Unit information: Introduction to Psychology in Education in 2021/22

Unit name	Introduction to Psychology in Education
Unit code	EDUC10005
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Hoicka
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Education
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

At the most basic level, psychology can be defined as the science of mind and behaviour and as such, psychologists are interested in understanding why people behave the way they do. They wish to answer some of the fundamental questions associated with human existence, for example; How do we remember and forget? How malleable is the brain? How can learning be reinforced? What is intelligence? Is personality changeable? Is nature or nurture more important? Why do people behaviour differently in groups?

Psychological theory and research can be applied to better understand the complexities of the relationship between mind/behaviour processes and education, as the cornerstone of modern society and human development.

This unit develops students’ skills in the four main content areas of biological, cognitive, developmental and social psychology in the context of their relevance to a wide range of educational contexts and questions. These are the core areas of psychology providing the foundation for students’ degree programmes in psychology as required for accreditation by the professional body, the British Psychological Society. Each of these four areas is covered in turn throughout the unit.

Thus, the aims of the unit are to:

• engage students in consideration of different types of small-scale research in the foundation areas of psychology;
• engage in critical thinking and oral presentations linked to the foundation areas;
• become familiar, and actively engaged, with contemporary methods and techniques for studying psychology;
• apply these to educational problems.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the unit, students will be able to demonstrate that they:

1. have an understanding of what psychology is, as well as the differences between associated sub-disciplines of the field;
2. are able to identify how key theoretical approaches in psychology can be applied to education;
3. are able to debate some of the important contemporary issues dominant in psychology today;
4. have the ability to summarise key materials and present in both oral and written form;
5. have an awareness of different research methods used in psychology and how they offer understanding of psychological phenomena.

Teaching Information

This unit will be taught using a blended approach consisting of a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous activities including lectures, class discussions, debates and group presentations. Each week, a new core area of psychology will be introduced and activities will focus on the presentation and discussion of papers related to the topic. Students will be expected to engage with readings and participate on a weekly basis.

Assessment Information

Pamphlet (40%): You will be asked to design and submit an individual pamphlet that introduces psychology to a lay audience (ILO 1,3,4,5)

Multiple Choice Test (60%) (ILO 1,2,5)

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EDUC10005).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.