Free lecture: The Origins of developmental psychology

Lectica (the nonprofit that owns me) is releasing the first lecture of its course, Foundations of Lectical Assessment, to the public — for free.

The FOLA is a graduate-level survey course developed by Zak Stein and Theo Dawson. During the teens, FOLA was delivered in Harvard’s Mind, Brain, and Education program. The course is conceptually challenging, but if you have a strong interest in developmental psychology and want to understand it more deeply, it’s a good place to start.

To me, FOLA is more than a course. It’s the story of Lectica’s origins — originally the body of academic thought, knowledge, and evidence that supported the development of a new set of research methods called developmental maieutics. This year’s FOLA adds material that shows how Lectica has employed developmental maieutics not only to build on our forebear's research but also to create practical tools that support optimal learning and development.

FOLA includes 11 original lectures recorded in the early teens. These were primarily delivered by Zak Stein, whose presentation style is simultaneously engaging and challenging. We love them. And we’re sharing the first lecture so you can judge for yourself:

Each month, during FOLA’s main meetings Zak Stein, Ed.D, Theo Dawson, Ph.D., Clint Fuhs, Ph.D., and a diverse panel of hand-picked discussants will explore the course readings through several lenses, including philosophical, theoretical, and practical perspectives on formal and informal childhood, adolescent, and adult learning.

You can find additional course info on the FOLA syllabus page.