Educational Psychology: Meaning, Nature and Scope
I. What is Educational Psychology?
Educational Psychology is a specialized branch of psychology that applies psychological knowledge to the field of education. It primarily focuses on the problems, processes, and products of education.
Key Definitions:
- Skinner (1958): “Educational psychology is that branch of psychology which deals with teaching and learning”.
- Crow and Crow (1973): “Educational psychology describes and explains the learning experiences of an individual from birth through old age”.
- Peel (1956): “Educational psychology is the science of education”.
In essence, it is the study of the learner’s behaviour in relation to their educational environment and needs.
II. Nature of Educational Psychology
The nature of Educational Psychology is fundamentally scientific. It serves as the “science and technology of education”.
Scientific Characteristics:
- Body of Facts: It possesses a systematic and universally accepted body of facts supported by psychological laws and principles.
- Search for Truth: It constantly studies the learner’s behaviour in the educational environment; findings are never absolute and are subject to modification based on new evidence.
- Scientific Methods: It employs hypotheses, objective observation, controlled experimentation, and clinical investigation.
- Objectivity and Reliability: Research maintains a high degree of logical viability, reliability, and validity.
- Cause and Effect: It rejects hearsay and supernatural explanations, looking for definite causes linked to behaviour.
- Focus on the ‘What’ and ‘Why’: It focuses on present behaviour and its causes rather than just the past.
- Positive Science: It is a positive science (dealing with facts as they are) rather than a normative science (dealing with values or what “ought to be”).
III. Is it a “Science of Education”?
Educational Psychology acts as a science and technology by helping educators derive maximum output (learning results) from minimum input (time, labour, and energy).
- Planning: It helps in planning the teaching-learning process scientifically.
- Equipment: Just as an engineer is helped by technology to build a bridge, a teacher is equipped with scientific skills and psychological expertise to mould student behaviour.
- Predictability: It provides the ‘how’, ‘when’, and ‘where’ of education, allowing for reliable predictions of behaviour in similar situations. R.B. Cattell emphasized this by defining personality as an attribute that permits the prediction of what a person will do.
IV. The “Developing Positive Science” Status
While Educational Psychology is scientific, it is not as “perfect” or “developed” as natural sciences like Physics or Chemistry.
This is because the learner’s behaviour is dynamic and unpredictable, and the methods used cannot be as absolute or objective as those in the physical sciences.
Scope of Educational Psychology
Educational Psychology is the science of education that deals with the problems of teaching and learning. It assists teachers in modifying learner behavior and bringing about all-round personality development.
Distinction: While general psychology covers the behavior of all living organisms, Educational Psychology is limited to the teaching-learning process within the educational environment.
The Fundamental Questions of the Teaching-Learning Process
Educational Psychology seeks to provide solutions to six of the following seven questions (leaving “Why” to Educational Philosophy):
1. Who is being Educated? (The Learner)
Focuses on exploring the individuality of the learner. Key areas include:
- Growth and development patterns across different life stages.
- Instincts, innate abilities, and acquired skills.
- Individual differences: Intelligence, aptitude, interests, and creativity.
2. By Whom is the Learner to be Taught? (The Teacher)
The competency and personality of the teacher are crucial. The teacher must be self-aware regarding:
- Personality traits and characteristics of effective teachers.
- Duties and professional responsibilities.
- Managing internal conflicts, anxiety, and tension.
- Motivation, aspiration levels, and mental health.
3. What is to be Taught? (The Curriculum)
While Philosophy decides the goals, Psychology suggests the learning experiences suitable for each developmental stage. It covers:
- Framing syllabi and curricula based on individual differences.
- Organizing topics gradewise to suit the learner’s potential.
4. How are the Learning Experiences to be Provided?
Focuses on effective communication and methodology. Key topics include:
- Nature, laws, and theories of learning.
- Memory (remembering and forgetting).
- Sensation, perception, and concept formation.
- Thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving.
- Interest and attitude formation.
5. When and Where are the Learning Experiences Provided?
Focuses on the environment and timing of instruction. It includes:
- Classroom and institutional climate.
- Types of study: Individual, self, supervised, or group study.
- Role of rewards and punishment.
- Group dynamics, guidance, and counseling.
Summary of Nature and Scope
The Scientific Nature
Educational Psychology is considered a scientific discipline because:
- It possesses a systematic and universally accepted body of facts.
- It employs scientific methods, research, and experimentation.
- Its results are subject to verification and modification.
The Scope: Limited yet Extensive
- Limited: It focuses specifically on the learner’s behavior within the educational environment.
- Extensive: It is a fast-growing, dynamic field. Because the problems of education are unending and changing, the scope of Educational Psychology must remain “unfettered” to evolve with new concepts and societal needs.
Core Objectives
- Knowing the learner.
- Enabling the teacher to know their own strengths and limitations.
- Selection and organization of learning experiences suited to the learner.
- Suggesting suitable methods and techniques of teaching.
- Arranging proper learning situations/environments.
Educational Psychology FAQs
- A. Study of the soul in education.
- B. Application of psychological principles to solve educational problems.
- C. Theoretical science of mind.
- D. Study of animal behavior in schools.
- A. Philosophical
- B. Religious
- C. Scientific
- D. Artistic only
- A General Psychology
- B Philosophy
- C Scope of Educational Psychology
- D Abnormal Psychology
- A. The Learner
- B. The Learning Process
- C. The Teaching Situation
- D. The Political Ideology of the state
- A. Understand individual differences.
- B. Select teaching methods.
- C. Organize environment.
- D. All of the above.
- A. Social Welfare
- B. Individual Differences
- C. Rote Memorization
- D. Discipline
- A. No, Sociology branch.
- B. Yes, provides scientific foundations for practice.
- C. No, education is only an art.
- D. Only for science students.
- A. Theoretical research only.
- B. Study the teacher only.
- C. Fostering all-round development of the learner.
- D. Financial planning.
- A. Evaluation and Measurement
- B. Physical Education
- C. Philosophy
- D. Building Design
- A Child Psychology
- B Social Psychology
- C Educational Psychology
- D Clinical Psychology