Child & Adolescent Development Semester Projects

Self-reflection Review one of the developmental theories presented in our textbook (e.g., Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory, Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory, Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory) or review 2-3 research studies that focus on one of the topics covered in the textbook (e.g., parenting styles, adolescent attachment, early/late maturation, achievement) to determine the focus of your reflection. Choose one theory or research focus. Reflect on your own experiences when you were adapting to a specific1 developmental experience, change, or challenge. This experience should be related to the theory or research studies you’ve reviewed above. Provide detailed descriptions of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors during the selected experience. You may want to journal your thoughts throughout the reflection so that you have a written record that you can refer to as you write the second section of the paper. Discuss how the research studies or theory you’ve chosen relates to or might explain the process you went through during this period of development. 1 Your self-reflection should focus on a particular experience or group of closely related experiences around a particular challenge you faced. It should not be a list of loosely connected memories of experiences.

Organization of Paper 

The final paper should be organized as follows: 

Section 1: Description of the theory, theoretical stage, and/or research findings you will study.  Try to focus on aspects of the theory/research that are relevant to what you will gather  information on in Section 2. For example, do not provide detailed descriptions of  Piaget’s four stages if you are only looking at one of them. (1 – 1½ pages) Section 

2: Detailed description of the relevant information you gathered during your  observation, reflection, or interview – describe what you saw and heard that is related to  the theory or research you reviewed in Section 1. (2 – 2½ pages) Section

 3: Discuss how the information presented in Section 2 supports, conflicts, or  extends the theory or research you reviewed in Section 1. Here is where you can  explain why you think something you observed, heard, or reflected on did or did not  match with what the theory or research would predict. Remember it is important to  discuss when what you saw or heard supports the theory as well as when what you saw  conflicts with the theory or research findings. (1 – 2 pages)