Counsellors see clients in every stage of life. Be they children, adolescents, adults, or elderly persons. Counsellors also see clients with altered developmental trajectories. Therefore, to have a comprehensive and multi-facetted knowledge of human lifespan development is essential for professional practice. Issues of personality development and expression will also be explored in detail leading to an understanding of identity. Ultimately, students will come to see how the practice of counselling provides an environment in which a client’s identity may become more integrated leading to an adaptive way of being.
Unit code: CO2001Z
Unit status: Approved (Minor revision)
Points: 18.0
Unit level: Undergraduate Level 2
Unit discipline: Counselling
Proposing College: School of Professional Practice - Counselling
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Identify normal vs. abnormal development across the lifespan. |
| 2. | Describe and evaluate multiple perspectives used to understand personality. |
| 3. | Describe healthy identity formation and expression. |
| 4. | Name ways to positively influence a client’s development, personality, and identity. |
Offering: This unit is to be taught in year 2, semester 1 (term 1).
Prerequisites: CO1007Z Introduction To Psychology
Prohibited combinations: NA
Scaffolded learning In practice: This is a collaborative way of learning that takes note of the learner’s zone of proximal development (ZPD). By repeatedly extending the learner’s ZPD they develop a comprehensive and integrated system of knowledge/skills. Scaffolded learning is achieved through the provision of online modules which clearly guide a student’s learning; through activities of increased complexity during intensives; by face-to-face seminars which are tailored to induce academic/professional growth in an ordered and coherent way; and by assessments which not only seek to identify that key knowledge/skills have been learnt, but that the student is developing an integrated understanding of counselling.
Textbook is: Santrock, J. (2023). A topical approach to life-span development (11th edition). McGraw-Hill.
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skeleton Argument | For 5 different module “Activities” across the unit provide either: (1) a response of approx. 100 words to the question posed; or (2) a response of approx. 100 words to another student’s post. Each response will be marked as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. |
500 | 5.0 |
| Personal Reflection | For 5 different module “Reflection questions” across the unit provide either: (1) a response of approx. 100 words to the question posed; or (2) a response of approx. 100 words to another student’s post. Each response will be marked as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. |
500 | 5.0 |
| Personal Reflection | Erikson's work is still influential in understanding psycho-social development. Using yourself as a case study, what Eriksonian stage are you in? Justify this response. What must you do to complete this stage well? |
500 | 20.0 |
| Essay | Analysing a client's personality structure provides the "geography" in which you will operate as a counsellor. Knowing this geography you will be able to offer effective therapeutic assistance. For one of the (auto)biographies below identify a relevant model of personality and analyse the individual's personality structure. Examples of relevant (auto)biographies include, but are not limited to: J. Assange, "Julian Assange: The unauthorised autobiography"; K. Burns & L. Novick, "Hemingway" (video); Chang, J., & Halliday, J., "Moa: The untold story"; A. Feliz, "Condi: The Condoleeza Rice Story"; Harry, Duke of Sussex, "Spare"; .R. Hoess, "Commandant of Auschwitz"; E. Snowden, "Permanent record"; M. Thatcher, "Margaret Thatcher: The Downing Street years"; M. Trump, "Too much and never enough: How my family created the world’s most dangerous man". |
2000 | 40.0 |
| Essay | The Japanese say that we have three faces. One we show the world, one we show our family, and one we have when we are alone. So what does it mean to be “me”? Investigate the concept of identity. What counselling interventions may be most powerful in helping a client to form a coherent and resilient sense of self? |
1000 | 30.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 4 Nov, 2024
Unit record last updated: 2024-11-04 08:52:52 +1100