Psychology of Education

Catalog description

This is a course on modern educational psychology and its application in enhancing the quality of classroom teaching. Each module will focus on one or two major factors affecting the quality of learning and explain how a range of theories and up-to-date research can be applied in the classroom. Cognitive factors, including cognitive development, intelligence, learning styles and thinking skills are covered in detail, and additional influences, including motivational and emotional factors. The final three modules are concerned with professional issues and address the effective use of information learning technology, teacher stress and the conduct and application of educational research. This course is aimed at all training and qualified teachers. It is clear enough to be comprehensible to those new to psychology, teaching, or both—but at the same time, challenging, and up-to-date enough to be of interest to the experienced practitioner; particularly those undertaking higher degrees in education. Finally, we will demonstrate how education research is conducting. Education differs from comparable professions, such as medicine and psychology, in that although there is a thriving field of professional research, it takes place largely in isolation from professional practice. Perhaps most obviously, teachers may wish to use research to evaluate aspects of their own practice.