Learning and ways of supporting the learner’s self-conceptionLaajuus (5 cr)

Objective

Having completed the course, the student
- is familiar with and recognises the salient theories and aspects of educational and learning psychology research and its latest trends.
- understands the meaning of the principles of learning and individual and communal factors
- can apply knowledge of educational psychology to supporting positive learning

Content

On this research-oriented course, students learn about the salient individual and communal factors that account for human learning. They also become familiar with learning, its principles, crises in the various phases of life. In addition, the course includes familiarization with the possibilities and methods of advancing positive learning and development, and the educational psychological foundation of positive pedagogy.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Scale (essay):

Satisfactory (1-2)
0 The student is not familiar with the core concepts of research in educational psychology and psychology of learning or the characteristics of such research. The student’s educational psychological understanding of promoting favourable learning and the student’s ability to apply educational psychological knowledge are weak. The essay demonstrates serious weaknesses or mistakes, or includes considerable misunderstandings.
1 The study attainment demonstrates that the student is familiar with the core concepts, emphases and the latest developments of research in educational psychology and psychology of learning, and theory construction within research on learning, and identifies the educational psychological perspective on promoting favourable learning. The essay is overly concise, superficial, or responds poorly to the assignment specifications. The essay presents items of information in a list-like manner or the items presented remain unconnected from each other, or phenomena are addressed in an overly one-sided manner, and the essay includes no reasoned applications or conclusions.
2 The study attainment demonstrates that the student has the ability to apply the core concepts of research in educational psychology and psychology of learning and the ability to apply the basic characteristics of theory construction related to research on learning. The student understands the educational psychological perspective on promoting favourable learning. The essay demonstrates the student’s ability to apply knowledge and to draw conclusions.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Good (3-4)
3 The study attainment demonstrates that the student has the ability to identify the set of concepts of educational psychology and psychology of learning, and the related structures and models of theory construction. The student is able to organise and reason about research on learning as well as the characteristics of such research as part of the discussion within educational psychology and educational sciences. The student identifies causal relations, distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information, and compares and contrasts information. The essay responds well to the assignment specifications and demonstrates comprehension of the subject as well as analysis and reasoning skills.
4 The study attainment demonstrates that the student has the ability to combine ideas and sets of concepts and to gain new insights. The student is able to move from the specific to the general and to examine social and ethical phenomena of education and training in the framework of educational sciences. The student is able to make generalisations and summarise the relevant information and to create hypotheses and new openings.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent (5)
5 The study attainment demonstrates that the student has the ability to make assessments based on reasoned arguments. The student is able to present arguments pro and contra positions, and to create criteria as well as to assess and test them. The student is able to analyse the key characteristics of concept formation in educational psychology on the basis of research on learning. The essay grasps the big picture of the topic and knowledge is applied multidimensionally or situated in different contexts. The essay demonstrates an independent approach and insight. The essay forms a coherent whole and demonstrates capacities for reasoned, independent thought or critical reflection. The essay is well written or well executed.

Materials

Getting familiar with the research (select two articles from the Article Bank) and performing the mandatory literature (select three publications from entities 1, 2 and 3) by writing an essay based on the research articles and literature.

Article Bank:
The perspective of growth, development and support
Love and relationships
Positive pedagogy and learning
Well-being and success at work
Drawing from the Arctic
Sustainability in Educational Psychology

Literature: Select three works from entities 1, 2 and 3. You may also choose a Finnish work if you are familiar with Finnish.

Further information

Time: First period.
You may also take the course as summer studies.

Responsible teacher: Sanna Hyvärinen
Person responsible for minor studies: Professor Satu Uusiautti

Evaluation and credits: Essay 5 cr., grading 5–1 or fail.