The Psychological Foundations

of Education

CARMELITA M. LAPEÑA
 Chapter I:
The Basic Concepts of Educational
Psychology
 Educational Psychology
Key Concepts
•Educational Psychology deals in learning and teaching.
This branch of psychology involves not just the learning
process of early childhood and adolescence, but includes
the social, emotional and cognitive processes that are
involved in learning throughout the entire lifespan. The
field of educational psychology incorporates a number of
other disciplines, including developmental psychology
behavioral psychology and cognitive psychology.
Educational Psychology
Key Concepts
•It concerned primarily with understanding the
processes of teaching and learning that take place
within formal environment and developing ways of
improving those methods. It covers important
topics like learning theories; teaching methods;
motivation; cognitive; emotional, and moral
development; and parent-child relationship etc.
Cognitive and Learning
Development
Cognitive Development
Theories of Cognitive Development

A.Piaget’s Main Tenet

•Jean Piaget view children as constructivists,
meaning they are active seekers who respond to the
environment according to their understanding of its
essential features. He also believed that intelligence
was not random, but it was a set of organized
cognitive structures that the child actively
constructed and viewed intelligence as basic life
functions that helps the child to adapt to his
environment.
Two Essential Intellectual Functions

•Organization is inborn and automatic

– it refers to the child’s tendency to
arrange available schemata into coherent
systems or body of knowledge.
• Adaptation – is the child’s tendency to
adjust to the demands of the
environment.
 Stages of Cognitive Development

1.Sensorimotor Stage (Birth to 2

years)
•During this stage, children acquire
knowledge through sensory
experiences and performing actions
accordingly
 6 Divisions of sensorimotor Stage

a.Reflexes (0 to 1 month)
• These refer to the behavioral foundation
upon which more complex behaviors are
based. They develop when applied to a
wider variety of stimuli and vents. Ex.
Sucking
 6 Divisions of sensorimotor Stage
b. Schemes (1 to 4months)
• These refer to an organized pattern of
behavior which the child interacts and
comes to know his word. Ex. Sucking
and grasping
 6 Divisions of sensorimotor Stage

c. Procedure (4 to 8 months)
• The schemes are directed outward and
developed into procedures of interesting
behaviors that produce interesting effects
in the world. Ex, banging on a pot with a
wooden spoon.
 6 Divisions of sensorimotor Stage

d. Intentional Behavior (8-12 months)

• Prior to this child stage, child produces
some outcome from his behavior and
repeats it. Now, the child wants to produce
a particular result then figures out the
action.
 6 Divisions of sensorimotor Stage

e. Experimentation (12-18 months)

• It refers to the child’s trial and error
exploration of the world to discover new
different ways of acting on it. Ex. Pulling
the rug to get an out of reach object.
 6 Divisions of sensorimotor Stage

f. Representation (18-24 months)

• In this stage, the child begins to think
about and acting on the world
internally. Ex. Naming objects that is
not currently present but is just a
thought of.
 6 Divisions of sensorimotor Stage

f. Representation (18-24 months)

• In this stage, the child begins to think
about and acting on the world
internally. Ex. Naming objects that is
not currently present but is just a
thought of.
Stages of Cognitive Development

2. Preoperational stage (2-6 years)

• During this stage, children develop
their capacity to employ symbol,
particularly language.
• Ex. Child can talk about the ball and
can form amental image of it.
Stages of Cognitive Development

3. Concrete Operational Stage (6-12

years)
• Children are more logical and able to
complete task not able to perform in
preoperational stage. Thinking is still
with real or concrete objects and
actions and not yet abstract thinking.
 Stages of Cognitive Development

4. Formal Operational Stage (12 years and

over)
• Children develop their abstract thinking. It is
their ability to think logically about things
that are only possible and not necessarily
real or concrete. They also develop their
hypothetical-deductive reasoning.
Theories of Cognitive Development

B. Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory of Cognitive

Development
• Lev S. Vygotsky’s theory emphasizes that social
interaction plays a vital role in cognitive
development. His theory basically means that
development depends on interaction with people
and the tools that the culture provides with to
help from their own view of the world.
(Gallagher, 1999).
These cultural tools can be transmitted to three ways. These are:

1.Imitative Learning – a person tries to

imitate or copy another person.
2.Instructed Learning - a person remembers
the instructions of the teacher and then
uses them to self-regulate.
3.Collaborative Learning – a group of
persons who strive to understand each
other and they work together to learn a
specific skill.
 3 Stages in Children’s use of language

1.Social Speech – speech used by children for

purpose of communication to other people.
2.Egocentric speech – speech that is more
intellectual and children use this by verbalizing
their ideas.
3.Inner speech – speech used by children to
think in their minds about their problem or task,
instead of verbalizing their ideas in order to solve
their problem or to decide what to do next.
His socio-cultural theory also refers to the
difference between what a learner can do
independently and what can be done with other’s
guidance. He called this as Zone of proximal
Development (ZPD).

ZPD is associated with Scaffolding. This concept of

scaffolding was introduced by Wood and
Middleton. It is defined as a learner to concentrate
on those elements of the task that are initially
beyond his capacity and complete only those
elements that are within his range of competence.
 Theories of Cognitive Development

C. Information-Processing Theory
• Exponents of this theory perceive that we are a
processor of information. It means that we are
not merely responding to stimuli rather we
process the information we receive. They equate
our mind to a computer, which receives
information and follows a certain program to
produce an output.
 Structures of the Information-Processing Theory
1.Sensory Memory
• Environment is the source of variety of stimuli. In psychology,
stimulus is an energy pattern which is recorded by our senses
such as light, sound, heat, cold, etc.
2. Working Memory or short-term Memory
• It is believed to be the center of conscious thoughts, compare to
a computer, it is the Central Processing Unit (CPU) or using the
concept of Sigmund Freud, which is the conscious memory.
3. Long-Term Memory
• It is responsible of storing information over a long period of
time. It encodes information for storage systematically-based
on meaning and association.
 Theories of Cognitive Development

D. Gardner’s theory of Multiple

Intelligence
• Howard Gardner’s Theory of multiple
intelligences suggests that intelligence
is not a single intellectual capacity but
it has 8 different capacity
8 Different Intelligences

1.Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence
2.Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
3.Spatial-Visual Intelligence
4.Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence
5.Musical Intelligence
6.Interpersonal Intelligence
7.Intrapersonal Intelligence
8.Natural intelligence
Language Development
Language Development Theories

• Some learning theorists believed that

language is acquired by imitation. It is an
advanced behavior whereby an individual
observes and replicates another’s
behavior. It is also a form of social learning
that leads to the development of traditions
and ultimately our culture.
 Language Development Theories
• Noam Chomsky proposed that language is learned based on Nativist
Theory of Language Acquisition
Chomsky believes that language development is primarily a matter of
maturation and that environment is of little significance
• Modern theorists cling that language is learned through interaction. They
say that children are biologically ready for language, but they require
extensive experience with spoken language for ample development.
• Interaction Theory explains that language development is both biologically
and social.

• Jerome Bruner, a modern theorists stresses that parents and other

caregivers have critical role in the language acquisition process. He
proposed the use of Language Acquisition Support System (LASS)
Learning Theories and Implications
 LearningTheories
• The S-R Theory – the famous stimulus and response
Theory
• Behaviorism – this assumes that learning is a
process of building conditional reflexes through the
substitution of stimulus for another.
• Gestalt Theory – it emphasizes the use of insights as
a basic principle and is opposed to trial and error.
• Functionalism – assumes that behavior and mental
processes are adaptive.
Laws of Learning
 Laws of Learning
•The Law of Readiness
•The Law of Exercise
•The Law of Effect
 Chapter II:
Schools of Psychology
and Motivation
Schools of Psychology
Four Major Schools of Psychology
1. Wilhelm Wundt – Structuralism
-interested in the thought of consciousness
-he used introspection to gather data
Attempt to study the mental world with
introspection
*Introspection-this technique, subject were
trained to observe and report as accurate as
they could their mental process, feelings and
experiences.
Four Major Schools of Psychology
1. Wilhelm Wundt – Structuralism
It is a method of interpretation and analysis of
aspects of human cognition, behavior, culture
and experience that focuses on relationships of
contrast between elements in conceptual
system that reflect pattern underlying a
superficial diversity
Four Major Schools of Psychology
2. John B. Watson – Behaviorism
-refers to the school of psychology founded by
Watson based on the belief that behaviors can
be measured and changed.
-It is also known as behavioral psychology
-it is based upon the idea that all behaviors are
acquired through conditioning.
Four Major Schools of Psychology
John B. Watson – Behaviorism
It is theory that believes that human and
animal behavior can be explained in terms of
conditioning, without appeal to thoughts or
feelings, and that psychological disorders are
best treated by alerting behavior patterns.
Types of Behaviorism
1. Methodological Behaviorism
It is a normative theory about the scientific conduct
of psychology
2. Psychological Behaviorism
Is a form of behaviorism- a major theory within
psychology which holds that behaviors are learned
through positive and negative
3. Analytical Behaviorism (logical)
It is a theory of mind that mental concepts can be
explained in terms of behavioral concepts.
Four Major Schools of Psychology
3. Sigmund Freud – Psychoanalysis
-Freud believed that people could be cured by
making conscious their unconscious thoughts
and motivation, thus gaining “insight”
-Freud considered as the father of
psychoanalysis
-the aim of psychoanalysis therapy is to release
repressed emotions and experiences.
Four Major Schools of Psychology
4. Max Wertheimer– Gestalt Psychology
-developed as a reaction against structuralism
-believed the human beings and other animals
perceive the external world as an organized
pattern, not as individual sensations
-Gestalt means pattern, form of shape.
-it also means unified or meaningful whole.
Older Philosophers and Psychologist of Gestalt
1. Ernest Mach (1838-1916)
2. Christian Von Ehrenfels (1859-1932)
3. Oswald Kulpe (1862-1915)
4. Max Wertheimer
5. Wolfgang Kohler
6. Kurt Lewin
7. Kurt Goldstein
Motivation
Motivation
Is at the center of psychology, with its roots reaching
into learning, memory, emotion, personality, and
other related areas.
It is the basic factor of effective learning
Motive refers to condition within the individual that
initiates activity directed toward a goal, needs and
drives for the basic framework for motivation.
Motivation comes from the Latin word “movere”
meaning to move.
Motivation
1. Motivation is a hypothetical construct
2. Motivation is not the only factor that
determines behavior
3. Motivation behavior is selective and
directional
4. Motivation leads to persistent behavior
Motivation Techniques
1. Use verbal praise.
2. Use tests and grade judiciously
3. Capitalize on the arousal value of suspense,
discovery, curiosity and exploration
4. Occasionally do the unexpected
5. Whet the appetite
6. Use familiar materials for example
7. Use unique and unexpected contexts when
applying concepts and principles.
Motivation Techniques
8. Require use of what has been previously
learned.
9. Use situations and games
10. Minimize the unpleasant consequences of
student involvement
11. Understand the power of relationship
between teachers and students
12. Provide a good curriculum.
Thank You!