Educational Psychology

This class has discussed many ways in which individual differences among students can affect learning and education.  One of these ways is development.  Two of the most famous theories of development were coined by Jean Piaget and Erick Erickson.  To refresh your memory, Erickson focused his theory on psycho social development as a result of a resolution of a crisis that an individual undergoes.

On the other hand, Piaget focused his theory around cognitive development, and how individuals develop more advanced cognitive processes throughout life. Again, here is a refresher from earlier this semester in class:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt3-PIC2nCs

The way in which an individual’s cognitive development effects their education is a common topic of discussion among educators and psychologists, but I feel that we sometimes forget to think about how education affects cognitive development.  How can educators be sure that their learning goals are being met in the classroom?  How can we better create lesson plans and learning standards for students who be cognitively disabled compared to other students?  All of these questions have the potential to be answered by more research being done to determine exactly how education can affect an individual’s development.

First, it must be determined that education does indeed influence cognitive development in some way.  A study done at the University of Edinburgh examined whether education was associated with improvements in general cognitive ability, or in specific skills.  The research showed “that education is associated with specific IQ subtests, rather than with the general factor of intelligence.” (Ritchie, Bates, & Deary, 2015). In other words, education is associated with different cognitive skills, rather than simply making people “smarter”.  It’s important to remember that Piaget’s stages of cognitive development did not measure the degree in which people were becoming more knowledgeable about general facts, but rather more knowledgeable about how the world around them works.

Once it’s established that education can impact a child’s cognitive development, we can begin to study how it impacts individuals. In a study conducted by Lachman et al., researchers examined the effects of limited education on cognitive functioning by looking more closely at episodic memory in individuals with different levels of childhood education. It was found that “Those with lower education had lower cognitive functioning, but this was qualified by level of cognitive activity” (Lachman et al., 2010). Furthermore, those engaging in more cognitive activity (like going to school longer) had increased ability in regards to episodic memory, “which has promise for reducing social disparities in cognitive aging” (Lachman et al., 2010).

Lastly, educators should know exactly how to structure learning in order to promote a positive influence on their students’ cognitive development.  During the semester in both Educational Psychology and Introduction to Education and Teaching, we’ve examined the different types of teaching techniques and have categorized them in one of two ways: teacher-centered or student-centered.  In a study done by Simmons and Fisher, researchers wanted to know how different kinds of classroom settings impacted cognitive development.  The two different types of classes included a semester long practicum class, and a pre-practicum course in which students participated in only one or the other.  Results showed that, indeed, “participating in a field seminar course…ha[d] important implications for enhancing cognitive development” (Simmons & Fisher, 2016).

The previous study in which the students participated in the field study is considered to be at the student-centered end of the spectrum, where the students are learning in a hands on way about real world problems.  In this case, the education is about the experience rather than the information retained in a traditional type classroom.

In conclusion, as a future educator, it’s important to remember that my teachings are impacting my students’ cognitive development, and that by structuring my classroom in a way that promotes a more student-centered learning environment, their development can be enhanced instead of hindered.  Additionally, these impacts are brought into adulthood in the form of episodic memory in older adults.  This is yet another illustration of how teaching can impact learners for years after they have left our classroom.

References

Lachman, M. E., Agrigoroaei, S., Murphy, C., & Tun, P. A. (2010). Frequent Cognitive Activity Compensates for Education Differences in Episodic Memory. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18(1), 4-10. doi:10.1097/jgp.0b013e3181ab8b62

Ritchie, S. J., Bates, T. C., & Deary, I. J. (2015). Is education associated with improvements in general cognitive ability, or in specific skills? Developmental Psychology, 51(5), 573-582. doi:10.1037/a0038981

Simmons, C., & Fisher, A. (2016). Promoting cognitive development through field education. Social Work Education, 54(4), 462-472. Retrieved from http://libproxy.uww.edu:2094/psycinfo/docview/1845057814/FDE1D51A296D488EPQ/17?accountid=14791