EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology 3313

Spring, 2008

 

INSTRUCTOR:   Dr. David Dietrich

OFFICE:  207E Varnell-Jones Hall

PHONE:  425-3445

E-MAIL:  dietrich@lambuth.edu

TEXT: Woolfolk, A. (2004).  Educational psychology (10th.ed.).  Boston:  Allyn and Bacon.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS COURSE:

            Educational Psychology involves the application of psychological principles in education. My objectives for you in this course are to gain an understanding of the impact of psychological concepts in education through in-class and out of class activities, and, as a consequence, improve your ability to effectively apply psychological concepts. 

As upper level students it is expected that you have progressed to the point of being active, independent students, not requiring lecture of every passage of the text to facilitate your learning.  Therefore, class time will be used to demonstrate concepts from the readings through small group activities and assignments.  Exam questions may include material from the reading not covered in class.   

A variety of teaching techniques may be used in this class.  Lecture, small group work, projects, class presentations, and audio-visual aids may all be utilized to make the class interesting, challenging, and enjoyable. 

 

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

 

            Students successfully completing this course should have met the following objectives.

 

·          Demonstrate an understanding of the major concepts and issues in this course by a satisfactory performance on written exams and class discussion.

 

·          Demonstrate an understanding of the dynamic status of educational psychology as a discipline by discussing changes in ideas and theories.

 

·          Understand how individual development across the life span affects teaching and learning.

 

·          Understand the interaction of student abilities/disabilities and teacher abilities/techniques.

 

·          Understand methods of promoting intrinsic motivation in students as well as applying these ideas to their own motivation in school.

 

·          Understand the dynamics of educating students with disabilities, including the challenges of integrating disabled students into the regular classroom.

 

·          Apply the information studied in this course to real life examples in class discussion and on exams.

 

·          Understand the psychological, social, and emotional characteristics of individuals with mild and moderate disabilities.

 

·          Understand the literature on methods of teaching as it relates to the various abilities of students.

 

·          Participate in and understand the use of various teaching methods in meeting the needs of students.

 

·          Understand the necessity of students to develop effective problem solving strategies.

 

·          Understand the challenges of developing an effective classroom atmosphere including the use of conflict resolution strategies.

 

·          Reflect on their current status as a student and how the information covered relates to them.

 

·          Project themselves into the role of a classroom teacher and suppose how information covered in the class will relate to them.

 

·          Appreciate the challenges, rewards and enjoyment involved in teaching.

 

If you are in the Teacher Certification Program, this course fulfills these requirements from the General Education matrix

 

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

 

  1. Integrate knowledge acquired from a variety of sources

 

  1. Use basic problem solving skills such as identifying, defining, postulating and evaluating, planning and acting, and assessing results

 

  1. Analyze and synthesize ideas, information and data

 

  1. Understand cultural and individual diversity, and humankind’s shared environment, heritage and responsibility

 

  1. Understand and respect other points of view, both personal and cultural

 

  1. Understand one’s own and other’s ethics and values

 

  1. Understand the appropriate role of technology for gathering and communicating information.  (More specific Knowledge and skills regarding instructional technology will be acquired in the professional education core and in the major.

 

       H.  Understand the interdependence among fields of study

 

COMMUNICATION

 

  1. Send and receive messages, written and oral, in standard English; communicate verbally and non-verbally

 

  1. Understand how non-verbal cues affect listening; use non-verbal cues in a positive way

 

  1. Identify one’s intended audience and communicate effectively when speaking or writing

 

  1. Know about diverse communication styles, abilities, and cultural differences

 

HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS

 

  1. Know about various means of creative expression, both within a given culture and across culture or languages

 

  1. Understand how human ideals, values and ethics can be examined and illuminated figuratively

 

SOCIAL SCIENCE AND CULTURE

 

  1. Understand how social scientists create, describe, disseminate, and refine new knowledge within their disciplines

 

  1. Apply social science methods in appropriate situations

 

  1. Understand how governmental and social institutions interact with each other and with individuals

 

  1. Have an informed historical perspective, including an understanding of how one’s own society developed an awareness of how other societies developed

 

  1. Have an informed perspective on contemporary issues affecting society

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

  1. Understand how scientists and technologists create, describe, disseminate, and refine new knowledge within their disciplines

 

  1. Apply scientific methods in appropriate situations

 

  1. Understand the major ways that science and technology have affected humans and their world

 

  1. Understand the power and limitation of science and technology in a changing world; understand how societies, institutions and individual are responsible to see that technology is used ethically and appropriately

 

  1. Be aware of contemporary science and technological trends and implications for the future

 

MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS

 

  1. Understand how algebraic, geometric, and arithmetic ideas are created, described, disseminated and refined
  2. Apply mathematical methods in appropriate situation, such as in science

 

  1. Send receive, and interpret information which is presented graphically and numerically

 

  1. Apply mathematical techniques to solve real life problems

 

 

GRADES:

Ř      Your final grade will come from the following sources:

Exams =                                   70%

Class participation  =                30%

 

The examinations will be a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions.

You may be asked to do a group project as part of your examination.  The final examination is not cumulative.

 

Class participation includes your presence in class, your attitude in class, and your participation in class discussions and activities.  Being consistently late for class, not paying attention in class, not being prepared for class and using your cell phone in class all reduce your participation grade.

 

Ř      The following percentages will determine your final grade:

>89.5 = A      79.5-89.4 = B            69.5-79.4 = C            59.5-69.4 = D       <59.5 = F

 

TROUBLES:

            If you are having problems with the material or assignments in class, tell me.   Drop by my office during office hours.   See me before or after class.   Or, call me.    If you have a handicapping condition requiring special accommodations let me know immediately so I can help you get the most from this course.

 

ABSENCES:

            You are responsible for all material covered in class.  If you must be absent, though why you would want to miss a class is a mystery to me, you are responsible for finding out what happened while you where horribly ill (I’m assuming that only severe illness could keep you from attending) and making up any assigned work.   You are also responsible for any assignments given during the class you missed.  

            Make up exams will be given only during extreme circumstances (high grade fever, school sponsored activity of which you are an integral part). Only in emergency situations will make-up exams be given after the regular date.  You may be required to provide documentation of your absence.  Falsification of this documentation will result in a “0” on the assignment or examination missed.   Since, if you miss an exam, you would then have more time to prepare, the make-up exam will be of a different nature than the originally scheduled examination.  In the past, some students have found the make-up exams to be much more difficult than the regular exams.   Forgetting that there is an exam scheduled does not qualify as a reason for a make-up exam.   

 

CHEATING:

            Cheating in any form will result in an automatic “0” on the assignment or exam.  A second incidence of cheating will result in a failure in this course, and your name being submitted to the Academic Dean.  Cheating is considered to be the giving or receiving of assistance on examinations or assignments.

 

 

PROPOSED COURSE OUTLINE:

Date                                                        Topic                                                      Reading/Assignment

Jan. 11                    Introduction/discuss syllabus                                           None

 

Jan. 14                    Educational Psychology                                                     Chapter 1

 

Jan. 16                    Piaget and Develeopment                                                  pp. 26-29

 

Jan. 18                    Piaget and Development                                                     pp.29-38

 

Jan. 21                    No Class – MLK Day

 

Jan. 23                    Vygotsky and Development                                              pp. 39-51

 

Jan. 25                    Personal Development – Erikson                                      pp. 67-72

 

Jan. 28                    Social Context                                                                       pp. 72-84

 

Jan. 30                    Moral Development:  Kohlberg                                         pp. 95-102

 

Feb. 1                     Moral Development

 

Feb. 4                     Culture/Social Class                                                           pp. 161-200

 

Feb. 6                     Gender                                                                                   pp. 176-182

 

Feb. 8                     EXAM ONE

 

Feb. 11                   Learner Differences                                                             pp. 109-127

 

Feb. 13                   Behavioral View of Learning                                              pp. 205-215

 

Feb. 15                   Operant Conditioning                                                        

 

Feb. 18                   Applied Behavioral Analysis                                             pp. 215-224

 

Feb. 20                   Behavioral Approaches to Teaching                                pp. 224-229

 

Feb. 22                   Observational learning                                                        pp. 229-238

 

Feb. 25                   Cognitive Views of Learning                                              pp. 247-267                                                                           

Feb. 27                   Memory                                                                                 pp. 247-267

 

Feb. 29                   Memory

 

Mar. 3                     Metacognition                                                                      pp. 267-280

 

Mar. 5                     EXAM TWO       

 

Mar. 7                     NO CLASS

 

Mar. 10-14             Spring Break

 

Mar. 17                   Complex Cognitive Processes                                            pp. 285-293

 

Mar. 19                   Problem Solving                                                                   pp. 294-311

 

Mar. 21                   NO CLASS – Good Friday

 

Mar. 24                   Social Cognitive Learning                                                  pp. 329-343

 

Mar. 26                   Constructivism                                                                     pp. 343-366

 

Mar. 28                   Constructivism                                                                     pp. 343-366

 

Mar. 31                   Motivation                                                                            pp. 371-376

                                                                                                                                pp. 388-394

 

Apr. 2                     Motivation                                                                            pp. 377-388

 

Apr. 4                     TARGET                                                                                pp. 395-403

 

Apr. 7                     EXAM THREE

 

Apr. 9                     Creating Learning Environments                                       pp. 443-458

 

Apr. 11                   Creating Learning Environments                                       pp. 458-473

 

Apr. 14                   Teaching for Learning                                                         pp. 477-485

 

Apr. 16                   Teacher Directed Instruction                                             pp. 485-496                                                           

 

Apr. 18                   Expectations                                                                         pp. 496-516                                                           

 

Apr. 21                   Assessment                                                                          pp. 553-583

 

Apr. 23                   Assessment                                                         

 

Apr. 25                   Standardized Assessment                                                  pp. 521-551                                                           

 

Apr. 28                   Standardized Assessment