Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice

Today’s educational system is highly complex. There is no single learning approach or style that works for everyone. Because of this, psychologists working in the field of education are focused on identifying and studying learning methods to better understand how people absorb and retain new information. In simpler terms, it is concerned with the study of how students learn and how teachers can help them to learn effectively. Educational psychology draws on and combines various psychological theories and principles – such as those related to human development, motivation, learning, behavior management and assessment, among others – in order to improve the conditions of teaching and learning. Educational psychologists study the process of learning not only among the general population but also among sub-groups such as gifted children and those with various learning disabilities. Educational psychologists apply theories of human development to understand individual learning styles and inform the instructional process. While interaction with teachers and students in school settings is an important part of their work, it is not the only aspect of the job. Learning is a lifelong endeavor. People don’t only learn at school, they learn at work, in social situations and even doing simple tasks like household chores or running errands. The goal of educational psychology is not to provide specific prescriptions for teachers and other individuals who have an influence on a learner’s educational attainment as if there were only a few set ways in which one can optimize the processes of teaching and learning. Rather, research in this field is designed to uncover general principles which can be applied in various ways across diverse educational settings and learners. This text involves the study of how people learn, including topics such as student outcomes, the instructional process, individual differences in learning, and learning disabilities.