Learning as the focus of the educational psychology course

Abstract

In this article, I describe an approach to teaching educational psychology that focuses on learning and its implications for instruction. Journal articles and book chapters form a basis for considering issues and applications central to research in educational psychology and classroom practice. These are complemented by a multifaceted set of term-long assignments, including laboratory work, tutoring, and participation in an Internet discussion group with teachers. The article begins with an illustration of a portion of the first and last days of the course I teach, providing an exemplar of the way in which students in the class work on developing an understanding of learning. Following this, I discuss the materials and assignments of the course, and links to Anderson et al.'s (1995) call for reform are made. I conclude with some reflections, concerns, and observations about this approach with regard to its particular focus on learning.