Educational Psychology
Educational Psychology
Educational Psychology
1
Chapter One: Introduction
1.1. The Meanings of Psychology
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1.2.2. Application of Educational
Psychology in Students’ Learning
Educational Psychology is a tool for effective teaching.
Effective teaching requires three ingredients:
Professional Knowledge and Skills
Commitment
Professional Growth
1) Professional Knowledge and Skills
Effective teachers have a good command of their subject
matter and a solid core of teaching skills.
“The art of teaching is the art of awakening the natural
curiosity of young minds.” Anatole France
French novelist and poet, 19th century
6
Cont.
Subject-Matter Competence
Having a thoughtful, flexible, conceptual
understanding of subject matter is indispensable
for being an effective teacher .
knowledge of subject matter includes a lot more
than just facts, terms, and general concepts.
It also include knowledge about instructional
strategies, goal setting and planning, classroom
management, motivation, communication,
working with diverse students, and technology.
7
Cont.
Goal-Setting and Instructional Planning Skills
Set high goals for their teaching and develop organized
plans for reaching those goals.
Develop specific criteria for success.
Spend considerable time in instructional planning,
organizing their lessons to maximize students’ learning.
Classroom-Management Skills
Establish and maintain an environment in which
learning can occur.
Motivational Skills
Have good strategies for helping students become self-
motivated to learn. 8
Cont.
Communication Skills
Skills in speaking, listening, overcoming barriers to
verbal communication, tuning into students’ nonverbal
communication, and constructively resolving conflicts.
Effective teachers use good communication skills when
they talk “with” rather than “to” students, parents,
administrators, and others; keep criticism at a
minimum; and have an assertive rather than aggressive,
manipulative, or passive communication style.
Effective teachers work to improve students’
communication skills as well.
9
Cont.
Working Effectively with Students from
Culturally Diverse Backgrounds
Effective teachers are knowledgeable about
students from different cultural backgrounds
and are sensitive to their needs.
Effective teachers encourage students to have
positive personal contact with others and think
of ways to create such settings.
“It is more important to be ingenious than to be
a genius.” Pierre Elliot Trudeau Former
Canadian prime minister, 20th century
10
Cont.
Technological Skills
Does not itself necessarily improve students’ ability
to learn.
Alters the environment within which learning takes
place.
2. Commitment
Effective teachers also have a caring concern for their
students.
They really want to be with their students and are
dedicated to helping them learn, even if spending
extra time and resources.
They also look for ways to help their students consider
each other’s feelings and care about each other. 11
3. Professional Growth
Effective teachers develop a positive identity, seek advice from
experienced teachers, maintain their own learning (Life long
learning to keep up to date about research and knowledge
about effective teaching), and build up good resources and
supports (e.g. parents, administrators, students mentors from
community, etc.).
Activity
1. Some experienced teachers say that “Forget everything you
learned in school and watch what I do instead”. Do you
agree? Why?
2. Some people think as if they know it all. What do you think
the problem of such thinking?
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To summarize
Characteristics of effective teachers as perceived by students
1. Have a sense humor
2. Make the class interesting
3. Have knowledge of their subjects
4. Explain things clearly
5. Spend time to help students
6. Are fair to their students
7. Treat students like adults
8. Relate well to students
9. Are considerate of students’ feelings
10. Don’t show favoritism toward students
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1.2.3. Foundation of Educational Psychology
16
Cont.
Herbart came up with what are now known as the formal steps.
According to him, the five steps that teachers should use are:
1. Review material that has already been learned by the student
2. Prepare the student for new material by giving them an
overview of what they are learning next
3. Present the new material.
4. Relate the new material to the old material that has already
been learned.
5. Show how the student can apply the new material and show the
material they will learn next.
17
Cont.
William James (1842–1910) the pioneering American
psychologist; commented that psychology is a science, and
teaching is an art; and sciences never generate arts directly
out of themselves.
In his famous series of lectures Talks to Teachers on
Psychology, published in 1899 and now regarded as the
first educational psychology textbook.
18
Cont.
He states that teachers should "train the pupil to
behavior”; so that he/she fits into the social and
physical world.
Teachers should also realize the importance of habit
and instinct.
They should present information that is clear and
interesting and relate this new information and
material to things the student already knows about.
He also addresses important issues such as attention,
memory, and association of ideas.
19
Cont.
Alfred Binet published Mental Fatigue in 1898, in which
he attempted to apply the experimental method to
educational psychology.
In this experimental method he advocated for two types of
experiments, experiments done in the lab and experiments
done in the classroom.
Binet strongly supported special education programs
because he believed that "abnormality" could be cured.
The Binet-Simon test was the first intelligence test and was
the first to distinguish between "normal children" and
those with developmental disabilities.
20
Cont.
Binet believed that it is important to study individual
differences between age groups and children of the
same age.
He also believed that it is important for teachers to
take into account individual students strengths and
also the needs of the classroom as a whole when
teaching and creating a good learning environment.
He also believed that it is important to train teachers
in observation so that they would be able to see
individual differences among children and adjust the
curriculum to the students. 21
Cont.
John Dewey (1859–1952) had a major influence on the
development of progressive education in the United States.
He believed that the classroom should prepare children to be
good citizens and facilitate creative intelligence.
He thought that education should be student-oriented, not
subject-oriented.
He stated that students learn by doing.
In his 1910 book How We Think, he emphasizes that material
should be provided in a way that is stimulating and interesting
to the student since it encourages original thought and problem
solving.
He also stated that material should be relative to the student's
own experience. 22
Cont.
Jean Piaget (1896–1980), who developed the theory
of cognitive development, believed that learning was
constrained to the child's cognitive development.
Piaget influenced educational psychology because he was
the first to believe that cognitive development was
important and something that should be paid attention to
in education.
Jerome Bruner is notable for integrating Piaget's cognitive
approaches into educational psychology.
He advocated for discovery learning where teachers create
a problem solving environment that allows the student to
question, explore and experiment. 23
Cont.
In his book The Process of Education Bruner stated that
the structure of the material and the cognitive abilities of
the person are important in learning.
He emphasized the importance of the subject matter.
He also believed that how the subject was structured was
important for the student's understanding of the subject
and it is the goal of the teacher to structure the subject in
a way that was easy for the student to understand.
Benjamin Bloom (1913–1999) who was more recent
educational psychologist developed an important
taxonomy of educational objectives designed to categorize,
and describe different educational objectives. 24
Cont.
Bloom believed in communicating clear learning goals
and promoting an active student.
He thought that teachers should provide feedback to
the students on their strengths and weaknesses.
In conclusion, from the 1960s to present day,
educational psychology has switched from a
behaviorist perspective to a more cognitive based
perspective because of the influence and development
of cognitive psychology.
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UNIT 2
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BASIC CONCEPTS, PRINCIPLES AND
THEORIES OF DEVELOPMENT
Meaning of Terms
Growth
• is defined as indicative of increase in body dimensions-
height and weight.
• is generally restricted to quantitative changes. i.e., increase
in size & structure
• is the result of metabolic processes in which proteins are
broken down and used to make new cells.
• Is internal,
• Structural,
• Physiological, 27
Maturation
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Learning
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2.2. Dimensions of Human Development
32
Activity
What then those different dimensions of
developmental changes?
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• To simplify the matter let us focus on the three arbitrarily
separated aspects of development: the physical, including
changes in sensory capacities, body changes and motor
skills; the cognitive including learning, language, memory
and thought; and the psychosocial, including emotions,
personality and relationship with other people.
• The division of human development in to three domains
makes it easier to study, but we must remember that very
few factors belong exclusively to one aspect or another.
• Development is not piecemeal but holistic. Each aspect of
development is related to all three aspects.
34
Questions and Controversies about
Human Nature
• From the above discussion you may have noted that
development in general is guided by innate
biological forces ( for that matter growth and
maturation) as well as by the particular experiences
a person has ( for that matter environment).
• The relative importance of these factors is a topic of
debate, called the nature-nurture controversy.
• Whether development is continuous and smooth, or
discontinuous and stage like, is also controversial.
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The Issue of Nature and
Nurture
• Once again you may have noted from the above discussion
that development is the result of the interaction of nature
(heredity) and nurture (environment).
• Development occurs when the developing person interacts
more and more with the environment using his/her changing
body.
• We may use the analogy of a growing plant to elaborate this
point.
• A plant grows from the seed that is planted on a plot of land.
• The growing plant represents development; the seed
represents heredity whereas the plot of land represents the
environment. 36
Activity
Define the terms heredity and environment,
and, with the help of examples explain how each
contributes to human development.
37
Cont.
39
Cont.
40
Activity
41
• We do not assume that each of the two factors of
development plays an equal role in all aspects of
development.
• In phylogenetic behaviors- behaviors common to the
race- such as creeping, crawling, sitting and walking can
best be explained by the process of maturation that is
guided by our genetic blueprint- heredity.
• By contrast, in ontogenetic behavior- behavior specific
to the individual- such as swimming, ball throwing, or
writing are best explained by examining the influence of
the environment the individual encountered. 42
The Issue of Continuity and
Discontinuity
Shape
Length
Liquid
Number
Both rows have the same The longer row has more
number of candies. number of candies. 56
3. Concrete operational stage (7 to 12 years)
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• Personal fable: is the self-generated, often
romanticized story of one’s personal destiny. The
adolescent may develop an image of a great hero, or
the great reformer of the world’s evils.
• The notion that they are invincible /invulnerable. This
notion may lead to risk taking behavior.
• Imagery audience: the adolescent assumes that others
are focused upon and concerned about the same issues.
• The adolescents also strive to find their own
personalities. They need a figure or model to identify
with.
• Adolescents also face the issues of sexual identity that
is the adolescent searches for comfortable expressions of
sexuality through friendship and dating.
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Stage 6 : Intimacy versus Isolation
(18-35 years)
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2.4.2.2. Freud’s Views and Stages of
Psychosexual Development
• The child begins to like the good will of others and tries to
please others to obtain their approval: good boy/nice girl.
• Good moral behaviors are those please (satisfy) others.
• Emphasis on gaining approval from others by being nice.
Stage 4:- Law and Order Orientation
• A child is oriented toward authority and toward
maintaining the social order.
• The emphasis is on doing one’s duty and showing respect for
authority.
• Right behavior means obeying the laws set down by those in
power, being a dutiful citizen. 97
Level Three: - Post Conventional Morality
At this level, an individual makes a clear effort to
define moral values and principles that have validity
and application apart from the authority of the
groups/persons holding these principles, and apart
from the individual’s own identification with these
groups.
Stage 5: Social Contract, Legalistic Orientation
• In stage five, correct behavior is defined in terms of
individual rights and the consensus of society.
• The rules of society exist for the benefit of all, and are
established by mutual agreement.
• If the rules become destructive, or if one party doesn’t
live up to agreement, the contract is no longer
98
binding/necessary.
Stage 6:- Universal Ethical Principle
Orientation
Learning Factors
108
3.3. Individual styles of Learning
and Thinking
All people have their own preferred ways of learning.
These differences are called learning styles.
1. Learning style is an individual's natural or habitual pattern
of acquiring and processing information in learning
situations.
A core concept is that individuals differ in how they learn.
Because of individual learning styles, one student may like to
make diagrams to help remember a reading assignment,
whereas another student may prefer to write a sketchy outline
instead. Yet in many cases, the students could in principle
reverse the strategies and still learn the material.
109
Cont.
Individuals, including students, do differ in how they habitually
think.
These differences are more specific than learning styles or
preferences, and psychologists sometimes call them cognitive styles.
2. Cognitive Styles:- typical ways of perceiving and remembering
information, and typical ways of solving problems & making
decisions (Zhang & Sternberg, 2006).
a) Field Dependence Versus Field Independence Cognitive Styles
In a style of thinking called field dependence, for example, individuals
perceive patterns as a whole rather than focus on the parts of the
pattern separately.
In a complementary tendency, called field independence, individuals
are more inclined to analyze overall patterns into their parts.
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b) Impulsive vs Reflective cognitive
style
Impulsive cognitive style is one in which a person reacts quickly, but as
a result makes comparatively more errors.
Reflective cognitive style is the opposite: the person reacts more slowly and
therefore, makes fewer errors.
- As you might expect, the reflective style would seem better suited to many
academic demands of school. Research has found that this is indeed the case
for academic skills that clearly benefit from reflection, such as mathematical
problem solving or certain reading tasks (Evans, 2004).
- Some classroom or school-related skills, however, may actually develop
better if a student is relatively impulsive. Being a good partner in a
cooperative learning group, for example, may depend partly on responding
spontaneously (i.e. just a bit “impulsively”) to others’ suggestions; and being
an effective member of an athletic team may depend on not taking time to
reflect carefully on every move that you or your team mates make.
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3. Multiple Intelligences
Intelligence:- is a single broad ability that allows a person to
solve or complete many sorts of tasks, or at least many
academic tasks like reading, knowledge of vocabulary, and
the solving of logical problems (Garlick, 2002).
According to Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple
intelligences (Gardner, 1983, 2003), there are eight different
forms of intelligence, each of which functions
independently of the others.
Each person has a mix of all eight abilities - more of one
and less of another - that helps to constitute that person’s
individual cognitive profile. 112
Multiple Intelligences (By
Howard Gardner)
113
Cont.
114
4. Personality Differences
Attitude:- Students have their own personal attitudes and
methods of thinking. Thinking patterns and reactions to the
various philosophies and types of training must be
reconciled.
Interest:- People sense ideas and activities that possess
special values, uses or attractions for them. The general
categories of interest are the vocational, educational, and
recreational. The interests of students in different aspects of
life will differ.
115
Cont.
Temperament and Personality: Temperament and personality are related to
each other and are developed from very early childhood as it stays with us
our whole lives.
Temperament:
is the different aspects of an individual’s personality like extroversion
or introversion.
is innate or inborn and is not learned.
Characteristics related to temperament include: activity (relaxed or
moving around), regularity (sleeping habits), initial reaction
(withdrawal or approach), adaptability (adjustments to changes),
intensity (reactions), mood (happiness or sadness), distractibility
(concentration), persistence (losing interest in some activity), and
sensitivity (stimulation). 116
Cont.
Personality:
arises within an individual, which remains
throughout an individual’s life.
made up of certain characteristic patterns like
behavior, feelings, and thoughts.
fundamental characteristics related to
personality are: consistency, psychological and
physiological impact on behaviors and
actions, and multiple expressions.
117
Chapter Four. Basic Concepts
and Theories of Learning
4.1. Definition of Learning
Learning can be defined as any relatively permanent
change in behavior, which occurs as a result of practice or
experience.
This definition has three important elements. These are:
1. Learning is a change of behavior for better or worse
2. Learning takes place through experience or practice. The changes
due to growth, maturation, or injury are not to be concerned as
learned behavior.
3. The changes to merit the term learning must be relatively
permanent. That is it must last for a fairly long time. Therefore,
changes due to maturation, fatigue, adaptation or sensitivity of the
organism are not considered as learning behaviors 118
4.2. Characteristics of Learning
1. Learning is growth. A child grows both mentally and
physically through his/her daily activities. Therefore, we
can say that learning is growth through experience.
2. Learning is adjustment. Learning helps an individual to
adjust himself/herself to the new situations.
3. Learning is organizing experience. Learning is not merely
addition to knowledge. It is the reorganization of
experience.
4. Learning is purposeful. All true learning is based on
purpose. We don’t learn anything and everything that
comes in our way in a haphazard manner.
119
Cont.
5. Learning is intelligent. Meaningless efforts do not produce
permanent result. Only efforts made intelligently have lasting
effects.
6.Learning is active. Learning does not take place without a purpose
and self activity. The principle of learning by doing is the main
principle which has been recommended by all modern
educationalists.
7.Learning is both individual and social. It is an individual and social
activity.
8. Learning is the product of environment. Environment plays an
important role in the growth and development of the individual.
9. True learning affects the conduct of the learner. There is a change
in the mental structure (k/ge, skills & attitude) of the learner after
every experience. 120
4.3. Goals in Learning
Goals in learning can be classified into three broad categories:-
acquisition of knowledge, acquisition of skills, and acquisition of
ideas and attitudes.
1. Acquisition of knowledge includes perception, conception and
associative learning.
Perception: refers to acquisition of a specific knowledge
about objects or events directly stimulating the senses at any
particular moment.
Conception: refers to acquisition of an organized knowledge
in the form of general ideas and concepts.
Associative learning: corresponds to memory both as
deliberate recall and recognition of past experience, and
automatic memory due to association 121
Cont.
2. Acquisition of skills: include reading, writing,
acquisition of language, musical performance, art,
drawing, handwork, etc.
3. Acquisition of ideas and attitudes: refers to the
elements of affection and feelings.
122
4.4. Factors Affecting Learning
Some of the major factors which the students learning are the
following.
1. The need of the learner
- the interest, attitude and motivation of the learner
2. Readiness of the learner
- Physical and metal maturity
3. Situations
- school environment, home environment, social
environment, human and material resources.
4. Interaction
- between the learner and situations
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4.5. Theories of Learning and Their
Educational Implications
124
4.5.1. Behaviorist Orientation of Learning
Theory of Learning
126
Pavlov’s Experiment
127
Watson’s Experiment
E.g.2 we can take white rat (CS), Loud noise (UCS)
and fear of the child called "Little Albert" .
- White rat (NS)---------------------------No response.
- Loud sound (UCS)---------------------- Fear (UCR)
-White rat + loud noise --------------- Fear (UCR) with
several pairings
White rat (CS)--------------------------Fear (CR)
128
Cont.
129
Basic Principles of Classical
Conditioning
Acquisition
- A process in which a CS gradually acquires the capacity to
elicit a CR as a result of repeated with UCS.
- Initial learning of the CS gain power over the UCS to
produce conditioning.
- The time interval between the CS and the UCS affect the
acquisition of the conditioned response.
Principle of Association/ Contingency
- Stimulus and response become connected if they
occur close together in time and space.
Extinction
- The decline of CR in absence of UCS. It is actually inhibition of the CR
rather than elimination of it.
130
Cont.
Spontaneous Recovery
- the reappearance of CR after a rest pause.
Stimulus Generalization
- the tendency to react or respond to stimuli that are
different from but some what similar to a conditioned
stimulus.
Stimulus Discrimination
- the learning ability to distinguish between CS and other
similar but irrelevant stimuli that do not signal
conditioned stimulus.
- responding only to CS but not to other similar stimuli.
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Factors that Influence Classical Conditioning
Consequence
Desirable Undesirable
consequence Consequence
T yp e s o f R e in fo rc e m e n t S c h e d u le s
C o n tin u o u s In te rm itte n t
F ixe d V a ria b le
145
2. The Principle of similarity
This principle suggests that similar things tend to be associated
in group and easy to recall than dissimilar things.
Therefore learning similar things is easier than learning
dissimilar ones.
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3. The Principle of Proximity
This principle states that objects which are close in space and
time tend to form a gestalt.
This means that we perceive all closely situated or located
things as a group.
146
4. The Principle of Closure
The law of closure says that, if something is missing in an
otherwise complete figure, we will tend to add it (close the
gap).
A triangle, for example, with a small part of its edge missing,
will still be seen as a triangle.
5. The Principle of continuation
This law states that organization in perception that appears to
go in a particular direction appears to be going infinitely in
the same direction.
147
Cont.
When we can see a line, for example, as continuing through
another line, rather than stopping and starting, we will do so, as
in this example, which we see as composed of two lines, not as a
combination of two angles...:
149
Educational Implication of the
Theory of Insight
From whole to parts: The whole is more than the sum of parts.
Therefore, teachers should present the topic or sub topic as a
whole.
Problem solving approach: the theory rejects memorization and
rote learning. The students should be placed in a position of
discoveries. Spoon-feeding is no way results in constructive and
critic thinking.
Integrated approach: Contents of the subject should be closely
integrated in to a whole. In the same way, all subjects and
activities of the curriculum should reflect unity and cohesion.
Motivational aspect: The learner’s curiosity and interest must
be aroused. He/she should familiarize with specific aims and
purposes of every task that is being undertaken. 150
4.5.2.2. The Information
Processing Theory
The focus of this approach is how information is stored in
memory.
The information processing approach relies on computers
as a model for human learning.
Like the computer, the human mind takes information,
performs operation on it to change its form and content,
stores and locates it and generates responses to it.
151
Cont.
Processes in Memory
There are three processes in memory. These are:
Encoding – refers to gathering and representing information.
Storage – is holding and saving of information for future use.
Retrieval – gaining and using of information from memory
whenever needed.
Storage
(Saving of
information for
future use)
152
153
The role of Attention for
Sensory Memory
Very large number of stimuli stimulates our sense organ daily.
But we don’t perceive all this stimulation.
By paying attention to certain stimuli and ignoring others, we
select from all the possibilities what we will process.
Attention is a very limited resource.
We can pay attention to only one demanding task at a time.
That is, many processes that initially require attention and
concentration becomes automatic with practice.
The first step in learning is paying attention.
Students can not process something that they don’t recognize or
perceive.
154
Improving Short Term Memory
It is possible to improve the duration and capacity of short term
memory through Rehearsal and Chunking methods
Rehearsal
Most people rehearse information mentally to retain it for a
long time.
Rehearsal simply refers to mentally repetition of information.
There are two types of rehearsal methods: maintenance
rehearsal and elaborative rehearsal.
Maintenance rehearsal- involves repetition of information in mind.
This type of rehearsal is useful for retaining information you plan
to use it and then forget, like phone number.
155
Cont.
Elaborative rehearsal: involves associating information that person
trying to remember with something a person already knows- with the
information in long term memory.
This kind of rehearsal is not only to maintain information in short
term memory, but helps to move the information from short term
memory to long term memory.
Chunking
Chunking is the process of grouping individual bits of information.
You can retain more information if you can group individual bits
of information together.
For example, if you are asked to remember the following ten digit
number in any order, 4 1 2 7 6 8 2 1 9 0 you can group it either
046-221-78-19 or 412-768- 2190. 156
Storing Information in Long
Term Memory
The way you learn information in the first place seems to affect its
recall later.
Elaboration: is the addition of meaning to new information
through its connection with already existing knowledge.
Organization: is a second element of process that improves
learning. Materials that are well organized are easier to learn
and to remember than bits and pieces of information, especially
if the information is complex or extensive.
Context: is a third element of processing that influence learning.
Aspects of physical and emotional context are learned along
with other information. Later if you try to remember the
information, it will be easier if the current context is similar to
the original one. 157
4.5.2.3. Latent Learning
The rats in Group 1 always found food at the end of the maze. Group
2 never found food. Group 3 found no food for ten days but then
received food on the eleventh.
The Group 1 rats quickly learned to head straight the end of the
maze without going blind alleys, whereas Group 2 rats did not learn
to go to the end. But, Group 3 rats were different.
For ten days they appeared to follow no particular route. Then, on
the eleventh day they quickly learned to run to the end of the maze.
By the next day, they were doing, as well as group one, which had
been rewarded from the beginning.
Group three rats had demonstrated latent learning, learning that is
not immediately expressed. A great deal of human learning also
remains latent until circumstances allow or require it to be expressed.
Cont.
161
Cont.
Bandura, and a number of colleagues, studied
children by categorizing them into three
groups, who watched films featuring an adult
interacting with an inflatable toy known as a
Bobo doll.
The adult was highly aggressive, hitting,
kicking, punching, and throwing things at the
doll.
The results were simple clear and clear
162
Cont.
One way to motivate students to behave in a
certain way is to give them reasons to behave
that way.
Another is to reinforce them.
Reinforcement can take any of the following
forms:
Direct reinforcement: as when you reward
students for behaving the way you wish them
to.
163
Cont.
Vicarious reinforcement: occurs when
children watch someone else being reinforced
(as in real life or on TV).
Self-reinforcement: rewards people deliver to
themselves for showing desired behavior.
Children need to learn to reinforce themselves
so they can become self-regulated learners.
164
Four Phases/Stages Involved in
Observational Learning
1. Attention-It is active perception and has
great implications for teaching
2. Retention- Remembering using active
memory techniques
3. Reproduction- Practicing/ physically
and/intellectually capable of
producing the act
4. Motivation-Motivating to model the observed behavior
165
Implications of Social Learning
for Teaching
Acquire new behavior-model the students to learn
Manifest already learned behavior
Strengthen or weaken inhibitions to action
Direct attention toward what is important
Arouse appropriate emotions
Expert teachers convey the enthusiasm they have
for subject matter and the repulsion they feel
toward inappropriate behavior such as cheating
Use peers as models: in group work, pair students who do
well with those who are having difficulty.
166
Cont.
Teachers and parents must model appropriate behaviors and
take care that they do not model inappropriate behaviors
Teachers should expose students to a variety of other models.
This technique is especially important to break down
traditional stereotypes
Students must believe that they are capable of accomplishing
school tasks
Thus it is very important to develop a sense of self-efficacy
for students.
Teachers should help students set realistic expectations for
their academic accomplishments
167
4.5.4. Constructivist
Orientation of Learning
The core ideas expressed by it have been clearly
articulated by John Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky among
others, but there is a new, widespread acceptance of
this old set of ideas, and new research in cognitive
psychology to support it
The term constructivism refers to the idea that
learners construct knowledge for themselves - each
learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning
as he or she learns.
Constructing meaning is learning; there is no other
kind. 168
Cont.
The dramatic consequences of this view are twofold:
We have to focus on the learner in thinking about
learning (not on the subject/lesson to be taught).
There is no knowledge independent of the meaning
attributed to experience (constructed) by the
learner, or community of learners.
Learning is not understanding the "true" nature of
things, nor is it (as Plato suggested) remembering dimly
perceived perfect ideas, but rather a personal and social
construction of meaning.
169
Cont.
This view may engage us in providing the learner with
activities, with hands-on learning, with opportunities
to experiment and manipulate the objects of the world,
but the intention is always to make clear to the learner
the structure of the world independent of the learner.
We help the learner understand the world, but we
don't ask him to construct his or her own world.
170
Constructivist Learning Principles
1. Learning is an active process
2. People learn to learn as they learn-Learning consists
both of constructing meaning and constructing systems of
meaning.
3. The crucial action of constructing meaning is mental:
It happens in the mind. Physical actions, hands-on
experience may be necessary for learning, especially for
children, but it is not sufficient; we need to provide activities
which engage the mind as well as the hands. (Dewey called
this reflective activity.)
4. Learning involves language-people talk to themselves as
they learn 171
Cont.
5. Learning is a social activity:
Our learning is intimately associated with our connection with
other human beings, our teachers, our peers, our family as well
as casual acquaintances, including the people before us or next
to us at the exhibit.
We are more likely to be successful in our efforts to educate if
we recognize this principle rather than try to avoid it.
6. Learning is contextual:
We learn in relationship to what else we know, what we believe, our
prejudices and our fears.
On reflection, it becomes clear that this point is actually a corollary of
the idea that learning is active and social.
172
We cannot divorce our learning from our lives.
Cont.
7. One needs knowledge to learn: It is not possible to assimilate
new knowledge without having some structure developed from
previous knowledge to build on. The more we know, the more we
can learn.
8. It takes time to learn: Learning is not instantaneous. For
significant learning we need to revisit ideas, ponder them try them
out, play with them and use them. If you reflect on anything you
have learned, you soon realize that it is the product of repeated
exposure and thought.
9. Motivation is a key component in learning. Not only is it the
case that motivation helps learning, it is essential for learning.
Unless we know "the reasons why", we may not be very involved
in using the knowledge 173
Characteristics of Constructivist Teaching
The learners are actively involved
The environment is democratic
The activities are interactive and student-centered
The teacher facilitates a process of learning in which students
are encouraged to be responsible and autonomous
Constructivist Teaching Methods
Constructivist teaching is based on the belief that learning
occurs as learners are actively involved in a process of
meaning and knowledge construction as opposed to passively
receiving information.
Learners are the makers of meaning and knowledge.
174
Cont.
Constructivist teaching fosters critical thinking, and
creates motivated and independent learners.
A wide variety of methods claim to be based on
constructivist learning theory.
Most of these methods rely on some form of guided
discovery where the teacher avoids most direct instruction
and attempts to lead the student through questions and
activities to discover, discuss, appreciate, and verbalize the
new knowledge.
Constructivist learning theory says that all knowledge is
constructed from a base of prior knowledge.
175
Cont.
An important concept for social constructivists is that of
scaffolding (providing support) which is a process of
guiding the learner from what is presently known to what
is to be known.
According to Vygotsky (1978), students' problem solving
skills fall in to three categories:
skills which the student cannot perform
skills which the student may be able to perform
skills that the student can perform with help
Scaffolding allows students to perform tasks that would
normally be slightly beyond their ability without that
assistance and guidance from the teacher. 176
Cont.
Another Vygotskian principle for teaching involves
the zone of proximal development.
Like Piaget, Vygotsky believed that there were some
problems out of a child's range of understanding.
However, in contrast, Vygotsky believed that given
proper help and assistance, children could perform a
problem that Piaget would consider to be out of the
child's mental capabilities.
The zone is the area at which a child can perform a
challenging task, given appropriate help
177
Cont.
Piaget and Vygotsky also differ in how they approach
discovery learning.
Piaget advocated for discovery learning with little
teacher intervention, while Vygotsky promoted
guided discovery in the classroom.
178
Difference between Traditional
and Constructivist Classrooms
179
Educational Implications of
Constructivist Classroom
• Pose problems that are or will be relevant to
students
• Structure learning around essential concepts
• Be aware that students’ points of view are
windows into their reasoning
• Adapt teaching to address students’ suppositions
and development
• Assess student learning in context of teaching
180
CHAPTER Five
Motivation in Relation to Teaching and Learning
184
5.3. Sources of Motivational
Needs
185
Cont.
o behavioral/external
- elicited by stimulus associated/connected to innately connected
stimulus
- obtain desired, pleasant consequences (rewards) or escape/avoid
undesired, unpleasant consequences
social
- imitate positive models
- acquire effective social competence skills
- be a part of a dyad, group, institution, or community
biological
- increase/decrease stimulation (arousal)
- activate senses (taste, touch, smell, etc.
- decrease hunger, thirst, discomfort, etc.
- maintain homeostasis, balance 186
Cont.
Cognitive: -
-maintain attention to something interesting or threatening
- develop meaning or understanding
- increase/decrease cognitive disequilibrium; uncertainty
- solve a problem or make a decision
- figure something out
- eliminate threat or risk
affective
- increase/decrease affective dissonance
- increase feeling good
- decrease feeling bad
- increase security of or decrease threats to self-esteem
- maintain levels of optimism and enthusiasm
187
Cont.
Conative: Related with individual self-direction and self-regulation
- meet individually developed/selected goal
- obtain personal dream
- develop or maintain self-efficacy
- take control of one's life
- eliminate threats to meeting goal, obtaining dream
- reduce others' control of one's life
spiritual
- understand purpose of one's life
- connect self to ultimate unknowns
188
5.4. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Theory of Motivation
190
191