Week 1
Understanding the Self
Overview
This week, you’re going to spend time familiarizing yourself with the course
structure in Google Classroom and will get to know some of your peers better.
You will then be introduced to the factors that affect the development of the Self,
and move to understanding the first two disciplinal perspectives, philosophy and
sociology, and learn about their differences and/or similarities.
Expectations for the Week
● Review the orientation guide. Reach out to your professor if you encounter
any challenges.
● Accept the Google Classroom invitation and complete the introductory
activity.
● Read the required supporting materials and complete the activities in this
learner guide. Your output in the activities will help you complete your weekly
output efficiently.
● Manage your time wisely. You should be able to complete the requirements
of this course in nine hours.
Welcome to Google Classroom
This course utilizes Google Classroom <add link> to manage tasks and
submissions. Your professors will send you an invite to join your course Google
Classroom. The relevant sections that you will frequently access are:
● Stream <add link> - Use the Stream feature to view updates, collaborate
with your peers, and participate in asynchronous discussions.
● Classwork <add link> - The Classwork section groups your weekly tasks,
references, output, and templates accordingly. This allows you to locate
everything you need for this course in one place.
1. The Google Classroom invite will be sent to the NTC email address provided
to you upon enrollment.
2. Access the Google Classroom using the link provided to you. You will not be
able to access the classroom unless you have been invited or you have the
classroom code.
3. Click the Classwork tab.
4. Under Course Overview, click Orientation Guide.
5. Open Understanding the Self | Learner Orientation Guide.
6. Spend time going through the orientation guide. Send a message to your
professor if you have any questions.
Introductory Activity
This activity allows you to get to know your classmates and your professor, enabling
you to establish meaningful connections with other members of the class.
1. Find an object (in your immediate vicinity or online) that represents you or
your reasons for taking this course.
2. Save a digital copy of the object on your computer.
3. Access Google Classroom and go to the Stream tab.
4. Click Share something with your class… to open the new post textbox.
5. Click Add to upload the image of the object you selected.
6. Explain your reasons for choosing the image. Your explanation should include
your expectations or your perspective of the course.
7. Click Post.
8. Go through other entries in the Stream and comment on descriptions posted
by at least two of your peers.
Introduction
Understanding the self is the nature of identity. You will learn the different factors
and forces that affect the development of the self and how to maintain your
personal identity.
Adolescence is a developmental stage commonly thought to be a time of physical,
emotional, and psychological vulnerability. Foremost among the concerns of this life
stage are issues of self and identity. The course is intended to enable the process of
exploration and thereby help you arrive at an understanding of the concepts of
personality, self, and identity.
You will be introduced to theories of personality -- its nature, development, and
dynamics as well as those forces and factors that lead to the formation of a self and
identity; and the provision of experiential learning so as to ground these theories
and perspectives in your concerns and issues relating to your personal self and
identity.
Activity: Symbolism of Self
How do you perceive yourself? Reflect on what symbolizes an
individual. Follow the instructions below to get to know and
understand yourself better.
Instructions:
1. Draw or use infographics that you think represent who you are as a person.
2. You can draw an existing object or combination of objects as your
representation or make your own symbolism of yourself.
3. Reflect on what you have made. Be guided by the following questions:
3.1. How did the symbol/s represent who you are?
3.2. Did you have a hard time thinking of a symbol that will represent you?
Have a brief explanation why or why not?
I don’t hesitate that I symbolize myself in a video game because, sometimes
there a loosing day that have a good lesson that will be apply to my
character to win that you have a plan a strategy, always be strong and never
give up in every level because if you have plan, strategy and always never
give up you can accomplish anything.
The Self from Various Perspectives
Many scholars, philosophers, psychologists, scientists, writers, and more have their
own position on the self. Although they may differ from each other, all of them seek
to answer only one question, “What is the self?”
Philosophy is derived from the Greek words “Philos” and “Sophia” which literally
means “Love for Wisdom”. It is the study of acquiring knowledge through rational
thinking and inquiries that involves answering questions regarding the nature and
existence of man and the world we live in. As such, it is imperative to look into the
various explanations from different philosophers their notion of what the “Self” its
nature and how it is formed in order to have a better picture on how people develop
their behaviors, attitude, and actions and to be able to identify and understand who
we are and how we came to be.
Sociology, or the study of how human society is established, its structure and how
it works, the people’s interaction with each other, and the effects they have on one
another is an aspect in which we have to consider with regards to the development
of a person. It is also important to understand that the establishment of the “Self”
based on social structures could give us a better understanding of who we are and
provide reasons for how our interactions can affect us as a person.
Citation:
Catamio, Estoque, Gotinga, and Laresma. “Worktext in Understanding the Self”, Aug 15, 2019,
scribd.com/document/421953324/Understanding-the-Self-pdf.
Learn more about the various disciplinal perspectives of the self by
reviewing the following reading materials:
● Philosophical Perspectives of the Self
● Sociological Perspective of the Self
Guide Questions:
Use these questions to help you look for what you need to learn and understand.
1. What are the different perspectives of the self?
2. How do they define their perspectives of the self?
3. Are there similarities with other philosophers or disciplines?
4. What are the differences between the various philosophers' perspectives?
5. How related are the perspectives to real-life situations?
What’s in it for you:
The word "Self" has come to refer to a host of intersecting ideas, questions,
concerns, and problems that are central to the human condition and predicament.
At the same time, our fundamental experience of selfhood has inevitably led to
the pursuit of the question of "What is the Self?"
Historically, concepts and theories of what develops the Self overflow and at times
have been so diverse that the term has assumed different meanings across
disciplines.
The aim of understanding the various perspectives across disciplines will enable
you to engage in an interdisciplinary discourse among prominent experts in
various fields of contemporary science and the humanities, ranging from
evolutionary psychology and neuroscience to philosophy and religion.
MILESTONE 1 : Personal Journal 1
1. Access your Personal Journal Sheet 1.
2. Be guided by these questions when writing your entry in your Personal
Journal:
2.1 Explain Socrates’ saying , “the unexamined life is not worth living
- once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves, but
otherwise we never shall? How do you relate it to yourself?
2.2 How do sociological perspectives help you to understand yourself
better?
3. Submit your Personal Journal in the PJ Folder 1 by clicking the folder
and
uploading your accomplished Personal Journal Sheet 1.
This is the end of week 1 activities. Do not proceed to the next section until you
have completed all activities from the previous section.
