Details for Educational Psychology

Educational Psychology focuses on how key psychological theories and concepts inform pre-service teachers’ understanding of how students learn and the implications for effective learning and teaching.

Awards offering Educational Psychology

This unit is offered as a part of the following awards:

• Associate Degree in Education Studies
• Bachelor of Arts (Education Studies)
• Bachelor of Education (Primary)
• Diploma of Education Studies

Unit Content

Curriculum Objective

Educational Psychology focuses on how key psychological theories and concepts inform pre-service teachers’ understanding of how students learn and the implications for effective learning and teaching. Topics include cognitive and social development, memory processes, theories of motivation and learning, classroom management, individual and group differences, problem solving, critical thinking, diagnostic assessment and evaluation all set against the background of guiding children to discover their goals and calling. The external professional networks available to schools to support children and families will also be explored.

Outcomes

1. Critically appraise the work of prominent educational psychologists and thereby develop understandings of how students learn and the implications for effective learning and teaching;
2. Evaluate the strengths and limitations of different teaching approaches, through a psychological lens, critically appraising how they inform understandings about how students learn and the implications for teaching;
3. Design work integrating higher order thinking processes associated with creativity and critical thinking;
4. Describe in detail how knowledge is constructed and its relationship with the human memory system for teaching and instructional design;
5. Describe in detail learning assessment techniques other than traditional testing, in terms of their strengths and limitations;
6. Produce advanced psychology-based solutions to teaching/classroom problems in order to improve student learning.

Subject Content

1. Stages of psychological development
2. Cognitive approaches to educational psychology
3. Moral, spiritual, and character development
4. Age-level characteristics, physical, social, emotional and cognitive characteristics
5. Measuring intelligence
6. Cultural and socioeconomic diversity
7. Differentiating the curriculum
8. Problem solving
9. Assessment

This course may be offered in the following formats

• Face to face (onsite)
• eLearning (online)

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis University College.

Assessment Methods

1. Theorist Review (30%)
2. Oral Presentation and Write-Up (40%)
3. Case Study (30%)

Prescribed Text

• References will include the most current curriculum requirements for schools.

Check with the instructor each semester before purchasing any prescribed texts or representative references