As I've gone through the semester and turned in various concept maps, I found that this type of assignment has deepened my understanding of Human development across the lifespan. I truly enjoyed the process of breaking down the weekly content in a way that I could interpret better. I also feel it is a wonderful way for me to reiterate what I have learned and connect to the ideas more clearly. Pushing past just subjecting these ideas to memory, the concept maps were a fun way to organize the complex material we were learning in order to truly capture the bigger picture.

2. What were your top 3 concept maps and why?

My top three concept maps were the Hereditary & Prenatal Development, Physical Development in Infancy, and Cognitive Development in Infancy concept maps. I enjoyed the Hereditary & Prenatal Development unit in general because it provided great insight into the pregnancy process and how much of our development is influenced before we are even born. Physical development in Infancy was interesting to explore because I had previously not known how fast growth occurs in such a short period. Cognitive Development in Infancy was fascinating as well because it helped me understand how infants begin to process the world around them. These three maps stick out to me because they helped me establish my knowledge of the foundations of life and how complex these stages are.

3. What have you learned about Human Development Lifespan by compiling this portfolio? Looking at individual concept maps and looking at them as a whole masterpiece?

Putting together this final portfolio has given me the opportunity to review my past work and see that each map is part of a larger journey I've taken throughout the semester. Looking at them collectively in this format made me realize how much time and effort I have put into the understanding of human development that I have now. I can now see the full image of change across lifespans as I look at how these stages connect to create a complete picture. Beyond just a feeling of accomplishment, this process has given me a deeper appreciation and understanding of how every journey starts from the very beginning.