Option #1: Educational psychology is also concerned with the dynamics of learning.
In his
contribution to this course, George Reese analyzes by way of example the notion of
"productive struggle." How can educational psychology help us to understand the processes
of learning?
Educational psychology offers a framework for comprehending the mechanisms of learning, the
underlying motivations, and the interplay of cognitive emotional, and social aspects throughout
the learning process.
As a facilitator of learning, I just don’t feed them with the information, but I assigned them
tasks that they were freely to collaborate and find solutions. When things are heavy for them,
they have to think of other ways-a sign of “productive struggling” because they are thinking of
alternatives to way out. This emphasizes that learning is not passive learners construct
knowledge by engaging with ideas, solving problems, and making sense of new information.
During productive struggle, feedback (from teachers or peers) can help learners monitor their
progress and adjust strategies, this is related to Lev Vygotsky’s pedagogical concept,
scaffolding-a temporary support in the form of guidance, instructions, tools or resources for the
learners that will help them hit the goal, which is then slowly withdraw as students perceived
the point, making the learning process more efficient and deeper, ensuring the struggle remains
productive, not discouraging.
According to George Reese, to understand the process of learning, facilitators of learning
should find first all tasks that are worthy, things that really require thought. Another thing, they
must emerge in a culture of collaboration, that is where students are free to interact with each
other, and able to ask the teacher for the right kind of help. Moreover, we need to make
explicit the procedure for finding the right supports at the right time, especially for young
learners. At the latter part of every struggle that learners encounter is their willingness to
persist with the problems until they can make it work. Through concepts like productive
struggle, teachers can create environments where students are challenged but supported,
leading to meaningful and lasting learning.
Make an Update: Take one area of the learning sciences. How does educational psychology
contribute to our understanding? What evidence does it offer? What interpretative concepts
and theories does it provide?
Let’s take "motivation in learning" as one area of the learning sciences. Educational psychology
has made significant contributions to our understanding of motivation—why students choose
to engage (or disengage) with learning tasks, and how that affects learning outcomes.
Educational psychology helps us understand what drives learners to act which covers extrinsic
motivation and intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is when a learner is motivated to
perform the tasks to earn a reward or to avoid punishment such as participating well in a class
discussion to get a good grade and cleaning a room to avoid being reprimanded by the parents.
Intrinsic motivation is innate to a learner, the learner is performing an activity for its own sake
rather than from the desire for some external reward such as a learner listening to his/her
teacher because he/she finds the activity enjoyable regardless if it is rewarding or not.
Edward Deci and Richard Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (SDT) demonstrated that
motivation is stronger when learners experience autonomy, competence and relatedness. As
they elaborated in their studies, the term extrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an
activity in order to attain some separable outcome and, thus, contrasts with intrinsic
motivation, which refers to doing an activity for the inherent satisfaction of the activity itself.
Unlike some perspectives that view extrinsically motivated behavior as invariantly
nonautonomous, SDT proposes that extrinsic motivation can vary greatly in its relative
autonomy (Ryan & Connell, 1989; Vallerand, 1997). For example, students who do their
homework because they personally grasp its value for their chosen career are extrinsically
motivated, as are those who do the work only because they are adhering to their parents'
control. Both examples involve instrumentalities rather than enjoyment of the work itself, yet
the former case of extrinsic motivation entails personal endorsement and a feeling of choice,
whereas the latter involves compliance with an external regulation. Both represent intentional
behavior.
Self-Determination Theory (SDT) emphasizes motivation and psychological needs and explains
how classroom environments either support or thwart motivation. This theory centered on
three basic psychological needs-autonomy, competence, and relatedness. When these needs
are met, individuals experience greater intrinsic motivation, personal growth, and well-
being; however, when they are thwarted by controlling or unsupportive environments,
motivation and well-being can be diminished.
In conclusion, It shows us that motivation is not just a trait students have or lack—it’s shaped
by beliefs, environment, and instructional choices. By understanding these dynamics,
educators can create learning spaces where students feel capable, autonomous, and
connected, increasing both engagement and achievement.
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