Foundations of Education

According to the American Psychological Association, arguably the leading psychology-related organization in North America:

"Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. The discipline embraces all aspects of the human experience - from the functions of the brain to the actions of nations, from child development to care for the aged. In every conceivable setting from scientific research centers to mental healthcare services, 'the understanding of behavior' is the enterprise of psychologists." (APA)

Notice the explicit reference to children in the above definition. Many psychologists and psychology researchers focus on the psychology of children and youth, including the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development of children and youth from birth through to the onset of adulthood. This branch of psychology is referred to as 'child psychology,' 'child and adolescent psychology' or 'developmental psychology.'

The American Psychological Association defines educational psychology as:

"a branch of psychology dealing with the application of psychological principles and theories to a broad spectrum of teaching, training, and learning issues in educational settings. Educational psychology also addresses psychological problems that can arise in educational systems. Educational psychologists often hold applied as well as academic positions, spending their time in a variety of teaching, research, and applied pursuits." (APA)

Educational psychologists "study how people learn and retain knowledge. [They] study the social, emotional and cognitive processes involved in learning and apply their findings to improve the learning process. Some specialize in the educational development of a specific group of people such as children…" (APA)

Educational psychology draws upon research and practice to more fully understand how K-12 schools can better create the conditions in which students and teachers thrive in learning environments (Woolfolk et al.. 2020). Educational psychology examines the developmental aspects of learning including: physical, cognitive, emotional, and social growth; features of learning contexts; and contextual and interpersonal influences on student and teacher functioning.

Areas of educational psychology may include (but are not limited to):

• the pedagogical effectiveness of teaching methods
• forms of assessment and feedback (introduced last week)
• how teachers and students communicate with one another
• cultural and social aspects of learning (e.g., the influence of: peers, parents, schools, classrooms, teachers, neighbourhoods, and socio-cultural factors)
• ways to identify and support students with exceptionalities
• etc.

The above list is hardly exhaustive. Educational psychology also explores teachers', teacher candidates’, students’, and administrators’: motivation, cognition, memory, beliefs, perceptions, attributions, achievement, learning/teaching practices, behaviours, abilities, well-being, and self-efficacy (defined below). The educational psychology field is wide and deep.

Woolfolk, A et al.. (2020). Educational Psychology (Seventh Canadian Edition). Pearson.

In preparation for your seminar this week, write out an answer to the following question. Your TA may call on you to share your answer in the seminar: