This books lays the foundation for prospective teachers to learn about various teaching methodologies and covers material typically found in many teacher training programs. Chapters in the text can be assigned either from beginning to end, as with a conventional printed book, or they can be selected in some other sequence to meet the needs of particular students or classes. In general the first half of the book focuses on broader questions and principles taken from psychology per se, and the second half focuses on somewhat more practical issues of teaching. But the division between “theory” and “practice” is only approximate; all parts of the book draw on research, theory, and practical wisdom wherever appropriate. Chapter 2 is about learning theory, and Chapter 3 is about development; but as we point out, these topics overlap with each other as well as with the concerns of daily teaching. Chapter 4 is about several forms of student diversity (what might be called individual differences in another context), and Chapter 5 is about one form of diversity that has become prominent in schools recently—students with disabilities. Chapter 6 is about motivation, a topic that is heavily studied by psychological researchers, but that also poses perennial challenges to classroom teachers.

This books lays the foundation for prospective teachers to learn about various teaching methodologies and covers material typically found in many teacher training programs. Chapters in the text can be assigned either from beginning to end, as with a conventional printed book, or they can be selected in some other sequence to meet the needs of particular students or classes. In general the first half of the book focuses on broader questions and principles taken from psychology per se, and the second half focuses on somewhat more practical issues of teaching. But the division between “theory” and “practice” is only approximate; all parts of the book draw on research, theory, and practical wisdom wherever appropriate. Chapter 2 is about learning theory, and Chapter 3 is about development; but as we point out, these topics overlap with each other as well as with the concerns of daily teaching. Chapter 4 is about several forms of student diversity (what might be called individual differences in another context), and Chapter 5 is about one form of diversity that has become prominent in schools recently—students with disabilities. Chapter 6 is about motivation, a topic that is heavily studied by psychological researchers, but that also poses perennial challenges to classroom teachers.

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (3-3-0) Prerequisites: C or better in PSYC 2120 or 2060. The application of psychology to teaching and learning. Emphasis is on practical application in the school setting. Ten hours in field experience required. Designed primarily for education majors. Others admitted at the discretion of the instructor.

Educational psychologists work to understand how to structure educational systems in order to meet the mental and emotional needs of students. They study how people learn, identify and suggest efficient teaching methods, and evaluate the effectiveness of various educational policies and practices. Educational psychologists often point out the inherently social nature of our current educational system, study the ways that learning environments affect education, and study the ways that societal, local, and family issues affect learning and classroom practice. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: explain why knowledge of psychology is important to effective teaching; discuss, compare, and contrast cognitive and behavioral psychology; discuss, compare, and contrast constructivist and behaviorist models of teaching and learning, as well as their applications in classroom management; identify important cognitive stages of development, the typical age range of each stage, and the ways that teachers can use that knowledge; identify important aspects of personal, emotional, and moral development, and ways that teachers can use that knowledge; identify diversity in terms of differences in learning styles, intelligence, cultures, and gender, as well as specific abilities and disabilities, that a modern classroom might need to accommodate; discuss theories of motivation and defend those you would use in your classroom; discuss classroom management strategies that smooth the learning process and prevent or deal with misbehavior, and defend those strategies you would use in your classroom; identify communication skills that enhance learning, management, and coordination with students' families; identify strategies for enhancing students' ability to use complex cognitive skills; identify the major parts of a lesson or unit plan; identify and discuss types of teacher-made assessments; discuss the uses of and issues surrounding standardized testing; identify and discuss factors that influence job satisfaction in a teaching career. (Psychology 303)