Psych 2300 Test 1

Educational Psychology

branch of psychology, educational settings, teaching/learning

Descriptive Research

what is happening/observing, nothing is changed or introduced

Laboratory Observations

observing in a controlled/artificial setting

Naturalistic Observations

observing in real-world setting

Participant Observations

observing with the researcher participating in real-world setting

Interviews/Questionnaires

ask participant questions directly

Standardized Tests

assessment given to participants

Physiological Measures

tracking physical responses to connect with their mental state

Case Studies

examination of a single person or small group

Ethnographic Studies

studying culture and social settings

Focus Groups

small groups used to reveal social setting

Personal Journals/Diaries

tracks behavior and emotions of a single person

Correlation

relationship between variables (how closely related)

Experimental Research

cause/effect, 1 group changed & compare to unchanged group

Control Group

unchanged, constant, & comparison group

Experimental Group

changed group

Independent Variable

manipulated, influential, & experimental factor

Dependent Variable

measured variable

Random Assignment

groups assigned by chance

Quasi-Experimental Studies

naturally existing groups, not random assignment

Longitudinal Studies

studies done over time (same group)

Cross-Sectional Studies

different groups studied at the same time (different ages)

Cross-Sequential Studies

combines longitudinal & cross-sectional studies (different aged groups over time)

Program Evaluation

decisions about effectiveness of program

Action Research

solve classroom/school problems

Teacher-as-researcher

teacher conducts their own studies to improve

Qualitative Research

words, dialogue, & events

Quantitative Research

measurements & calculations

Mixed Methods Research

blends different research designs/methods

Everyone Teaches

everyone educated “students” - co-workers, colleagues, patients, children

NASSP Best/Worst Characteristics

13 to 17 year olds

Best teacher characteristics: humor, interesting, knowledge, considerate, clear, help students, fair, treat like adults, relatable, & no favoritism

Worst teacher characteristics: boring, not clear, favoritism, poor attitude, expect too much, not relatable, too much homework, too strict, & lack control

Mahoney & Choe Best Teacher Qualities

Asked students

Best Qualities: understanding, organized, enthusiastic, & knowledge about subject

Hu (KU) Research

found teacher-student relationship, engagement, & real-world experiences as best qualities

Professional Skills for Effective Teaching

subject-matter, appropriate strategies, encourage critical thinking, high goals, developmentally appropriate material, manage classroom, motivation, communication, individual variations, diversity, good assessment, & integrate technology

Commitment Skills for Effective Teaching

good attitude, caring, invest time/effort, self-efficacy/confidence, & positive attitude/enthusiasm

Hamre & Pianta Longitudinal Study

school success = good teaching, lower academic gains = poor teaching

Lily Wong Study

1 group had real results while the other group had fake results, both groups thought their results were correct

Importance/Purpose of Research

provides valid information, no “best way” to teach, & allows to be objective about knowledge

Types of Educational Research Methods

descriptive, correlational, & experimental

Correlation/Causation

correlation DOES NOT imply causation

Teacher Roles

motivator, manager, instructional expert, counselor, model, leader, & reflective professional

Physical Development

growth of a person’s brain & body

Personal Development

growth of a person’s emotional regulation, self-awareness, & behavior

Social Development

growth of a person’s interactions, relationships, & understanding social rules/emotions

Cognitive Development

growth of a person’s thinking, memory, language, & problem-solving skills

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

studying how human brain development drives cognitive abilities

Developmental Social Neuroscience

studying how human brain development drives social abilities

Splintered Development

uneven development across domains (strong math/poor writing)

Epigenetic View

ongoing development, bidirectional between heredity & environment

Neuroconstructivist View

brain builds cognitive skills via lifelong interaction between biology & environment

Myelination

insulation for nerve fibers, increases speed of information (used = strengthened, unused = pruned)

Experience Expectant

over-produced during developmental stages (vision, language, etc.), once developed - excess pruned

Experience Dependent

connections made in response to activity/experience (learn to play musical instrument), once experience complete - excess pruned

Schemes

proposed structure of thinking/mental representations for organizing knowledge (file folders)

Adaptation

ability to cognitively adjust to environment

Assimilation

fitting new information into an existing scheme

Accommodation

changing an existing scheme or form a new scheme

Equilibration

all information understood with current schemes, humans strive for cognitive balance

Disequilibrium

cognitive imbalance, new information does not fit into existing schemes (motivation for learning)

Organization

grouping behaviors/thoughts into categories

Interaction of Various Aspects of Development

processes intertwined (biology, cognitive, socioemotional)

Developmental Stages

Prenatal, Infancy, Early Childhood, Middle/Late Childhood, & Adolescence

Infancy

language, symbolic thought, sensorimotor, social learning, & dependence on adults (birth to 18-24 months)

Early Childhood

more self-sufficient, develop school readiness skills, & spend time with peers (infancy to 5 years OR preschool years)

Middle/Late Childhood

master fundamental skills of reading, writing, & math (6-11 years old OR elementary school)

Adolescence

rapid physical changes, independence, & identity (10-12 years old to late teens)

Developmental Issues

nature vs. nurture, epigenetic view, continuity (gradual/cumulative change) vs. discontinuity (distinct stages), change & stability, & early/later experiences

Brain in Development

number/size of brain nerve endings grow (adolescence), children have difficulty focusing/maintaining attention (improves during elementary school)

Adolescent Brain (Prefrontal Cortex vs. Limbic System)

adolescent brain is not mature/difficulty avoiding risks, prefrontal cortex (impulse control, planning, delay gratification) vs. limbic system (responsive to pleasure seeking, impulse behavior), “loan” prefrontal cortex (mentors help set boundaries/balance)

Myths of Brain Education

humans use ALL of brain (not 10%), learning to PLAY an instrument increases cognitive achievement (not just listening), & humans use BOTH sides of their brain (not just half)

Weinberger

proposed prefrontal cortex takes 20+ years to fully develop

Jean Piaget - 3 Influences

biological maturation (natural unfolding of biological changes), activity (acting on and reacting to environment), & social transmission (learning from others)

Object Permanence

understanding that objects continue to exist even when hidden

Symbolic Thought

ability to use symbols for thoughts, words, and gestures

Egocentrism

unable to distinguish own perspective from others

Intuitive Thought

using primitive reasoning & wants to know the answers to many questions

Centration

focus on one characteristic & exclude it from others (someone can’t be a dad and uncle)

Conservation

understanding some aspects of an object remain the same even with an appearance change

Classification

ability to coordinate several characteristics & not focusing on a single property of an object

Seriation

stimuli ordered along quantitative dimension (math)

Transitivity

combine relationships by reasoning logically (A>B & B>C, then A>B)

Hypothetical-Deductive Reasoning

ability to understand hypotheticals & use it to make decisions

Adolescent Egocentrism

focusing on own ideas/self, have imaginary audience, imagine ideal worlds, & judge inconsistencies as hypocrisy

Imaginary Audience

expression of self-consciousness/egocentrism & on “stage”

Sociocultural Theory

emphasizes education based on interactions between children and more knowledgeable members of society (based off of social interactions)

Co-constructed Process

social development, interacting creates understanding, & knowledge is through shared activities and then internalized

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

when a child is on the verge of understanding a concept, some still require assistance, mentor must recognize where the child is at

Scaffolding

support for learning/problem-solving (clues, reminders, encouragement)

“Magic Middle”

importance of teaching in a place where they are neither bored nor frustrated

Cultural Tools

both tangible (computers, rulers) and symbolic (language, numbers) allow to communicate, think, solve problems

Paralinguistic Behavior

non-language sounds (laughter, cough, intonation, pitch)

Nonlinguistic Behavior

nonverbal communication in actions (posture, facial expressions)

Receptive Language

listen and understand language

Expressive Language

communication using language

Phonology

sound system of language

Morphology

units of meaning in word formation

Syntax

ways to combine words into phrases/sentences

Semantics

meaning of words/sentences

Pragmatics

meaning/interpretation of language is influenced by context

Metalinguistic Awareness

knowledge of language, ability to treat language as an object of analysis