Psychological Foundations

Course Description

An examination of the learning processes in educational settings addressing human motivation; development of children and youth in affective, cognitive, social, and personal domains; individual differences; and implications of theory and research for teaching and learning. (NV TL: BI, II)

Learning Outcomes

• Describe either orally or in writing a comprehensive knowledge of typical and atypical development including prenatal state through adulthood, knowledge of development stages and their implications for learning.
• Identify major developmental theorists and characteristics representative of the major theories of human growth and development (cognitive, linguistic, social, and moral).
• Compare applications of psychology to education by theoretical framework.
• State influences of cultural factors and practices on child development.
• State and describe skills needed to provide information to family members on typical developmental expectations/impact of disability on developmental progress.
• Demonstrate skills needed to ensure that the intervention/instructional environment is appropriate to each student’s specific chronological age, developmental differences, disability, and other special needs.
• Define learning through an examination the major learning theories (Behaviorism, Information-Processing, Social Learning, and Constructivism); knowledge construction and cognitive processing.
• Identify / provide examples of how theories of human development are reflected in classroom practices.
• Describe/identify applications of psychology to education: lesson design and instructional sequences, strategies, and activities.
• Describe/identify applications of psychology to education: classroom environment, student engagement, family involvement/Communication

Prerequisites

• TED320