COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, COUNSELING & GUIDANCE

PSYC 3110: EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
Course Syllabus

Instructor:

William G. (Bill) Huitt, Ph.D.
Office Hours: MTR, 1-4pm; W, 1-4:30pm
Office: Psychology Building (next to Continuing Education Center on Patterson)
Phone: 333-5613 (O); 247-2327 (H)

Required Texts:

• Slavin, R. (2006).  Educational psychology:  Theory into practice, (8th ed.).  Boston:  Allyn and Bacon.
• Materials packet available at the copy center in the Education Center [Materials available online at http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/edpsyc/edpframe.html]
• Required readings packet available at the copy center in the Education Center

Additional Web Sites:

Course Description:

Educational Psychology is a course designed to introduce psychological principles, theories, and methodologies to issues of teaching and learning in schools. It is a required course in the core sequence for the BS degree in Education.

NOTE: Students must be admitted to the Education program or be eligible to do so (i.e., successfully completed the Regents' Exam and have a 2.5 CGPA). Students must also have completed either PSYC 2500 (Fundamentals of Psychology) or PSYC 2700 (Human Growth and Development) and one of the following: ACED 2999, ARED 2999, COMD 2999, FLED 2999, KSPE 2999, MGED 2999, MUE 2999, SEED 2999, or SPEC 2999. It is highly recommended that students complete both PSYC 2500 and PSYC 2700 prior to enrolling in this course.

College of Education Conceptual Framework: Guiding Principles

The following are adapted from the Georgia Systemic Teacher Education Program Accomplished Teacher Framework

• Dispositions Principle:  Productive dispositions positively affect learners, professional growth, and the learning environment.

• Equity Principle:  All learners deserve high expectations and support. 

• Process Principle:  Learning is a life-long process of development and growth. 

• Ownership Principle:  Professionals are committed to, and assume responsibility for, the future of their disciplines. 

• Support Principle:  Successful engagement in the process of learning requires collaboration among multiple partners.

• Impact Principle:  Effective practice yields evidence of learning.

• Technology Principle:  Technology facilitates teaching, learning, community building, and resource acquisition. 

• Standards Principle:  Evidence-based standards systematically guide professional preparation and development. 

College of Education Conceptual Framework Standards (CFS)

 The following framework standards will be emphasized in this course:

• II. KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS AND THEIR LEARNING:  Teachers support the intellectual, social, physical, and personal development of all students.

• III. LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS: Teachers create learning environments that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

The following framework standards will be introduced in this course:

•  IV. ASSESSMENT: Teachers understand and use a range of formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous development of all learners.

•  V.     PLANNING AND INSTRUCTION: Teachers design and create instructional experiences based on their knowledge of content and curriculum, students, learning environments, and assessment.

• VI. PROFESSIONALISM: Teachers recognize, participate in, and contribute to teaching as a profession.

General Course Objectives:

Students will be able to:

1. name and discuss the major categories of variables that have been studied in educational psychology in an attempt to answer the question "Why do some students learn more than others?" and arrange these in the form of a model of the teaching/ learning process.
2. name and discuss the major components and techniques of classroom planning, management and instruction that have been addressed in the study of the teaching/learning process as well as how these general techniques can be modified to address individual differences.
3. define learning and compare and contrast the factors that cognitive, behavioral, and humanistic theorists believe influence the learning process, giving specific examples of how these principles could be used in the classroom.

Note: More specific course objectives are presented separately.

Topics:

1. Introduction
1. Purpose and objectives of course
2. Working in the public schools
3. Definitions

1. Education
2. Educational psychology
3. Learning
4. Teaching
4. Objectives of Schooling
   1. Master basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic
   2. Become contributing member of society
   3. Develop individual, unique potential
   4. Others

2. Scientific Investigation
1. Types of Studies

1. Descriptive
2. Correlational
3. Experimental
2. Methods

1. Systematic observation
2. Participant observation
3. Paper/pencil
4. Clinical

3. Guiding the Instructional Process
1. Planning

1. Domains of learning
2. Setting objectives
2. Instruction

1. The lesson
2. Considering individual differences
3. Management

1. Setting rules and procedures
2. Classroom discipline
4. Evaluating learning

1. In the classroom
2. Standardized testing
5. Georgia Teacher Observation Instrument (GTOI)
4. Theories of Learning
1. Behavioral

1. Contiguity
2. Classical conditioning (respondent learning)
3. Operant conditioning
4. Social learning/observational
2. Cognitive

1. Information processing
2. Developmental
3. Social Learning and Social Cognition


4. Humanistic

1. Self-concept
2. Values orientation

5. Motivation


1. Theories of motivation


2. Increasing student motivation

Field Experience:

A course requirement is that students spend a total of 20 hours observing and working in a school setting. This requirement will be met by observing videotapes of teachers and students in regular classroom settings which contain black and white students of both sexes. Students will make postings of their observations and reflections on the WebCT bulletin board.

Ethical Conduct:

Students are expected to abide by the Code of Ethics developed by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission while engaged in all aspects of their teacher training experiences.

Students with Disabilities:

Valdosta State University, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, will make arrangements for students who require special assistance due to a disability. If you require some assistance, do not hesitate to make me aware of it. In addition, if you are not already registered with the Special Services Program, you must contact the Special Services Office in room 1115 Nevins Hall,  or call 245-2498 (voice) and 219-1348 (tty).

Policy Statement on Plagiarism and Cheating:

• FIRST OFFENSE: The student will earn a “0” on the assignment, test, project, etc.  If plagiarism is detected in a bulletin board posting, all previous postings will be nullified.

• SECOND OFFENSE: The student will earn the letter grade “F” for the course.            

• THIRD OFFENSE: The student will earn the letter grade “F” for the course, and further action involving referral of the matter (with documentation) to the appropriate college (university) officials within the administrative structure will be taken. (Please also see page 39 of the VSU Student Handbook.)

Grading Scale:

A = 90-100; B = 80-89; C = 70 - 79; D =  60 - 69; F = 69 and below

Extra credit:

Up to ten points extra credit may be earned by reading research articles from education or psychology journals or readings in educational psychology; by listening to cassette tapes; viewing videotapes; or reviewing computer software dealing with issues related to the teaching-learning process. A critique is to be typewritten, double-spaced and should include:

Publication data or tape identification;

1. Summary of article or tape (1 to 1-1/2 pages);
2. Your personal opinion about the value of the article or tape (1/2 page).

Each report will be worth a maximum of one point added to one of the 4 exams.

Last updated: August 2007  Return to: | EdPsyc Courses | Homepage |

Dr. William G. (Bill) Huitt
Dept. of Psychology, Counseling & Guidance
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698-0001

Office: (912) 333-5613
FAX: (912) 333-7167
E-mail: whuitt at valdosta dot edu

Copyright (c) 2007 -- Bill Huitt