Essentials of Life-Span Development – 6th Edition (Ebook PDF)

Authors: by John Santrock (Author)

Connecting research and results. As a master teacher John Santrock connects students to current research and real-world application helping students see how developmental psychology plays a role in their own lives and future careers. Through an integrated personalized digital learning program students gain the insight they need to study smarter and improve performance.

The Essential Approach to Life-Span Development
In the view of many instructors who teach the life-span development course, the biggest challenge they face is covering all periods of human development within one academic term. My own teaching experience bears this out. I have had to skip over much of the material in a comprehensive lifespan development text in order to focus on key topics and concepts that students find difficult and to fit in applications that are relevant to students’ lives. I wrote Essentials of Lifespan Development to respond to the need for a shorter text that covers core content in a way that is meaningful to
diverse students.
This sixth edition continues my commitment to providing a brief introduction to life-span development—with an exciting difference. Recognizing that most of today’s students have grown up in a digital world, I take very seriously the need for communicating content in different ways, online as well as in print. Consequently, I’m enthusiastic about McGrawHill’s online assignment and assessment platform, Connect
for Life-Span Development, which incorporates this text, and the captivating Milestones video modules. Together, these resources give students and instructors the essential coverage,
applications, and course tools they need to tailor the life-span course to meet their specific needs.
The Essential Teaching and Learning Environment
Research shows that students today learn in multiple modalities. Not only do their work preferences tend to be more visual and more interactive, but also their reading and study sessions often occur in short bursts. With shorter chapters and innovative interactive study modules, Essentials of Lifespan Development allows students to study whenever, wherever, and however they choose. Regardless of individual
study habits, preparation, and approaches to the course, Essentials connects with students on a personal, individual basis and provides a road map for success in the course.
Essential Coverage
The challenge in writing Essentials of Life-Span Development was determining what comprises the core content of the course. With the help of consultants and instructors who have responded to surveys and reviewed the content at different stages of development, I am able to present all of the core topics, key ideas, and most important research in life-span development that students need to know in a brief format that stands on its own merits.
The 17 brief chapters of Essentials are organized chronologically and cover all periods of the human life span, from the prenatal period through late adulthood and death. Providing a broad overview of life-span development, this text especially gives attention to the theories and concepts that students seem to have difficulty mastering.
Essential Applications
Applied examples give students a sense that the field of lifespan development has personal meaning for them. In this edition of Essentials are numerous real-life applications as well as research applications for each period of the life span. In addition to applied examples, Essentials of Life-Span Development offers applications for students in a variety of majors and career paths.
• How Would You . . .? questions. Given that students enrolled in the life-span course have diverse majors, Essentials includes applications that appeal to different interests. The most prevalent areas of specialization are education, human development and family studies, health professions, psychology, and social work. To engage these students and ensure that Essentials orients them to concepts that are key to their understanding of life-span development, instructors specializing in these fields contributed How Would You . . .? questions for each chapter. Strategically placed in the margin next to relevant topics, these questions highlight the essential takeaway ideas for these students.
• Careers in Life-Span Development. This feature personalizes life-span development by describing an individual working in a career related to the chapter’s focus. One example is Jennifer Leonhard, a genetic counselor. The feature describes Ms. Leonhard’s education and work setting, discusses various employment options for genetic counselors, and provides resources for students who want to find out more about careers in genetic counseling.

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