Human Development in Education

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain how three key human development theories—Piaget, Erikson, and Vygotsky—show how students develop and learn, and how to use one of these theories in a teaching situation.

Can Somebody Tell Me How to Pronounce Those Theories?

Think about how you learn today compared to when you were in kindergarten.

Did you learn in the same way, or did things change as you got older? Teachers need to understand how students grow and develop so they can plan lessons that help everyone learn.

In this lesson, we’re going to explore three important human development theories—Piaget, Erikson, and Vygotsky—and see how they can guide teachers in creating lessons that fit students at every stage.

What is Human Development in Education?

An image of a little girl with paint on her hands, asking about calculus. Human development is the study of how people grow and change over time—physically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually. In education, this matters because students don’t learn the same way at every age.

For example, younger children often need concrete, hands-on activities to understand ideas, while high school students can handle abstract thinking like debates or problem-solving.

Teachers use knowledge of development to design lessons that match their students’ abilities and needs. If teachers ignore development, lessons may be too hard, too easy, or simply not engaging.

By understanding how students grow, teachers can meet learners where they are and help them move forward.

“Why do you think teachers need to know about human development before planning lessons?”

Theories of Human Development

Now that we understand why human development matters for teaching, let’s look at some key theories that explain how students grow and learn.

The three most influential ones that educators use are from Piaget, Erikson, and Vygotsky.

Each theory focuses on different aspects of development, how we think, how we build our identity, and how we learn with others. By exploring these theories, we can see how teachers use them to guide lesson planning and support students at different stages.

- Which of these theories makes the most sense to you based on your own learning experiences?
- What did you notice about how theories help teachers choose the right strategy?

Accessible Version: Activity: Match the Theory/Concept to the Classroom Example

Column A – Theory/Concept

Piaget – Sensorimotor Stage
Piaget – Concrete Operational Stage
Erikson – Identity vs. Role Confusion
Erikson – Trust vs. Mistrust
Vygotsky – Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Vygotsky – Scaffolding
Piaget – Formal Operational Stage
Erikson – Intimacy vs. Isolation

Column B – Classroom Example
A. A teacher provides step-by-step guidance while students solve a tricky math problem.
B. A preschool class explores objects with touch, taste, and movement to learn basic concepts.
C. Middle school students participate in group projects to figure out who they are and what they enjoy.
D. Kindergarten teacher builds a safe, predictable routine so children feel secure in class.
E. Students work in pairs to solve a problem slightly above their current ability with peer support.
F. High school students debate ethical dilemmas or solve abstract algebra problems.
G. Students learn that the amount of water stays the same when poured into a different-shaped container.
H. College or late high school students form study groups and close friendships for support and learning.

Answer Key:

1 → B
2 → G
3 → C
4 → D
5 → E
6 → A
7 → F
8 → H

The point of this lesson was to learn how human development theories guide teaching. We looked at Piaget, Erikson, and Vygotsky, and you practiced applying them to real situations. You should now be able to explain a theory and suggest how a teacher can use it in the classroom.

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