Educational psychology is one of the disciplines of psychology that studies how students behave in connection to their education. As a specific discipline of psychology, educational psychology is concerned with proposing ways and means of improving the educational process and products, allowing teachers to teach effectively and learners to learn successfully with minimal effort.
As a result, it is classified as an educational service. It has immensely simplified the tasks and improved the efficiency of the teacher and all those involved in the educational process and products. This is done by providing them with critical knowledge and skills in high demand, just as science and technology have achieved maximum output with minimal time and labour input.
“Educational psychology assists the teacher in understanding the development of his pupils, the range and limits of their capacities, the processes by which they learn, and their social interactions,” writes E.A. Peel.
In this regard, the work of an Educational Psychologist mimics that of a technical expert, such as an Engineer. The Engineer provides all of the information and skills required to complete the project satisfactorily, such as bridge construction. Educational Psychologists are technical experts in the field of education and provide all of the necessary information, principles, and strategies for:
- Understanding the student’s behaviour in response to the educational environment and
- Desired a change in behaviour that would result in the holistic development of personality
As a result, Educational Psychology is largely focused on understanding the processes of teaching and learning that occur in formal settings and devising approaches to improve those procedures. It includes learning theories, teaching methods, motivation, cognitive, emotional, and moral development, and parent-child relationships, among others.
