1.2 Scope of Educational Psychology

Scope means the limits of a particular subject in the field of its operation. What is to be included in it or what subject matter does it contain, comes under its scope. Educational psychology in particular, deals with the behaviour of the learner in an educational situation. Therefore, it becomes imperative that educational psychology should limit itself within the four walls of the teaching learning process and educational environment. It must try and solve the problems evolving in actual teaching-learning situations and help the individuals involved in this process.

Exercise

Select the correct option/s.

How dose educational psychology help in improving the teaching-learning process? Please tick the correct options.

	Knowing the learner
	Correct Incorrect
	Enabling the teacher to know her strengths and to acquire essential teacher-like traits
	Correct Incorrect
	Selection and organization of proper learning experiences suited to the individual and based on development stages of the learner
	Correct Incorrect
	Suggesting suitable methods and techniques for providing the desired learning experiences
	Correct Incorrect
	In arranging proper learning situation
	Correct Incorrect

The scope of educational psychology may be discussed under the following heads:

The learner

The term learner applies to students who individually or collectively participate in the educational programs.

Exercise

Select the correct option/s.

1. Why do you think the teacher used a video along with the lecture method?

	a. Teacher wanted her students to understand the concept better.
	b. Teacher understood the need of her learners.
	c. Teacher wanted to grab the attention of the students.

2. Why is it that Ajay understood the concept on the very first day but Vijay did not?

	a. Ajay is more intelligent than Vijay.
	b. Vijay did not pay attention in class.
	c. Ajay is an auditory learner while Vijay prefers visual learning.

Not only individual differences but other factors of the learner illustrated in the diagram below also come under the scope of educational psychology.

Fig 1 : Factors of the learner considered in Educational Psychology

The learning process

Learning is the process by which students acquire and retain attitudes, knowledge, understanding, skills and capabilities that cannot be attributed to inherited behavior patterns or physical growth. A number of theories have been put forward to explain how people learn. All of them have conceived of learning as a process that progresses in stages.

The learning Situation

Exercise

Select he correct option.

In which of the following cases, according to you, is learning taking place?

	Maya is searching for information related to her project work on the internet.
	Correct Incorrect
	Sachin is taking an online course on M.A. in education.
	Correct Incorrect

It is difficult to imagine any period of our lives, when learning is not happening. While walking down a street on any ordinary day, a person continually modifies his/her behavior in response to the environment. Thus, learning situations, covers all life experiences that modify our behavior. An effective learning situation is one in which all the essential elements for promoting learning; i.e., teacher, learner, subject matter, teaching materials and physical facilities, relevant to a particular situation, are presented in a dynamic relationship with one another. From the academic point of view learning situation refers to the classroom setting, which is composed of pupils, a teacher and a room. All have unique characteristics. In addition to these features, one also has to consider the behavior of teachers and pupils. Behavior includes not only overt physical activity such as talking and doing, but also cognitive processes like cognizing, thinking and evaluating. Educational psychology deals with the environmental factors and learning situations which come midway between the learner and the teacher.

The learning experience

Fig 2 : Passive Learning Fig 3 : Active Learning

A learning experience is the mental and/or physical reaction one makes through seeing, hearing, or doing the things to be learned, through which one gains meaning and understanding of the material to be learned. The important point in the process of teaching learning, regardless of its content, form, or objective is to enable learners to have an effective learning experience. An effective learning experience involves far more than simply being physically present in a learning situation or placing oneself in a position to learn. It is what a learner does in the learning situation that is the all important aspect of learning. Learning, therefore, takes place through the experience which the learner has; i.e., through the reactions s/he makes to the content which is to be learned. Educational Psychology deals with the knowledge and principles of psychology which facilitates the selection of the desirable learning experiences for the learner.