Educational Psychology

1. Educational Psychology Define and contrast descriptive, correlational and experimental studies, giving examples of how each of these have been used in educational psychology. Define the four basic methods used to collect data in educational psychology (systematic observation, participant observation, paper/pencil, and clinical), giving an example of how each has been used in the study of important variables in educational psychology.

2. Educational Psychology In your discussion, define and differentiate the following terms: fact, concept, principle, hypothesis, theory, and law. Developed by W. Huitt (1999)

3. Research in Educational Psychology There are a variety of ways of validating truth: • Personal experience • Intuition • Social and/or cultural consensus • Religious scripture and interpretation • Philosophy and logical reasoning • Science and the scientific method

4. Research in Educational Psychology In order for a process to be described as “scientific” it must meet three criteria: • knowledge must be grounded in experience • knowledge must be grounded in a paradigm or exemplar • any hypothesis must be potentially falsifiable

5. Research in Educational Psychology Some scientists argue that the only appropriate phenomena to study using the scientific method is behavior that is observable by others However, other scientists believe that personal and interpersonal subjective experiences can also be studied using the scientific method

6. Research in Educational Psychology Educational psychology offers a fertile opportunity for scientists to demonstrate the validity of these opposing viewpoints Sample topics that have been addressed include: • Cognitive development • Language development • Teaching methods for concept development

7. Research in Educational Psychology The scientific method can be used to engage in • Research where the objective is to gain understanding of a particular phenomena OR • Evaluation where the objective is to make a judgement of worth or value

8. Quantitative Qualitative Research in Educational Psychology Assessment Measurement Research Evaluation

9. Research in Educational Psychology There are three different types of studies used in scientific investigations • Descriptive study Used when we have little knowledge of a phenomena and we want to describe it accurately and truthfully

10. Research in Educational Psychology There are three different types of studies used in scientific investigations • Correlational study Used when we want to understand the relationships among variables and make predictions from present circumstances to future ones

11. Research in Educational Psychology There are three different types of studies used in scientific investigations • Correlational study Correlation coefficient describes the strength of the relationship Range is from -1 to +1

12. Example of A Perfect Correlation

13. Example of A Zero Correlation

14. Research in Educational Psychology There are three different types of studies used in scientific investigations • Correlational study Correlation coefficient describes the strength of the relationship Range is from -1 to +1 Type of relationship is determined by sign

15. Example of A Positive Correlation

16. Example of A Negative Correlation

17. Research in Educational Psychology There are three different types of studies used in scientific investigations • Correlational study Correlation coefficient describes the strength of the relationship Range is from -1 to +1 Type of relationship is determined by sign Strength of relationship is determined by absolute value

18. Research in Educational Psychology .60 > .40 (Regardless of sign)

19. Research in Educational Psychology There are three different types of studies used in scientific investigations • Experimental study Used when we have a fairly good understanding of predictive relationships and we want to demonstrate cause/effect relationships

20. Research in Educational Psychology There are three different types of studies used in scientific investigations • Experimental study Must have at least two groups Subjects must be randomly assigned One group must experience a treatment The INDEPENDENT variable is manipulated Change (if any) is observed in the DEPENDENT variable

21. Research in Educational Psychology There are three different types of studies used in scientific investigations • Experimental study Only Results from Experimental Studies Can Demonstrate Cause and Effect Relationships

22. Methods of Gathering Data There are four basic methods used to gather data to be used in scientific studies. Each of the methods can be used in all three types of studies: • Paper/pencil -- any information gathered by asking the subject a question • Systematic observation -- trained recorder gathers data on prearranged variables

23. Methods of Gathering Data There are four basic methods used to gather data to be used in scientific studies. Each of the methods can be used in all three types of studies: • Participant observation -- the person collecting the data participates in the process being observed • Clinical -- specially-trained practitioners gather data as part of a diagnostic/ prescriptive activity

24. The Scientific Method Use of the scientific method results in an increasingly sophisticated knowledge base: FACT • an idea or action that can be verified • names and dates of important activities; population of the United States in the latest census

25. The Scientific Method Use of the scientific method results in an increasingly sophisticated knowledge base: CONCEPT • rules that allow for categorization of events, places, people, ideas, etc. • a DESK is a piece of FURNITURE designed with a flat top for writing; a CHAIR is a piece of FURNITURE designed for sitting; a CHAIR with a flat surface attached to it that is designed for writing is also called a DESK

26. The Scientific Method Use of the scientific method results in an increasingly sophisticated knowledge base: PRINCIPLE • relationship(s) between/among facts and/or concepts • the number of children in the family is related to the average scores on nationally standardized achievement tests for those children

27. The Scientific Method Use of the scientific method results in an increasingly sophisticated knowledge base: HYPOTHESIS • educated guess about relationships (principles) • for lower-division, undergraduate students • study habits is a better predictor of success in a college course than is a measure of intelligence or reading comprehension

28. The Scientific Method Use of the scientific method results in an increasingly sophisticated knowledge base: THEORY • set of facts, concepts, and principles that allow description and EXPLANATION • Piaget's theory of cognitive development, Erikson's theory of socioemotional development, Skinner's theory of operant conditioning

29. The Scientific Method Use of the scientific method results in an increasingly sophisticated knowledge base: LAW • firmly established, thoroughly tested, principle or theory • a fixed interval schedule for delivering reinforcement produces a scalloping effect on behavior

30. The Scientific Method Use of the scientific method does not necessarily invalidate information gathered through other means. However, when data from science seem to contradict data from personal experience, intuition, social or cultural consensus, religious scripture and interpretation, or philosophy and rational thinking, an opportunity for learning has presented itself.

31. The Scientific Method As stated previously, educational psychology is a SCIENTIFIC approach to the study of the teaching/learning process. You will be expected to support your opinions developed through another source with data collected using the scientific method.

32. Research in Educational Psychology AN IMPORTANT CAVEAT Only a small amount of the principles and theories developed in educational psychology have support from a body of research developed through the use of experimental studies. Therefore, most of the concepts, principles, and theories discussed in this course must be considered as best-first-guess hypotheses.