1 Educational Psychology Theory and Practice Chapter 1

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Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice Chapter 1 Educational Psychology: A Foundation for Teaching

What is Educational Psychology? & Academic Definition: Study of learners, learning, and teaching & Accumulated knowledge, wisdom, and common sense that every adult who works with children should possess to intelligently assist children in growing spiritually, emotionally, socially, physically, and academically

What Makes a Good Teacher? & Knowing the Subject Matter & Mastering Teaching Skills (Pedagogy) & Can Good Teaching Be Taught? & The Intentional Teacher (doing things with a specific purpose in mind)

Mastering Teaching Skills & Managing the Classroom & Assessing Prior Knowledge & Motivating Students & Accounting for Learner Characteristics

Mastering Teaching Skills & Assessing Learning Outcomes & Reviewing Information & Communicating Ideas Effectively

Components of Good Teaching & Knowledge of the Subject and Teaching Resources & Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills & Knowledge of Students and their Learning & Teaching and Communication Skills & Applying Educational Research

Characteristics of the Intentional Teacher & Purposeful Lesson Plans & Experiments with Novel Techniques that Arouse Student Curiosity & Accounts for Multiple Ability Levels & Uses Class Time Wisely

Characteristics of the Intentional Teacher & Teacher Efficacy & Open to Criticism & Reflective

Research in Educational Psychology The goal of research in educational psychology is to test ideas about factors believed to contribute to learning.

Educational Psychology Researchers & Test Ideas Using Sound Research Methodology & Discover or Refine Principles and Theories that Enhance Predictability and Control in Educational Settings

The Experimental Method & Laboratory Experiments & Field Experiments & Single-case Experiments

Internal and External Validity Internal validity: We can be confident that any differences are due to the specific treatments and not other factors. External validity: We can be confident that the results can be applied to real-life situations.

Internal and External Validity I N T E R N A L Laboratory Experiments E X T E R N A L

Internal and External Validity I N T E R N A L Field Experiments E X T E R N A L

Characteristics of Experimental Research & Random Assignment Experimental Group & Control Group & & An Attempt to Equalize All Factors Except the Treatment for the Experimental and Control Groups & Establishes Cause and Effect & Creates Artificial Conditions

Correlation Method & Calculates Relations Between Variables As They Naturally Occur Positive correlation (greater than zero but less than or equal to 1) & Negative correlation (less than zero but greater than or equal to – 1) & No correlation (equal to zero) & & Does Not Establish Cause and Effect ! ! !

Correlation Method Scatter Plot of Data

Correlation Method Examples & Positive Correlation ì Hours of Study Per Week and Grades & Negative Correlation î Days Absent and Grades & No Correlation £ Math Achievement in Virginia is Probably Unrelated to Achievement Motivation in California.

Correlation Method Examples &Why are children aggressive? Hypothesis: aggression is a learned behavior as a result of modeling. &Test: look for associations between aggressive behavior and. . . Correlation Application

Correlation Method Examples Interpreting Correlation: r scores range from -1 to +1 Example of a negative r (-1): drinking in college and GPA Example of a near zero r: hair length and GPA Example of a positive r (+1): GPA and scores on SAT or ACT

Correlation Method Examples: Identify Are these positive, negative, or no correlation? 1. As the number of books a student reads in a year goes up, a student’s reasoning achievement score goes up. 2. As the teacher-child ratio in a class goes up, student attention goes down. 3. Creativity in writing is not related to creativity in drawing.

Descriptive Research & Survey Method & Interview & Ethnography Systematic recording of human cultures

Descriptive Research Methods & Provides Rich Detail & Works with Natural Situations & May Lack Scientific Objectivity

Action Research & A Particular Form of Descriptive Research Carried Out by Educators in their Own Classrooms or Schools & Can Provide Deeper Insight from Front-Line Teachers than Research Conducted by Outsiders & Lacks Objectivity

Teacher Wisdom “…it is best to apply the [research] principles with a hefty dose of common sense and a clear view of what is being taught to whom and for what purpose. ” Research + Common Sense = Effective Teaching

Do you know these terms? Treatment Theory Variable Experiment Random assignment Laboratory experiment Internal validity Randomized field experiment Experimental group Control group

Do you know these terms? External validity Single-case experiment Correlational study Positive correlation Negative correlation Uncorrelated variables Descriptive research Action research

Conclusion