SZ6639 Educational Psychology

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Tereza Škubalová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Jan Mareš, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Evžen Řehulka, CSc.
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Mgr. Tereza Škubalová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Psychology – Faculty of Education
Timetable of Seminar Groups
SZ6639/01: each odd Tuesday 15:00–16:50 učebna 22; and Fri 6. 10. 14:00–15:50 učebna 53, Fri 20. 10. 9:00–10:50 učebna 35, 11:00–12:50 učebna 35, Fri 1. 12. 17:00–18:50 učebna 22, J. Mareš, T. Škubalová
Prerequisites (in Czech)
!NOWANY( SZ6039 Educational Psychology (Exercise) )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course is a follow up of bachelor’s study courses (Introduction to education and psychology; Developmental psychology; Social psychology). The course deepens and theoretically anchors knowledge and experience of students gained during teaching practice and field-specific methodology courses. The course is based on the current findings in psychological and educational research of formal and informal teaching situations. It provides opportunities to students to develop key professional skills of teachers such as self-reflection and assessment techniques. The structure of the course topics is based on an international comparison of Czech and foreign scholarship and theoretical paradigms.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student will be able to:
- understand and use the basic terminology and concepts of educational and school psychology;
- apply gained theoretical knowledge thorough understanding (description, analyses, interpretation and evaluation) of teaching situations;
- reflect on and characterize educational school environment (of the school of student’s own teaching practice) in psychological terms;
- describe and explain and present a case study of individually-specific learning processes;
- based on psychological report, present in own words the results of a psychological examination and principles of work with the pupil (including context of legislation – methodological recommendations);
- reflect on typical teaching situations from the point of view of chosen theories of educational psychology;
- produce a case study with the help of a relevant (Czech and international) literature review;
- design an example of a learning task and formulate differentiated instruction (cognitive difficulty) considering individual needs of the pupil.
Syllabus
  • 1. The way educational psychology is useful for teachers. Teaching profession, its changes over the time. Training of pre-gradual teachers. Joys and sorrows of the teaching profession.
  • The aim of the lecture and the follow-up seminar is to link up previous courses to developing psychological literacy, to identify the difference between personal experience of a pupil and a student, to provide an overview of relevant sources and to offer individualized perspective of educational psychology, taking in consideration ones professional development stage.
  • 2. The process of learning. The process of learning and the teacher. Chosen theories of learning.
  • The aim of the lecture is to connect the previous practical experience with individual teaching with the current psychological approaches of examining the process of learning and their application in own learning and teaching practice.
  • 3. The relationship between learning, development and upbringing. Biological, cognitive, social and moral development of pupils A critical reflection of a “typical pupil”.
  • The aim of the lecture is to connect the gained theoretical knowledge with own experience, practical teaching and with current psychological approaches,while respecting individual development of pupils.
  • 4. Personality and individual specificity of contemporary pupils. Cognitive styles and learning styles. Multiple intelligence theory. Differences in attitudes and individualities aiming at inclusion. Talent. The question of gender in teaching. “The innate” and “the learned” from contemporary point of view. Social reproduction, cultural stereotypes and expectations. Working with diversity in teaching.
  • The aim of the lecture and the follow-up seminar is to introduce current topics connected to pupil diversity and own experience of a good practice.
  • 5. The teacher in teaching practice. Reflective practice. Self-monitoring. Teaching styles of a teacher. Psycho-hygiene of a teacher.
  • The aim of the lecture and the follow-up seminar is to anchor students’ experience of a reflective teacher in psychological theory and to show advantages of reflective practice through particular training methods.
  • 6. Pupil motivation. Relationship between the teacher and pupils as a dynamic phenomenon.
  • The aim of the lecture is to introduce current approaches to pupil motivation and current approaches to work with the position power of the teacher.
  • 7. Psychology of teaching. Lesson planning, teaching goals and students specifics. Psychological aspects of using ICT in teaching.
  • The aim of the lecture and the follow-up seminar is to broaden knowledge gained in previous lectures and to present examples of evidence based approaches of good teaching practice from its planning to its realization in certain conditions.
  • 8. Psycho-social school/classroom climate and classroom management.
  • The aim of the lecture and the follow-up seminar is to introduce this interdisciplinary topic in psychological context and present a certain assessment tools. Students will also be trained in using the tools.
  • 9. Assessment. Achievement and failure.
  • The aim of the lecture is to introduce the issue of assessment (at different levels) as an inseparable part of teaching process as well as a psychological phenomenon with consequences for pupil self-concept, motivation, academic aspirations and relationship to the teacher or parents.
  • 10. Psychology of upbringing. Family and school. Communication with parents and its specifics. Communication with supporting professions members.
  • The aim of the lecture and the follow-up seminar is to introduce the issue of parent approaches, expectations and relationships with the pupil and the educational institution- not as a problem, but rather as an opportunity.
  • 11. Planning and evaluation of interventions from educational-psychological point of view.
  • The aim of the lecture and the follow-up seminar is to demonstrate benefits of collecting focus information (incl. diagnostics), intervention planning and result evaluation for development of the pupil, the teacher and the school.
  • 12. Psychological research and teaching practice of the teacher. The aim of the lecture is to introduce advantages of a teacher becoming an active participant of research activities as well as a satisfied submitter and user of the results of educational-psychological action research.
Literature
    required literature
  • Seifert, K., & Sutton, R. (2011). Educational psychology. Athens: The Global Textbook Project.
  • SANTROCK, John W. Educational psychology. Fifth edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011, xxxviii, 6. ISBN 9780071314961. info
    recommended literature
  • STERNBERG, Robert J. and Wendy M. WILLIAMS. Educational psychology. Second edition. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill, 2010, xxiv, 615. ISBN 9780205626076. info
Teaching methods
Expected teaching activities and teaching methods used in lessons: Group discussion, problem solving, case studies discussions, and self-study of academic literature, elaboration and presentation of theses from literature reading, accomplishing tasks, making a poster. Learning outcomes: the student can analyse, critically reflect on and use at work professional text as a scaffolding for his/her own reasoning, the student can systematically and with understanding uses terminology in model situations.
Assessment methods
The course is completed by a written examination
Seminar group is completed by preparation and presentation of a poster in class
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/autumn2023/SZ6639