METHODS

OF
EDUCATIONAL
PSYCHOLOGY
 Educational psychology is an applied branch
of general psychology. Therefore, it uses the
research findings and principles developed by
psychologist to improve teaching-learning process.
The main aim of educational psychology is to
develop necessary skills and competencies in the
prospective teacher so as to enable him/ her to
understand, control and predict the behavior of
learners in educative process at different levels.
 1.Introspection
2. Observation
METHODS 3. Experimental Method
OF 4. Clinical/Case Study Method
EDUCATIONAL 5. Genetic/Developmental Method
PSYCHOLOGY 6. Testing Method
 is the oldest method of all, which was
formerly used in philosophy, and
then in psychology to collect data about the
conscious experience of the subject.

It is a process of examining one’s own

mental processes of thoughts, feelings and
motives.
INTROSPECTION
means to see with in one self or self-
observation.
it is a method in which the
individual observes, analyses and
reports his own feelings, thoughts or
all that passes in his mind during the
course of a mental act or experience.
  the easiest method amongst all the methods
of Educational Psychology.

 It is an economical method

Merits of  It helps teacher in understanding the

Introspection mental state, and feelings of a learner. It
gives information about one’s own self
Method which is difficult to understand by other
methods.
 It is very difficult to study one’s inner behavior
by one self.
The data of the introspection method may not
be reliable and valid since the investigator may
become subjective and biased when s/he looks
into his/her own feelings.
 Every person is not capable of doing
Demerits of introspection for e.g. abnormal individuals and
Introspection children cannot do introspection.
 This method is not reliable because there are
Method constant changes in the mental processes of the
human mind and thus difficult for one to
introspect.
Introspection is regarded as an unscientific
method because it can not be verified
OBSERVATION
METHOD
 • Formal Observation

• Informal Observation

TYPES • Participant Observation

OF
OBSERVATION
• Non-Participant
Observation
FORMAL
the subject is
informed of the
purpose, the place,
date, time of the
observation PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
the observer joins with the
individual whom he/she
INFORMAL wants to observe as a
The behavior of the participant in his/her activity.
individual is observed in
the natural setting. The NON- PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
individual remains natural the observer may take such a position
and his/her true behavior that the individual who is being
and personality can be observed doesn’t come to know.
studied.
 MERITS & DEMERITS OF THE
OBSERVATION METHOD
MERITS DEMERITS

It studies the behavior of the

subject in its natural and original Observation is subjective
form.
Lacks reliability and validity.
The behaviour can be studied
repeatedly till the proper response Observation method cannot
is obtained.
be used to observe the total
behaviour of the individual. It
Observation method helps in studies only the external
collecting both qualitative and behaviour, but the internal
quantitative data for the purpose of behaviour remains
the research. unexplored.
“Physically I am smiling. Deep inside I am dying”.
 “The essence of an experiment may be
described as observing the effect on a
dependent variable of the manipulation
of an independent variable.”

 Observation under controlled

EXPERIMENTAL circumstances
METHOD  Experimental method is planned and
follows systematic observation of the
phenomenon.

 The experimenter needs a laboratory

or a classroom or any place in the
community for conducting his/her
experiment.
The following are the essential features or requirements underlying the
experiment:
Essential Features Requirements of Experiment

Psychological There should be psychological laboratory fully equipped with

laboratory apparatus.
Experimenter There is an investigator
Subject There is a subject or subjects on whom the experiment is
performed.
Stimulus By “stimulus”, we mean any external input in the environment
which prompts the organism to behave, or to react.

Response Response is reaction to the stimulus. It is also defined as

alteration in behavior which can be observed. The observable
change in behavior is known as response.
Variables When we do an experiment, usually we use the variables,
which may be dependent or independent variables. We do
experiment in a controlled condition and find out the effect by
observing the changes occurred in the variables
 •The experimental method gives
researchers a high level of control since
they choose the IVs and DVs, how to
measure them, and the procedure of the
study. This means the studies are likely to
MERITS OF be high in validity.
EXPERIMENTAL
METHOD •Because of the standardized procedures,
experiments can be replicated and their
reliability can be tested.

•The experimental method allows cause

and effect relationships to be
determined, which is the goal of
psychological research. The conclusions
of these experiments allow useful
 •Experimental method is very lengthy, time
and energy consuming.

•A well-equipped laboratory or apparatus is

required in this method; thus it is very expensive
DEMERITS OF method. It also requires experts to conduct
EXPERIMENTAL experiment.
METHOD
•In the laboratory, we control all other variables
and arrive at a finding regarding the relation
between a specific stimulus and a specific
response. In actual life, several stimuli act at
the same time and several responses appear.
Hence there is a gap between the laboratory
experiments and life.
 This method is designed to deal
with the problems of maladjusted
CLINICAL individuals. Its primary role is to
collect detailed data on the
METHOD/ behavioral problems of disturbed
and deviant individuals
CASE
STUDY The clinical method is used by clinical
psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers
and teachers to understand the causes and
sources of people’s fears, anxieties, worries,
and obsessions, their personal, social,
educational and vocational maladjustments,
etc.
The main objective of this method is to
diagnose and treat behavioural problems
and provide better guidance and
counselling.
DISADVANTAGES OF CLINICAL/ CASE STUDY METHOD

The case study cannot be

entrusted to classroom subject
teachers. It needs technical experts
to deal with the subjects.

Ex: learners with ADHD, dyslexia, bipolar

disorder

The likelihood of errors in

understanding the troubles as
well as treatment is high;
therefore extreme care must be
taken to minimize the mistakes.
 GENETIC/ seeks to find out the causes of
DEVELOPMENTAL that behaviour in its crude
beginnings. It assumes that a full
METHOD appreciation of such behaviour
patterns of an adult requires the
study of simple behaviour
patterns in his childhood.

“Does our thinking and behavior

change as we get older?”

*Jean Piaget
 The testing methods comprise
psychological tests, educational
measurements, rating scales, checklists
TESTING and questionnaires.
METHOD Intelligence tests
- measure the intellectual capacity
Achievements tests
- achievement of students in various subjects
they are studying.
Aptitude tests
- to evaluate the nature and degree of aptitude
of a person for a certain subjects or
profession.
Personality tests
- general personality patterns, cluster of traits,
moods temperament, emotionality,
interpersonal relationships, needs and pressure
and other qualities.
Which among the
methods of educational
psychology have you
already applied to your
students and how is the
result?
Educational psychology,
as a discipline, delves
into understanding the
cognitive and behavioral
processes of students and
educators, which helps in
enhancing the
educational experience.

Bustos & Espiritu, 1996, stated that teaching and learning are
psychological processes. The teacher who adeptly understands
these processes will be in better position to select the use of
methods and techniques that will promote effective learning.
Psychology as a scientific
discipline is required in the
field of education to
improve the learning process
(Ulwiyah, 2015).

Psychology has a meaningful contribution to the

learning process for students because each students
has a different personality, characteristics, and
attitudes in the learning process (Tindani, 2021).
 Application of
Educational Psychology

1. Student development
a. Assessment and
feedback
b. Special education

2. Teaching- learning
a. Motivation and classroom
management
b. Learning environment

3. Curriculum development
 Application of
Educational Psychology

Understanding Student
Development
-Educational psychologists examine the
stages of development in children and
adolescents. By understanding these stages,
educators can tailor their teaching methods to suit
the cognitive abilities and emotional needs of
their students.
Assessment and Feedback
Psychological testing plays a vital role
in evaluating student progress. It helps educators
identify areas where students excel and where
they need more support, enabling personalized
learning experiences.
 Special Education
Understanding the diverse
needs of students is crucial in modern
education. Educational psychology is
instrumental in creating Individualized
Education Programs (IEPs) for students
with disabilities or special needs.

“Each child is different in personality,

and to achieve success in education, the
teacher must know the student’s
personality (Dodi, 2016)”

Motivation and Classroom

Management
Psychological principles, such as
reinforcement and motivation theories, help
teachers manage their classrooms effectively. It
guides educators in maintaining discipline and
fostering a positive learning environment.
Creating Effective Learning
Environments

-Applying principles of
educational psychology, teachers can
design classroom environments that
promote active engagement,
collaboration, and a love for
learning.

“Teachers must not only teach well, but also

prepare plans and strategies for the learning
process to get learning objectives to work
well”
_Azura, et.al, 2022.
 Curriculum Development
Psychological research on
curriculum development helps educators
design content that aligns with students'
cognitive development stages. This
ensures that the curriculum is age-
appropriate and challenging.
Examples:

The theory of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky on

cognitive development, have helped educators to
. understand what children are capable of learning
at different stages.

The principle of scaffolding which helps a

teacher to determine how much support a child
needs when learning something new.
Application of Psychological
Testing in Educational
Settings
Intelligence Tests
IQ tests help educators understand
a student's cognitive abilities and identify
gifted students who might benefit from
advanced coursework.
Ex. A grade 2 students who loves to read
encyclopedias.
Personality Assessments
Personality tests help identify
students' emotional and social
characteristics, which can inform teaching
strategies and classroom management.
Achievement Tests
These tests measure a student's
knowledge and skills in a particular subject
area. They are widely used for assessing
Bustos & Espiritu, 1996, stated that
teaching and learning are
psychological processes. The teacher
who adeptly understands these
processes will be in better position to
select the use of methods and
techniques that will promote effective
learning. With this kind of insight,
he/ she will become more competent
and more professional in dealing
with educational problems,
particularly in various classroom
situations.