PSY3027 : Neurodiversity of Development (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2023/24
- Module Leader(s): Dr Helen St Clair-Thompson
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Tascha Clapperton
- Owning School: Psychology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
Aims
This module aims to:
- Introduce students to the main methods used in the psychological study of the neurodiversity of development.
- Enable students to develop knowledge of key aspects of cognition that are often examined in neurodiverse populations
- Enable students to understand aspects of neurodiversity that can disrupt typical development and their impact upon psychological functioning.
- Introduce students to some of the assessments and interventions that are offered to neurodiverse populations.
- Enable students to understand neurodiversity across the lifespan
Outline Of Syllabus
Students will cover a broad range of topics and aspects of neurodiversity throughout the module. The module will begin by introducing key aspects of cognition that are examined in neurodiverse populations (e.g., sensation and perception, memory, executive functions), and the methods for assessing these. The module will then cover research into several neurodiverse populations, for example autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and specific learning disabilities.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | Preparation and completion of exam and formative practice |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Preparation and completion of assignment 1 (poster) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Present in person |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Reading papers on Canvas and completing formative quizzes for each topic |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 5 | 2:00 | 10:00 | Present in person seminars in which students will complete tasks working in small groups |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 66:00 | 66:00 | Revising and exploring lecture notes and readings |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will introduce core concepts for the study of disorders of development, beginning with aspects of cognition and behavior, and their assessment. Lectures will be supported by seminars in which students will work in small groups to complete tasks and answer questions, and to design an assessment that could be used within neurodiverse populations. There will also be structured reading activities and formative quizzes on Canvas.
Private and self-study is encouraged to think critically about published research exploring cognition and behavioural phenotypes associated with disorders of development, and to prepare for and complete the coursework and end of semester exam.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 75 | End of semester examination (complete 2 essay questions out of 5): present in person |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poster | 2 | M | 25 | Poster (on the design of an assessment to be used with neurodiverse participants) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Written Examination:
The unseen examination will show if students have managed to extract and combine the relevant information presented across various lectures in order to formulate a coherent ‘story’ or ‘argument’. The questions are designed so that a satisfactory answer cannot be achieved by focusing on only the material from a single lecture, and they require the student to pull together / compare / contract aspects of different topics.
Poster:
Students will work in groups to design an assessment / resource that could be used with neurodiverse populations, and present this in the form of a poster. This will assess students’ ability to comment critically on research methods that are used to explore the neurodiversity of development, as well as work with other students to design a new assessment / resource.
These methods of assessment support student learning by encouraging wider reading / critical analysis skills and assimilation of arguments based on theory and evidence.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- PSY3027's Timetable