POSTGRUDATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION

STUDENT NAME: KEN MWANGI

REG NO:21/07494

INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY ASSIGNMENT 3

APPLICATION OF PSYCHOLOGY IN TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING

17/11/21
Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Cognitive levels............................................................................................................................................4
Classroom control........................................................................................................................................4
Reciprocal Factor.........................................................................................................................................5
The jig-saw theory of social psychology......................................................................................................5
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................6
References...................................................................................................................................................6
Introduction
In the recent past, a population surge has been observed in TVET institutions. According to

UNESCO 436,000 students were enrolled in TVET institutions which is three times the number

of students who were admitted in 2013.

This has led to an extra need in human resource which has seen the government employ more

trainers. However, most of these trainers as professional in their area of specialization and lack

adequate pedagogical skills to transfer knowledge and skills to the students. To end this gap, the

government through the ministry of education instructed newly employed trainers to acquire

those skills.

Education psychology is key part of pedagogical skills that the trainer must acquire.

Generally, psychology deals with behavior of living things, human beings being a crucial part of

the living. This been the case, we are going to look at how psychology can be applied in

technical and vocational training for effective transfer of knowledge and skills.
Cognitive levels
According to Benjamin bloom, cognitive objectives can be divided into six major levels, which

are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Students in

technical and vocational colleges are beyond the basic taxonomy of knowledge which involves

recalling.

Trainers must adjust and be willing to involve students into higher taxonomy levels. According

to the 1992 NACTA journal, teaching higher cognitive levels require creative and proper prior

planning. Students should be challenged to find solution to problems in their area of interest and

trainers should only streamline their solution. Oral lectures should be only for introductory

purposes or conclusions to findings after experiments. Demonstrations and case studies should

be key to help students relate.

M.Susie and L.H Newcomb in their journal 1992 NATCA journal argue that student will be

more motivated when they are put into challenges to find solutions, with that, they have

perceived success which is not certain.

Classroom control
Most of the new trainers in TVET institutions are young professions in their late twenties s or

early thirties. Students tend to take them as their agemates and controlling the class for effective

learning and teaching may be hard.

Dianne F. Halpern on her journal on social and clinical psychology argue that class control can

be achieved by making the students accountable. If course outcomes are dependent on student

behavior, the student will tend to be more responsible and accountable.

Asking random question will make the students be more alert in class and attention will be easily

achieved.

Trainer should be more involving and restrain from using the ‘threat Syndrome’.

Reciprocal Factor
Trainers will spend most of the time preparing for classes, evaluating students, grading and so

on. Students must be made aware that all these efforts are done on their behalf. Naturally the

students will work harder to reciprocate the work done by their trainers. For example, if a trainer

spends time in the laboratory/workshop working on a demonstrative project, there is a highly

likelihood that the students will try to do the same in their lab sessions after the demonstration.

However, if the trainer just lectures the project and instructs the students to attempt, most likely

the students will have a negative attitude approaching the challenge and may not attempt.

Diane F. Halpern and Stephan Desrochers in their journal argue that a sense of fairness should be

created on the onset. Trainers should give clear indications of what learners need to do in order

to succeed and should test the context of what has been learnt.

The jig-saw theory of social psychology

The jig saw theory was invented by a social psychologist by the name Elliot Aronson in the year

1971.His original idea was to bring to an end stereotyping. His idea was to form small class

groups with mixed races, and in so doing weaken social patterns that were racial.

The jig saw method can be used today where bright students are grouped together with both

average and academically challenged students.

The end result will be the challenged student will adapt and the norm will change from

competition to cooperation and student will work towards achieving a similar goal. This goes on

to boost the self-esteem of the students.

Conclusion
There are many principles of psychology that have not been captured in this paper, that may be

used to improve knowledge transfer. However, trainers should be ready to embrace them for

effective learning and teaching process. It’s evident from above discussion that behavior patterns

are key in any education system. Trainers should adopt patterns that allow them to effectively

discharge their mandate in the best way possible.

References
Anderson, L. (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning,Teaching And Assessing:A Revesion of Bloom's taxonomy
of Educational Objectives. new york: Longman.

Diane F. Halpern, S. D. (2005). social psychology in the classroom:Applying what we teach as we teach it.
journal of social and clinical Psychology, 51-61.

Hunter, G. (2010). the social side of school:why teachers need social pyschology. educatinal psychology
review 22,, no.3:349-362.

mayer, R. E. (2003). LEARNING AND INSTRUCTION. UPPER SADDLE RIVER.

UNESCO, UNEVOC. (2018). TVET . kenya: ministry of education .