Educational Psychology for Effective Teaching

Educational Psychology: A Tool for Effective Teaching

• Educational psychology is a branch of psychology that specializes in understanding teaching and learning in educational settings.

Historical Background of Educational Psychology

• 1850-1950: William James, John Dewey, and E.L. Thorndike made significant contributions to the field of educational psychology.
• William James (1842-1910) emphasized the importance of observing teaching and learning in the classroom for improving education.
• John Dewey (1859-1952) viewed the child as an active learner, emphasized adaptation to the environment, and pushed for competent education for all children.
• E.L. Thorndike (1874-1949) initiated an emphasis on assessment and measurement of learning, promoting a scientific base for educational psychology.

Other Contributors

• Leta Hollingworth (1916) was the first to use the term "gifted" to describe students who scored exceptionally high on IQ tests.
• George Sanchez (1932) demonstrated that intelligence tests were culturally biased against minority children.
• Mamie and Kenneth Clark (1939) studied African American children's self-conceptions and identity.

Behavioral Approach

• B.F. Skinner (1938) introduced the behavioral approach, focusing on observable behavior and controlling conditions.
• 1950s: Programmed learning involved reinforcement after a series of steps until the student reaches a learning goal.

Cognitive Revolution

• 1950s: Bloom's Taxonomy of Cognitive Skills emphasized remembering, comprehending, synthesizing, and evaluating.
• 1980s: Cognitive psychology focused on memory, thinking, and reasoning to help students learn.

Teaching as Art and Science

• Teaching is both an art and a science, combining educational psychology's knowledge with a teacher's personal experiences and skills.
• Effective teaching requires a combination of science and art.

Effective Teaching

• Professional knowledge and skills include:
  • Subject matter competence
  • Implementing instructional strategies
  • Setting high goals and planning for instruction
  • Creating developmentally appropriate instructional materials
  • Managing classrooms for optimal learning
  • Using effective strategies to promote student motivation
  • Communicating with students and parents
  • Integrating technology into the curriculum
• Commitment and motivation include:
  • Having a good attitude and caring about students
  • Investing time and effort
  • Bringing a positive attitude and enthusiasm to the classroom

Research in Educational Psychology

• Research is important for providing valid information about the best way to teach children, allowing objectivity, and making sense of expert opinions.
• Research methods include:
  • Descriptive research (observations, case studies, ethnographic studies, focus groups, and personal journals and diaries)
  • Correlational research (measuring the strength of a relation between two variables)
  • Experimental research (experimental vs. control groups, independent vs. dependent variables)

The Scientific Research Approach

• STEP 1: Conceptualize the problem
• STEP 2: Collect information
• STEP 3: Draw conclusions
• STEP 4: Revise research conclusions and theory