DAY

Educational Psychology Laboratory

SPRING SEMESTER 1995

?

M. McGinn

PREREQUISITE OR COREQUISITE:

EDUC 220

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course has been designed as a companion to EDUC 220-3. In EDUC 220, students learn about

major theories and findings in educational psychology and how that information applies to

teaching. In EDUC 222, we invite students to learn more, not only about the theories studied in

EDUC 220, but also about how educational psychologists conduct research to clarify, test, or

develop theory. Students will learn how practicing teachers can enhance their professional

development by accessing and applying principles discovered in the research conducted by

educational psychologists, and by informally, yet systematically, examining their own

teaching practice. To learn more about the applicability of research to practice, students will

read, interpret, evaluate, participate in, and plan research.

OBJECTIVES

Three complementary goals shaped the development of this course: (1) to elaborate students'

understandings about selected issues in educational psychology; (2) to teach students how to

critically read, interpret, evaluate, and apply findings from the research literature; and (3) to

provide students with tools with which to continually expand understandings of learning and

teaching both by evaluating knowledge gained from the research of others and through

systematic investigations of practice.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Course journal (15%).

2. Assignment #1(10/%).

3. Assignment #2 (10%).

4. Assignment #3 (10%).

5. Assignment #4 (15%).

6. Assignment #5(40%).

REQUIRED READINGS

Students answer short questions on selected weekly readings.

Students participate in a research study and interpret the

results.

Students interpret statistical results reported in a research

article.

Students compare measurement procedures across two studies.

Students analyze and compare studies employing different

research designs.

Students design, conduct, and present a research study on a

specific topic.

Smith, M.L., & Glass, G.V. (1987).

Research and evaluation in education and the social

sciences.

Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Selected journal articles and book chapters.