A new session of each course opens each month, allowing you to enroll whenever your busy schedule permits!
How does it work? Once a session starts, two lessons will be released each week, for the six-week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends.
Keep in mind that the interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes 2 weeks after each lesson is released, so you’re encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
The Final Exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the Final Exam has been released, you will have 2 weeks plus 10 days to complete the Final and finish any remaining lessons in your course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.
Week One
Lesson 01 - Introduction
Wednesday
Your first lesson explains the term adolescent development and familiarize you with some terminology. You will also learn the three main stages of adolescence to help you become familiar with the tasks and milestones inherent in each stage.
Lesson 02 - Biological Development
Friday
Adolescence is a time of change. These changes occur on the outside as well as on the inside. This lesson focuses on some external changes, including puberty and the impact it can have on the adolescent. You will also learn how these changes can affect how you treat an adolescent.
Week Two
Lesson 03 - Cognitive Development
Wednesday
This lesson focuses on internal changes kids experience during adolescence. As children's bodies take huge leaps forward, so do their brains as they learn and discover new ways of thinking and reasoning.
Lesson 04 - Social Development I
Friday
The dreaded peer group. In this lesson, you will take a close look at socialization, peers and peer groups, friends, intimacy, and social changes in your adolescent's behavior.
Week Three
Lesson 05 - Social Development II
Wednesday
One of the things that changes most during adolescence is a child's family relationships and how family members interact with each other. This lesson focuses on some of those changes and the impact this may have on both the adolescent and the family.
Lesson 06 - Emotional Development
Friday
Emotional development is one of the internal changes that evolves during adolescence. This lesson explores some aspects of emotions and their development, and the significance this may have for adolescent development.
Week Four
Lesson 07 - Identity and Self-Concept
Wednesday
This is the "Who Am I?" lesson. This lesson delves into how people think about themselves, how their identity develops, what might influence their identity, and their self-concept.
Lesson 08 - Moral Development and Faith
Friday
This lesson is all about moral development and how the changes to the adolescent play a role in their moral development. You will become familiar with the overall thoughts, ideas and processes that seem common to adolescent moral development.
Week Five
Lesson 09 - Stress
Wednesday
This lesson takes a close look at stress, anxiety, frustration, and defense mechanisms. You will also explore how these things affect people and how some of this is demonstrated during adolescence.
Lesson 10 - Influences on Development
Friday
This lesson looks at four separate things: nature versus nurture, temperament, personality, and resiliency. The main thread carried throughout this lesson is how a better understanding of yourself can help you to better understand others.
Week Six
Lesson 11 - Adolescent Needs
Wednesday
This lesson reviews some of the adolescent needs and how they affect LGBTQ+ youth. You will learn about the issues these individuals may be faced with.
Lesson 12 - When Something Goes Wrong
Friday
Your final lesson shifts from the normal to the abnormal part of adolescent development. The focus of this lesson will be a brief overview of disorders or conditions that are consistently viewed within the adolescent population.