Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice - Edition 11 - Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1: Educational Psychology: A Foundation for Teaching Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice Edition 11 Robert E. Slavin © (2015, 2012, 2009) by Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Organizing Questions/Objectives What makes a good teacher? What is the role of research in educational psychology? What research methods are used in educational psychology? What makes a good teacher? Knowing the subject matter Mastering teaching skills Good teaching can be taught! Intentionality Ability to use 21st century skills Knowledge of the Common Core State Standards Characteristics of the Intentional Teacher Intentionality: Doing things for a purpose Teachers plan their actions based on the outcomes they want to achieve. Teacher Efficacy: The degree to which teachers feel that their own efforts determine the success of their students. 21st Century Skills Core subjects and themes language arts, mathematics, science, global awareness, financial literacy Learning and innovation skills creativity, critical thinking, problem solving Information, media, technology skills Life and career skills initiative, self-direction Common Core State Standards A set of academic performance standards being adopted by most U.S. states. Common Core standards emphasize: Flexible, creative problem solving Ability to use technology Ability to participate in active discussions in one-to-one, small-group, and whole-class settings Writing, speaking, and argumentation in groups Alignment of standards with college and career readiness Reading classic texts as well as new and multicultural texts Problem solving in real-world contexts, mathematical reasoning, precision, and argumentation Components of good teaching The Role of Research in Educational Psychology The goal: Carefully examine “obvious” and less-than-obvious questions, using objective methods to test ideas about the factors that contribute to learning. The products: Principles — explain the relationship between factors Laws — principles that have been thoroughly tested and found to apply in a wide variety of situations. Theories — a set of related principles and laws that explains a broad aspect of learning, behavior or another area of interest. The Role of Research in Educational Psychology The value: Each decision a teacher makes has a theory behind it The quality, accuracy, and usefulness of those theories are what ultimately determine your success The impact: Educational policies Professional development programs Teaching materials Research + Common Sense = Effective Teaching How to be an educated consumer of research Be a consumer of relevant research Teach intentionally formulate a working hypothesis based on observations and background knowledge collect data to test the hypothesis organize and analyze the data draw sound conclusions based on the data take a course of action based on the conclusions Share your experiences Research methods in educational psychology Experiments: researchers create special treatments and analyze their effects. Laboratory experiments: conditions are highly controlled. Randomized field experiments: conducted under realistic conditions; individuals assigned by chance to receive different practical treatments or programs. Single case experiments: study of a treatment’s effect by contrasting behavior before, during, and after application of the treatment. Research methods in educational psychology Correlational studies: the researcher studies variables as they are to see whether they are related. Variables can be Positively correlated: When one variable is high, the other tends also to be high. Negatively correlated: When one variable is high, the other tends to be low. Uncorrelated: No correspondence between variables. Research methods in educational psychology Correlational studies may tell us that two variables are related do NOT tell us what causes what Does student attentiveness cause high achievement, or are high-ability, high-achieving students simply more attentive than other students? Research methods in educational psychology Descriptive research: seeks to describe a situation of interest Survey or interview Ethnography: observation of a social setting over an extended period of time Research methods in educational psychology Action research: form of descriptive research carried out by educators in their own classrooms or schools A teacher might try out a new teaching method, collect information about how it worked, and communicate this information to others. Because the people involved in the experiment are the educators themselves, action research lacks the objectivity sought in other forms of research. Action research can provide deeper insight from front-line teachers or administrators than would be possible in research done by outsiders. Carrying Out an Action Research Project Start with a good question, one that you care about and that addresses an important problem of educational practice. Find out what’s already known on the topic. Plan how you’ll collect data. Carry out your study. Interpret your findings. How Can I Become an Intentional Teacher? Before you can become an intentional teacher, you have to become a certified teacher. Each state, province, and country has its own requirements, but in most places you at least have to graduate from a 4-year college with a specified distribution of courses. You also will need to have a satisfactory student teaching experience. In most states, however, these are not enough: You also have to pass a teacher certification test, or licensure test. Many states base their requirements on 10 principles of effective teaching, developed by the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium. 10 Principles of Effective Teaching Standard #1: Learner Development The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences. Standard #2: Learning Differences The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards. Standard #3: Learning Environments The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation. 10 Principles of Effective Teaching Standard #4: Content Knowledge The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content. Standard #5: Application of Content The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues. Standard #6: Assessment The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making. 10 Principles of Effective Teaching Standard #7: Planning for Instruction The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context. Standard #8: Instructional Strategies The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways. 10 Principles of Effective Teaching Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner. Standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession. Beyond certification: Be an intentional teacher Seek mentors, especially experienced teachers Seek professional development, especially coaching with follow-up Talk teaching — share and commiserate Read professional publications and join professional associations