We have previously explained psychology and some of its branches, which include educational psychology. Having defined and described the nature of Psychology let us now look specifically at Educational Psychology. In this article, we shall define and describe the latter branch in a specific way. We will discuss it in terms of its definition and more importantly, why is it an essential area of study for prospective teachers. This knowledge will enable us to assess the measure in which our knowledge meets the objective of preparing us for a teaching career.
1.1.1
DEFINING
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
Educational Psychology is the branch of Psychology that specially
explores the understanding of teaching and learning in educational settings. It
is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of
educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social
psychology of schools as organisations.
Educational Psychology is concerned with the study of learners, learning
and teaching. Its principle focus is on the processes by which information,
skills, values and attitudes are transmitted from teachers to learners in the
classroom situation. Educational psychology is concerned with how students
learn and develop, often focusing on subgroups such as gifted children and
those subject to specific disabilities. In short, it focuses on the
applications of principles of psychology to the practice of teaching and
learning.
Educational
Psychology discusses in details, the characteristics of learners and how to
apply psychological principles in making the learners and learning process
effective. This branch of psychology involves not just the learning process of
early childhood and adolescence but includes the social, emotional and
cognitive processes that are involved in learning throughout the entire
lifespan. The field of educational psychology incorporates a number of other
disciplines, including developmental psychology, behavioural psychology,
educational technology and cognitive psychology.
Note: It should be noted that the major principle
underlying Educational Psychology is that there are certain strategies which
are likely to be effective in the interaction between teachers and learners.
Thus,
Educational Psychology is concerned primarily with understanding the processes of
teaching and learning that take place within formal environments and developing
ways of improving those methods. It covers important topics like learning
theories; teaching methods; motivation; cognitive, emotional, and moral
development; parent-child relationships, etc.
In short, it
is the scientific discipline that addresses the questions to why some students
learn more than others as well as to what can be done to improve that learning.
1.1.2
THE NATURE
OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
A number of scholars and researchers immensely
contributed to the establishment and development of educational psychology. The
educational psychology, as a branch of applied psychology, can be regarded in
different perspectives. The following are just some points of definition of the
nature of educational psychology.
1. Educational Psychology is a
science: In its essence, science is concerned with the observation of
facts and the establishment of verifiable general laws. Science employs certain
objective methods for the collection of data. It has its objectives of
understanding, explaining, predicting and control of facts. Like any other
science, educational psychology has also developed objective methods of
collection of data. It also aims at understanding, predicting and controlling
human behaviour.
2. Educational Psychology is a
natural science: Educational psychologists conducts their
investigations, gather data and reach the conclusions in exactly the same
manner as more other natural scientists such as physicists or biologists
do.
3. Educational psychology is a
social science: Like the sociologist, anthropologist, economist or
political scientist, the educational psychologist studies human beings and
their sociability.
4. Educational psychology is a
positive science: Normative science like Logic or Ethics deals with
facts as they ought to be. A positive science deals with facts as they really
are or as they seek to uncover the reality. Educational psychology studies the
child’s behaviour as it is, not, as it ought to be. So it is a positive
science.
5. Educational psychology is an
applied science: It is the
application of psychological principles in the field of education. By applying
the principles and techniques of psychology, it tries to study the behaviour
and experiences of the pupils. As a branch of psychology, it is parallel to any
other applied psychology. For example, educational psychology draws heavily
facts from such areas as developmental psychology, clinical psychology,
abnormal psychology and social psychology.
6. Educational psychology is a
developing or growing science: It is concerned with new and ever new
researches. As research findings accumulate, educational psychologists get
better insight into the child’s nature and behaviour.
W.A. Kelly (1941) listed
the nature of Educational Psychology as follows:
i.
To give a knowledge of the nature of the child
ii.
To give understanding of the nature, aims and purposes
of education
iii.
To give understanding of the scientific methods and
procedures which have been used in arriving at the facts and principles of
educational psychology
iv.
To present the principles and techniques of learning
and teaching
v.
To give training in methods of measuring abilities and
achievement in school subjects
vi.
To give a knowledge of the growth and development of
children
vii.
To assist in the better adjustment of children and to
help them to prevent maladjustment
viii.
To study the educational significance and control of
emotions and
ix.
To give an understanding of the principles and
techniques of correct training.
Thus,
educational psychology is an applied, positive, social, specific and practical
science. While general science deals with behaviour of the individuals in
various spheres, educational psychology studies the behaviour of the individual
in educational sphere only.
1.1.3
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
AND ITS CONTRIBUTION
Education is a purposive attempt to bring about desirable changes in the
learners’ behaviour. The objectives of education are realised in terms of
behavioural changes among the students. Teachers have to create the learning
conditions to provide knowledge and experiences to the students for the changes
of behaviour. They have to relate teaching to learning by appropriate methods
of teaching.
Knowledge of
psychology can be helpful in many areas of education. It aids the teacher in
understanding the basic behaviour and/or motivation of his/her pupils,
students, colleagues and administrators. Educational psychology provides
insights into learning processes. Information and skills obtained from
educational psychology is not just theoretical but apply practical methods of
dealing with classroom problems.
All countries in
the world, have certain national objectives and goals which should be achieved
by education offered and on the basis of these goals and objectives, a
curriculum is prepared. Educational psychology is therefore important in this
area to assist teachers to prepare instruction that will suit the age, needs
and interests of the pupils required to follow such a course of study and thus
maximise its benefits to both the pupils and the nation as a whole. The course
of a particular class level is prepared by teachers. Knowledge of educational
psychology is helpful in developing curricular of different levels of students
in different subjects. The developmental characteristics and needs of the
students are also taken into account in the formulation of curriculum.
Educational Psychology contributes to the theories of child and
adolescent development in a number of ways. It enables us to identify the stages
of growth and development and what kind of teaching is likely to be effective
at each of these stages and to understand the role played by hereditably and
environmental factors in the development of a child or a person. This is a
topic which is widely misunderstood among many African ethnic groups. Any
abnormality is often attributed to hereditably without considering
environmental factors.
A teacher acts as
a philosopher and a guide to the learners. He/she must know the growth and
development of the child and his/her requirements at different levels.
Educational psychology helps the teacher to study the ability, interests,
intelligence, needs and adopt different techniques of teaching for effective
communication. The utility of educational psychology for the teachers has been
emphasised in both theory and practices of teaching and learning. A teacher has
to deal carefully with a group of learners in class room situation. As there,
are wide variations in different abilities among the learners. Therefore it is
very essential to understand the individual difference of learners regarding
their ability, interests, attitudes and need at different levels of growth and
development.
·
A
well-developed theory of class room teaching and learning is helpful for
transacting the content to the learners effectively, which includes class-room
climate and the teaching competence which are required for effective
communication and presentation of content.
·
A teacher
must know the appropriate principles of teaching-learning, different approaches
to teaching for better result of teaching-learning process.
·
Another
important point is about mental health of teachers and learners. In the process
of teaching and learning activities in the classroom, mental health of the
teacher and the learners plays significant role. As the mental condition
influence directly the achievement of learners. The mental health of teacher
and learners must be normal or healthy. There are different causes of mental
illness of the teacher and the learners. It should be known to the teachers to
regulate teaching-learning process.
·
Measuring
learning outcomes is another function of educational psychology. Teacher has to
perform two important activities in classroom such as teaching and testing. The
testing activities help in measuring learning outcomes of the learners to judge
their improvement and effectiveness of teaching-learning process.
·
Psychological
training can help the teacher select motivating methods of teaching learners
and improve his or her attitude of teaching. The method of teaching is based on
the developmental characteristic of the learners. For example History is taught
effectively to small children with the help of storytelling method because
small children like stories. So the classroom teaching depends on the teachers’
knowledge about the interest of learners and methods of teaching for the
learners of different age-groups.
The study of
educational psychology is thus very useful for teachers for planning,
organising and evaluating the teaching learning activities in the class. This
is why Educational Psychology is included in the curricula of teacher education
in all countries.
In very
specific ways Educational psychology may help a teacher in the following ways
among more others:
- Studying educational psychology places a
teacher in a position to understand and appreciate the principles involved
in the processes of learning and teaching, which of course are vital in a
school setting.
- Educational psychology contributes to the
theories of child and adolescent development in a number of ways. It
enables a teacher to identify the stages of growth and development and
what kind of teaching is likely to be effective at each stage and to
understand the roles played by heredity and environment in the development
on a child or person.
- The branch contributes to effective
learning by providing teachers with information about how learning is
acquired, the circumstances necessary for learning on an individual pupil
and society as a whole.
- Educational psychology contributes to our
understanding of individual differences as a result of research into the
areas of intelligence, learning style, creativity and gifted and slow
learners. Such information makes it possible to prepare lessons suited to
particular students on the basis of their characteristics. Alternatively,
such information can assist the teacher to help students to attain the
achievement expected of them by modifying the teaching approach.
- Helps teachers to know about people in
terms of how they behave as they do, and what initiates and sustains their
behaviour.
- Educational psychology identifies
conditions conducive to learning and how teaching can bring about
effective learning. The major principle underlying educational psychology
is that there are certain strategies, which are likely to be effective in
the interactions between teachers and students.
- Study of perceptual processes aids the
teacher on how they can structure their material for easy processing by
the learner.
Educational Psychology Promotes Teaching and Learning in the
sense that Psychologists working in the field of education study how people
learn and retain knowledge. They apply psychological science to boost the
learning process and enhance educational success for all learners.
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