Educational psychology can help treat learning disorders.
Educational psychology is a branch of psychology whose object of study is the ways in which human learning occurs within educational centers. In this way, it studies how students learn and in what way they develop.
It should be noted that educational psychology provides solutions for the development of curricula, educational management, the design of learning strategies, educational models and cognitive sciences in general.
Role of educational psychology
With the aim of understanding the main characteristics of learning in childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age, educational psychologists develop and apply different theories of human development, which are usually considered stages of maturity .
In this sense, Jean Piaget has been an important influence on educational psychology, thanks to his theory that children go through four different stages of cognitive development during their growth, until they reach abstract logical thinking when they are over eleven years of age. .
Lawrence Kohlberg 's moral development and Rudolf Steiner 's model of child development are other key contributions to the development of this psychology.
The problem of school violence is addressed by educational psychology.
Montessori's contribution
However, in addition to all these authors mentioned, reference to other great figures who left their deep mark on educational psychology cannot be overlooked. This would be the case, for example, of the Italian educator and psychiatrist María Montessori , who managed to give a fundamental turn to pedagogy at the beginning of the 20th century .
Specifically, said expert proposed her own pedagogical method , which bears her last name, in which she established four fundamental pillars that must be taken into account. These are the adult, the child's mind, the learning environment and the so-called sensitive periods. in which any child is more prepared or receptive to acquiring new skills.
Likewise, it is also interesting to emphasize the role played in educational psychology by the American philosopher William James , the British psychologist Ann Brown (who specialized in memory instruments), the French pedagogue Alfred Binet and the Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky (known as the "Mozart of Psychology" ).
Educational psychology considers special educational needs.
Educational psychology and motivation
Educational psychologists take into account the different characteristics and abilities of each person linked above all to cognition. These differences are enhanced by constant development and learning, and are reflected in intelligence , creativity , motivation and communication skills , for example.
It is important to emphasize that motivation plays a fundamental role in this branch of psychology. And it is key for learning to take place: it is considered that it is influenced by everything from the level of interest that the person in question has to the will that he or she has to proceed with a task, including the beliefs that he or she develops or the aspirations you have and what you want to achieve.
Learning problems
It should be considered, on the other hand, that there are numerous problems that affect school-age children and generate difficulties in learning and in the teaching processes, such as attention deficit disorder and dyslexia , among many others.
These problems affect the pace of learning . In this situation, teachers can work together with educational psychologists to adapt the curriculum and reduce the academic impact.
Likewise, educational psychologists can contribute to the detection of other obstacles and conditions, such as anxiety or depression , as well as psychosocial problems (such as bullying ). These factors may also demand, in addition to the attention of the relevant professionals, an educational intervention to adapt the curricular design and thus help the student advance with their training.
It must be taken into account that, beyond specific pathologies or clinical situations, the school climate affects teaching. Group dynamics and the ways in which social interaction takes place can promote learning or, on the contrary, hinder it. Emotional education contributes to problem solving, contributes to academic performance and helps minimize school dropouts.
Perspectives on educational psychology
It is interesting to note that educational psychology uses different theories of learning. These educational theories involve different approaches and perspectives that analyze learning:
- Constructivism : It is oriented towards the construction of knowledge through experience. According to this perspective, experiences - as well as cultural and social factors - influence how people develop their ideas.
- Cognitivism : Promotes time-spaced learning and mnemonic techniques to improve long-term information retention.
- Social cognitivism : Indicates that observation is a resource for learning that modifies the student's behavior. There is, therefore, social learning.
- Behaviorism : It is based on the relationship between stimulus and response. This implies that behavior can be conditioned.