Core Course

Ed. 421: Educational Psychology

Course Title: Educational Psychology Full Marks: 100
Course No.: Ed. 421 Pass Marks: 35
Nature of the course: Theory Period per week: 6 periods
Level: B.Ed. Total periods: 150
Year: Second

1. Course Description
This course is designed for the students of B.Ed. which is divided into two parts. The first
part is related to the development psychology focusing on the teachers’ need for psychology,
human growth, methods of studying characteristic and different stages of development. The
second part deals with the psychology of learning that focuses on the nature and principles of
learning, different learning theories, factors affecting learning, basic instructional procedures,
life skill approach to learning, and educational guidance and counseling.
2. General objectives:
The general objectives of this course are as following
 To make the students generalize the needs of Psychology and Educational Psychology
 To help students enumerate the significant facts of human development and understand
the concept and difference between growth and development.
 To assist the students identify the methods of studying human development.
 To help the students overview the developmental stages of children from conception to
the age of childhood and develop an understanding of the characteristics, criteria and
different behaviours of puberty and adolescence stages.
 To give students an understanding on dealing with children with special needs.
 To help the students explain the needs and importance of educational guidance and
counseling.
 To help the students describe different learning theories and their educational
implications.
 To assist the students identify different factors affecting learning.

3. General objectives:
Part I : Developmental Psychology
Specific Objects Contents
 Explain the meaning, definitions Unit I: Educational Psychology for Teacher (8)
and nature of psychology. 1.1 Meaning, definitions and nature of
 Clarify the concept, objectives psychology.
and scope of educational 1.2 Concept, objectives and scope of educational
psychology. psychology.
 Specify the needs of educational 1.3 Need of educational psychology for teachers.
psychology for teachers
 Explain the concept of Unit II: Human Growth and Development (16)
developmental psychology. 2.1 Concept of developmental psychology
 Describe the meaning of growth 2.2 Concept of growth and development.
and development 2.2.1 Factors effecting growth and
 Explain the purposes and development of children.
importance of studying human 2.2.2 Similarities and difference between
development. growth and development.
 Identify and explain the main 2.3 Main determinants of development: Heredity
determinants of development. and environment.
 Characterize the features of 2.4 Characteristics/Features of human
humna development. development.
 Explain the interrelationship 2.5 Interrelationship among growth, maturation
among growth, maturation and and learning.
learning. 2.6 Developmental issues; Nature and nurture,
 Identify and explain issues in stability and change, continuity and
development. discontinuity.
 Identify the indigenous practices 2.7 Indigenous understanding and practices of
of growth and development growth and development
 Explain the concept, and uses of 2.8 Methods of studying human development:
longitudinal, corss–sectional, and concept, basic features and implications
case study of studying human (Longitudinal, cross-sectional and case
development. study)
 Teachers out the different stages Unit III: Stages of Human Development (25)
of human development. 3.1 Different stages of human development
 Describe the characteristics of characteristics and developmental tasks.
human development tasks of 3.2 Puberty
prenatal, infancy, babyhood, early 3.2.1 General introduction
childhood and later childhood. 3.2.2 Characteristics
 Explain the characterisitcs. 3.2.3 Criteria of puberty
Criteria, causes, physical changes, 3.2.4 Causes of puberty
social changes and their effects. 3.2.5 Physical changes during puberty
Sources of concern unhappiness 3.2.6 Changes in social behavior
and hazards of puberty stage. 3.2.7 Effects of puberty change
 Explain the characteristics, 3.2.8 Sources of concern
developmental tasks, physical, 3.2.9 Unhappiness at puberty
social, mental and moral 3.2.10 Control of unhappiness
development with some interests
3.2.11 Hazards of puberty stage
and hazards of adolescene.
3.3 Adolescence
 State the characteristics and
3.3.1 General introduction
developmental tasks of early
3.3.2 Characteristics
adulthoods, middle age and late
adulthood. 3.3.3 Developmental tasks
3.3.4 Physical change
3.3.5 Social change
3.3.6 Family relationship during adolescence
3.3.7 Personality change during adolescence
3.3.8 Adolescent interests: social, personal
and recreational
3.3.9 Hazards of adolescence stage
3.4 Characteristics and development tasks of
early adulthood, middle age and late
adulthood.
 Clarify the concept child with Unit IV: Child with Special Needs (6)
special needs. 4.1 Concept of child with special needs
 To able classified the child with 4.2 Major types of child with special needs
 special needs 4.3 Characteristics of child with special needs
 Identify the characteristics of
child with special needs.
 Clarify the meaning and needs of Unit V: Educational Guidance and Counseling (6)
guidance and counselling. 5.1 Meaning, definitions and needs of guidance
 Explain the various guidance 5.2 Guidance services: Inventory information
services. counseling, placement and follow up and
 Differentiate between guidance research in counseling.
and counseling. 5.3 Meaning and techniques of counseling
 Explain the techniques of 5.4 Differences between guidance and
counseling. counseling
Part II : Learning Psychology
 Elaborate the meaning and Unit VI: Nature and Principles of Learning (10)
definitions of learning. 6.1 Meaning, definitions and nature of learning
 Clarify the characteristis of 6.2 General characteristics of learning
learning. 6.3 Exceptions of Learning
 Explain the factors influencing 6.4 Factors influencing learning
learning. 6.4.1 Gender factors
 Explain the factors influencing 6.4.2 Physiological factors
learning. 6.4.3 Psychological factors
6.4.4 Environmental factors
6.4.5 Instructional factors
 Explain the Gagne's multiple Unit VII: Different Learning Theories – 30 Pds
learning 7.1Gagne's multiple learning theory
 Explain different learning 7.2Concept and Educational implication of
theories with reference to multiple learning theory
mechanism and features. 7.3Classification of learning theories:
 Differentiate between behaviourism and cognitivism.
behaviouristic and cognitive and 7.4Behaviourism: Classical conditioning, operant
constructivist learning theories. conditioingg, and trial and error (process,
 Elaborate the educational features and conditions)
implication of different learning 7.5Educational implications of behaviourism.
theories. 7.6Cognitive learning theories: Kohler's insightful
 Explain the process and stages of learning theory and educational
piaget's cognitive development. applications of cognitive learning theory.
7.7Piaget's cognitive development: process and
stages of development and educational
implications
7.8Bandura's social learning theory – process
involved in learning and educational
implications.
7.9Social constructivism – Process of learning,
educational implication

 Explain the meaninng: Unit VIII: Motivation and Reinforcement (10)

Importance, types and use of 8.1Meaning and importance of motivation.
motives with Maslow's hierarchy 8.2Types of motives: inborn and acquired
 of motivation. 8.3Maslow's hierarchy of motivation
 Describe the role of teacher in 8.4Motives utilized in the classroom: need, goal
arousing motivation in classroom orientation, interest, curiosity.
teaching. 8.5Role of the teacher in students motivating in
 Explain the concept, need, types the classroom.
and impact of reinforcement. 8.6Concept and need of reinforcement.
8.7Types of reinforcement: positive and negative
8.8Reinforcement schedules and their impact on
behaviour
 Explain the concept, needs, types Unit IX: Practice, Retention, Memory, Forgetting
and role of practice. and Frustration (10)
 Elaborate the meaning and 9.1 Practice: Concept and need
process of retention and memory. 9.1.1 Types of practice mass and
 Explain the types, affecting distributed part and whole; blind
factors and processes of memory. and reinforced.
 Explain the techniques for 9.1.2 Teacher's role in managing practice
improving memory. in classroom teaching.
 Explain the techniques for 9.2 Retention: Meaning and process of retention.
improving memory. 9.3 Memory: Meaning and types of memory.
 Explain the concept and causes of 9.3.1 Factors affecting memory.
forgetting. 9.3.2 Process/Stages of memory:
 Explain the concept, causes and receiving, coding, storage, retrieval.
adjustments mechanism of 9.3.3 Techniques for improving memory.
frustrations. 9.4 Forgetting: Concept and causes of forgetting.
9.5 Frustration: Concept, Causes, Adjustment
Mechanism
 Explain the meaning: Types and Unit X: Transfer of Learning (8)
theories of transfer of learning. 10.1Meaning and types of transfer of learning
 Describe the educational 10.2Theories of transfer of learning (mental
implications of transfer of discipline, identical elements:
learning. generalization)
 Describe the relationship between 10.3Educational implications of transfer learning
memory, forgetting and transfer 10.4Factors influencing transfer of learning
of learning. 10.5Relationship among memory, forgetting and
transfer of learning.
 Explain the concept of Unit XI: Basic Instructional Procedures (15)
instructional procedures. 11.1Concept of instructional procedures.
 Describe the basic learning 11.2Basic learning conditions (contiguity)
conditions of instructions practice reinforcement, punishment,
procedures. generalizations and discrimination.)
 Elaborate the meaning and nature 11.3Verbal learning: nature, materials,
and instuctional procedures of procedures and instructional steps.
verbal learning skill, concept and 11.4Skill learning: nature and dfinition of skills,
creativity learning. phases of skill learning and instructional
steps.
11.5Concept learning: nature and types of
concepts, uses in student's learning and
instructional steps.
 11.6Creativity learning: Concept and steps of
creativity.
Note: The figure in the parenthesis indicates the approximate periods for the respective
units.
4. General Instructional Techniques
 Inventory presentation on each topic of the unit.
 Use of lecture, discussion, question answer, brain storming, library work and self study.
 Reading, report writing assignments, presentation in the classroom and feedback.
5. Specific Instructional Techniques
The teacher can manage practical activities for each unit with activity centered method for
life skill learning. Some specific instructional techniques are mentioned as follows:

Unit Instructional techniques Remarks

II Students will be given assignment to collect some indigenous
understanding and practices of growth and development and discuss
in the classroom.

III Students will prepare some indigenous practices and thoughts about
human development: puberty and adolescence

IV Students will be given a task of visiting one special need child and
prepare a case for discussion in the classroom based on the content
discussed.
V Students will be given the task of visiting nearby school to explore
the techniques of counseling and guidance used in the school present
in the classroom.
VII After presentation of different learning theories, students will be
divided into different groups and prepare a report for discussion in
the classroom about their implications in the context of Nepal
XI Students will be divided into four groups and ask them to
demonstrate the procedures of learning as verbal learning, skill
learning, concept learning and creativity learning. Concerned group
will present and the other group comment on the presentation.

6. Evaluation Scheme
Students will be evaluated on the basis of their punctuality and disciplined manner in the
classroom, the classroom participation and presentation of reports and other practical
activities. The scores obtained will not be added to the score of the annual examination. It
will be used only for feedback purposes. The performance of the students will be evaluated
on the basis of objective, short answer and long answer questions. The types and number of
questions to be asked in the board examination are mentioned below.

Nature of Questions Total Questions Number of Weightage

to be Asked Questions
to be Answered
Group A: 20 20×1 marks 20 marks
Multiple choice items
Group B: 8 with three or questions 8×7 marks 56 marks
Short answer
questions
Group C: 2 with one or question 2×12 marks 24 marks
Long answer
questions
Total: 100 marks

Recommended Books

Borich, Gari D. and Martin, L. Tombari(1996). Educational Psychology. New Delhi:

Longman ( Unit IV,V,VI & VII)
Chauhan, S.S. (1997). Advanced education psychology. New Delhi: Vikash Publication
House Pvt. Ltd. ( Unit IV,V,VI & VII)
Chauhan, S.S. (2001). Principles and techniques of guidance. New Delhi: Vikash Publishing
House Pvt. Ltd. (Unit IV & V)
Dandakar and Makhija (2002). Psychological Foundation of Education: New Delhi:
Macmillan India Pvt. Ltd. (Unit VI & VII)
Decceco and Crawford (1974). The psychology of learning and instructions. New Delhi:
Prentice-Hall of India Pvt. Ltd. (Unit V, VI & VII)
Hurlock B. Elizabeth (2007). Child development. New Delhi: Tata Mc Graw Hill Publishing
Company Ltd. (Unit II & III)
Hurlock B. Elizabeth (2007). Developmental psychology. A life span approach. New Delhi:
Tata Mc Graw Hill Publishing Company Ltd. (Unit I, II,III)
Maugal, S.K. (2007). Advanced educational psychology. New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India
Pvt. Ltd. (Unit I, V, VI & VIII)
Sharma, R.A. (2001). Fundamentals of Edudcational Psychology. Meerut: Surya Publication.
(Unit I,V, VI, VII & X).

References

Bhattarai, H.N.(2007). Shiksha Manobigyan. Kathmandu: Ratna Pustak Bhandar.

Bidari, B.P. (……….).Shiksha Manobigyan. Kathmandu: Pinakal Publiccation.
Pokhrel, M.M. (2069). Shiksha Manobigyan
Rana, S.P.J.B. and Poudel, G.R. (2073). Shiksha Manobigyan (4 th ed.). Kathmandu: Bidyarthi
Pustak Bhandar.
Rana, S.P.J.B. (2073). Educational Psychology (2 nd ed.). Kathmandu: Vidyarthi Prakashan
Pvt. Ltd.
Sharma, C. and Sharma, N. (2065). Shiksha Manobigyan. Kathmandu: M.K. Publishers and
Distributers.
Shrestha, C.B., Tamang, R. and Basnyat, S. (2064). Shiksha Manobigyan. Kathmandu:
Bhundi Puran Prakashan.
Shrestha, K. N. (2067). Shiksha Manobigyan. Kathmandu: Raj Offset Press.