Educational Psychology

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

Course description

The course focuses on the psychological and psychosocial factors related to students’ learning and adaptation in the school context and to teachers’ and teaching. Some of the topics discussed are the role of cognitive development in learning and achievement, the major learning theories and their applications in the classroom, the learner’s cognitive and affective processes and their relations to school adaptation and accomplishments, motivation in education, self-regulated learning, contextual factors in school learning and achievement. The course aims at (a) highlighting the main factors that affect learning and familiarizing student teachers with central concepts of educational psychology and with recent approaches of learning, (b) presenting principles and methods of educational psychology that can be used for the enhancement of learning and quality of teaching, and (c) supporting student teachers to apply knowledge, principles and methods in the classroom context in order to improve students’ learning and the effectiveness of their own teaching. Focused exercises, activities, and voluntary short essays are used to deepen and strengthen students’ understanding. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student teachers will be able to:

• explain foundational psychological concepts and factors associated with learning and teaching and discuss their contribution
• discuss the principles and methods of Educational Psychology
• compare and critically evaluate the contribution of the learning theories
• integrate and apply common principles of learning theory into classroom examples and argue on their approach

Evaluation

Short essays during the semester and final written exams

Teaching methods

Lectures, exercises and short essays, literature searching and studying

Course material available at: https://eclass.uth.gr/courses/ECE_U_140/