Running head: STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT 1

Stages of Development

Student’s Name:

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Stages of Development

Development is a continuous process from the day someone is born to the day they leave

the world. Psychologists have divided the development process in three specific areas that are:

physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development. Lifespan is also divided once again into

different stages which are based on age. They are the prenatal, infant, child, adolescent, and adult

(Hepper, 2015).

Physical Development

In the infancy, the body develops rapidly as well as in toddlerhood and early childhood.

The weight of a newborn is usually on an average of 5 and 10 pounds, while at six months the

weight doubles and later at one year the weight triples. At two years of age, the weight of the

child has quadrupled hence it is expected that a two-year-old is between 20 to 40 pounds.

Children usually have rapid physical changes through their infancy and childhood. The growth of

children is not at a steady rate during its infancy and childhood. At the age of 4 to 6 years old the

growth rate slows down. Every being is born with adequate brain cells that they will ever acquire

in their entire lifespan (Garthe et al 2016). .

However, there is a continuous growth of the nervous system. The path ways of neural

forms numerous new connections at infancy and toddlerhood. This period is referred to as

blooming. During puberty, neural pathways continue to develop. The period of blooming is then

followed by another period referred to as pruning. This is where neural connections are reduced.

Pruning is thought to cause the brain to function in a more efficient way, letting mastery of more

complex skills. Brain size increases rapidly. Frontal lobes are associated with reasoning,

planning, impulse control, and memory. At school-going age, the child is capable of controlling

their behavior and attention. There is a need to raise an alarm in case the child shows some

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delays on a number of milestones. Some developmental setbacks can be recognized and rectified

through timely intervention (Hepper, 2015).

Cognitive Development

Children display important development of cognitive abilities. According to Piaget, the

ability of children to understand objects like learning that noise is made by a rattle when shaken

was a cognitive skill that develops slowly as the child is maturing and interacting with the

environment. Psychologists have thought different though, they believe that even young children

understand objects and the way the work long before having an experience with them. Cognitive

development has its milestones as well. Children acquire new abilities to think, communicate and

solve problems (Macintyre, 2016).

During adolescence there emerge more complex abilities to think. Suggestions have been

brought up indicating that it is due to increased speed in processing and efficiency. During

adolescence, most teenagers move from concrete thinking and become capable of abstract

thinking. There thinking is also characterized by the ability to multiple points of view, debate

ideas, and hypothetical situations (Garthe et al 2016). .

Psychosocial Development

Adolescents adopt the values of their parents some times. Other teens develop opposite

identities to those of their parents. In many cases, as the teens work towards their identity they

pull away from their parents. As a result, the peer group becomes very important. Emerging

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adulthood is characterized by identity exploration which is normally focused on love and work.

Parameters for comprehensive motivational assessment of learner

Learner’s motivational assessment involves judgment of educator because the teaching-

learning is a two-way process. Assessment of motivation can be through objective and

subjective. A dialogue is a subjective way of assessing motivational level. The nurse can receive

verbal information from the patient by being present as well as using therapeutic communication

skills.

Cognitive variables are assessment parameters for learner motivation. These parameters

measure the capacity to learn and readiness of the learner. Readiness can be identified from the

expression of self-determination. Attitude construction is a measure of readiness. The expression

to desire to curiosity is also relevant. A learner’s willingness to contract behavioral outcome

normally facilitates beliefs. Affective variables also assess the learner’s motivation. What is

considered in this case is the expression of the emotional state which is constructive. The learner

is expected to show a level of anxiety that is very moderate.

Physiological variables consider the capacity to perform a certain required behavior.

The other parameter used is experiential variables and other previous successful experiences.

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The past activities are reviewed as the assessment is being done (Garthe et al 2016).

Environmental variables are parameters to assess the motivation of the learners. The

appropriateness of the physical environment is considered. Social support systems such as the

family, group, work and community resource are also looked into. Finally, the educator is also a

person of interest. A learner relationship system is a good tool for assessment. There should be a

prediction of a positive relationship (Macintyre, 2016).

Learning Process

Learning process comes in many different forms. Sometimes children learn by being told

something directly. However, learning through observation is very common among children. A

child’s learning is mainly influenced by immediate family members who they interact with often.

The family is usually the primary social group for the child. The shaping of the child’s values,

socialization, security, and skills are shaped by the family members.

Pedagogy is an approach to teaching. Broadly it is referred to as a theory and practice of

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education and how the growth of learner is influenced. Taking pedagogy as a discipline, it is the

study of how skills and knowledge are impacted in the context of education. There is a big

variation of pedagogies as they reflect different political, social and cultural contexts from where

they emerge. Teachers adopt pedagogy to shape their actions, judgments and other strategies

used.

Andragogy is a method and also principles that are used in adult education. It can also be

said to be a theory of adult learning. It is contrasted with the pedagogy which holds that adults

learn best whenever involved in the process of evaluating and planning their own learning.

Geragogy is referred to as a theory which argues that older adults are adequately different and

that they warrant a different educational theory. Pedagogy and geragogy have a key difference

that is an opportunity offered for an older adult who is learners to set their curriculum and learn

by personal relevant activities (Hepper, 2015).

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Reading Level of a Patient

Health literacy of an individual is considered single best predictor of their status of

health. The capacity to obtain, understand and interpret information on health is referred to as

health literacy. Inadequate health literacy is said to contribute a huge burden to the healthcare

system of the US. Reading skills is a very important level of literacy. Difficulty in

comprehending passages that are long shows some levels of inadequacy in literacy. The literacy

of health is influenced by general literacy, familiarity with the system of healthcare and how

healthcare information is presented. People with a poor health care literacy are likely to seek

emergency care, more admissions in hospitals which are long, they are also prone to missing

medical appointments, their treatment compliance is poor and has a greater progression of a

disease.

Gender-related Characteristics in Cognitive Functioning

Agreeableness contrasts are an orientation of pro-social and orientation of communal to others. It

includes characteristics like tender-mindedness, trust, modesty, and altruism. Extroversion is also

another characteristic that implies an approach that is energetic towards the material and social

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world. Including characteristics such as activity, sociability, assertiveness, and emotionality that

is positive (Macintyre, 2016).

The third characteristic is the conscientiousness which describes impulse control

described socially. This facilitates the task and behavior that is goal-directed. That is like when

acting before thinking, delayed gratification, following rules and norms and organizing, planning

and task prioritization. The fourth is neuroticism. It contrasts the stability of emotions and also

temperedness with an emotionality that is negative such as feeling nervous, tense and anxious.

Openness is the fifth characteristic. It describes the depth, breadth, and complex of an individual

life experiential and mental. The individual is inventive and very curious. Consistent and

cautiousness are also elements of this trait (Garthe et al 2016). .

Teaching Strategies

All the four ethnic groups require educator and learning style that is sensitive culturally

and prepared for their individual needs. Using unique teaching practices is important. Sometimes

their first language may not be English. As a result, the educators must be informed about the

possibility of language barriers affecting student’s ability to learn smoothly. Stereotypes and

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generalizations surrounding the groups are also many (Macintyre, 2016).

Methods for Learning

Motivation to a student have a positive influence on developing psychomotor skills. The

main step in the process of learning is the creation of an atmosphere of perplexity in the minds of

students about the particular problem. Learning takes place where there is motivation. The

following strategies increase the motivation of learners. First, apply a number of strategies that

are based on interests and goals as well as personal challenges. The step is arousal of curiosity by

presenting an idea or problem. Put in place standards that are attainable. Then, give feedback and

a reinforcement taking advantage of tendencies to compete.

I have used a one-on-one on teaching patients. Other methods that may be used in giving

instructions to patients may include videos, presentations of PowerPoint, analogies and also

posters and charts. All these methods do not suit all the patients. It is always good to consider the

best and most feasible to integrate into patients lifestyles (Hepper, 2015).

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Garthe, A., Roeder, I., & Kempermann, G. (2016). Mice in an enriched environment learn more

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Hepper, P. (2015). Behavior during the prenatal period: Adaptive for development and survival.

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