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There are various aims of educational
psychology. Some of them are given below:
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Aims of Educational Psychology |
Educational psychology studies
heredity, growth and maturation, environmental influences, language and
thinking, development of intelligence and the process of socialization in
relation to their effect on the child as a learner.
- Educational psychology studies
learning and the educative process. Experts (educational psychologists) not
only examine the several theories of learning but also the techniques of
learning skills and problem solving.
- We know that effective management of
learning involves both input (the teaching process) and output, measuring what
the learner has learnt. Attempts to measure children’s learning lead to the
development of tests and other evaluation techniques. Thus, the development of
tests and other methods of evaluation forms another area of concern to
educational psychologists.
- Teacher-pupil interaction has
significant effects on pupil’s learning. For this purpose, much of the
educational psychologists work is aimed at teaching teachers how best to help
their pupils learn more effectively both in and out of class.
- The development of positive attitude
towards learning is another objective of educational psychology. Teachers
general adopt reinforcement and other techniques to encourage positive attitude
among learners to learning.
- Conducting research is another major
objective of educational psychologists. Educational psychology not only
encourages research but also aims at applying research findings in the learning
situation.
- Educational psychology gives a
teacher a sense of direction in his/her own work. It helps the teacher to
relate more effectively with the learner.
Educational Psycyhology:
In order to understand Educational
Psychology, we have to first understand what Psychology is and then we will be
in better position to understand the term Educational Psychology.
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Educational Psychology |
Psychology:
It
is the study of human behavior and thinking. When we say behavior, it refers
the activity of an individual which can be either overt (visible) or covert
(invisible or internal).
The discipline of psychology studies how experience
affects thought and action. Basically, psychology tries to explain why people
think, act, and feel as they do. Experts of this discipline (popularly known as
psychologists) try to understand the role of mental functions in individual and
social behavior and biological processes that underlie cognitive functions and
behaviors.
Educational Psychology:
In the simplest form, Educational Psychology can be defined
as the study of human behavior in educational settings. Educational psychology
(which is an applied science or branch of pure psychology) is concerned with
teaching and learning processes. According to John F. Travers (1982),
educational psychology is a systematic study of pupils (learners), learning,
and teaching. All these three—pupils, learning process and teaching are inter-related
and interactive aspects of education. The subject matter of educational
psychology is directly related to classroom learning and problems facing the
classroom teacher. According to Wittrock (1992), educational psychology
involves not only the application of existing psychological knowledge to
educational theory and practice, but also the development of new knowledge and
procedures. To sum up, educational psychology deals with learning processes,
human development and motivation, social learning, and human personality (such
as intelligence and creativity). It helps to provide a better background for
understanding the total job of teaching in all its intricacies.
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