Shahid Yaqub Abbasi

Educational Psychology

is the scientific discipline that

addresses the questions

“Why do some students learn

more than others?”
and to improve
“What can be done
that learning?”
What Is Educational Psychology
 Educational psychology is…

 “A scientific discipline that

is concerned with
understanding and
improving how students
acquire a variety of
capabilities through
instruction in classroom
settings” (p. 4).

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Threatening Kids Not providing
with RED PEN- parents with
/failure appropriate
Using Test Results as alternatives
only source of
testing for ability

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 Educational psychologists study how
students learn in classrooms
◦ Physical, cognitive, psychosocial development
◦ Cultural, social, emotional, and intellectual
differences
◦ Learning and problem-
solving processes
◦ Testing and measurement
◦ Self-esteem
◦ Motivation

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2. Research in EdPsych offers many useful ideas
for improving classroom instruction
◦ Giving positive reinforcement/corrective feedback
◦ Communicating expectations
◦ Requiring higher-order responding
◦ Monitoring and improving own learning efforts
◦ Knowing misconceptions students bring to class
◦ Creating learning situations (variety)
◦ Showing student how to work in small groups
◦ Accepting responsibility for student outcomes
3. Teachers who have had professional
training are generally more effective
◦ Most beginning teachers rate their preparation
as adequate or well prepared
◦ Grades in teacher-education courses better
indicator of success in teaching secondary level
than GPA or specialty area grades
◦ Cases of dramatic improvements after taking
teacher-education courses
 "Educational psychology is distinct from other
branches of psychology because it has the
understanding and improvement of education
as its primary goal" (Wittrock, 1992, p. 138).
 study what people think and do as they teach
and learn a particular curriculum in a particular
environment where education and training are
intended to take place" (Berliner,1992, p. 145).
 An academic definition would perhaps say that
educational psychology is the study of learners,
learning, and teaching.
 Material Factors
 Cultural Factors
 Factors within school
 Douglas found that poor housing conditions (i.e not
enough space) can lead to lower attainment
 Poorer diet of working class families can lead to damaged
cognitive development
 Low income means books and resources can’t be brought
 Difficult to be able to afford higher education (travel and
fees) – especially with raised tuition fees and cuts to EMA
 Poorer families might not be able to send child to pre-
school which can help development and thus attainment
 Pupils from poorer families are more likely to have part-
time jobs as they can’t afford not too, this takes time away
from studies
 Many schools rely on donations from parents, if the school
is in a less-affluent area they will receive less money and
provide a worse education, affecting childs attainment
 Cultural factors are things like values, attitudes, languages etc. If a child is in a social group
deprived of these factors he could underachieve.
 Douglas said the most important factor affecting a childs attainment was parental interest in
the child’s education. This is because if the parents lacks this they wouldn’t be able to
encourage and help their child with their studies in the same way others do. This affects
working class children more because their parents tend to be less well-educated.
 Similarly parent’s level of education plays a big role in the child attainment. If the parent is
well-educated he can help the child with school work, also they will be able to help the child by
knowing what resources to buy, taking them to cultural events etc
 Bernstein’s Restricted and Elaborated speech codes says that working class children are less
likely to have intellectual and developed langauge, or they have a restricted speech code. This
could lead to lower attainment, perhaps because they could struggle more in written exams etc
 Bourdieu’s Habitas states that the working class have lower cultural capital, they have less
access to more intelligent culture. For example they would watch documentaries instead of
sitcoms or read novels instead of magazines, this could be largely due to being socialized in a
certain way. This then leads to lower attainment as they have not got the level of cultural
intelligence middle class students do.
 Bourdieu’s Habitas also states that the working class have lower social capital. This means they
have less social networks and influence. This means working class students wont know the
“right people” too talk to and they wont get the same extent of help that knowing these people
can bring.
 Exaggeration – They tend to exaggerate the differences between
attitudes of social classes
 Overlooking the effect of material factors – Douglas said that
working-class parents don’t have as much interest as middle-
class parents; however it could be that they are interested, they
just cant show that interest due to long working hours, lack of
knowledge etc.
 Ignoring the role of schools – a lot of these points don’t take into
consideration the effect school itself can have, it could be that
middle class pupils do better because of the way they are treated
in school, not because of their background.
 Risk letting schools “off the hook” – If we completely blame
parents and home situations then it does not pressure schools
into changing and improving, even though it may be their fault
completely

 The academic subjects they teach.
 General teaching strategies that apply in all
subjects .
 The curriculum materials and programs
appropriate for their subject and grade level.
 Subject-specific knowledge for teaching.
 Knowing the characteristics and cultural
backgrounds of learners.
 The setting in which students .
 The goals and purposes of teaching.
Define & differentiate the following terms:

Education:
1) developing the capacities and
potential of the individual so as to
prepare that individual to be
successful in a specific society or
culture. From this perspective,
education is serving primarily an
individual development function.
Define & differentiate the following terms:

Education:

2) the process by which society

transmits to new members the values,
beliefs, knowledge, and symbolic
expressions to make communication
possible within society. In this sense,
education is serving a social and
cultural function.
Define & differentiate the following terms:

Schooling:

Teaching and learning that

takes place in formal
environments
Define & differentiate the following terms:

Psychology:

the scientific study

of mind and behavior
(or behavior and mental
processes),
especially as it relates to
individual human beings
Define & differentiate the following terms:

Educational Psychology:

Combination of psychology and

education

A distinct scientific discipline

within psychology that includes
both methods of study and a
knowledge base
Define & differentiate the following terms:

Educational Psychology:

Concerned primarily with understanding the

processes of teaching and learning that take
place within formal environments and developing
ways of improving those methods.

Important topics include learning theories;

teaching methods; motivation; cognitive,
emotional, and moral development; and parent-
child relationships.
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 The physical and emotional climate of the
child's home and neighborhood

 The amount of stability and consistency in

the child’s family

 The parenting styles of the child’s parents

 The power and influence of peers in a

child’s life*

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 the positive and negative role models
available to the child

 The child’s exposure to violent media

 The child’s emotional and physical health

 The child’s own attitude toward his/her

anger*

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 Basic has several “Functions”:
◦ Attention from peers or adults
◦ Attain power/control
◦ Revenge or Retaliation
◦ Feels Good/Play
◦ Fear of Failure
◦ Getting something (Sensory Input)
◦ Imitation

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 Classroom Rules
 Classroom Schedule
 Physical Space
 Attention Signal
 Beginning and Ending Routines
 Student Work
 Classroom Management Plan

 adapted from the Tough Kid series, and CHAMPs

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 Keep the number to a minimum (approx. 5).
 Keep the wording simple.
 Have rules represent you basic expectations
 Keep the wording positive, if possible.
 Make your rules specific.
 Make your rules describe behavior that is
observable.

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 Make your rules describe behavior that is
measurable.
 Assign consequences to breaking the rules.
 Always include a “compliance rule”.
 Keep the rules posted.
 Consider having rules recited daily for first
two weeks then periodically..

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 Inappropriate Rules:  Preferred Rules:
◦ Be responsible ◦ Keep hands, feet,
and objects to
◦ Pay attention yourself.
◦ Do your best ◦ Raise your hand and
◦ Be kind to others wait for permission
to speak.
◦ Respect authority ◦ Sit in your seat
◦ Be polite unless you have
permission to leave
it.
◦ Walk, don’t run, at
all times in the
classroom.
 The best consequences are reasonable and
logical

 A reasonable consequence is one that

follows logically from the behavior rather
than one that is arbitrarily imposed

 The best logical consequences teach the

students to choose between acceptable and
unacceptable actions.

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 For the following types of student behavior,
develop both an example of a logical
consequence AND an illogical
consequence…

◦ Chews gum
◦ Turns in sloppy paper
◦ Walks in the classroom noisily
◦ Passes paper in incorrectly
◦ Arrives late
◦ Does not bring textbook
◦ Does not bring pencil or pen

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 Proximity management
 Verbal reprimand/Warning
 Time owed after class
 In-class time-out
 Parental contact
 Restitution
 Principal Notification Form
 Disciplinary Referral

It should be noted that prior to enacting

corrective consequences, positive reinforcement
strategies should be utilized.

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 Aggressive (the hyperactive, agitated,
unruly student)
 Resistant (the student who won’t work)
 Distractible (the student who can’t
concentrate)
 Dependent (the student who wants help all
the time)

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 Separate—disruptive
students;
maybe aggressive and resistant
students

 Nearby—disruptive students;
maybe distractible, dependent,
and resistant

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 Arrange work areas and seats so that you
can easily see and monitor all the students
and areas no matter where you are in the
room
 Be sure that students will be able to see you
as well as frequently used areas of the
classroom
 Keep traffic areas clear
 Keep access to storage areas, bookcases,
cabinets, and doors clear
 Learn the emergency procedures
 Make sure you have enough chairs for the
work areas

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 Be sure to have all necessary materials in
easily accessible areas
 Test any equipment to make sure that it
works BEFORE you use it
 Use materials such as tote bags, boxes,
coffee cans, dishpans, etc. to store materials
that students will need.
 Arrange work areas where students can go
for reading and math groups, science, lab
areas, project work, learning centers, and
independent study. (Remember, you may
not need these areas on the first days of
school.

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 Plan areas for student belongings
◦ Coats
◦ Binders
◦ Backpacks
◦ Books
◦ Lunchboxes
◦ Lost and found items
◦ others

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 Do not create a barrier between yourself
and the students.
 Place your desk away from the door so that
no one can take things from your desk and
quickly walk out.
 Communicate to your students that
everything in and on you desk is to be
treated as personal property and off limits
to them

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 Keep your personal belongings in a safe
location
 Have emergency materials handy
◦ Personal items
◦ Extra lunch money
 Obtain the materials that you need before you
need them

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Teachers who are
ready maximize
student learning
and minimize
student
misbehavior.
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 The number one
problem in the
classroom is not
discipline; it is the lack
of procedures and
routines.

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 Students must know from the very
beginning how they are expected to
behave and work in a classroom
environment.

 DISCIPLINE dictates how students are to

behave.

 PROCEDURES and ROUTINES dictate how

students are to work.

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A smooth-running class
is the responsibility of
the teacher, and it is
the result of the
teacher’s ability to
teach procedures.

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Components:

1) Level of Classroom Structure – based on risk

factors of your students.
2) Guidelines for Success – attitudes, traits, or
behaviors to help achieve success.
3) Rules – specific, observable, and measurable
behavioral objectives
4) Teaching Expectations – What, how, and when
expectations will be taught

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5) Monitoring – How you will monitor the progress of
the expectations.
6) Encouragement Procedures – How you will
encourage students to demonstrate motivated and
responsible behavior.
7) Correction Procedures – How you will respond to
irresponsible behavior.
8) Managing Student Work – What procedures and
systems you will use to manage student work.

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1) List Previous Positive Behavior.
◦ “Elizabeth, yesterday you did such a good job
staying in your seat and paying attention. I really
appreciate how you behaved.”

2) State Current Behavior.

◦ “However, today Elizabeth, you’ve been out of
your seat, disrupting class several times.”

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3) State Expectations.
◦ “Elizabeth, what I expect from you is, for you to
go to your seat, sit in your seat, pay attention,
and only talk to your neighbors when I give you
permission.”
4) Child Repeats.
◦ “You want me to go to my seat, sit down, listen,
and keep my mouth shut.”

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5) Praise Any Efforts.
◦ Acknowledge any compliance
 Be positive
 Be sincere
 Be encouraging
◦ You need a positive relationship with the student to
use this effectively.

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 Ifyou want it…teach it. If you
expect to maintain it, encourage
it, acknowledge it, and reinforce
it.

 source unknown

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 Have a keen AWARENESS of the classroom
 ATTEND to more than one matter at a time
 Train students to follow established classroom
PROCEDURES/ROUTINES without disturbing others
 PACE their instruction without unnecessary delays
 Use a variety of techniques to keep students
INTERESTED and INVOLVED
 Use various techniques to check student
INVOLOVEMNT, LEARNING, and ATTENTION
 Use EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES with individual
students that guide other student’s behavior

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“You often learn
when you don’t
intend to learn,
and you often
teach when
you don’t
intend to
teach”
 A Change in Behavior as a Result of
Experience
 Examples of Learned Behaviors
 Non-Examples (Unlearned Behaviors)
 Intentional Learning
 Unintentional Learning
 Behavioral Theories of Learning
Emphasize Observable Behavior

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Pavlov: Classical Conditioning

Unconditioned Unconditioned
Stimulus Response

Neutral
Stimulus

Conditioned Conditioned
Stimulus Response