Revised 4/2013

PSY 245 - Educational Psychology (3 CR.)

Course Description

Explores human behavior and learning in the educational context.  Investigates the nature of various mental characteristics such as intelligence, interest, and knowledge. Examines their measurement and appraisal and their significance for educational goals. Lecture 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

This course concerns itself with measurement, motivation, learning conditions, problem solving, and evaluation in the acquisition of skills, concepts and principles while considering individual characteristics. It explores the processes of cognition, the principles of learning, and the assessment of results in the context of educational processes. In essence, it develops a common professional foundation of knowledge, skills, and abilities that are necessary for effective teaching and assessment, regardless of grade level or subject specialization. More specifically, this course is designed to help the individual to: • Describe the major theories of educational psychology • Apply the principles of human development, strategies, and behavior to educational outcomes • List and define the major types of learning and their principles and apply them to major theories in the field of educational psychology • Compose techniques for using the principles of educational psychology to improve one’s professional and personal life • Identify multiple careers in the field of educational psychology and differentiate their various roles

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisites: PSY 135, PSY 200, PSY 201, or PSY 202 or PSY 235

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

  • Critically analyze the principles of education
  • Analyze the learner/teacher relationship with respect to theoretical and research findings
  • Describe the human developmental process in learning, remembering, and forgetting;
  • Apply the principles of education to one’s experience as both teacher and learner
  • Identify social and cultural influences on education

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Development and measurement of intelligence
  • The disadvantaged child
  • Motivation in education
  • Basic learning conditions and types
  • Educational processes involved in the acquisition of skills
  • Educational processes involved in the acquisition of verbal knowledge
  • Educational processes involved in the acquisition of concepts and principles
  • Problem solving, creativity, and discovery learning
  • Programmed instruction and educational technology
  • Construction, evaluation and use of tenets
  • Interpretation of standardized test scores
  • Evaluation of research in educational psychology

Optional Topics

  • Comparison of educational theories and approaches
  • Social factors influencing education
  • History of education
  • Relationship between development and curriculum