PSY 281 - Educational Psychology

1. Describe basic concepts, principles, and theories related to educational psychology
   1. Define basic psychological concepts related to education.
   2. Identify psychological principles related to education
   3. Describe psychological theories that apply to learners and teaching.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the classroom teacher
   1. Identify elements of effective teaching
   2. Describe characteristics of effective teachers
   3. Summarize significant aspects of teaching as an art and as a science
3. Apply research methods, experimental designs, and ethical guidelines to educational research
   1. Identify applications of basic research methodologies to the study of education and classroom behavior
   2. Explain basic research designs used in studying classroom behavior and education
   3. Summarize the basic ethical guidelines for conducting educational research 
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the literature of educational psychology
   1. Summarize information from standard texts, research journals, and popular media regarding educational psychology
   2. Paraphrase orally and in writing information from standard texts, research journals, and popular media regarding educational psychology 
5. Apply critical thinking and writing skills to educational psychology topics
6. Analyze relevant developmental psychology concepts, principles, and theories as they apply to classroom teaching and learning
   1. Identify typical physical, cognitive, personal, and social development from preschool through high school
   2. Compare such theories of cognitive development as Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s as they apply to teaching and learning
   3. Describe the course of normal language development as it relates to education
   4. State the general characteristics of Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development as they apply to learners at different levels of the educational system
   5. Describe such theories as Kohlberg’s on the development of moral reasoning
   6. Relate knowledge of typical development at different ages to teaching practices
7. Analyze individual, gender, and multi-cultural differences as they impact on learning and teaching
   1. Distinguish among multicultural concepts in teaching
   2. Summarize the arguments for and against bilingual education
   3. Explain the impact of socioeconomic/cultural factors on educational achievement
   4. Discuss the potential problems in categorizing and labeling students.
   5. Identify the methods, common practices, and implications of ability grouping
   6. Interpret the meaning of IQ test scores
   7. Apply appropriate teaching methods to the needs of disabled and exceptional students
8. Demonstrate an understanding of behavioral and cognitive theories of learning as they apply to teaching and learning
   1. Identify the basic components of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and cognitive approaches to learning
   2. Select effective reinforcers for classroom behaviors and learning using such reinforcement principles as the Premack Principle
   3. Give examples of effective ways of dealing with inappropriate classroom behavior based on principles of operant and classical conditioning
   4. Explain how punishment can be used appropriately within the limits of its negative side effects
   5. Explain the sequence of events in information processing
   6. Summarize basic concepts of memory and forgetting
   7. Use the concept of metacognitive abilities to explain such teaching approaches as strategic learning
   8. Give examples of strategies for improving memory
   9. Translate learning principles into effective classroom teaching practices
9. Relate theories of motivation to effective ways of enhancing motivation in learners
   1. Discuss theories of motivation from such perspectives as behavioral, social learning, cognitive and humanistic
   2. Use attribution theory to show how student explanations of success and failure influence motivation
   3. Demonstrate an understanding of strategies for increasing students’ motivation to learn
   4. Discuss the effects of teacher expectations and behaviors on students’ behaviors
10. Demonstrate an understanding of effective classroom management techniques
    1. Relate classroom management goals to different levels of the educational system
    2. Summarize appropriate rules and procedures for classrooms at different levels of the educational system
    3. Explain suggestions for preventing classroom management problems
    4. Discuss different approaches for dealing with conflict between students and between teacher and student
11. Evaluate different approaches to instructional planning
    1. Compare and contrast different types of instructional objectives
    2. Explain the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives as it relates to instructional planning
    3. Describe the processes involved in using different teaching formats
    4. Generate different classroom arrangements based on different instructional functions
    5. Analyze basic teaching strategies for attaining educational objectives
12. Analyze different methods for achieving effective teaching and learning
    1. Analyze such approaches to effective teaching and learning as direct instruction, mastery learning, and outcome based education
    2. Give examples of the characteristics of effective learners
    3. Select appropriate teaching methods for different learning goals and student abilities
    4. Identify guidelines for organizing instruction
13. Evaluate different approaches to and uses of classroom evaluation, grading, and standardization testing
    1. Explain the relationship between measurement and evaluation
    2. Examine the uses and limitations of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced testing
    3. Interpret basic terms, concepts, and types of scores related to standardized testing
    4. Explain the concepts of reliability and validity
    5. Compare and contrast such evaluation formats as essays, multiple-choice exams, and authentic assessments
    6. Give examples of criterion-referenced and norm-referenced grading systems
    7. Explain such approaches to communicating students’ grades as report cards and conferences
14. Demonstrate effective academic self-discipline
    1. Meet the timelines for assigned project and evaluations
    2. Communicate effectively using accepted grammar, punctuation and spelling