Learning, Developmental & Family Sciences

Student Learning Outcomes for MA in Learning, Developmental and Family Sciences with Human Learning Concentration

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Graduates will be able to:

1. Construct their own perspectives of how diverse people learn and develop in various educational and community contexts, through integrating and critiquing various perspectives of learning and development (a program-level outcome).
2. Design various formal and informal educational contexts that facilitate adaptive learning and development across diverse populations, particularly in our unique urban context.
3. Demonstrate perspectives and practices towards a social justice in their academic and professional communities, with implications for policy and practice.
4. Promote mutually informative relationships between academic and professional communities.
5. Review the existing literature and conduct research with a practical orientation on how people learn and develop in various educational and community contexts, to address interdisciplinary questions at the nexus of research and practice (a program-level outcome).

Student Learning Outcomes for MA in Learning, Developmental and Family Sciences with Human Development & Family Relations Concentration

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Graduates will be able to…

1. Construct their own perspectives of how diverse people learn and develop in various educational and community contexts, through integrating and critiquing various perspectives of learning and development (a program-level outcome).
2. Demonstrate a deep understanding of family relations across the life span based on family systems and ecological systems theories.
3. Apply learned knowledge and experiences towards “best practices” in serving linguistically and culturally diverse individuals, families, schools and communities.
4. Critically analyze and understand family science and human development research as it relates to diverse families in community and education contexts.
5. Review the existing literature and conduct research with a practical orientation on how people learn and develop in various educational and community contexts, to address interdisciplinary questions at the nexus of research and practice (a program-level outcome).

Descriptions of Key Assessments of Student Learning

EDHD 5110: Human Learning/Research Paper

Students research an area of learning and/or teaching that is of particular interest or importance to each student. Students’ demonstration of their understanding of researching an area of learning and/or teaching will be assessed through writing a research paper. During the course, students will pursue understanding in their own area of interest and to write a research paper, which would be based on their reading of the recent literature in one area related to how people learn and how we can improve people’s learning. The students will review current thinking and research relevant to a narrowly defined topic and the implications of that research for application to practice. (HLC and HDFR Outcome 1 and 3)

EDHD 6140/7140: Social Contexts of Adolescence

Students research an area of adolescent development will be assessed through writing a research paper. During the course, students will pursue understanding in their own area of interest and to write a research paper, which would be based on their reading of the recent literature in one area related to adolescent development. The students will review current thinking and research relevant to a narrowly defined topic and the implications of that research for application to practice. (HLC and HDFR Outcome 1, 2, 3, 4)

EDHD 6200: Human Development Life Span

Human Development Over the Life Span (Learning and HDFR) - The Annotated Bibliography assignment assesses how students recognize, apply, and synthesize the existing literature of their interests in the areas of human development. Students should also be able to understand research methodologies used in the study. (HLC and HDFR Outcome 1, 4)

EDHD 6750: Designing Environments for Learning and Development

Designing Environments for Learning and Development (Learning Only)-Students will generate learning objectives, a theoretically grounded rationale for the design, and a description of the design. The types of projects that groups work on tend to vary greatly. Designs might include things like a sequence of class activities, an after-school program, a learning technology, a teacher education workshop, and so on. Students are encouraged to work together on brainstorming the topic or discussing the proposal (e.g., by discussing issues, sharing resources, etc.); however, students must write their own proposal. (HLC and HDFR Outcome 1, 2 3)

EDHD 6950: Master’s Thesis OR EDHD 6919: EDHD Applied Project

Students determine a research topic, informed by extant scholarly literature. Working closely with a faculty person, students develop their research topic into research questions. Upon drafting and receiving approval for a research proposal (containing a. the purpose and importance of the study; b. a brief review of current literature on the topic; c. the student’s research questions; d. the student’s proposed methodology for answering those research questions, including the intended research design, participant population and planned sample size, and what instruments they intend to use; e. the student’s proposed hypotheses; and f. the proposed method of analysis), students present and defend their thesis. (HLC and HDFR Outcome 5)