Intro to Ed Psych

Question 1

History of Ed Psych

Answer 1

1920s: focus on intelligence and motivation
1940s/50s: focus on individual differences, assessment and learning behaviours
1960s/70s: shifted focus onto cognitive development and how individuals remember

Question 2

What is Ed Psych?

Answer 2

• Study of how students learn
• Help learning and teaching by applying psychological theory
• Understanding and improvement of teaching and learning in the classroom

Question 3

Research used in Ed Psych: Descriptive

Answer 3

-Aims to provide detailed and clear story of what happens at the level of one individual/classroom/school
-Strength: rich detail
-Weaknesses: lacks scientific objectivity, results difficult to generalise to larger population
Methods: survey or interview, participant observation

Question 4

Research used in Ed Psych: Correlational

Answer 4

• Most commonly used in ed psych

- Looks for relationships between variables

Question 5

Research used in Ed Psych: Experimental

Answer 5

• Involves manipulation and measurement of variables
• Weakness: can be difficult for some variables e.g. gender, ethical reasons
• Randomised + control group = RCT
• Not randomised + control group = quasi
• Not randomised + no control group = non-experiment

Question 6

Methodologies used in Ed Psych: Cross-sectional

Answer 6

• Looks at different people of different ages

- Data all gathered at same point in time

Question 7

Methodologies used in Ed Psych: Longitudinal

Answer 7

• Looks at changes over time in same individual or group
• Data gathered over extended period of time
• More informative but requires lots of time and money

Question 8

Methodologies used in Ed Psych: Observation

Answer 8

• Aims to understand an event, action etc from teachers and learners view
• Lab observation: observing in lab setting, paying attention to behaviours/reactions
• Naturalistic observation: observing behaviour in natural environment where they would normally occur e.g. secret life of 4 year olds

Question 9

Methodologies used in Ed Psych: Questionnaires

Answer 9

• Quick and easy way to gather info
• Weakness: reduces variety, creativity + individuality of responses
• When participants are too young to answer questionnaires the questions can be delivered in a structured interview

Question 10

Methodologies used in Ed Psych: Psychometric Testing

Answer 10

-Assessment of ability and difficulties e.g. IQ, personality (big 5), dyslexia, ASC

Question 11

Methodologies used in Ed Psych: Interviews

Answer 11

• Aims to describe meanings of central meanings of central themes in the real world of the subjects
• Questions should be asked in way appropriate to the age of the child