Educational psychology Study Guide

📖 Core Concepts Educational Psychology – Scientific study of how people learn; bridges psychology, neuroscience, and education. Domains of Learning – Cognitive (knowledge → evaluation), Affective (receiving → internalizing values), Psychomotor (perception → origination). Major Theories Behaviorism – Learning = change in observable behavior via reinforcement. Cognitive – Memory structures (encoding, storage, retrieval) and limits (cognitive load). Constructivism – Learners actively build knowledge; includes psychological (Piaget) and social (Vygotsky) strands. Piaget’s Stages – Sensorimotor → Pre‑operational → Concrete‑operational → Formal‑operational; each stage constrains what can be learned. Vygotsky’s ZPD & Scaffolding – Learning occurs in the zone between what a learner can do alone and with help; temporary supports (scaffolds) are withdrawn as competence grows. Bloom’s Taxonomy – Hierarchical classification of learning objectives across the three domains; guides instruction and assessment. Motivation – Internal drive that activates, directs, and sustains behavior; includes intrinsic vs. extrinsic sources, self‑determination needs, and goal orientations. Multiple Intelligences – Separate modalities (linguistic, logical‑mathematical, etc.) that may influence learning preferences. Assessment – Standardized intelligence tests, mastery learning, and performance‑based items aligned with Bloom’s levels. --- 📌 Must Remember Piaget Stage Ages: Sensorimotor (0‑2 yr), Pre‑operational (2‑7), Concrete‑operational (7‑11), Formal‑operational (12+). ZPD Definition – Upper limit: performance with a more knowledgeable other (MKO); lower limit: independent performance. Bloom’s Three Domains – Cognitive, Affective, Psychomotor (each with 5‑7 hierarchical levels). Bandura’s Social‑Learning Components – Attention → Retention → Motor reproduction → Motivation. Gardner’s Intelligences – Linguistic, Logical‑mathematical, Spatial, Musical, Bodily‑kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalistic. Cognitive Load Theory – Intrinsic load (content complexity) + extraneous load (poor design) → total load; overload impairs learning. Spaced Learning Effect – Delayed rereading > massed rereading for long‑term retention. Self‑Determination Theory Needs – Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness → intrinsic motivation. Attribution Categories – Ability, Effort, Task difficulty, Luck; ability attributions → anxiety, low effort. Goal Orientations – Mastery → deep learning; Performance‑approach → grade focus; Performance‑avoidance → fear of failure. --- 🔄 Key Processes Herbart’s Five‑Step Lesson: Review old material Present overview Present new material Relate new to old Demonstrate application Scaffolding Within the ZPD Diagnose independent level → select appropriate MKO → provide support (modeling, prompts, cues) → gradually fade support → assess independent performance. Bloom’s Taxonomy Application Identify target level → design activities & assessments that require recall → comprehension → application → analysis → synthesis → evaluation. Gagné’s Hierarchical Task Analysis Define terminal goal → break into prerequisite sub‑goals → sequence learning events (signal, cue, response, reinforcement). Behavior‑Analytic Reinforcement Identify target behavior → select reinforcement (praise, token) → deliver immediately & consistently → monitor frequency → fade reinforcement as behavior stabilizes. --- 🔍 Key Comparisons Piaget vs. Vygotsky – Piaget: development precedes learning (stage‑bound). Vygotsky: learning can precede development (ZPD). Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation – Intrinsic: activity itself rewarding; Extrinsic: external rewards/punishments. General Intelligence vs. Multiple Intelligences – General factor (g) predicts overall performance; Multiple intelligences treat abilities as distinct, domain‑specific skills. Behaviorist vs. Cognitive Perspective – Behaviorist: observable change via reinforcement; Cognitive: internal mental processes (memory, schemas). Mastery vs. Performance Goal Orientation – Mastery: focus on learning; Performance: focus on demonstrating ability relative to others. --- ⚠️ Common Misunderstandings Rewards always undermine intrinsic motivation – True only when rewards are perceived as controlling; they can boost motivation for already intrinsically motivated learners. ZPD = “zone of actual development” – ZPD is potential development with support; the zone of actual development is independent performance. Multiple intelligences are measured by separate IQ tests – They are theoretical constructs; no standardized IQ‑type tests exist for each. Piaget stages are rigid age blocks – Development varies by content domain and individual differences. Cognitive load concerns only memory – It also includes processing of extraneous information and instructional design. --- 🧠 Mental Models / Intuition ZPD as a Ladder – Learner climbs with a handrail (MKO) until they can stand alone. Bloom’s Pyramid – Bottom levels are “building blocks”; higher levels require integration of lower‑level skills. Cognitive Load as a Cup – Intrinsic load fills the cup; extraneous load spills over, causing overflow (overload). Scaffolding = Training Wheels – Provide stability; remove once balance is achieved. Behavioral Feedback Loop – Stimulus → Response → Reinforcement → Increased likelihood of response. --- 🚩 Exceptions & Edge Cases Stage Transitions – May occur earlier for some domains (e.g., abstract math) while remaining concrete in social reasoning. High‑Intrinsic‑Motivation Learners – Can still respond positively to well‑designed extrinsic rewards (e.g., recognition). Dual‑Coding Advantage – Learners with strong visual preference benefit most from paired images & text. Scaffolding Limits – If the MKO lacks adequate knowledge or resources, scaffolding effectiveness drops. --- 📍 When to Use Which Choose Piaget‑appropriate tasks – Concrete materials for children < 11; abstract problems for formal‑operational learners. Apply ZPD/scaffolding – When a learner cannot yet perform a task independently but shows potential with support. Use behavior‑analytic reinforcement – For establishing classroom routines, on‑task behavior, and habit formation. Employ cognitive‑load principles – In multimedia lessons: segment information, eliminate unnecessary visuals, use signaling. Select Bloom level for assessment – Recall questions → lower levels; case analyses → higher levels. Pick motivation strategy – Autonomy‑supportive tasks → boost intrinsic motivation; clear, contingent rewards → enhance extrinsic motivation when needed. --- 👀 Patterns to Recognize “Can do with help” → ZPD opportunity. Assessment verbs (e.g., list, explain, apply, analyze, create) map directly to Bloom levels. Frequent “feedback” or “reinforcement” language → behaviorist approach. “Images + narration” → dual‑coding strategy. “Work in groups, discuss, peer‑teach” → social constructivist learning. --- 🗂️ Exam Traps Distractor: “Rewards always decrease motivation” – Over‑generalizes; context matters. Confusing ZPD with current ability – Remember ZPD is potential with assistance. Attributing failure to “lack of ability” – Attribution theory distinguishes ability vs. effort; the latter is more actionable. Choosing “multiple intelligences” as a test‑based diagnostic – No standardized tests; it's a conceptual framework. Assuming behaviorism = no cognition – Modern applications blend reinforcement with cognitive feedback. ---