ECE 510 Psychology in the Classroom

` Connections Between Psychology and Learning Educators are experts at teaching children how to learn. Learning is acquiring skills and knowledge. Educators are trained in different strategies and techniques to help children learn. Psychology is about behavior and how the mind works to process information. Education and psychology blend in educational psychology. According to Eggen & Kauchak (2016), educational psychology is the study of teaching and learning. In educational psychology, the teacher is the professional who helps tie together the skills and knowledge to teach the child. The child then uses their mind to process the skills and knowledge into information that is then stored and can be recalled. The psychology of learning is not just for education, it can be used for any skill or knowledge. According to the American Psychological Association (2014), educational psychology uses human development theories and methods to help understand how individual children learn, which leads to educators becoming informed and thus aiding in specific individual instruction for that child. Educational psychology is based on the developmental age of the child and what the child can learn at a specific age. Understanding the connections between psychology and learning can help offer insight into children’s development and how they think . The Role Psychology Plays in Understanding Children’s Development (age birth to 8 years old) The role that psychology plays in understanding young children’s development is essential to understanding the development of the mind at different stages of growth in a child. Shaffer & Kipp (2014) define developmental psychology as, “the branch of psychology devoted to identifying and explaining the continuities and changes that individuals display over time” (Shaffer & Kipp, 2014. p. 5). Understanding the psychological developmental milestones that a child will make at a certain age will help identify if the child is developing and learning appropriately. As children grow their brain grows and the parts of the brain begin to develop. For example, a two-year-old will learn differently than a seven- year-old due only to the fact that certain parts of their brain have developed differently at each age. Educators who work with young children need to have an understanding that each stage of a chi ld’s development correlates to a part of their brain development. Jean Piaget studied children’s cognitive development and his research gave way to different stages of a child’s cognitive brain development. According to Mcleod (2023), Piaget found that there are four stages of cognitive development in humans, this led Piaget to translate his theory into education and aided educators on how to teach based on the stage of development of the students. With this information on the stages of development, educators can effectively teach students at their developmental stage which is important for children to understand and process the knowledge that they are obtaining at an appropriate level. Understanding Psychological Theories and Research Teachers need to understand the psychological theories and research associated with educational psychology to provide effective instruction at a developmentally appropriate level. Theory and research also help teachers understand the importance of behavior associated with children at different developmental stages. According to Albatrosov (2023), educational psychology theories can influence classroom management, curriculum, and educational programs which can all benefit teachers who understand and incorporate these practices in their classrooms. The research conducted has led to theories that can aid in the learning process for students. According to Mayer (1998), educational psychology theories have helped teachers know what to teach and when to teach it. This provides teachers with guidelines that aid in effective teaching practices for young children. In our changing world technology plays a huge role in education. It is important to understand the research and psychological theories associated with technology and children’s cognitive and behavioral development. Understanding current psychological theories can help guide teachers to what is developmentally appropriate for students of a certain age. Teachers who know about theories and research in educational psychology will be able to provide their students with individualized instruction and successful learning because they will be able to implement those theories into practice. This is why to become a highly effective teacher, educators would need to first understand psychological theories and how to apply them in their classrooms.