabilities, adolescents struggle with balancing their desires for autonomy and independence with their desires for guidance and connection. These dynamics result in renegotiating family and social relationships and engagement in school, impact the effectiveness of educational practices, and enhance adolescents' ability to think and plan for their future. This course is designed to provide a practical understanding of the developmental issues, assets, and trajectories of adolescent thinking and reasoning. Based in classic and current theory and research and using real problems of practice, students will learn, integrate, and apply knowledge of biological and cognitive development and of identity processes. This course will prepare educational practitioners to integrate developmental approaches to their pedagogy and provide a foundation for those interested in applied research on adolescence.

No prerequisites; prior course work in developmental psychology is helpful, but the course is designed for students without a psychology background. Recommended for students who are planning to work directly with adolescents or are planning to engage in applied research with adolescents.

School Graduate School of Education
Credits 4
Cross Reg

Available for Harvard Cross Registration

Department Education
Course Component Regular Course
Instruction Mode In Person
Subject Education
Grading Basis HGSE Letter Graded
Learning Goals Focused on adolescence—the single largest growth period in human development outside of infancy. This course is especially designed to provide hands-on, theoretically-grounded understanding of adolescents’ developmental needs and trajectories. We will focus on adolescents’ competencies, challenges, and identity development; the contexts in which they thrive; the relationships that shape who they become; and how we as researchers, practitioners, and those who care about today’s youth can help them prepare for their future.
Career Focus Designed to provide a developmental foundation for those who plan to work directly with adolescents and for researchers who want to conduct developmetnally-grounded empirical research to inform theories of change and programs and practice.