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National Institute of Education
Paro: Bhutan
Bachelor of Education (Year I)
(June 2004)
Understanding the Learner
EDN 1301
Time: 3 hours
FM: 100
Direction: Please do not write for the first TEN minutes. Spend this time in reading the
questions. The time given above is the actual time for writing the answers. There are
SEVEN questions in all. Attempt ONLY FIVE questions. All questions carry equal
marks. The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets ( ).
Question III.
(4+4+12=20)
a) Describe the stages of pre-natal development with the developmental
milestones at each of the stages.
Expected Answer:
The Course of Prenatal Development
The prenatal period is divided into three phases: (1) the germinal stage [the first two
weeks], (2) the embryonic stage [two weeks to two months], and (3) the fetal stage [two
months to birth]. Some of the key developments in these phases are outlined here.
1. Germinal Stage
The germinal stage is the first phase of prenatal development, encompassing the first two
weeks after conception. This brief stage begins when a zygote is created through
fertilization. Within 36 hours, rapid cell division begins, and the zygote becomes a
microscopic mass of multiplying cells. This mass of cells slowly migrates along the
mother’s fallopian tube to the uterine cavity. On about the seventh day, the cell mass
begins to implant itself in the uterine wall. This process takes about a week. Many
zygotes are rejected at this point. As many as one in five pregnancies end with the woman
never being aware that conception has occurred (Wilcox et al., 1988)
During the implantation process, the placenta begins to form. The placenta is a structure
that allows oxygen and nutrients to pass into the fetus from the mother’s bloodstream and
bodily wastes to pass out to the mother.
2. Embryonic Stage
The embryonic stage is the second stage of prenatal development, lasting from two
weeks until the end of the second month. During this stage, most of the vital organs and
bodily systems begin to form in the developing organism, which is now called an embryo.
Structures such as the heart, spine, and brain emerge gradually as cell division becomes more specialized.
Although the embryo is typically only about an inch long at the end of this stage, it’s already beginning to
look human. Arms, legs, hands, feet, fingers, toes, eyes, and ears are already discernible (distinct).
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The embryonic stage is a period of great vulnerability because virtually all the basic
physiological structure are being formed. Because of its rapid growth and development,
the embryo is very vulnerable to environmental influences. Almost all developmental
birth defects like cleft-palate, incomplete or missing limbs, blindness and deafness occur
during the first 3 months (Ist Trimester) which is a very critical period of pregnancy. The
most severely defective embryos usually do not survive beyond this time and are aborted
spontaneously (Wilcos et. Al., 1988).
If anything interferes with normal development during the embryonic phase, the effects
can be devastating. Most miscarriages occur during this period and most major structural
birth defects are also due to problems that occur during the embryonic stage (Weiten,
1998, p. 422).
3. Fetal Stage
The fetal stage is the third stage of prenatal development, lasting from two months
through birth. The first two months of fetal stage bring rapid bodily growth, as muscles
and bones begin to from. The developing organism, now called a fetus, becomes capable
of physical movements as skeletal structures harden. Organs formed in the embryonic
stage continue to grow and gradually begin to function. Sex organs start to develop
during the third month.
The fetus is far from being a passive passenger in its mother’s womb. It kicks, turns,
flexes its body, somersaults, squints, and swallows, makes a fist, hiccups and sucks its
thumb. It responds to both sound and vibrations, showing that it can hear and feel.
During the final three months of the prenatal period, brain cells develop at a brisk pace. A
layer of fat is deposited under the skin to provide insulation, and the digestive and
respiratory systems mature. All these changes prepare the fetus for life outside the cozy,
supportive environment of its mother’s womb. Sometimes between 22 weeks and 26
weeks (7-8 months) the fetus reaches the age of viability—the age at which the baby can
survive in the event of premature birth. The probability of survival is still pretty slim at
22 or 23 weeks, but it climbs steadily over the next month to an 85% survival rate at 26 to
28 weeks.
NOTE: Some students might write the answers in the form of trimesters. In this, the first 3
months forms the first trimester, the second 3 months makes the second trimesters, and
the third 3 months the third trimesters. The Germinal and the Embryonic Stages falls in
the first trimester, the first half of fetal stage is the second trimester and the latter half of
fetal stage is the final or the third trimester.
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b) Discuss any FOUR environmental factors that can be damaging to the
development of the fetus during pregnancy.
Expected Answer:
Environmental Factors and Prenatal Development
Although the fetus develops in the protective buffer of the womb, events in the external
environment can affect it indirectly through the mother. The following are some of the
precautions that all pregnant mothers should take during the time of pregnancy.
Precautions
1. Eat properly/well
balanced diet
2. Gain weight sensibly
Health hazards
Healthy baby and to prevent various birth disorders.
A gradual and a moderate gain in weight may help prevent
a variety of complications, including diabetes,
hypertension, hemorrhoids and a difficult delivery due to
an overly large fetus.
3.
Keep fit
Regular but moderate exercise contributes to a more
comfortable pregnancy and an easier, safer delivery by
improving respiration, circulation, muscle tone and skin
elasticity.
4.
Avoid drugs and don’t To reduce many risks to both the mother and the baby
smoke
including pre-maturity and low birth weight.
Virtually all “recreational” drugs can be harmful, with
sedatives, narcotics, and cocaine being particularly
dangerous. Babies of heroin users are born addicted to
narcotics and have an increased risk of early death due to
prematurity, birth defects, respiratory difficulties, and
problems associated with addiction.
Cocaine use during pregnancy is associated with a host of
serious birth defects, including heart abnormalities and
brain seizures.
Tobacco use during pregnancy may also be hazardous to
prenatal development. Some of the affects of smoking
during pregnancy are: reduction in the flow of oxygen and
nutrients to the fetus, increased risk for miscarriage,
stillbirth, prematurity, sudden infant death syndrome,
slowed cognitive development, and attention deficit
disorder.
5. Don’t drink alcohol
To reduce birth defects particularly fetal alcohol
syndrome and other abnormalities associated to alcohol
intake by the pregnant mothers. Typical problems include
microcephaly (a small head), heart defects, irritability,
hyperactivity, and retarded mental and motor development.
6. Get good medical care Detect problems before hand and get the necessary
treatments. Many prenatal complications and dangers are
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7. Maternal illness:
Prevent or promptly
treat infections
8. Avoid medical X-rays
preventable if pregnant mothers seek and receive adequate
medical care and guidance from health professionals.
Good quality medical care that begins early in pregnancy
is associated with reduced prematurity and higher survival
rates for infants.
Many maternal illnesses can interfere with prenatal
development. Diseases such as rubella (German Measles),
syphilis, cholera, smallpox, mumps, and even severe cases
of flu can be hazardous to the fetus.
Genital herpes and acquired immune deficiency syndrome
(AIDS) are two deadly diseases that pregnant mothers can
transmit to their children. Herpes can cause microcephaly,
paralysis, deafness, blindness, and brain damage in infants
and is fatal for many newborns and AIDS tend to progress
rapidly in infants and very few survive for more than a
year.
Excess exposure to radiation X-ray could lead to
microcephaly, skull defect, spina-bifida, cleft palate, and
other birth disorders. Example: Atomic bomb affect in
Japanese children post WW-II.
c) Discuss the different stages of birth and the physical and psychological
adjustments that the mother has to make after birth.
Expected Answer:
STAGES OF CHILDBIRTH
Birth is both a beginning and an end: the climax of all that has happened from the
moment of fertilization through 9 months (266 days/38 weeks) of growth in the womb.
Childbirth or the child delivery takes place in three overlapping stages.
1. First stage: (longest stage; normally takes 12-24 hours).
During this stage, the uterine contractions (narrowing of the uterus) cause the cervix
to widen until it becomes large enough for the baby’s head to pass through, a process
called dilation.
2. Second stage: Typically lasts about one and half hours and begins when the
baby’s head begins to move through the cervix into the vaginal canal (birth
passage) and ends when the baby emerges completely from the mother’s body.
During this stage, the prepared mother bears down hard with her abdominal
muscles during each contraction, helping the baby in its efforts to leave her body.
At the end of this stage, the baby is born.
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3. Third stage: In this stage, the placenta and umbilical cord are expelled from the
womb. Then, the cord is cut and clamped.
Physical and psychological adjustments that the mother has to make after birth
A mother of a neonate had to make certain physical, emotional, and psychological
adjustments after birth or delivery. Physically, the mother loses her body weight by 2 kg.
on an average and begins lactation-ejection of milk for breast feeding. Especially for the
first time mothers who are having the child for the first time, sometimes the changes that
they see in their physique and physical appearance can be very damaging and depressing.
Few mothers also suffer from post partum depression and psychosis such as loss of
interest in activities, confusion, helplessness, loneliness, irritability, sadness, worry,
anxiety, insomnia, poor concentration, repeated thoughts, suicide ideation and infanticide,
agitated, lethargic, hallucination, nightmares, panic attacks.
The kith and kin should be careful in providing the necessary support and guidance to
mothers especially young mothers after birth to ensure that they do not suffer from the
problems mentioned above.
There should be somebody who can restore hope and comfort in the mothers so that they
do not suffer from any post partum psychosis.
Question V.
4+6+10=20
a) The social development of a child is strongly influenced by the family, peers and
media. Discuss some of the social influences that you have seen in our
Bhutanese children due to media exposure over the last few years.
Expected Answer:
This answer is open and can have a wide range of answers based on their personal
observations. We can accept any answers that make sense in our context.
b) Pay-den is an intelligent but very impulsive learner. Your objective as her
teacher is to help Pay-den tap her intelligence and the potential to be a
reflective and an effective learner. Describe any THREE remedial strategies
that you would use in helping Pay-den become more reflective in her learning
by exploring her innate capacities.
Expected Answer: Teaching Strategies in Working with Impulsive Children
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Some ways that teachers can use to help impulsive children become more reflective
include:
1. Monitor students in the class to determine which ones are impulsive.
2. Talk with them about taking their time to think through an answer before they
respond.
3. Encourage them to label new information as they work with it.
4. Model the reflective styles as a teacher.
5. Help students set higher standards for their performance.
6. Recognize when impulsive students start to take more time to reflect and
compliment them on their improvement.
These are the points but they have to explain describing how they would use these
strategies to Pay-den become more reflective in her learning.
c) Explain the “Big 5” personality factors that describe a person’s personality
and analyze which of the five personality factors best describes your own
personality. Support your answers with appropriate reasons.
Expected Answer:
The “Big Five” Personality Factors. Researchers have found that these five factors
point to important dimensions of personality. The “Big Five” personality factors include:
emotional stability, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and
conscientiousness.
Emotional
Stability
- Calm or
anxious
- Secure or
insecure
- Selfsatisfied or
self-pitying
Extraversion
Openness
- Sociable or
retiring
- Fun-loving or
sombre
- Affectionate
or reserved
- Imaginative
or practical
- Interested
in variety or
routine
- Independent
or conforming
Agreeableness
- Softhearted
or ruthless
- Trusting or
suspicious
- Helpful
or
uncoopera
-tive
Conscientiousness
- Organized or
disorganized
- Careful or
careless
- Disciplined or
impulsive
Thinking about personality in terms of the “big five” factors can give a framework for thinking
about the personalities of the students. Students differ in their emotional stability, how
extraverted or introverted they are, how open to experience they are, how agreeable they are, and
how conscientious they are. However, one should note that the “big five” do not capture all of
personality as claimed by some experts. Some experts claim that the range of personality also
should include such factors as how positive (joyous, happy) or negative (angry, sad) students are,
as well as how self-assertive they are.
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The answer to the second part of the question will vary depending on their description of
their own personality. However, their description of the personality characteristics and
the personality factor that they identify should match well.