Read the text and do the tasks that follow.

Read the text and do the tasks that follow.

What is Educational Psychology?

Educational psychology involves the study of how people learn, including topics such as student outcomes, the instructional process, individual differences in learning, gifted learners and learning disabilities. Psychologists who work in this field are interested in how people learn and retain new information.

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, behavioral psychology and cognitive psychology.

Topics of interest within educational psychology

In today’s complex educational system educational psychologists work with educators, administrators, teachers and students to learn more about how to help people learn best. This often involves finding ways to identify students who may need extra help, developing programs aimed at helping students who are struggling, and even creating new learning methods.

Some of the different topics that educational psychologists are interested in include:

· Educational Technology – looking at how different types of technology can help students learn

· Instructional Design – designing learning materials

· Special Education – helping students who may need specialized instruction

· Curriculum Development-creating curriculums can maximize learning

· Organizational Learning – studying how people learn in organizational settings

· Gifted learners –helping students who are identified as gifted learners

Significant Figures in Educational Psychology History

Throughout history, a number of figures have played an important role in the development of educational psychology. Some of these well-known individuals include:

John Locke: An English philosopher who suggested the concept of tabula rasa or the idea that the mind is essentially a blank slate at birth, that knowledge is then developed through experience and learning.

William James: An American psychologist who was also known for his series of lectures titled “Talks to Teachers on Psychology”, which focused on how teachers could help students learn.

Alfred Binet: A French psychologist who developed the first intelligence tests.

John Dewey: An influential American psychologist and educational reformer who wrote extensively about progressive education and the importance of learning through doing.

Jean Piaget: A Swiss psychologist who is best-known for his highly influential theory of cognitive development.

B. F. Skinner: An American behaviorist who introduced the concept of operational conditioning. His research on reinforcement and punishment continue to play an important role in education today. [1]

⇐ Предыдущая 1 234 Следующая ⇒