List three of the four layers of Bronfenbrenner's (1979) model of the social context of development, and give an example of how each layer can influence the development of a child's academic abilities

What will be an ideal response?

Any three of the following four: (1) macrosystem, (2) exosystem, (3) mesosystem, and (4) microsystem. The macrosystem includes cultural values, such as whether children are encouraged to focus on academics. Whether or not a child focuses on academics influences his or her academic abilities. The exosystem includes social systems, such as the school board. The school board makes decisions about a school's curriculum, and this influences the academic abilities of a child in the school. The mesosystem includes the particular school that a child attends, which plays a large role in shaping a child's academic abilities. Finally, the microsystem includes parents. The values, expectations, and education level of a child's parents influence his or her academic abilities.