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Brofenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Child Development


In the situated cognition theory, it stresses that learning cannot be analysed in isolation and it is a part of a context (Bartlett, Burton, Peim, 2006). 

Urie Brofenbrenner developed the ecological systems theory that emphasizes the significance of a child’s role in his or her environment (Charlesworth, 2004). A child evokes responses from the environment which affects his or her own development (Schickedanz, Schickedanz, Forsyth, Forsyth, 2001). 

In Brofenbrenner’s model, the child is at the centre of a five-layer system wherein each layer symbolizes a different perspective of the environment and each having a huge influence on a child’s growth and development (Keenan, Evans, 2009). 

Ecological Systems Theory



The microsystem includes the child’s relationship to home, school, neighbourhood, friends and church. 

The mesosystem comprises the child’s interactions and relationships between the home, school, church, friends and neighbourhood. 

The exosystem contains influences like the local school board, government, parents’ workplace, media and local industry. 

The macrosystem includes the society’s prevalent cultural values, beliefs and ideologies (Charlesworth, 2004). 

The chronosystem is the patterning of events and transitions throughout life (New World Encyclopedia, 2008)


Microsystem
Brofenbrenner’s ecological systems theory showed five systems that have an impact on a child’s life. The microsystem is the primary environment that includes any immediate relationships like family or organizations such as the school (Vialle, Lysaght, Verenikina, 2000). As a teacher, I have observed that the more caring and supportive the child’s family relationship is, the better the child grows.


Mesosystem
The mesosystem shows how the people in the child's microsystem collaborate for the child. An example is when the child’s parents active participate in their child’s school, it encourages the child's growth and development. However, when the parents often argue and confuse the child with contradictory views,it prevents the child from developing his or her fullest potential (Oswalt, 2008). As a teacher, I noticed that children with loving families have better self-esteem and confidence as compared to children having negative family issues.

Exosystem
The exosystem is the connection between microsystems and environments in which the child does not live in but it has an effect on the child, like the parents' work environment and the community. An example is when a child's working parent gets laid off from work, the parent is unable to provide the child’s basic needs. However if a working parent is promoted from work, the child becomes well-provided with basic needs (Oswalt, 2008). Being a teacher, I have encountered children with different socio-economic backgrounds and realized that the better the socio-economic status of the child’s family, the more learning opportunities are given to him or her in comparison with the less privileged child.


Macrosystem
The macrosystem is the biggest and most distant group of people and things to a child but has a huge impact over him or her. The macrosystem involves the national government, cultural values and the economy. These things influence the child in a positive or negative way (Oswalt, 2008). I believe that the society and culture which children belong to play a major role because it influences everything that is a part of their lives. It is important for teachers to consider these external factors because they have a huge influence in children’s behaviour (Charlesworth, 2004).

Chronosystem
The chronosystem comprises the significant patterns of stability and change over time at the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem and macrosystem levels (Schickedanz, Schickedanz, Forsyth, Forsyth, 2001). The child grows and develops as time and settings change.


Brofenbrenner’s model explains the connection between the environmental factors and a child’s growth and development. The child's genetic and biological personality traits or temperament also affects how people treat him or her (Oswalt, 2008). 

Schickedanz et al. (2001) further showed that Brofenbrenner defined developmentally instigative characteristics that include physical attractiveness, temperament and activity level, which are identified by biology and the environment. He believed that children affect their own subsequent environment and subsequent biology. It created the nature-nurture issue of how much behaviour is determined by heredity and the environment. Vygotsky’s sociocultural approach is similar to Brofenbrenner’s theory because it also asserts that the people, things and values that influence the child are created through culture (Harwood, Miller, Vasta, 2008).

As a teacher, the ecological systems theory made me realize the huge effect of the contextual factors in children’s behaviour, growth and development.The child belongs at the centre and the school is a part of the microsystem. The child directly interacts with the people in the microsystem and they affect each other.  It is the teacher’s role to provide every child with a safe, encouraging and supportive environment because it influences the child’s growth and development in a huge and positive way. 

The child is an active receiver of what is happening in his or her life. The child, systems and environments are dynamic. Milestones and events happen as the child grows and contexts evolve. The most significant influences to the child are the family, peer group, school and cultural development. 

It is important for me to remember the significant aspects of the ecological model to have a better understanding of children. The ecological model is child-centred as it focuses on the child’s relationships between different settings that largely affects his or her experiences and behaviour.


References:
Bartlett, S., Burton, D., Peim, N. (2006). Introduction to education studies. London: Sage Publications Ltd.
Charlesworth, R. (2004). Understanding child development. (6thed.). New York: Delmar Learning.
Harwood, R., Miller, S., Vasta, R. (2008). Child psychology: Development in a changing society. (5thed.). MA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Keenan, T., Evans, S. (2009). An introduction to child development. (2nded.). London: Sage Publications Ltd.
New World Encyclopedia. (2008). Urie Bronfenbrenner. Retrieved July 26, 2012, from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Urie_Bronfenbrenner
Oswalt, A. (2008). Urie Bronfenbrenner and Child Development. Retrieved July 26, 2012, from http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=7930
Schickedanz, J., Schickedanz, D., Forsyth, P., Forsyth, G. (2001). Understanding children and adolescents. (4thed.). MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Vialle, W., Lysaght, P., Verenikina, I. (2000). Handbook on child development. Australia: Social Science Press.

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