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FACULTY OF EDUCATION

Education 220-3

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1973-3 (Fall)

PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES IN EDUCATION

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G.R. Eastwood, Professor

This course is designed to familiarize students with the most significant

findings of the science of psychology that have relevance to teaching and

learning. The emphasis of the course will be on critically examining these

findings and relating them to the practice of education.

Outline:

Previous experience teaching this course has established that a large pro-

portion of students are at or near the beginning of their university degree

program. For them it is designedbut the needs of those who have established

some background in psychology are not neglected. The course is primarily con-

cerned with learning and teaching. Research and theory pertaining to learning

are the major emphases but stress is continually placed upon the relevance

and application of learning theories to teaching.

Learning cannot be studied in isolation from human mental and physical

development, motivation, attitudes and values, concepts of personality develop-

ment and these and others are woven into the general theme. There are many

kinds of learning - learning facts, rules, concepts: learning how to learn -

and all or as many as possible receive attention.

The main purpose and emphasis of the course is to familiarize students

with the literature and the problems sufficiently for them to continue reading

and learning in the psychological area. Active participation in lectures and

tutorials is a necessary condition for success.

Other topics we will deal with will include; 'readiness"; age-level

characteristics; programmed instruction; discovery learning; the uses of com-

petition; problems of individual differences; conditioning - all are integrated

with the treatment of learning.

Texts:

Required: Robert F. Biehler, Psychology Applied to Teaching, (Boston: Houghton-

Mifflin, 1971.) (Red/orange book)

(Tutorials are closely related to this text - it is a must for all

students.)

Strongly Recommended - one of the following:*

1.

Robert F. Biehler (ed) Psychology Applied to Teaching: Selected

Readings, (Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1972) (Green book)

2.

E. Paul Torrance and W.F. White, Issues and Advances in Educational

Psychology, (Itasca, Illinois: Peacock, 1969.)

* Each of these is a collection of original essays. Students who prefer original

sources will find them more satisfying than the text.