44ON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Spring Semester 1998

EDUC 320 - 3

Instructional Psychology

?

Dr. P. Stojakovic

Office: TBA

E01.00 ?

Tel: ?

291-3395

PREREQUISITE

Educ 220

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Instructional psychology applies theories of cognition, motivation and learning to educational

settings. As a field of research, instructional psychology studies techniques, strategies, and

environments that assist students to master subjects and to become independent and self-directed

learners.

In this course, education students and teachers will gain an understanding of research and theory

underlying current trends in the subject areas. They will acquire knowledge and skills that

contribute to the planing and implementation of effective teaching.

For psychology students this course extends classical experimental research about cognition and

motivation into the context of the classroom.

TOPICS

• Models of cognition, motivation, and self-directed learning

• Beliefs and cognition

• Fostering cognitive growth: problem solving and critical thinking; building knowledge and

reflective thought

• Cognition in the classroom

EVALUATION

The grade for this course will be based on:

1.

Design two projects (30% each).

Students create plans for instruction that apply methods based in cognitive psychology; e.g.,

design educational program to promote problem solving and critical thinking skills in science

and justify why this design should be effective.

2.

A cumulative final exam (40 %)

REQUIRED TEXT

Bruning, R. H. / Schraw, C. J. , and Ronning, R. R. (1995) Cognitive Psychology and Instruction

Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.