Mind power: Education psychology draws from cognitive science

If you like working with others, giving guidance to adolescents and young adults, this could prove to be a rewarding career. Educational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching and the social psychology of schools as organisations. The terms educational psychology and school psychology are often used interchangeably.

Educational psychology is concerned with the education of the general population, as well as sub-populations such as gifted children, and those who have specific disabilities. It draws from and contributes to the cognitive sciences.

What do I have to do?

To understand the characteristics of learners in childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age, educational psychologists develop and apply theories of human development which focus on mental abilities (cognition), social roles, moral reasoning and beliefs.

Each person has abilities and handicaps that result from learning and development. These are manifest in individual differences in intelligence, creativity, cognitive style, motivation and the capacity to process information, communicate and relate to others. Some of the most prevalent disabilities found among school-age children are attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disability, dyslexia and speech disorder. Other disabilities include mental retardation, hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and blindness.

Children classified as gifted are often provided with accelerated or enriched programmes. Children with identified deficits may be provided with enhanced education in specific skills such as phonological awareness.

In addition to conducting assessments, educational or school psychologists provide services such as academic and behavioural intervention, counselling, teacher consultation and crisis intervention. Educational psychologists require skills in evaluating needs, analysing behaviour in children, counselling, research, report writing and written and oral communication skills. They also need to have good decision-making ability and highly developed people skills. Additionally, they need to have knowledge about child development, behavioural change, individual education programming, counselling and assessment techniques. Some personal qualities they should possess include patience, concern for others and an ability to inspire confidence in clients. They should also be able to work well under pressure and keep information private. Observation skills, emotional stability, maturity and the ability to deal effectively with others are the other qualities you require.

What should I study?

You should have one of the following: a BA or a BSc (honours) in psychology; a BA or a BSc in any discipline or a BEd or a BElEd, followed by an MA or an MSc in psychology and a specialisation in educational psychology.

What next?

The field of educational psychology offers many opportunities. It could take some time to get to the position that you want because almost all jobs will require a masters or doctorate degree. Educational psychology is an expanding field, with the need for more staff at overcrowded schools and the need to deal with the extreme problems that some children face today.

Educational psychologists are usually trained at the doctoral level (PhD) and hence work in university settings, where they carry out research on topics related to the cognitive and social processes involved in learning and education. They may also work as consultants to create educational materials and classroom programmes designed to promote learning.

They can also work as educational social workers, learning mentors, and speech and language therapists. They are often called upon to advise or join working or consultation groups on issues concerned with organisation and policy planning. With their background, they are in an ideal and often unique position in education — both traditional and online — to plan and carry out further research activities.

where to study

• University of Calcutta, Calcutta
• Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta
• Bangalore University, Bangalore
• University of Mumbai, Mumbai
• Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar
• University of Delhi, Delhi