Keele Badge

PSY-20058 - Module Specification
School of Psychology
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2024/25 Last Updated: 05 May 2024

PSY-20058 - Child Psychology in Practice
Coordinator:
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733736

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

Psychological theory and research are utilised in many fields and professions which seek to improve the lives of children. One of the most common ways that psychology is leveraged is in interventions, which are designed to remediate or prevent developmental, social, or educational issues. This module is designed in two sections, the first will introduce you to the foundational principles of intervention design and evaluation; it¿s critically important to ensure that the work we do with children is the most beneficial it can be. The second section will provide you with overviews of how psychology has been applied in a variety of contexts, which may include: how children learn, healthy and unhealthy relationships, children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), amongst others. Where possible and appropriate these sessions will include guest speakers who practice in these fields so you can learn first-hand what it like to apply psychology in these contexts. The assessments are configured around designing and evaluating interventions with children utilising skills that those working in the field need ¿ presenting, designing projects, evaluating projects, and communicating with different audiences.

Aims
The aim of the module is to consolidate students previous learning about child/developmental psychology and extend this to include new topics in the domains of research methods (e.g., how to collect data with young children), theory (e.g., broader social contexts of development), and application (e.g., co-producing interventions). A major focus of the module will be the development of students¿ abilities to apply psychological theories in relation to children, for example, how teachers might implement an intervention in their classrooms.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Select appropriate research methods for use with children: 1,2
Design an intervention appropriate for children drawing on a relevant theory and methods of evaluation and design: 2
Critically discuss the broader context of child development and how that influences how children develop: 1,2

Study hours

Classroom learning hours ¿ 6 x 2-hour classroom sessions plus 6 x 1-hour classroom sessions = 18 hours total
Total asynchronous guided learning = 30 hours (Varies from week to week)
Total independent reading and study = 42 hours (varies from week to week)
Assessment 1 preparation = 12 hours
Assessment 2 preparation = 21 hours
Total Assessment preparation = 33 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Presentation weighted 40%
Intervention evaluation presentation
Students will be required to prepare a short (approximately 10 minute) presentation ¿pitch¿ for funders detailing the factors of interest in a particular scenario and how they would conduct research in the setting. The focus of these presentations will be the content from the first section of the module (i.e., research design and methods) and will ask students to consider relevant factors (e.g., social contact, attainment, or emotional well-being), how these might be measured and analysed. Students will be provided with appropriate scenarios to address which may vary from year to year. Students will present to a small group of other students (formatively) and provide annotated slides as the submission of the assessment (summative).

2: Case Study weighted 60%
Intervention design report
Students will be required to provide a proposal written for a lay audience in which they apply appropriate psychological theory and research to address a scenario involving children. The target audience will be familiar with the area, e.g., school governors, local councillors, or relevant funding bodies, so students will need to tailor their presentations accordingly using accessible language but not oversimplify. There will be a range of scenarios which students may address which may vary from year to year. They will link directly to the later sessions in the module, e.g., a session on educational disadvantage might have a scenario requiring consultation on how to promote equality and diversity in an after-school club. Word limit 1,500 words.

Please note that for the 2022/23 Academic Year programmes may be adapted to operate in accordance with a flexible, digital approach. This means that there may be some changes made to how modules are delivered and assessed. The latest information will be provided to you by your School in module handbooks. We endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes and details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-terms-and-conditions/

Last Updated: 05 May 2024