Here is your short essay on Educational Psychology:
Educational Psychology is a phase of education. It is a science that supplements the process of education. It is a branch, a segment of education. It describes the behaviour of the education and seeks to explain it in terms of his inner urges, motives, drives and the environmental influences to which he is subject.
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It is a study of child’s mental life in its various aspects with reference to its application to the education of the child. Educational Psychology provides the teachers and the educators with a fund of knowledge that may help them in giving to the pupils the best kind of education, the education that causes an all round development of the pupil’s personality.
Educational Psychology studies the problems of education in terms of psychology. In other words, it is a psychological approach to education. But, it does not mean that Educational Psychology is identical with Education, part cannot be identical with the whole. Educational Psychology, though a phase of education, is quite different from it in certain aspects. Education has a wider field, while functions of Educational Psychology are limited.
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It is said that Educational Psychology has revolutionised the process of Education. It is true. New education is a complete departure from the old. In the scheme of old education the child had no place, discipline was very rigid and repressive, curriculum was fixed and formal and the whole of education was drifting away from the life of the child.
New education is not mere acquisition of knowledge and information. It is modification of the child’s behaviour and an all round development of the child’s personality. New education is for the child and apart from child it has no purpose. Thus, in the picture of new education it is the child that figures most. This conception is a gift of Educational Psychology.
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Educational Psychology has revealed that all possibility of education lies in the potentialities of the child and his nature. Rousseau said, “Study the child as we do not understand him.” To him, child was a book which had to be studied by every teacher. In this way, as a result of the insight given by Educational Psychology a new child-study- movement has started in the field of education. Introduction of this science to Education has brought about a revolutionary change in the field of Education.
In other words, they say, education has been psychologised. This change has shifted the emphasis from matter to the child. All that is to be taught to the child should be determined by the nature, needs and capacities of the child himself. In the same way, introduction of psychology to education has also changed the conception of discipline. Discipline in the new education should be positive, not negative.
Famous Definitions:
1. According to J.M. Stephon:
“Educational psychology is a systematic study of educational growth.”
2. According to Crow and Crow:
“Educational psychology describes and explains the learning experiences of an Individual from birth through old age.”
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3. According to Skinner:
“Educational psychology covers the entire range of behaviour and personality as related to education.”