COURSE NAME: EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
AND SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION.
COURSE LEVEL: YEAR one term three
COURSE CODE: DPS (P) 22
By SAUDHA
UNIT1: EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
TOPIC 1: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
The term Psychology is derived from two
Greek words psyche (soul) and logos
(science or study ). This literary implies that,
psychology is the study or science of soul
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior.
Psychologists are actively involved in studying and understanding
mental processes, brain functions, and behavior. The field of
psychology is considered a "Hub Science" with strong connections
to the medical sciences, social sciences, and education (Boyack,
Klavans, & Borner, 2005).
Psychology, is a scientific discipline that studies mental states
and processes and behaviour in humans and other animals.
The discipline of psychology is broadly divisible into two parts: a
large profession of practitioners and a smaller but growing science
of mind, brain, and social behavior. The two have distinctive goals,
training, and practices, but some psychologists integrate the two.
( Walter Mischel, October 27,2023
Scientific study:
Scientific study is a kind of study that involves
scientific theory, scientific models, experiments and
physical situations
Mental processes:
Cognition is a term referring to the mental
processes involved in gaining knowledge and
comprehension. Some of the many different
cognitive processes include thinking, knowing,
remembering, judging, and problem-solving
Behavior:
Behavior is how someone acts. It is what a person does to
make something happen, to make something change or to
keep things the same. Behavior is a response to things that
are happening: internally - thoughts and feelings. externally
- the environment, including other people.
The physical actions we take as a result of some kind of
stimulus. Oftentimes, our feelings can act as a stimulus and
affect our behavior in significant ways.
Anything a person says, does, or feels. Any action we can
observe and record. Any action, whether observable or not.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF PSYCHOLOGY
To measure and describe behavior: Identifying and
classifying behaviors and mental processes as accurately
as possible. A measuring tool should be reliable
(producing consistent results whenever administered)
and valid (measure what it is meant to measure).
To understand and explain behavior: Proposing reasons
for behaviors and mental processes.
To predict and control behavior: Offering predictions
about how a given condition or set of conditions will
affect behaviors and mental processes.
To improve society: Using the results of research to
solve practical problems that involve behavior and
mental processes.
Contributions of psychology to the theory and
practice of education
Understanding development characteristics: It is necessary for a teacher
to know the developmental stages of the learner in order to help him or
her achieve the goals of education
Understanding classroom learning: It enables the teacher to manage
his/her class and ensure that learners derive maximum benefits from the
learning process.
Enables the teacher to identify and cater for individual learners’
differences
Enables the teacher to develop new strategies of teaching and determine
which methods of teaching are appropriate and beneficial to the learner
Enables the teacher to identify learners’ problems and to apply
appropriate remedies.
Enables the teacher to identify maladjusted learners and factors
responsible for the maladjustments using the knowledge of mental health
and improve the learning environment
Curriculum construction-psychological principles are used in
the formulation of curriculum
Measuring learning –psychological principles and methods
are used in measuring and evaluating learners
Helps teachers to develop skills in research. Through
educational psychology, we can control, direct and predict the
behavior of learners on the basis of research conducted in the
classroom
Guidance and counselling of learners at all levels by using
psychological principles
Understanding group dynamics-educational psychology helps
teachers to identify relationships in class, students’ social
behavior and group dynamics
Enables the teacher to ensure that there is discipline in his/
her class
MEANING OF EDUCATIONAL
PSYCHOLOGY
The term educational psychology comes from
two words; education and psychology.
What is education?
The word education is derived from the latin
word educare which means to bring up.
Thus , education has been defined as the
process of imparting or acquiring knowledge
and habits through instruction or study.
•
What is educational psychology
Educational psychology is the study of how people learn,
including teaching methods, instructional processes, and
individual differences in learning. It explores the cognitive,
behavioral, emotional, and social influences on the learning
process. Educational psychologists use this understanding of
how people learn to develop instructional strategies and help
students succeed in school.
According to C.E. Skinner, "Educational Psychology is the
branch of psychology which deals with teaching and learning."
According to Crow and Crow, "Educational psychology
describe and explains learning experience of an individual
from birth to old age.“
LEARNING
Learning is defined as “any relatively permanent change in
behavior that occurs as a result of practice and experience”.
This definition has three important elements.
1.Learning is a change in behavior—better or worse.
2.It is a change that takes place through practice or experience,
but changes due to growth or maturation are not learning.
3.This change in behavior must be relatively permanent, and it
must last a fairly long time.
Psychologists in general define Learning as relatively
permanent behavioral modifications which take place as a
result of experience
TEACHING
Teaching is the process of attending to
people’s needs, experiences and
feelings, and intervening so that they
learn particular things, and go beyond
the given.
Scope of Educational Psychology
It focuses on the;
Learner
Learning process
Evaluation of learning process
The learner
Educational psychology as an applied branch deals
with:
The study of the problems a learner can face and
how can be dealt with
The developmental characteristics and individual
differences and personalities
The causes of the individual differences which affect
the learner and the learning process
Gives us information about what is learning, how
learning takes place, the characteristics of a learner
The learning process
Educational psychology provides;
Knowledge about learning, factors that affect the process
of learning such as maturation, motivation, attention,
interest etc.
The role of the teacher in the learning process. For
example, how a teacher can make the learning process
interesting through motivation
Deals with the problems of exceptional, gifted and
academically challenged children, thus equipping
teachers with skills to effectively teach learners with
special educational needs
Evaluation of learning process
Provides follow up strategies of the
teaching learning process through the
different methods of assessment,
measurement and evaluation
Goals or functions of educational
psychology
1.To create theories that offer valid accounts for
learners’ and teachers’ behaviors i.e. to generate
knowledge to teachers about learners and the
learning process and relationships ( to enable
teachers to acquire better understanding of the
learners)
2.To develop the principles that, when applied to
instructional situations enhance learners’
capabilities to achieve their own goals and those
goals set by society in which learners live.
Relevance of educational psychology
to the teacher
Selection of Learning Methods
Learning methods are based on the needs of the student.
Educational psychology can help teachers determine the best
strategy or method of teaching and learning proper and
appropriate, as well as relating to the characteristics and
uniqueness’s of the individual student.
Understanding the Individual Differences
Understanding individual differences is an important aspect
of education. Teachers need to understand students’ different
characteristics and needs at various levels to effectively
teach them. In addition, understanding students’ different
characteristics help teachers create an environment
conducive to learning.
Educational Psychology excludes anything that isn’t
true about the process of education and learning. It
focuses on what is important when we talk about
learning and teaching. It provides the most
important information and skills to teachers.
Building a Conducive Learning Environment
It plays an important role in helping teachers design
a suitable learning environment. Teachers need to
know how to create a positive emotional climate in
the classroom, so the learning process can be
effective. A teacher should understand the classroom
environment and its characteristics. Teachers need
to know what kind of learning climate they want to
create in class.
Time tables should be designed based on the needs of the
learners. For example, which subject is considered difficult,
where the conditions and mood of the students were still very
fresh in receiving course materials? It plays an important role
in helping teachers design, organize and evaluate school
teaching activities.
Providing Proper Guidance
Teachers need to understand each student’s needs and help
them succeed. Teachers should guide students through the
learning process, helping them overcome obstacles and
difficulties. Educational and vocational guidance is necessary
for students at different stages of life.
It helps teachers understand what students need to learn
and how best to teach them.
It also helps teachers identify and address any issues that
may interfere with learning.
Evaluation of Learning Outcomes
It helps them identify the best ways to
assess student learning and then design
tests that will accurately reflect the
knowledge and skills that students
should possess after completing a
course. It helps teachers design lessons,
assess student progress, and evaluate
teaching effectiveness.
Summary of the relevancy of educational psychology
Educational Psychology helps teacher to know how
learning takes place.
It enables a teacher to know how learning process
should be initiated, how to motivate, how to memorize
or learn.
It helps teachers to guide the students in right
direction in order to canalized student’s abilities in
right direction.
It informs a teacher, about the nature of the learners
and his potentialities.
It helps a teacher to develop a student personality
because the whole educational process is for
student’s personality development.
It helps a teacher to adjust his methodologies
of learning to the nature / demand of the
learner.
It enables a teacher to know the problems of
individual differences and treat every student
on his / her merit.
It helps a teacher to know how to solve the
learning problems of a student.
It helps a teacher to know how to evaluate a
students that whether the purpose of teaching
& learning has been achieved.
Attempts of educational psychology
To discover;
The extent to which heredity and environmental
factor impact on students learning
The nature of the learning process
The educational significance of individual
differences in the teaching –learning process
The inner change that occur during learning
The relation of teaching procedures to learning
outcomes
Effective techniques for evaluating progress in
learning
COURSE WORK
Discuss the different ways how
educational psychology has helped
you as a teacher.(Group work)
N.B. Submission date: 9th/Feb/2023
