ECE 31 & 131 - Day 13 - Adolescent biosocial and cognitive development

11/24/15

O. Garcia - Fall 2015 1

Today’s class

Adolescence: biosocial and cognitive development Ø Research Project # 5 due December 8

§  Focus on Adolescent development §  Method: Observation or Interview

Ø Three more weeks of class: §  December 1 - last date for late work §  No NQA’s on project # 5 §  December 15 – final exam

Results of your school age research project

1.  Behaviors indicative of the child’s concept of self

2.  Relationships with peers 3.  Literacy development 4.  Bilingual development 5.  Reasoning and/or

mathematical development

Groups of 3 or 4 who visited different schools. Take turns. Each person share what you discovered about any two of the following topics:

Whether you decide to interview a teenager, or observe in a junior high or high school classroom…What would you want to learn?

How would you ask open-ended, neutral, non-judgmental questions?

Research method options: observation or interview

Preparing for the final research project

1.  Adolescent ways of thinking

2.  School experience3.  Sense of identity4.  Emotions and feelings5.  Social relationships6.  Health and wellness

Possible research focus areas:

Preparing for the final research project

What age period do you think of when you hear the word “adolescence”?

What words or images come to your mind when you hear the word “teenager”? Make a list.

What is “Adolescence”? Adolescence

Adolescence refers to the age period between childhood and adulthood.

§  Tweens: 10-13 years §  Teens: 13-18 years §  Emerging adulthood: 18-25 yrs

ECE 31 & 131 - Day 13 - Adolescent biosocial and cognitive development

11/24/15

O. Garcia - Fall 2015 2

•  Puberty is a period of rapid physical growth and sexual maturation that signals end of childhood.

•  The sequence of physical changes is universal, but the timing varies (over 3 to 5 years).

•  Age of onset ranges between ages 8 and 14.

What is puberty?

•  Rapid changes

–  Some visible–  Some invisible

•  Self awareness of changes•  Preocupation w/ changes•  Hormonal cascades•  Sudden emotional states

•  Menarche: the term for a girl’s first period. It signals that ovulation has begun (may be irregular for a few years)

•  Spermarche: the term for a boy’s first ejaculation, which signals sperm production has begun

Table groups choose topic:1.  Hormonal and biological

changes (pp. 446-447)

2.  Sexual maturation (pp. 465-468)3.  Brain development (pp. 462-464)

Hormonal changes •  Puberty begins with a

signal from the hypothalamus –> to the pituitary gland –> to adrenal glands and gonads.

•  Gonads release testosterone and estradiol.

•  Hormones influence mood and thought.

What did you learn?

Pages 446-447

Biological Sequence of Puberty Sexual Maturation

Primary sex characteristics: u The parts of the body directly

involved in reproduction (e.g., testicles, ovaries)

Secondary sex characteristics: u Not necessary for reproduction u Examples: odor, acne, breast

development, hair, voice changes

What did you learn?

ECE 31 & 131 - Day 13 - Adolescent biosocial and cognitive development

11/24/15

O. Garcia - Fall 2015 3

v Research has found that the limbic system, an emotional and impulsive part of the brain, develops prior to the prefrontal cortex, the rational, logical part of the brain.

v This in part explains some of the impulsive, emotional reactions of teens.

Brain Development What differences are evident between these two illustrations?

What did you learn?

The top : child and adolescent brainThe bottom: adult brain

Neural Connections and brain plasticity

v  Myelination of the prefrontal cortex improves with age, fostering improvements in decision making, rational arguments, and even reaction time.

v  Experiences during adolescence are particularly crucial and lasting.

What do you recall about this topic? What’s the meaning of plasticity?

Table groups choose a topic:1.  Adolescent egocentrism (pp. 476-478)2.  Formal operational thinking (pp. 478-480)3.  Intuitive vs. analytical thinking (pp. 482-483)4.  Cyber dangers (pp. 493-495)5.  Middle school experience (pp. 498-499)6.  High school experience (pp. 500-504)

Adolescent Egocentrism

“centrado en sí mismo”

“centrado en su grupo”

A tendency to focus on oneself:

Ø  Personal Fable (“I’m so unique.”)

Ø  Invincibility Fable (“Nothing bad can happen.”)

Ø  Imaginary audience (“Everyone is watching.”)

What did you learn?

Formal Operational Thought

•  They love to think and discuss life, and are often idealists.

What did you learn?

•  Adolescents can think about possibilities and about the future.

•  They often question the validity of adult values, practices.

Intuitive, emotional thinking

•  Analytic (formal operational)

•  Intuitive: thoughts spring from feelings, memories–  Is QUICK, POWERFUL, but may be illogical!

–  Example: assume an athlete must be popular

Two types of thought:

What did you learn?

ECE 31 & 131 - Day 13 - Adolescent biosocial and cognitive development

11/24/15

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Issues in Middle School

•  Needs vs. environment

•  The influence of belief systems:–  Incremental theory

of intelligence vs. entity theory of intelligence

What did you learn?

Cyber dangers

•  Benefits of technology use

•  Hazards of technology use

•  Digital native users or digital naïve users?

What did you learn?

Expectations in high school

v  Practical cognition. v  College readiness? v  Work/job readiness? v  U.S. students performance

vs. international students v  The 4 most important skills

(p. 505)

•  High schools emphasize the use of formal operational thought (vs. intuitive).

•  The curriculum is rigorous; math and science emphasis; high-stakes testing.

What did you learn?5-minute write:Ø Something you

already knew but now understand better.

Ø One new knowledge about adolescents and/or a change in your opinions?