Week 4: The Theory of Theorist, Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005)

The Ecological Systems Theory Spark notes video version:

In-depth Video Explanation

The Five Systems:

- Micro: family, school, playground, daycare -Meso: parent/ Teacher Relationship - Exo: indirect influence like social media

- Macro: cultural elements, wealth, poverty, ethnicity

- Chrono: major life changes, historical events (ex. trauma)

Key Take Away Points - Five forces impacting our lives - Development is environmentally impacted - Co-founder of Head Start; the federal child development program for low-income children and their families (1965).

Contributions to Child Development Bronfenbrenner believed that a child's development was affected by everything in their surrounding environment. When discovering the history of child development, we must first acknowledge that children are part of a nested system of ecological context that encourages a broader look at the individual child and their specific needs and requirements. Looking at the larger picture Urie Bronfenbrenner encourages educators (and his students at the Bronfenbrenner Life Course Institute) to look beyond the behaviour to the extrinsic factors that shape a child's development. The Ecological Systems Theory gives new meaning to the expression, "there is more than meets the eye." **Please see all references listed, in order, under the "References" tab at the top of the page.