M.A. Program
Research
and course work in the Human Development, Learning and Culture
(HDLC) area are concerned with key factors (including
cognitive, linguistic, social-emotional, and cultural)
that inform models of typical and atypical learning/development
across the lifespan, and how best to support learners
and learning in both formal educational and other
settings. Investigations of learning development and
culture are applied to a wide range of contexts, including
classroom, work, and technological environments, and
interpreted through a variety of theoretical lenses
(e.g., constructivist, cognitive, socio-cultural and
social development). Some of the questions HDLC faculty
and graduate students are currently pursuing include:
-
How
can high ability in a specific area inform general
theories of development?
-
How
do new technologies shape instruction and the ways
in which people communicate and learn?
-
How
does our knowledge of interpersonal (peer) and intrapersonal
(self) intelligence and development affect educational
practice?
-
What
characteristics of early intervention models support
children "at risk" of under-achievement
in school?
-
How does a "problem-based" model of collaborative
learning transform teacher education?
-
How is gender identity development implicated in girls'
interest in new technologies and/or in the development
of empathy or agressive behaviour?
It
is expected that all Masters students acquire a broad
background in the study of Educational Psychology and
Special Education. In principle, the following areas
are considered to be essential to such a background:
-
a basic knowledge of theories, principles and models
of learning,development and culture,
-
knowledge
of developmental theories and processes in the cognitive,
social-emotional and cultural domains,
-
an
understanding of individual differences in development,
learning and motivation,
-
knowledge
of atypical development and understanding of individuals
with exceptionalities, and
-
familiarity
with current approaches to psycho-educational assessment
and evaluation and basic skills in measurement,
research design and both quantitative and qualitative
research methods.
The HDLC area is supported
by a variety of academic publications, both national
and international, such as the Journal of Educational
Psychology, Child Development, Developmental Psychology,
Exceptional Education, Mind, Culture and Activity,
the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, the
Canadian Journal of Education, the Canadian Journal
of Behavioral Science, Interchange, and the Canadian
Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education,
Social Development.
The Masters program in HDLC
weaves together theoretical models and concepts in
their application to real world educational issues,
and HDLC graduates have found careers in a wide variety
of settings including university teaching and research,
social policy analysis, curriculum and program evaluation,
community and business.
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