Educational psychology is a branch of psychology that involves the scientific study of teaching and learning. Educational psychologists have traditionally worked to help teachers improve learning in schools. But where and how people learn has changed, due to the spread of powerful multimedia computers and the Internet into schools, homes, and the workplace. Today, educational psychologists increasingly study how people learn outside school from television, electronic games, and the Internet. As knowledge and technology change more quickly, educational psychologists also study how people continue to learn throughout life.
What educational psychologists study.
Educational psychologists study how people develop physically and mentally from infancy to old age. Teachers use this information to design learning environments that match the developmental needs and abilities of learners. Educational psychologists also examine how students learn and what motivates them to learn. They develop tests and other methods to measure what students learn, such as cumulative portfolios of a student’s work. These assessment tools play an important role in efforts to improve schools and graduation rates.
Educational psychologists also study how learning is affected by individual differences in ability, learning style, cultural background, gender, and home environment. Such studies can help teachers more effectively teach a diversity of students.
Careers in educational psychology.
Many educational psychologists work as professors at colleges and universities. There, they instruct future teachers to apply principles of learning in the classroom. Schools employ educational psychologists to work with teachers to improve learning. As lifelong learning grows in importance, more educational psychologists are working outside of schools. Many companies hire educational psychologists to help employees keep up with rapid changes in information. Educational psychologists also work in the fields of online learning and educational technology.
Most educational psychologists employed by universities, laboratories, and corporations have a Ph.D degree. Those who work in public schools must have an M.A. or M.Ed. degree, and some of them have a Ph.D. or Ed.D degree. The major professional organizations for educational psychologists include the American Psychological Association and the American Educational Research Association in the United States; Psychologists in Education, a section of the Canadian Psychological Association; and the Association of Educational Psychologists in the United Kingdom.
