|
Educational psychology
Educational psychology is a field of psychology in which
psychological knowledge and methods are used to study the processes of
teaching and learning. Educational psychology combines psychology and
education by applying the scientific study of human behaviour to educational
goals. Such study provides the information that teachers need to help students
learn.
Educational psychologists conduct many kinds of research. They study how
people change while growing from infancy to old age. Psychologists thus
discover what kinds of behaviour are typical of students at different ages.
Educators use such information to develop effective teaching methods for
various age groups.
Educational psychologists analyse individual differences among students and
determine the effect these differences have on learning. Attitudes,
intelligence, social adjustment, and other characteristics vary greatly among
students and affect how well students learn. By understanding these
differences, teachers may develop better instructional methods.
Educational psychologists also study the principles of learning. Such
research provides teachers with information about how students learn and what
stimulates them to learn. Educators use this information to design
curriculums. Educational psychologists also develop tests and other methods of
measuring what students have learned and how much they are able to learn.
|
|
