Psychology of Education: 2012

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

What is Educational Psychology?

“Educational psychology is the scientific discipline concerned with the development, evaluation and application of principles and theories of human learning” (Moreno, 7). The book Educational Psychology by Roxana Moreno, informs teachers about human development, diversity motivation, assessment and technology. Giving examples on how to become aware of these challenges, which teachers will be faced with in the classroom. It will help teachers understand their students and give different techniques to use in the classroom.

Citation for Picture:
"Educational Psychology (Paperback)." Tower.com. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.tower.com/educational-psychology-roxana-moreno-paperback/wapi/113515622>.

Journal Activities

In the beginning of every chapter throughout Moreno’s book, there are journal activities. The activities ask you to answer the questions before reading the chapter based on your prior knowledge to the subject. Listed below are the chapter lists:

Chapters:

Chapter 1: "Educational Psychology: Becoming an Effective Classroom Teacher"

Chapter 2: "Understanding Diversity in the Classroom"

Chapter 3: "Cognitive and Language Development"

Chapter 4: "Personal, Social and Moral Development"

Chapter 5: "Behavioral Views of Learning"

Chapter 6: "Cognitive Views of Learning"

Chapter 7: "Complex Cognitive Processes"

Chapter 8: "Sociocognitive and Constructivist Views of Learning"

Chapter 9: "Theories of Motivation and Affect"

Chapter 10: "Motivation and Affect in the Classroom"

Chapter 12: "Assessment in the Classroom"

Chapter 13: "Assessing Learning through Standardized Testing"

Each of my blogs are biased off of the journal activity questions asked in each chapter. These chapters have been covered in my Psychology of Education class, that I am taking this semester. Sometimes the questions that I was asked to answer will be stated and other times my answers will just appear. Throughout my blog however, I have answered every question from the journal activities. Enjoy!

"Becoming an Effective Classroom Teacher"

Citation: "Teacher-Salary-Math-Chalkboard." Ask Nanima? 5 Oct. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://www.nanima.co.za/2011/10/happy-world-teachers-day/teacher-salary-math-chalkboard/>.

What are some of the realities of classroom teaching that you may be concerned about? Could some of them be how to plan successful lessons, becoming too overwhelmed in the classroom, how to motivate students? These are all concerns and challenges that teachers are faced with. But the real question is how do you overcome those challenges? Before we start let’s think about some strategies that could help you develop into becoming an expert teacher. These strategies could include ways to help you spice up activities in the classroom, by becoming an expert in a particular subject you plan on teaching or conquering classroom management. Now that we’ve brainstormed some strategies, let’s start becoming an effective teacher! Look back on your educational experience and think about the teachers you have had, what were some good characteristics of those teachers that you could carry over into your own classroom? Did your teachers want to see students succeed; would they do anything in their power to help a student?

I have always appreciated a teacher for taking time out of their day to help me or to answer my questions for me outside of the classroom. Teachers that put all their energy and heart into their classroom and students get a positive response from their students. Also, teachers who are open with their students, I feel make it easier for the students to come to them if they need help or are having a problem. Becoming an effective teacher acquires certain knowledge and skills. It is important that teachers have different teaching methods to use in the classroom. While reading Moreno’s book Educational Psychology I loved when it said “teaching is never a routine” (Moreno, 5). I think that is something every teacher should have on their desk as a reminder because sometimes teachers get into the routine of repeating the same thing every period of the day. But what teachers need to remember is that everyone is unique and learns differently.

"Understanding Diversity in the Classroom"

Growing up I went to a small school where we’ve all known each other since kindergarten. We were all from the same neighborhood and our parents all made around the same amount of money, we were considered the working middle class. My friends and I were lucky enough to have a good support team at home and to have teachers who cared about their students. We were never faced with ethnic or racial stereotypes and there was little diversity in our classrooms. According to Moreno, "socioeconomic status is one of the most powerful factors influencing student achievement" (Moreno, 37). Socioeconomic status is based on the economic, educational and occupational status of individuals (Moreno, 37). In my opinion, socioeconomics was a positive factor in my achievements as a student. I had a good home structure and support from my neighborhood, to help me reach my goals. However, not everyone can be as lucky as I was. Some students worry where their next meal is coming from or where they will be sleeping that night. These thoughts can affect a student’s achievement in school, for they will not be focused on learning. As teachers we need to be aware of the difficulties students could be having outside of school. If teachers have a better understanding for diversity in the classroom, it can help them "develop an open mind when interpreting students' thinking and behavior" (Moreno, 26).

Citation: "Globalisation." : Challenge 7. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.

<http://hulyagirglobprof.blogspot.com/p/challenge-7.html>.

Diversity in the classroom doesn't stop with culture, race and ethnic differences. It could also be differences in learning styles or having learning disabilities. Because every student is unique, they all learn differently. Some might be visual learners, while others could be verbal learners. It is important for teachers to be aware of the different types of learning styles and which styles work best for students. Teachers should try to use every kind of style in their classroom, this way every student has the opportunity to get involved with the assignment. Learning disabilities can also be seen as diversity in the classroom. Students with learning disabilities are now considered "exceptional students". "Exceptional students are those who are identified as having special needs and receive few or no special services in the school" (Moreno, 49). When people hear the word "exceptional", they categorize these students as being intelligent, brilliant or geniuses, although they could be. Being an exceptional student means being out of the norm, they are not different from any other student, they just learn in a different way. Teachers need to be able to adapt their lessons to all kinds of diversities when it comes to teaching.

"Cognitive and Language Development"

Cognitive development theorists look at the way children's thinking process has changed over time. They give explanations as to why certain skills and criteria are taught at certain ages.A students cultural background can also affect the way a student thinks. Different cultures have different beliefs; therefore one student can believe one aspect of a subject while another student can disagree. Students' maturity levels can affect the way a teacher has to teach certain subjects and skills. For example, a first grader is not going to understand evolution, which is why it is taught in middle school; when the students can understand what it is really about. Psychologist Jean Piaget came up with a four stages as to how he believed cognitive development happens (Moreno, 80).

Piaget's Stages of Development:

Citation: "Transparencies." Index of /. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://www.abacon.com/slavin/t5.html>.

Sensorimotor Stage (Age: 0-2): "Infants are able to coordinate their sensory and motor abilities to create a set of behavioral schemas (mental networks of organized information)" (Moreno, 80).

Preoperational Stage (Age: 2-7): "Children have not yet developed the ability to think logically. They understand the use of symbols and imaginary play" (Moreno, 80).

Concrete Operational Stage (Age: 7-11): "Child has the ability to think logically about concrete objects such as; conversations and transformations" (Moreno, 83).

Formal Operational Stage (Age: 11+): "have the ability to engage in logical and systematic thinking" (Moreno, 84).

While Piaget and other psychologists came up with ways cognitive thinking developed, there are also theories on how language has developed. It is becoming more common to have a second language, a person with a second language is considered to be "well rounded". Having a second language makes you aware of different cultures and can help with communication skills.

"Personal, Social and Moral Development"

In my opinion if you want to become a good, compassionate, understand teacher then you should take into consideration your students personal life. You do not need to know every detail, but you should know if both parents are involved in the students’ life and if the student has a good support system at home. Teachers also need to be aware of any signs of abuse. It is a teacher’s job to create a safe and healthy environment; we need to be aware of our surroundings. If a child is in danger we need to bring attention to it. Peer pressure is also a big problem for students in grade school and high school. It is something that every student will worry about throughout their years in school. As sad as that might be, I think it is best that teachers and higher authority are aware of it and know how to resolve it. Teachers also need to take into consideration the affect divorced parents can have on students. I have always heard that divorce was hard on the children but I never knew to what extent the children had problems with. "Children of divorcee are more likely to have; relationship problems, use alcohol and drugs, and are more likely to engage in sexual activity earlier" (Moreno, 122). Divorce amongst families are becoming more and more common, therefore it is something that every teacher should be aware of, for they will eventually be face with it.

"Behavioral Views of Learning"

Behaviorist views of learning focus on two types of theories; classical conditioning and operant conditioning. The difference between classical and operant conditioning is that classical conditioning focuses on "learning through association" (Moreno, 157). Where operant conditioning, focuses on "the study of how animals learn to operate on their environments" (Moreno, 163).

Classical conditioning refers to "the pairing of automatic responses to the new stimulus" (Moreno, 157). For example, when a teacher gives a test or a pop-quiz that is considered the stimulus, however the automatic response for some students could be having anxiety over the new stimulus. Some teachers believe that giving pop-quizzes help promote studying, they believe it is a good way to know exactly what the students have learned or what they remember, However, if a teacher wants good results on a pop-quiz they should let the students know about the quiz in the beginning of class. By not telling students about quizzes whether they are scheduled or not it can cause anxiety for students, which can lead them to do worse on the test.

Behaviorists also believe it is important to reward students in order for them to learn and behave, it will help them pay attention more and it will get them more involved in the class. By rewarding students, it shows that as a teacher you care for their input and it shows that you want to see them succeed.

"Cognitive Views of Learning"

Cognitive views of learning focuses on how information is processed. When thinking about the cognitive views some questions might appear such as; how do students learn new information, what is the role of practice for learning, why do students forget information and what is metacognition?

Students learn new information by using meaningful learning, which is when students "learn new information by making connections between the new information and their prior knowledge" (Moreno, 203). Meaningful learning is the opposite to rote learning. Rote learning is when a student can recall information; however the information has no meaning to it. As a student I could see why students would use rote learning methods (I know I use it in some classes). However, as a future teacher I do not see it as an effective way of learning. I would much rather see my students use meaningful learning methods, this way I know that they understand the topic completely and are not just memorizing it.

The role of practice in learning is that in order to learn new information you must use the “Three Times” rule; which is when you go over the information three times in order for it to stick in your memory. For example when studying for a test; first read the chapter, then you review the chapter in class and lastly you re-read the chapter.

Students will sometimes forget new information because they did not process the information once it entered the sensory memory. The chart below is an example of the information-processing model. Psychologists believe that this is how students process information. As it shows in the chart if a student does not process the information to the working memory it will be lost. Long-term memory and short-term memory also come into play here.

Citation: "Memory." AP Psychology Community. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.

<http://www.appsychology.com/Book/Cognition/Memory/memoryintro.htm>.

As a teacher we need to be aware of how much information students or humans in general can comprehend. This will help in a classroom because now that we are aware of how humans process information we can make sure we do not overload our students with important information, instead slowly work in the new information. In a way this can be compared to metacognition. Metacognition is, knowing about knowing, it is knowing how and what works best for ourselves.

"Complex Cognitive Processes"

According to Moreno “teachers can improve students’ decision-making skills by examining not only the outcomes of students’ decisions but also their thinking process, to ensure that the decisions are not flawed by one of these illogical mechanisms” (Moreno, 251). I think teachers should teach their students how to think or at least guide them/help them make good decisions when thinking of specific topics. Being a teacher is like being a students’ parent. A parent would tell their child they are making a bad choice or they would choose for the child, where a teacher can steer the student in the right direction. However, just because a teacher steers the student into the right direction does not mean that the student can't change their mind. I believe that students can be resistant to changing their ideas because depending on the topic or subject it could be something that goes against their beliefs or contradicts everything they have grown up learning about. According to the book “misconceptions are extremely hard to change…providing the right explanation does not change students’ ways of thinking” (Moreno, 245). The only example I can think of is with evolution. For a student who is Christian or Catholic, the evolution theory goes against everything those religions believe in. Just because a teacher can give the student scientific facts about evolution will not make them believe it over their own religious beliefs.

As a student I hated when I would get a teacher who only knew how to solve a problem one way. When I become a teacher it will be important to show my students different ways to solve a problem just in case one way doesn’t work for them, they have other options to choose from. The two that stood out the most to me in the book were being able to use real-world settings in order to solve a problem. I think that if a problem has that “real-world setting” students will be more interested because the problem then has a meaning; it’s not just another homework problem. The other one was one I always had trouble with in school “analyzing problems before attempting to solve” (Moreno, 269). It is important that students take the time and read the question and understand what it is asking before solving. As students try to conquer problems in different ways it reminds me of having motivation and putting forth the effort to solve problems. This can also be said when discussing how an individual can become an expert in a domain. Anyone can become and expert, it is not something that will come automatically; it will take hard work and dedication. But as long as that individual stays motivated they can become an expert.

Sociocognitive Theory and Bandura's Experiment

The sociocognitive theory focuses on "learning that is the result of observing others or observing the consequences of the behaviors of others" (Moreno, 282). Students can learn by observing others and Bandura’s experiment is a great example. Bandura is famous for his "Bobo doll" experiment, which was done in 1965. He showed a group of children a film, where an adult was hitting a toy Bobo doll. One group saw how the adult was rewarded for their behavior towards the doll and the other group witnesses how the adult was punished for their behavior. The group that saw the adult being rewarded, were considered to be just as aggressive towards the Bobo doll. "The research showed that children do not need to see aggressive behavior being rewarded to become more likely to display the modeled behavior" (Moreno, 283). Bandura concluded that humans learn by observing and modeling after others.

Citation for video:

YouTube. Adapt. ThaLionheart. Perf. Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment. YouTube. YouTube, 22 Feb. 2010. Web. 25 Apr.

2012.

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHHdovKHDNU>.

Self-regulation, Expectations and Cooperation

Self-regulation is having control over one’s learning. It can be used in the classroom to help a student set goals and then to help them make sure their goals are met. According to Moreno, “self-regulation in the classroom is used to both increase learning and to equip students with tools to educate themselves throughout their lives” (Moreno, 293). If students have control over their learning then they can push themselves to their limits and more, they can achieve more in their studies.
Students’ beliefs and/or expectations can also affect their learning. I think it can get in the way of letting new ideas enter their minds. Some beliefs can stop a student from having an open mind which can make them rebel on a certain topic. Teachers should respect the students’ way of thinking and try to find new ways around it. A teacher should never force the topic onto the student but students should come with an open mind to class.
Having cooperation in the classroom is very important, I think it can be helpful to all students. It is important that every student has that skill of working with others because it is a skill that they can use outside of the classroom. I also think it could benefit students in the classroom because it can let the students focus more on parts of the lesson that they might not understand, it will also help them become more accepting towards their classmates.

Motivation...

Becoming motivated is something everyone can relate to! But the problem is how do you get your students motivated to learn? What happens when your students are unmotivated, what causes them to become motivated/unmotivated?

Citation: "Student Motivation Self-Assessment." My Business. 2006. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://jacksanfernandes.com/student_motivation_survey_self-assessment>.

What are some reasons that students are motivated/unmotivated to learn? I believe that some students aren’t motivated to learn because they might not be interested in that specific subject. Also they might be unmotivated because their parents or peers have not told them how important having an education is. When I was in school most of the students who were unmotivated felt there was no need for them to be in school, if students like this had someone to help them or someone to look up too then maybe they would become motivated to learn.
Can teachers motivate students to engage in activities they find boring, useless or irrelevant? I believe teachers can definitely try to engage students in activities they find boring. The teacher can make the lesson as interesting and fun as she wants, but it is up to the student to come with a positive attitude and open mind in order to learn the lesson. Teachers do try to make lessons fun and they do try to engage students in different activities however, it is all up to the student as to what they do with the information being taught.
Do you feel that rewards and praise can motivate students to learn? I feel that rewarding students and giving them praise will not truly help a student learn. I think if the student knows he/she is going to receive a reward it will only make them participate more. Just because the student had the right answer does not mean they truly understand or acquired the material. Anyone can find an answer in the book and if a student knows he/she will receive a reward for reading a story the night before class and remembering what the themes were, then it will only make the student learn the material for that specific reason. It is more important that as a teacher they make sure the student can acquire the information. Rewarding students and praising them will only make them participate more, just because they participate and get the answer correct does not mean they truly know or understand the material.
Can students’ emotions affect their thinking and learning? Moreno says, “teachers need to consider how students’ motivational beliefs may play a role in their conceptual change” (Moreno, 353). I would have to agree with both this statement. Emotions can affect learning to some extent and teachers must be aware of these emotions or beliefs in order to help students look past them. If a student is having a bad day then the last thing on that students mind might be the lesson that is being taught. Teachers need to be aware of the emotions of their students’ because it could tell the teacher if the student is understand the lesson or thinking of something else.

Motivation Theory: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs basically states that humans need to "satisfy their most basic needs before attempting to satisfy more sophisticated needs" (Moreno, 346). Maslow came up with a five step pyramid as to what he thought were the most basic needs and goes up to the highest needs.

Citation: Schop, Cory. "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs- What Are Man's Needs According to Maslow." Safety Needs. 22 July 2009. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://www.selfmademiracle.com/tag/safety-needs/>.

Maslow's pyramid starts at the bottom with the most basic need, and he believes that most of the steps happen simultaneously:

Physiological Need: This need is necessary for survival, as humans in order for us to survive we need the basics; food, water, air, sleep.
Security: This is also another need necessary for survival, humans need the security of shelter, having a job, going to school and feeling safe.
Love and Belonging (Social): Humans need to feel accepting of others, they need attention from friends and family in order to survive.
Self-Esteem: Maslow believes that this is what he calls "growth needs" it is not necessary to have in order to survive. Self-esteem is just accepting yourself as a human.
Self-Actualization: "The need to realize one's full potential as a human being" (Moreno, 347). Being able to find truth, justice and gaining wisdom.

The flaws of Maslow's theory is that all of the hierarchies are from "his assumptions" (Moreno, 347). His theory leaves out cases such as the "flow method" and the "starving artist".

Motivation in the Classroom

Before you can understand how to motivate your students in your classroom, look back on your educational experiences and think about a time you felt motivated. Why did you feel motivated? Was there a certain teacher that inspired you to learn? And if so, what were some of their characteristics? And also think about someone who has succeeded academically, but might have been faced with a difficulty during their journey, how do you think they stayed motivated?

I know throughout my educational history many times I have felt motivated to learn. One specific time was when I was studying a foreign language. The reason I think I was so motivated was because the language and the idea of being able to speak another language was all new to me. I found the class very interesting and somewhat challenging, which I think made me work harder at it. I also had many terrific teachers throughout my education, some teachers made the class fun and interesting for the students to get excited about the subject. While other teachers just let their kind and caring personality come through in the classroom. The teachers that inspired me the most were the ones who helped me, showed compassion towards me and even tried to get to know me. Some teachers held high standards for the class or there were high standards for a specific club I wanted to get into, so I was motivated to learn because I had a purpose.

I do know a couple of people who have succeeded academically. I know that in order for them to stay motivated they had to keep thinking about their future and what they wanted out of life. For some they wanted a better life than their parents and they wanted to receive the higher education, others wanted a certain job. For a couple their motivation was more just for themselves, like for example graduating with honors.

After you think about what motivated you and how others were motivated, try to incorporate some of the techniques that your teachers might have used to help you into your own classroom!

"Assessment in the Classroom and Standardized Tests "

Government mandated testing is becoming more and more popular within the education system. The government wants to evaluate teachers, they want to measure students progress and test students knowledge using standardized tests. For me this is a "touchy" subject. I believe it is important to assess students' learning, however I don't agree with standardized tests. I think students should have to know certain information in order to move onto the next grade and I agree that schools should be held responsible for making students ready to graduate. However, I believe standardized testing is the wrong way to assess students. Standardized tests are different from other assessments. Assessments are made to evaluate, measure and test students learning. Standardized tests do the same however, I feel that they do not truly measure a students learning. I think standardized tests show that a student knows enough information to pass the test. These tests also categorize students where assessing a student in the classroom just shows how much a student knows or how they have changed over a course of time. Standardized tests don’t show how a student has changed; instead it proves that some students are good at taking tests and filling in a bubble sheet and others are not. I also think it is unfair for one test to determine if a student should graduate or not such as; the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT).

Citation: "Standardized Testing." IQRA' International Educational Foundation. 2006. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.

<http://iqrafoundation.com/standardized-testing/>.
Because the government keeps pushing these standardized tests teachers now have to teach for the test. They don’t have any leeway as to what they can teach; they have to make sure by the end of the year they covered everything that is expected of them. Teachers don’t have the time to slow down on specific topics if they see their students don’t understand. These standardized tests are making it harder for teacher to do their job, which is making them do their jobs half fast.
Teachers should assess their students in the classroom and I believe the most affective way in doing so would be giving tests, essay questions and review topics in class. Any of these could be good classroom assessments because in a way they each can let the teacher know what the student has learned or remembered. The only problem with giving tests is that they show how much a student can memorize, rather than actually learn and acquire the information. In my future classroom I would assess my students' learning by evaluating them in the beginning of the year, at the end of the year and maybe throughout the year observe them. I would check to see if there were any changes and maybe throughout the year while observing I would be able to see what they are struggling with. It’s important to make sure there is a positive change from the beginning of the year to the end, by observing I would be able to make sure students stay on track.

Case Study

In chapter 10 of Moreno's Educational Psychology book, there was an interesting case study. It was called "How Does This Middle School Classroom Use Motivation Principles" (Moreno, 404). The study was about a teacher who was beginning her second year of teaching. She noticed that her students were motivated throughout her first year however, she wanted to improve. After she attend some summer workshops, on her first day of class she used some of the activities she learned. She realized that her students enjoyed the activities, so she kept going with them. The different activities the teacher had the students do were having them come up with rules for the classroom and creating goals from themselves. During the activities the teacher became aware that she had diversity in her classroom, for she had two students who were English Language Learners. Throughout the study the teacher kept mentioning how she wants her class to be accepting of one another and for them to feel comfortable with each other. The only flaw with this study was that after reading it, it made me believe that the teacher was going to keep doing group work all the time. I’m just guessing that maybe she thinks in order for the class to participate they always have to be in groups, however I would disagree. Group work is fun and a great way to help students learn, but if it is done every day, little learning will take place.

Bibliography:

"Educational Psychology (Paperback)." Tower.com. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.

<http://www.tower.com/educational-psychology-roxana-moreno-paperback/wapi/113515622>.
"Globalisation." : Challenge 7. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.
<http://hulyagirglobprof.blogspot.com/p/challenge-7.html>.
"Memory." AP Psychology Community. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.

<http://www.appsychology.com/Book/Cognition/Memory/memoryintro.htm>.
Moreno, Roxana. Educational Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Print.
Schop, Cory. "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs- What Are Man's Needs According to Maslow." Safety Needs.

22 July 2009. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.

<http://www.selfmademiracle.com/tag/safety-needs/>.

"Standardized Testing." IQRA' International Educational Foundation. 2006. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.

<http://iqrafoundation.com/standardized-testing/>.
"Student Motivation Self-Assessment." My Business. 2006. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.

<http://jacksanfernandes.com/student_motivation_survey_self-assessment>.
"Teacher-Salary-Math-Chalkboard." Ask Nanima? 5 Oct. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.nanima.co.za/2011/10/happy-world-teachers-day/teacher-salary-math-chalkboard/>.
"Transparencies." Index of /. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.abacon.com/slavin/t5.html>.
YouTube. Adapt. ThaLionheart. Perf. Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment. YouTube. YouTube, 22 Feb.
2010. Web. 25 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHHdovKHDNU>.