Educational

Psychology
Chapter 1

Introduction
 What is Psychology?
Definition:
Scientific study of human behavior and
mental process.
Became scientific in 1879 (Wilheim
Wundt, Germany)
Known as structuralism
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 the childs
adaptation to the
environment
Pushed for competent
education for all children
E. L. Thorndike (1874-1949)

Initiated an emphasis on
assessment and
measurement
of learning
Promoted the idea that
educational psychology
must have a scientific base
and that measurement
should be a central focus
 Scientific Data

Data gathered systematically

Tested
Finding
Retest
Confirm / Reject Finding
 Areas of Psychology
Clinical
Educational
Counseling
Social
Behavioral
Industrial
Child / Adolescent
Cognitive and etc
 What is Educational Psychology?

Educational Psychology is to understand

and improve the teaching and learning
process.

Educational psychologists develop

knowledge and methods to study teaching
and learning in everyday situations.
 Continue

Knowledge gained from psychology and applied

to classroom activities.

Study what people think and do as they teach

and learn a particular curriculum.

It may overlap with other areas of psychology

such as child, adolescent or behavioral
psychology.
 Using Research to Understand and
Improve Teaching

Research focuses on:

i) processes by which information, skills,
values and attitudes are communicated
between teachers and students.

ii) applications of the principles of

psychology to instructional practices.
 Research Methods

The 3 basic methods used to gather

information in educational psychology are:

Descriptive Research
Correlational Research
Experimental Research
 Descriptive Research
Descriptive Research is to describe
events. It may include:
i) focus groups
ii) interviews
iii) Ethnography
iv) Case Study
v) Observation
vi) Personal Journal & Diaries
 Correlational
number that indicate strength and direction of relationship

Positive Correlation Negative Correlation

(In same direction) (in different direction)

x y x y
 Experimental Research
Used to establish cause and effect
Requires random selection of subjects
Usually involves at least two groups:
i) Experimental group
ii) Control group
Outcome is statistically significant
(occurrence not due to chance)
 Experimental Research
Example: English Movie and English Proficiency

Experimental Group
Gets special treatment Control Group
time management No special treatment
program no time management
Known as independent program
variables
Outcome of the special
treatment is known as
the dependent variables
Program Evaluation, Action Research, and
Teacher-As-Researcher

Program Evaluation: Designed to make

decisions about a particular program
Action Research: Used to solve a
particular classroom or
school problem
Teacher-As-Researcher: Teachers
conduct their own studies to
improve their teaching
 Categorizing the research methods:
Quantitative & Qualitative research
Quantitative research: employs numerical
calculation in an effort to discover
information about a particular topic.
Experimental and correlational research
design reflect quantitative research.

Qualitative research: involves obtaining

information using descriptive measures
such as interviews, case studies and etc
 Time Span of Research

Cross-sectional Longitudinal
Studying groups of Studying the same
people at one time individuals over time
Researcher doesnt Evaluates how children
have to wait until change over time
subjects grow older Time consuming and
Provides no costly
information about the
stability of data over
time