Educational Psychologist

Professionals working in education today are in the middle of a contentious debate over testing, evaluating, and deciding how learning takes place. Many still believe in testing the three “R’s,” or reading, writing, and arithmetic. This belief goes along with memorizing facts and figures. The other side of the argument believes that memorization alone does not develop the kind of thinking skills needed for today’s complex world. For more information see Creativity in Education.

Ironically, debates similar to this one have been going on for centuries. Plato and Aristotle debated the most effective teaching methods, the teacher’s influence in learning, and the nature of learning.

In the 1500s, Spanish philosopher Juan Luis Vives emphasized that teachers adapt their teaching methods to match the strengths of each student, or, in more modern terms, develop individualized learning plans.

Czech teacher, educator, writer, and philosopher Johann Amos Comenius posited in the 1600s a theory that sounds remarkably similar to today’s debate in education: the goal of education is deep understanding rather than rote memorization.

In other words, those concerned about teaching and education have been struggling with many of the same issues since the beginning of civilization. Today’s debate, however, happens to be centered within a field of psychology among professionals known as educational psychologists.

Educational psychologists point back in history to the earliest philosophers and their ideas on teaching and education as the start of their field.

Today, however, a wide body of knowledge gleaned from empirical psychological research, years of writing and debate, and years of classroom observation and testing, fuels the field of Educational Psychology.

How students learn, the role that memorization plays, and what motivates students to learn are the main areas of interest for educational psychologists. They research and write on the psychology of learning, and they apply their research in schools and other educational settings.

Educational Psychologist or School Psychologist?

There is some confusion over the difference between educational psychologists and school psychologists. Both often work for school districts, and sometimes their job functions do overlap.

Generally, educational psychologists are more focused on issues of learning. They tend to work on solving problems on a larger scale, for whole groups of students, or to help a group of teachers improve teaching skills, or implement new curricula. They might specialize, for example, on helping teachers develop better teaching tools when teaching children with behavioral issues and problems.

A school psychologist works with children and groups of children in schools, and helps with issues such as kids with bullying tendencies, learning disabilities, or social issues. They run support groups for kids, and help parents better understand the challenges facing their children.

Psychologists that Specialize in Learning

To a large extent, what an educational psychologist does depends on the specialty or special interests that guide the psychologist. Some educational psychologists work as consultants, evaluating different types of educational programs and their effectiveness, and helping school districts implement these programs.

Others administer and evaluate assessments of students’ progress and learning. Those interested in gifted education, for instance might specialize in the best assessments and evaluations for this student population. Conversely, those interested in learning disorders and disabilities will specialize in assessments and evaluations for those who have learning deficiencies.

Whether working in gifted education, learning disabilities, or with regular student populations, educational psychologists will also design and develop educational programs and processes. Many educational psychologists believe that even the “normal” students should have their strengths nurtured and weaknesses addressed through individualized education plans. Educational psychologists also work with parents, consulting them on students’ special needs and abilities, and what accommodations aid learning.

Educational psychologists want to know how people learn across their lifespan, so they study growth and development. They also study cognitive psychology and behavioral theories. But they apply this knowledge specifically to educational theories, always with the goal of developing more effective ways of teaching – and learning.

Research Oriented Career

The ability of educational psychologists to implement effective educational programs is based on educational theories derived from empirical research. Some educational psychologists stay in academia, teaching and conducting research.

However, even the educational psychologists who work one-on-one with educators, teachers, and students, base their practices on current research results and data.

Art Graesser, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Memphis, and also editor of the Journal of Educational Psychology, writes in Monitor on Psychology, that cognitive scientists and educational researchers have an in-depth knowledge of learning based on extensive psychological research in cognition and behavior.

The public hears and reads about the current debates over whether U.S. schools are educating students to meet standards that maintain competitiveness, yet hear little about what the research says about learning. It’s up to educational psychologists to help not only educate the educators, but the public as well.

For instance, some cognitive psychology studies point to an “ideal learner.” Graesser points to research that shows ideal learning as self-regulated learning, which he defines as a process where students formulate their learning goals, track their progress, identify their deficits, detect contradictions, ask relevant questions, search relevant sources for answers, and infer conclusions when answers are not directly available. This type of learning builds comprehension at deeper levels than other forms of learning.

Developing critical thinkers in today’s world is the goal for educators, and Graesser points to self-regulated learning as one way to achieve this goal. Self-regulated learning also coincides with inquiry learning and discovery learning. These types of learning all feed into what Graesser defines as the principles of learning.

Principles of Learning

Focus on Testing

Over the past several decades, educational psychologists have become more involved with the measurement of individual differences, such as learning and achievement tests. Some get involved with research into the theoretical background of the tests, and others become more hands on, communicating to teachers and educators complex test and measurement content.

Some educational psychologists get involved with the construction, evaluation, and documentation of the tests. This often involves an in-depth background in statistics as well as psychological and academic topics.

Educational psychologists must keep current with changes in federal and state laws affecting testing validity. They must also stay current with tests designed to assess learning disabilities, and testing those whose main language is something other than English.

If you are interested in becoming an educational psychologist, request information from psychology schools. Usually a PhD is required for licensure in most states.

Also, learn more about the psychologist licensing process and what the requirements for licensure are: Psychologist Licensure.

From the start, we are already behind countries like China and Japan. What they do in 12 months, we have to do in 9.

This is the foundation for the continually increasing salaries of educational psychologists. In America, we need better efficiency in the process of creating educated and highly capable students, and ultimately, workforce. Our future simply depends on the success of educational psychologists to create a better understanding of the best practices in creating educational curriculum, educational technologies, classroom management, assessment techniques, and organizational learning.

As the effects of a global economy become more prevalent in America, the necessity for advancing our educational practices will lead to evolving hiring and compensation practices in the most vital positions effecting the quality of America’s educational system.

If you are interested in applying an educational psychology background to a number of available career options, consider pursuing a Master’s degree or a PhD in a educational psychology.