Developmental Psychology – Week 1 Orientation & Subject Guide
Welcome & Subject Orientation
- Subject: Developmental Psychology (DEV)
- Coordinator & primary lecturer: Dr. Alexandra (Ellie) Street
- Invite students to call her "Ellie" – emphasises approachability.
- Week 1 mini-lecture sets the tone for the semester: journey through the entire human lifespan from infancy to older adulthood.
- Visual metaphor on slides: multiple images representing sequential life stages → signals the "lifespan journey" theme.
Acknowledgment of Country
- Dr Street began with a formal Acknowledgment of Country.
- Recognised Traditional Custodians of land, sea, community across Australia.
- Paid respect to Elders past & present.
- Extended respect to all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples attending.
Teaching Team & Expertise
- Main presenters across video modules:
- Dr Alexandra Street → adolescent & emerging adult development, bullying, cyber-safety.
- A/Prof Carli Trevo → child-development, clinical psychologist, former subject coordinator, current Head of Dept of Psychology, Counselling & Therapy.
- Prof Christelle Hodre (Week 10) → specialist in attention in early life.
- Students therefore receive multidisciplinary perspectives (developmental, clinical, cognitive, qualitative methods).
Who Are You? (Student Diversity & Reflection)
- Cohort likely contains:
- Psychology majors.
- Students from allied disciplines.
- Dr Street will regularly invite learners to:
- Relate theories to personal discipline, career goals, or lived experience.
- Engage in self-reflection exercises (explicitly built into weekly modules).
Dr Street’s Research & Professional Background
- Focus areas:
- Bullying & Cyberbullying → keeping young people safe online/offline.
- Early Maladaptive Schemas → repeated early-life experiences shaping self-view & worldview.
- Coping Styles in stressful situations.
- Mental-Health Outcomes across adolescence & emerging adulthood.
- Methodological expertise:
- Quantitative and Qualitative research.
- Frequently lectures on qualitative methods at undergraduate & honours levels.
- Applied settings:
- Social-media contexts, schools, workplaces.
- Inclusivity research with autistic adults – creating supportive digital/physical environments.
- Supervisory experience:
- Honours students’ projects (developmental lens; mixed-methods).
- Students will re-encounter her specialisms: Week 5–6 videos dedicated to adolescence in the digital age + research-methods content sprinkled throughout semester.
Weekly Learning Structure
- Self-Directed Learning Modules (asynchronous)
- Combination of mini-videos, readings, reflection prompts.
- Flexible pacing respects diverse study preferences.
- Students encouraged to give ongoing feedback on the format.
- Tutorials (synchronous, 1 hour per week)
- First half: debrief & apply previous week’s module content.
- Second half: scaffolded work on the assessment/lab study (co-designed with class).
- Attendance strongly recommended – central for assessment success.
Assessment Overview
- Two written assessments + one exam.
Assessment 1 – Research Proposal (Early Assessment)
- Format: Recorded individual 5-minute oral presentation.
- Due: Week 4.
- Purpose:
- Build foundational knowledge for the class-wide lab study.
- Provide early feedback used to refine Assessment 2.
Assessment 2 – Lab Report
- Format: Written report.
- Length: .
- Due: Week 11.
- Continuation of Assessment 1 → full empirical write-up of the co-designed lab study.
Final Exam
- Type: Central, supervised online exam.
- Duration: .
- Weight: of final grade.
- Style: Multiple-choice questions.
- Coverage: Weeks 1–12 content.
- Exact date: Announced later in semester; students must remain available for the entire exam period.
The 2024 Lab Study Topic – Social Media & Adolescent Development
- Timely, public-debate intersection: potential bans on social-media use for <-year-olds.
- Assessment aims:
- Foster critical analysis of developmental research vs. media/opinion.
- Encourage respectful evidence-based discussion with peers, professionals, parents, and the wider community.
- Challenge assumptions about digital platforms’ impact on youth.
- Practical outcomes:
- Strengthened critical-thinking and communication skills.
- Ability to translate scientific evidence into real-world conversations.
Exam & Technology Logistics
- University hosts an online-exam information hub + mandatory technology test.
- DEV LMS contains a dedicated “Supervised Online Exam” tile:
- Text explanations.
- Mini-videos.
- Reflective checklists.
- Updates communicated via LMS announcements.
Support Systems
- Academic help:
- Weekly tutor consultation sessions (unlimited attendance—you may drop into any).
- Email coordination team: .
- Discussion boards for peer & staff Q&A.
- University Library study-skills resources (referencing, writing, statistics).
- Well-being:
- University counselling & well-being services available throughout semester.
- Reminder: balance multiple subjects + life; seek assistance early.
Key Takeaways & Action Items for Week 1
- Familiarise yourself with LMS layout: modules, exam tile, discussion board.
- Reserve tutorial slot in your calendar; tutorials are assessment-heavy.
- Start thinking about how social media intersects with adolescent development in your own context.
- Perform the online-exam technology test early—avoid technical surprises.
- Reach out (email/consultation) whenever doubts arise—staff emphasise approachability & support.
- Keep a reflective journal; many module prompts will ask you to connect theory with personal or professional experiences.
Forward Look
- Week 2 onwards: deeper dive into research methods + infancy development.
- Week 5–6: Dr Street’s specialty—adolescence in the digital era.
- Week 10: Prof Hodre on attentional development.
- Continuous integration: assessment milestones synchronised with tutorial content.
"We hope you walk away from this subject with new insights and skills" – Dr Street. Engage actively, and the weekly scaffold will replace the need to re-watch every video later.