Human Development in the Headlines Assignment

Human Development in the Headlines Assignment

Human development is not just something we study in textbooksit shapes how we think about real-world issues involving children, adolescents, adults, families, and society. In this assignment, you will explore a current media source (e.g., news article, podcast, TED Talk, or documentary clip) that connects to themes from our course and reflect on it using a developmental perspective.

The goal is not to summarize content, but to demonstrate that you can apply developmental concepts, consider multiple influences on development, and thoughtfully engage with complex issues across the lifespan.

Directions

1. Select a Media Source that got you thinking like a developmentalist.
2. It could be a news article, podcast episode, TED Talk, or a short video or documentary segment, or even about a book you are reading for fun

The topic is wide open. What matters is that it got you thinking about how it relates to human development (e.g., infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, aging; biological, cognitive, social-emotional development; family, culture, policy, or environment).

Examples:

• I recently listened to the Ted Radio Hour podcast episode: The Secrets in your Babys genes, about genetic testing for healthy babies and it got me thinking a lot about gene and environment interactions and the impact of parenting decisions, technology availability, and health on the lifespan.
• Other ideas: The Preventionist podcast series from NYT and Serial, articles on current world events and policy decisions, and how they could affect children/families involved, etc.

1. Write a reflection (approx 2 pages double-spaced)

In your reflection, address the following in a way that feels coherent and thoughtful, rather than as separate bullet points:

• Briefly describe the media source and its key ideas or arguments.
• Connect the content to course concepts and analyze the issue from a developmental perspective, such as:
• Analyze the issue from a developmental perspective.
• Connect it to the developmentalist thinking strategies – sensitivities vary, combinations differ, risk and protections interact, effects lag and cascade, context matters,
• What risk factors and protective factors could this issue introduce?
• How does this issue relate to the five nested environmental systems of Bronfenbrenner?
• What stages of the lifespan might this affect most? How might this issue affect development over time?
• What might different developmental theorists say about this issue?
• Who might be most impacted, and why?
• What assumptions about development are being made?
• How could developmental research shed light on this issue?
• Share your perspective.
• You may take a position, raise concerns, highlight ethical considerations, or discuss tensions or tradeoffssupporting your thinking with course concepts.

1. Cite Your Source
2. Include a citation or link to the media source you used.