William Cope
Pinakini Shah
Nadia Ayub
Miquel Colobran.png "Samuel Chukwuemeka Obasi")
Samuel Chukwuemeka Obasi
Sara RichterLearning, Knowledge and Human Development MOOC’s Updates
6. Productive Struggle in Learning (George Reese)
Comment: Educational psychology is also concerned with the dynamics of learning. In his contribution to this course, George Reese analyzes by way of example the notion of "productive struggle." How can educational psychology help us to understand the processes of learning?
Make an Update: Take one area of the learning sciences. How does educational psychology contribute to our understanding? What evidence does it offer? What interpretative concepts and theories does it provide?
Educational psychology is a very focal part of the learning process in that it sheds light on the personal experiences of the learner and how they react to tasks, challenges and productive struggles. This angle helps educators observe the response and disposition of learners to the dynamics of learning. At the end of the day, educational psychology is not an excusable factor. It is paramount in determining whether learning has taken place or not.
Educational psychology is the study of learning process starting from early childhood to adolescence, it is how we learn and retain our information in which learning is a lifelong striving. People learn based on experiences in home, school, with friends or at work, social media and through our different culture in which we adopt when we were born until in the present and future. The study of biological, cognitive, emotional and social factors it always involved the learning and understanding of instructional strategies, our learning styles and the importance context of environmental. We develop our learnings by teaching us methods which can help up to enhance our knowledge and skills.
A productive struggle help students to become stronger, flexible, active and have perseverance when it comes to learning, thinking and being mindful. It is important to have educators in teaching students new methods and strategies to be more comfortable, less mistakes, and ensuring a proper guidance for each and everyone. This helps students to become more productive beyond reading comprehension, active listening, creative writing and mindful in watching educational things in order for students to control, enhance and retaining new knowledge and skills.
Based on Dr. George Reese we should have K-5 Collaborative Discussion Framework in which we should know first What are you trying to do in this part we should be mindful and careful in every steps that we will do, act and deliver. Next, What have you tried already we should explain what we've experienced if this can help in the future or need to avoid it. Then, What else do you think you can was to extend your capacity in knowledge that surely help you if you try things that you want to do and experience. Next, What would happen if in this part you need to be careful about consequences about positive and negative feedback or outcome. Lastly, Celebrate and share whatever happens we should always be grateful and happy about our success and accomplishments. We do have this Classroom culture in which always give us instructions that we need to accomplish in order for us to enhance our skills and knowledge that possibly can help other also by sharing it and collaborate so we could able to be successful not just by individual but as a team.
References:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-educational-psychology-2795157
https://pce.sandiego.edu/productive-struggle-in-the-classroom/
Educational psychology provides valuable insights into how learning actually happens by exploring cognitive, emotional, and social processes. The concept of productive struggle, for example, highlights that learning isn't just about getting the right answers—it involves grappling with challenges, making mistakes, and gradually developing understanding. Educational psychology helps us see that struggle is not a sign of failure but a key part of deep learning. It shows us how zone of proximal development (Vygotsky) and scaffolding can support learners during difficult tasks, providing just enough assistance to keep them moving forward without giving away the solution. By understanding factors like motivation, mindset, and the brain's natural learning patterns, educational psychology equips teachers with strategies to create environments where students persist through challenges and ultimately build stronger, more lasting knowledge.
Educational psychology plays a crucial role in understanding cognitive development, which focuses on how learners think, process information, and solve problems over time. By examining how children develop intellectually, educational psychology provides insights that help educators tailor their teaching strategies to suit different age groups and cognitive abilities. This knowledge ensures that students receive appropriate challenges and support throughout their intellectual growth.
Key theories such as Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory offer foundational evidence for understanding cognitive development. Piaget’s stages explain how children's thinking evolves through distinct phases, while Vygotsky emphasizes the importance of social interaction in cognitive growth. Educational psychology draws on this evidence to show how factors like experience, guidance, and cultural context influence learning and intellectual development.
Several interpretative concepts and theories stem from educational psychology, providing frameworks for understanding cognitive processes. These include Cognitive Load Theory, which highlights how working memory limits can impact learning, and metacognition, which shows how teaching students to think about their thinking improves learning outcomes. Vygotsky’s concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) underscores the importance of scaffolding, where students learn better with temporary support from teachers or peers.
In terms of practical application, educational psychology offers strategies like differentiated instruction and active learning, encouraging teachers to match their lessons to the cognitive abilities of students. Metacognitive strategies—such as self-monitoring and self-assessment—also help students develop greater control over their learning processes. These approaches ensure that learning environments foster both intellectual and emotional growth.
In conclusion, educational psychology’s study of cognitive development provides critical insights for educators, enabling them to design instruction that supports the diverse learning needs of students. By applying theories like constructivism, scaffolding, and cognitive load management, teachers can create learning experiences that enhance students' cognitive skills, promote deep understanding, and prepare students for lifelong learning.
Reference:
https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html
https://www.structural-learning.com/post/cognitive-load-theory-a-teachers-guide
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/380814749_Metacognitive_Strategies_in_the_Classroom
Educational psychology plays a crucial role in understanding cognitive development, which focuses on how learners think, process information, and solve problems over time. By examining how children develop intellectually, educational psychology provides insights that help educators tailor their teaching strategies to suit different age groups and cognitive abilities. This knowledge ensures that students receive appropriate challenges and support throughout their intellectual growth.
Key theories such as Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory offer foundational evidence for understanding cognitive development. Piaget’s stages explain how children's thinking evolves through distinct phases, while Vygotsky emphasizes the importance of social interaction in cognitive growth. Educational psychology draws on this evidence to show how factors like experience, guidance, and cultural context influence learning and intellectual development.
Several interpretative concepts and theories stem from educational psychology, providing frameworks for understanding cognitive processes. These include Cognitive Load Theory, which highlights how working memory limits can impact learning, and metacognition, which shows how teaching students to think about their thinking improves learning outcomes. Vygotsky’s concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) underscores the importance of scaffolding, where students learn better with temporary support from teachers or peers.
In terms of practical application, educational psychology offers strategies like differentiated instruction and active learning, encouraging teachers to match their lessons to the cognitive abilities of students. Metacognitive strategies—such as self-monitoring and self-assessment—also help students develop greater control over their learning processes. These approaches ensure that learning environments foster both intellectual and emotional growth.
In conclusion, educational psychology’s study of cognitive development provides critical insights for educators, enabling them to design instruction that supports the diverse learning needs of students. By applying theories like constructivism, scaffolding, and cognitive load management, teachers can create learning experiences that enhance students' cognitive skills, promote deep understanding, and prepare students for lifelong learning.
Reference:
https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html
https://www.structural-learning.com/post/cognitive-load-theory-a-teachers-guide
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/380814749_Metacognitive_Strategies_in_the_Classroom
https://rethinkrisk.net/what-is-productive-struggle/
Productive struggle refers to the effortful process of learning that requires perseverance and resilience.
When encountering new challenges, individuals who engage in productive struggle are temporarily stumped yet persist through the difficulty.
This concept is rooted in the belief that the struggle itself is instrumental to learning, providing opportunities to develop problem-solving skills and deepen understanding.
Instead of immediate mastery, the focus is on the learning journey where mistakes are seen as valuable feedback.
Educators and employers alike harness productive struggle to foster growth, encouraging learners and employees to stretch their abilities and embrace the discomfort that often accompanies skill development.
Encourage students to tackle challenges without immediate assistance, fostering an environment where seeking solutions independently is the norm. This allows them to develop problem-solving skills and resilience.Design lessons that are slightly above students’ current levels. This ensures that the tasks are within their zone of proximal development, encouraging growth without causing undue frustration.
Educational psychology is also concerned with the dynamics of learning. In his contribution to this course, George Reese analyzes by way of example the notion of productive struggle. How can educational psychology help us to understand the processes of learning?
My Response: Learning can be better if we knowing how is learning taking place. As a teacher I tried different methods with children, some worked and some didn’t know. I feel by using this tool of understanding how are children learning, at what pace, what enables learning or what is restricting their learning, what motivates them to learn or what demotivate them etc will help us design our classes according to the needs. To strike better and get better results, educational psychology is a really good tool.
The Role of Cognitive Load Theory in Educational Psychology
One key area of the learning sciences where educational psychology makes significant contributions is the understanding of cognitive load. Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), developed by John Sweller, is a central concept in educational psychology that helps explain how learners process and retain information.
Contribution to Understanding:
Educational psychology, through CLT, contributes to our understanding of how the human brain processes information during learning. It posits that our working memory has limited capacity, and when overloaded, the ability to learn effectively is diminished. This theory highlights the importance of designing instructional materials and learning experiences that optimize cognitive load, ensuring that learners are neither underloaded nor overloaded.
Evidence:
Research supporting CLT includes studies on problem-solving, instructional design, and multimedia learning. For instance, experiments have shown that students learn more effectively when instructional material is broken down into manageable chunks rather than presented in one large, complex format. Studies on the worked example effect provide evidence that learners benefit from studying worked-out solutions to problems rather than attempting to solve them independently without guidance, particularly when they are novices in a subject area.
Interpretative Concepts and Theories:
CLT introduces key concepts such as intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load:
Intrinsic Load:
Refers to the inherent difficulty of the material itself, which depends on the complexity and interactivity of the content.
Extraneous Load: Arises from how information is presented to learners, often due to poorly designed instructional materials.
Germane Load:Involves the cognitive effort required to process, construct, and automate schemas, which are mental frameworks for organizing knowledge.
Educational psychology provides strategies to manage these types of cognitive load, such as using dual coding (combining visual and verbal information) and scaffolding (providing support that is gradually removed as learners gain competence).
In conclusion, educational psychology, through Cognitive Load Theory, offers a deep understanding of the mental processes involved in learning. It provides evidence-based strategies for optimizing instructional design, ensuring that learning experiences are both effective and efficient.
Great �� Your analysis of the role EP plays in understanding the process of learning actually simplified the process
Educational psychology plays a crucial role in helping us understand the processes of learning by applying psychological theories and research to educational settings. Here are some ways in which educational psychology contributes to our understanding of learning processes:
1. Learning Theories: Educational psychologists study and apply various learning theories, such as behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and social learning theory, to understand how individuals acquire knowledge, skills, and behaviors.
2. Cognitive Processes: Educational psychology examines cognitive processes involved in learning, such as attention, memory, problem-solving, and decision-making, to shed light on how students process information and acquire new knowledge.
3. **Developmental Psychology:** Understanding principles of developmental psychology helps educational psychologists comprehend how learning changes with age and maturation, and how educational strategies can be tailored to different developmental stages.
4. Motivation and Engagement: Educational psychology explores factors that influence motivation, engagement, and persistence in learning, including intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, goal-setting, self-efficacy, and the impact of emotions on learning outcomes.
5. Assessment and Evaluation: Educational psychologists develop and analyze assessment tools to measure learning outcomes, evaluate instructional effectiveness, and provide feedback to improve teaching and learning practices.
6. Individual Differences: Educational psychology considers individual differences in learning styles, abilities, interests, and background to design personalized learning experiences that cater to diverse student needs.
7. Classroom Management: By studying principles of classroom management, educational psychologists identify effective strategies for creating supportive and inclusive learning environments that optimize student learning and well-being.
Overall, educational psychology provides valuable insights into the processes of learning by examining psychological principles, empirical research, and practical applications to enhance teaching practices, curriculum development, and student outcomes in educational settings.