Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model

1. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model CARLA PORTER Sixteen Year-Old girl By:-John Sassine S00092078

2. On the left is Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model used to show how all the systems interact with each other in the model. One of the main purposes of the model is to show how all systems can have an effect on a child’s learning environment and it is often important to considerer their external environment and how it impacts the child. Some systems in the model can be linked and this will be examined and showed throughout the power point. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model

3. Microsystem: The Microsystem looks at the child's immediate environment and it surroundings and how these have an impact on the child’s development. An example of this is Carla’s Mother and Father as well as her two brothers and three sisters. Carla’s school is located in a high-socio economic area in the suburb of Balmain. Many of her friends come from a high socio-economic background. The only reason as to why Carla is going to School on the North shore is because her parents believe that she has an enormous amount of ability and because it is a selective school. Both her parents are working long hours to sent her to this school along with having to care for her three sisters and three brothers. Carla's family is very supportive of her and they are always encouraging her to push her self the hardest she can so that she reaches her full ability. However large amount of the time Carla feels if the pressure gets to much and it causes her to fail certain things. Carla’s parents work long hours and this means that they are not able to spend a large amount of time with Carla. This then leads Carla to turn to people who are not in her immediate enviroemnt. She turns to people in her Mesosystem.

4. Individual

5. Mesosystem: • The Mesosystem looks at important relationships in the child's environment and how it can effect the child in a indirect way. The mesosystem is not the child's immediate environment and a lot of the time a child will turn to its Mesossyetm for extra support as is evident in Carla. • Carla’s Mesosystem is important due to the fact that this is the group of people she starts to turn for help and guidance because her parents are working long hours. Carla’s Mesosystem and Microsystem are linked because Carla parents do not realise that she is turning to these people now. • Her friendship group became the people who she starts to became influenced from the most. • She also starts to use her netball coach as a role model and someone to speak to.

7. Exosystem: • This system looks at how your family’s socio-economic status can effect you as a child and how it impacts on their development. This system is significant because in many ways a families socio-economic status can influence your development as is evident in Carla’s case. • Carla comes from a sound socio-economic background. Her parents earn enough to be able to live comfortably and pay the bills on a daily basis, however they do not earn enormous amounts of money as Carla’s friend's parent's do. Her parents can not afford to give her money to go and get cloths each afternoon and they can not afford to get her the latest fashions as her friends have. • It is because of this that she feels alienated from her friends in so many ways and can be seen as a major reason as to why she has started to suffer loneliness and also depression.

9. Macrosystem: • This system looks at what cultures the individual came from and the role that education has played in their lives. • Carla is an Australian, however she has a Italian background. Carla always has family gatherings and her family are very supportive of her and consistently encouraging her to reach her full potential. Her Aunties and Uncles are very loud and like to give their opinion to Carla a lot of the time in regards to what she should be doing In her life and why she should be making certain choices. • Carla often feels as if the pressure from her family is to much and that she is not actually doing something that she wants to do, in her own life. • Her family believe that she has to put her head down at school if she wishes to go to university and get a degree in the future because they think that education is critical and that you should value education to get somewhere in life.

11. Chronosystem: This system looks at the world wide picture at the effect it is placing on students on all levels. • Carla is feeling the effects of this because her parents can not afford to give her money so she can go shopping with her friends. • Her friends now start to treat her differently because of that. This causes her to suffer loneliness which then leads to depression. • The statistics published below illustrate that teen depression is a problem in society today. The statistics below which were obtained from depression guide illustrate how serious the problem of depression has became. It is critical that Carla speak out about the problem she is experiencing and seek help from her family to deal with this problem. In many ways Carla's chronosystem is being effected and the worldwide economic crunch is having a severe effect on her and her family. Carla has started to suffer depression because she can no longer keep up with the latest fashion trends as her friends due to the cost incurred from it. Thus in many ways Globalisation here can be viewed as a reason for this occurring. • Each year, almost 5,000 young people, ages 15 to 24, kill themselves. • Suicide amongst teenagers & young adults has increased by thirty per-cent since 1970. • Ninety-percent of suicide amongst teenagers had a diagnosable mental illness. • In 1996 suicide was the 4th biggest killer of 10 to 14 year olds, and the 3rd biggest killer of 15 to 24 year olds. Above statistics were obtained from (Depression guide 2005)

13. References • Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006).Suicides in Australia:1994-2004. Retrieved March 17th 2009 from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/ • Australian Bureau of Statistics (2003-2004). Statistical Local Areas with the highest average wage and salary income selected statistical local areas Retrieved March 16th 2009, from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/ • Bahr, N, Pendergast, D (2007). The Millennial Adolescent. Camberwall, Victoria: Acer Press • Depression guide 2004 Statistics on Adolescent depression Retrieved March 16th 2009 from http://www.depression-guide.com/depression- statistics. htm • Heaven, P.C.L. (1994). Contemporary adolescence: A social psychological approach. Melbourne Macmillan education • Steinberg, L (1999). Adolescence 5th edition. Boston: McGraw Hill Company