Ed Psych World Educational Psychology Recent Trends

Recent Trends

Recent Trends in Educational Psychology

Instructional Psychology

The cognitive revolution in psychology did not leave education umoved(Walberg and Haertel, 1992). Piaget theory made developmental psychology and Skinner learning theory make a difference. The ideas of Thorndike, Skinner, Watson, Piaget, and Bandura modified the views of educators and psychology in respect to instruction overall. There were influences in technology that led to an emphasis on cognitive processes. For instance, the Russian launching of Sputnik in 1957 fear government officials to believe that the United States had lost it edge in technology led to increase in governmental support in education. The improvements in traditional areas of mathematics and language learning were essential at that time to meet the accelerated developments that were taking place worldwide (Walberg and Haertel, 1992 Hilgard).

In addition to instructional psychology, recent trends in psychology have expanded to various aspects of education such as research on teaching techniques, the psychology of school subjects, methodology, assessment, and redefining of educational psychology (Walberg and Haertel, 1992 Hilgard 1996, Berliner, 1993 ). Each of these trends still parts of educational psychology development over the years. These trends still have an active part in academic institutions all over the United States today and research still pretty much the pillar of educational psychology.

New Technology that influence Educational Psychology

After the launching of the Sputnik in 1957 American education and psychology was transformed eternally. For instance, the Audiovisual aids added another dimension to classroom instructions. Hogan 1960, concluded that people learn from films, but not strong assertions could be made in relation to success as compared with other kinds of teaching. At the same time, radio and television became influential in teaching children. Also, children learned new experiences wether positive or negative through television broadcasting. It proved effective as a means of teaching tools in developing countries. Programmed computer-assisted instruction gained impetus after B.F. Skinner published an article, A The Science of Learning and the Art of Teaching in the Harvard Educational Review in (1954, and Teaching Machines in Science, in 1958. According to Walberg and Haertel, 1992 Hilgard, Ormrod, 1995), the new technology of programmed and computer-assisted instruction had at least three consequences for educational psychology: First, the new technology opened up many possibilities for individualizing instruction, for teaching diagnostically and for obtaining accurate record process. Second, the usefulness of the technology was so immediate that the research was conducted in real school setting with materials to be learned being those taught in the school, rather than artificial laboratory material. Third, the technological problems were sufficiently difficult and intriguing that a new generation of well trained psychologists needed no persuasion to interest themselves in problems of instruction. (Walberg and Haertel, 1992 Hilgard, Ormrod, 1995). Computers have brought educational psychology new ways of addressing individual differences, and ways of improving, learning and instructions, classroom setting and distance learning. According to an article published by PC Novice, September 1994, A Today's Schools: Three R's . . . And One@, benefits of technology in the classroom include better student attitudes about learning and more cooperative and interactive learning with other students.

Today, computers and the Internet has promoted individual learning and enhanced education nation wide; for instance, preparing this web site, I used the Internet as a research tool. Overall, 35 web sites see some sites, were identified as sites containing topics regarding William James and the Internet. This sites serve as research tools for graduate and undergraduate students in search of contemporary topics for educational institutions and universities.