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Educational Psychology Laboratory

SUMMER SEMESTER, 1995

Michelle McGinn

PREREQUISITE OR COREQUISITE:

Educ 220-3.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course has been designed as a companion to EDUC 220. 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.

ASSIGNMENTS:

Course journal (10%).

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Weekly activities based on readings and class discussions.

Interpreting Statistics (10%). Students interpret statistical results reported in a research article.

Com p

aring Measurement ?

Students compare measurement procedures across two studies.

Procecdures (10%).

Comparing Research Designs Students analyze and compare studies employing different research

(15%).

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designs.

Study Participation (10%).

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Students participate in a research study and interpret the results.

Research Project (45%). ?

Students design, conduct, and present (written report and a poster

presentation) a research study on a specific educational topic.

REQUIRED READINGS:

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 available through Custom Courseware.