By SREEREMYA.SM.phil,Lecturer,Mercy college,Palakkad

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

Educational psychology

Educational psychology is the study of human learning. The study of learning processes, both cognitive and affective, allows researchers to understand individual differences in behavior, personality, intellect, and self- concept. The field of educational psychology heavily relies on testing, measurement, assessment, evaluation, and training to enhance educational activities and learning processes.[1] This can involve studying instructional processes within the classroom setting.

Educational psychology can in part be understood through its relationship with other disciplines. It is informed primarily by psychology, bearing a relationship to that discipline analogous to the relationship between medicine and biology. It is also informed by neuroscience. Educational psychology in turn informs a wide range of specialities within educational studies, including instructional design, educational technology, curriculum development, organizational learning, special education and classroom management. Educational psychology both draws from and contributes to cognitive science and the learning sciences.

The field of educational psychology involves the study of memory, conceptual processes, and individual differences (via cognitive psychology) in conceptualizing new strategies for learning processes in humans. Educational psychology has been built upon theories of Operant conditioning, functionalism, structuralism, constructivism, humanistic psychology, Gestalt psychology, and information processing

Educational Psychology has seen rapid growth and development as a profession in the last twenty years

School psychology began with the concept of intelligence testing leading to provisions for special education students, whom could not follow the regular classroom curriculum in the early part of the 20th century

Educational Psychology is a fairly new and growing field of study. Though it can date back as early as the days of Plato and Aristotle, it was an undistinguished practice. It was unknown that everyday teaching and learning in which individuals had to think about individual differences, assessment, development, the nature of a subject being taught, problem solving, and transfer of learning was the beginning to the field of educational psychology. These topics are important to education and as a result it is important to understanding human cognition, learning, and social perception

HISTORY

Educational psychology dates back to the time of Aristotle and Plato. Plato and Aristotle researched individual differences in the field of education, training of the body and the cultivation of psycho-motor skills, the formation of good character, the possibilities and limits of moral education. Some other educational topics they spoke about were the effects of music, poetry, and the other arts on the development of individual, role of teacher, and the relations between teacher and student

By P. Muthupandi.

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

D e f i n i t i o n,S c o p e,

U t i l i t y .

By P. Muthupandi.

EDUCATION: has its Latin root: “educere” = to lead out, to draw out – the innate capacities in man.

“educare” = to bring up, to raise. – from one level to another.

“educatum” = the act of teaching/training.

By P. Muthupandi.

Definitions of Education:

Swami Vivekananda defines: “Education is the manifestation of perfection already present in man.”

Mahatma Gandhi defines: “By Education, I mean, an alround drawing out of the best in the child and man – body, mind and spirit.”

Froebel: Education is a process by which the child makes the internal external.

John Dewey defines: “Education is life, life is education”. According to Pestalozzi, “Education is a natural, harmonious,

progressive development of man’s innate powers.’

By P. Muthupandi.

Definitions of Educational Psychology C.V. Good : “Educational psychology is (i) the

investigation of psychological problems involved in education, together with the practical application of psychological principles to education (ii) a study of nature of learning.”

J.M. Stephon : “Educational Psychology is a systematic study of educational growth.”

Crow and Crow, “Educational Psychology describes and explains the learning experiences of an individual from birth through old age.”

By P. Muthupandi.

Nature of Educational psychology

is a positive science is a practical science is helpful in the achievement of the practical

ideals of life. is a field of knowledge with which students,

teachers and parents must be familiar.

By P. Muthupandi.

Edu. Psy. is a positive science:

As every science has, it has its own subject of study. And it is a systematic study.

It collects facts and data using the scientific methods; especially through observation of phenomenon under natural and under controlled conditions.

The data so collected is arranged and closely studied by using quantitative methods of Statistical techniques to arrive at certain conclusions and general principles, theories or laws.

The laws or theories thus deduced are subject to verification in the light of new facts or data. Every science keeps its doors open for fresh information land new facts and changes its laws if warranted by the new data.

By P. Muthupandi.

SCOPE OF

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

a practical science.

any and every situation in which psychology becomes applicable to education.

The subject matter of educational Psychology revolves round three areas:

(i) The Learner(ii) The learning process(iii) The learning situation

By P. Muthupandi.

Scope of Educational Psychology:

A committee set up by the Department of Educational Psychology in the American Scientific Council has given the following areas covered by Educational Psychology:

1. Human Growth and Development:2. Learning:3. Personality and Adjustment:4. Measurement and Evaluation:5. Techniques and Methods of study: