The Psychology of Teaching and Learning

Overview

This module is designed to introduce students to teaching and learning from a psychological perspective. The first half of the module focuses on educational psychology and the contribution of this field to our understanding of the learning processes of children. The second half of the module shifts to explore psychological theories of teaching in relation to higher education students, addressing the practical considerations faced by HE instructors when designing and delivering instruction.

The module adopts an interactive and reflective approach, utilizing the experiences and insights of participants. It includes lectures combined with individual and group discussions, as well as activities aimed at fostering reflection and evaluation. Interactive tasks and discussion forums on the Canvas Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) will be utilized to enhance engagement and collaborative learning.

The module contents map onto UN Sustainable Development Goals outlined below.

SDG 4: Quality Education
a. Target 4.7: Ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, and inclusion.
i. The module emphasizes inclusive education, strategies to support neurodivergent and diverse learners, and the evaluation of teaching and assessment strategies tailored to a diverse student population.
ii. Encouraging critical reflection on personal learning experiences and teaching practices promotes lifelong learning.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
a. Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being.
i. The focus on assessing mental health issues in students and implementing strategies for prevention and intervention directly aligns with fostering well-being in educational settings.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
a. Target 10.2: Empower and promote social, economic, and political inclusion.
i. The module's emphasis on supporting neurodivergent and diverse learners and fostering inclusive environments contributes to reducing inequalities in educational outcomes.

SDG 5: Gender Equality
a. The focus on inclusivity and addressing diverse learner needs supports gender equity by addressing the barriers faced by underrepresented groups in education (e.g., low number of females in STEM subjects).

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
a. Target 8.6: Reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training.
i. Developing effective teaching strategies and fostering inclusive education equips educators with the skills to better prepare students for academic and professional success, addressing youth disengagement.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
a. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making.
i. Encouraging reflective and collaborative practices in teaching and learning supports building educational institutions that are inclusive and promote equity and well-being.

Learning Objectives

After studying this module, students will be able to:
1. Critically analyse key theories of cognitive development and apply insights to understand how children acquire foundational academic skills, accounting for individual differences in learning.
2. Assess the role of schools in implementing effective prevention and intervention strategies to support a positive learning environment and student mental health.
3. Examine and reflect on the challenges faced by neurodivergent children and evaluate the effectiveness of strategies designed to promote the inclusion of diverse learners within mainstream classrooms.
4. Understand and evaluate teaching and assessment strategies which are employed support the learning process for a diverse array of learners.
5. Reflect on and critically evaluate your own experiences of teaching and learning in higher education, identifying key factors that influence your learning process and applying insights to enhance future academic and professional development.
6. Demonstrate the ability to effectively plan and deliver a teaching session on a relevant psychological topic and critically reflect upon the process of designing and delivering a teaching session

Skills

Students will be encouraged to develop the following skills:
The ability to develop a critical understanding of the psychology of education and learning theories (pedagogy);
The ability to identify factors which contribute to the diversity of groups of learners and how these factors influence learning;
The ability to understand the personal and practical skills required for managing the learning and teaching process;
The ability to select appropriate learning, teaching and assessment strategies and put into practice some of these concepts in a short micro-teaching experience

Assessment

None