Unit 1: Basics of educational psychology This course focuses on teaching and the theories educational psychology offers about how we learn. Unit 1 examines different theories and how each can be applied to classroom practice. This unit is designed to help Student Teachers identify which theory is appropriate for their needs and which theory to apply when evaluating instructional programmes.
Learning outcomes: At the end of this unit, Student Teachers will be able to: l differentiate between psychology and educational psychology l explain different schools of thought, such as behaviourism, cognitivism, and humanism, and the implication of each for on teaching and learning l explain the advantages and disadvantages of each approach l consider and successfully integrate aspects of different approaches in their teaching practice.
What is Psychology?
The word psychology is the combination of two Greek words psyche (Soul, mind, self and logy (study, investigate). In simple words psychology investigate, the mental process, and its manifestations in social relations of men and animals. In this background psychology has great importance in order
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to get more and more insight about human mind and the logic behind his / her behavior in social relations.
What is Education
It is a process where skill & information, are transferred to next generation, in order to develop a person mentally, emotionally and technically to be a happy and valuable character in the social order.
What is Educational Psychology
If both the above paragraphs are combined it will be cleared to us that education which is an important social and human activity has close link with psychology. Psychology gives insight and information, about the student mentality while education executes & acts in the specific direction to get the goals that the educational psychologists have set. In other words Educational psychology studies mental and behavior related issues scientifically, of those who are directly or indirectly concerned with education.
Definition of Educational Psychology
The following are definitions of education psychology by well known psychologists: 1. �Educational psychology is that branch of psychology which deals with teaching and learning and also covers the entire range and behavior of the personality as related to education.� Skinner 2
2. “While general psychology is pure science, educational psychology is its application in the field of education with the aim of socializing an individual and modifying his behavior.” Anderson 3. "It is the systematic study of the educational growth and development of a child.” Stephen 4. “It is the science of education.” E.A. Peel 5. “It is the study of those facts and principles of psychology which helps to explains and improves the process of education.” Walter B.
Kolesink Nature and Scope of Educational Psychology
S.S Chanhan has given detail and comprehensive statements about the nature and scope of educational psychology, which are as follows: 1. It applies psychological findings in education. 2. Educational Psychology studies systematically an individual development in educational set up. 3. It enables a teacher to perform his/her role in very effective manner in order to make the learning & teaching process productive one. 4. Educational Psychology is the scientific study of an individual life stages development from birth to death and so on. Source: http://www.studylecturenotes.com/social-sciences/education/203-whatis-educational-psychology 3