Human Growth, Development and Socialization (5 ECTS)

Objective

The student

• is familiar with the stages of human growth and development, developmental tasks and developmental crises and can identify the factors influencing them
• understands the stages of the life cycle, the socialisation process and their significance to well-being from a social pedagogical perspective
• understands the importance of early interaction and can support the development of attachment relationships
• focuses (early childhood education and care students), in particular on the growth and development of a child.

Content

Key developmental theories; human physical, psychological, cognitive and social growth and development across different age stages

Stages of human growth, development and life course and factors influencing them

• Early interaction and attachment theory

• Social growth and socialisation

• Social pedagogical support for well-being across the life course

• Early childhood education and care students focus particularly on the growth and development of a child

Location and time

CHANGES ARE POSSIBLE

27.10.2025 09.00 - 11.45 MPA2019 (Orientation, COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE)
29.10.2025 12.45 - 16.00 MPB6007
03.11.2025 09.00 - 11.45 MPA2019
05.11.2025 12.45 - 16.00 MPA4010
10.11.2025 12.45 - 16.00 MPA4010
13.11.2025 12.45 - 16.00 MPA2019
17.11.2025 12.45 - 16.00 MPA4010
01.12.2025 09.00 - 11.45 MPC3001 (Individual Exam)

Materials

Essentials of Human Behavior: Integrating Person, Environment and the Life Course, 3rd ed. Hutchinson, E. (2020)

Teaching methods

Contact lectures, assigned book chapter reading, group discussions, final individual exam

Exam schedules

The exam will be on 01.12.2025 09.00 - 11.45, MPC3001 (Individual Exam)
Re-exam dates will be announced later.

Content scheduling

See above.

Further information

- If the student has prior learning concerning the course an eRPL application must be done before enrolling to the course to the responsible teacher. If you have any further questions concerning eRPL please contact the AHOT responsible teacher for the course.
- If the student has a special support arrangements decision which affects the course, the student needs to contact the teacher in charge right after the enrollment period.
- At the beginning of the course, the teacher will explain the policies for AI use. Use of AI in assignments where it is specifically prohibited constitutes academic misconduct. Similarly, insufficient referencing of AI use is also considered misconduct. Metropolia's AI guidelines can be found on the Student Desktop
- The course includes Sosiaalialan suomi (Finnish for Social Services) meetings, which Finnish language learners attend as part of this course. The schedule for Finnish language meetings for Social Services will be announced in August. The meetings will start in August and end in December. They will be held regularly throughout the first and second periods.

Evaluation scale

0-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Framework of assessment is attached in the curriculum's description.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Framework of assessment is attached in the curriculum's description.

Assessment methods and criteria

Individual Exam
Chapter Questions
Class Participation

Grading on 0 to 5 scale.