Educational Psychology
               This book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
         Educational Psychology
                        Second Edition
           Kelvin Seifert and Rosemary Sutton
                       Copyright © 2009 Kelvin Seifert
                For any questions about this text, please email: drexel@uga.edu 
                        Editor-In-Chief: Kelvin Seifert
                        Associate Editor: Marisa Drexel
                       Editorial Assistant: Jackie Sharman
                        Proofreader: Rachel Pugliese
             The Global Text Project is funded by the Jacobs Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland
               This book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
     Educational Psychology    2                    A Global Text
              This book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
      About the authors and reviewer
      Author, Kelvin Seifert
      Kelvin Seifert is professor of educational psychology at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. He 
     earned a BA from Swarthmore College in 1967 and a PhD from the University of Michigan in 1973, in a combined 
     program from the School of Education and the Department of Psychology. His research interests include the 
     personal identity development of teachers, the impact of peers in 0pre-service teacher education, and the 
     development of effective strategies of blended learning. He is the author of four university textbooks (with 
     Houghton Mifflin, in traditional print format) about educational psychology, child and adolescent development, 
     and lifespan human development. He is also the editor of the online  Canadian Journal of Educational 
     Administration and Policy.  Recent publications include “Student cohorts: Support groups or intellectual 
     communities?” (Teachers College Record)  and “Learning about peers: A missed opportunity for educational 
     psychology” (The Clearinghouse). His professional service includes serving as chair of the Department of 
     Educational Administration, Foundations, and Psychology at the University of Manitoba, and serving as president 
     of the American Educational Research Association Special Interest Group on Teaching Educational Psychology. 
     During his career of 35 years, he has taught introductory educational psychology over 75 times.
      Author, Rosemary Sutton
      After four years of teaching high school mathematics in New Zealand, Dr Rosemary Sutton attended graduate 
     school and earned her MS in Educational Psychology from the University of Illinois and her PhD from Pennsylvania 
     State University in Human Development. She joined the Cleveland State University faculty in Cleveland, Ohio in 
     1983 and since that time has taught pre-service and in service undergraduates and graduate students educational 
     psychology and educational technology. She has received several University awards for her teaching and has 
     conducted numerous workshops for teachers in North East Ohio.
      Dr Sutton has published a variety research articles on teacher development as well as equity issues in 
     mathematics, technology, and assessment. Her recent research interests have focused in two areas: teaching 
     educational psychology and teachers' emotions. Recent publications can be found in Social Psychology of 
     Education, Educational Psychology Review, Journal of Teacher Education, and an edited volume, Emotions and 
     Education.
      Since 2004, Dr Sutton has been working as an Administrator, first as the Director of Assessment for the 
     University. This position involved coordinating the student learning assessment for all graduate, undergraduate, 
     and student support programs. In August 2007, Dr Sutton was appointed Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies 
     and is now responsible for overseeing offices and functions from academic and student service areas in order to 
     create a campus culture that coordinates student services with the academic mission of the University.
      Reviewer, Sandra Deemer
      Sandra Deemer is professor of educational foundations at Millersville University, in Millersville, PA. She is also 
     the editor of the online journal called "Teaching Educational Psychology," and has contributed to the development 
     of the Special Interest Group on Teaching Educational Psychology (TEP SIG) sponsored by the American 
     Educational Research Association. She teaches courses in educational psychology and educational research; her 
     research interests focus on how motivational theory can be used to create learning-focused classrooms.
     Educational Psychology   3                    A Global Text
      Table of Contents
        Preface...............................................................................................................................................................7
      1. The changing teaching profession and you.............................................................................8
        The joys of teaching.......................................................................................................................................... 8
        Are there also challenges to teaching?............................................................................................................10
        Teaching is different from in the past............................................................................................................ 10
        How educational psychology can help............................................................................................................16
      2. The learning process .............................................................................................................20
        Teachers’ perspectives on learning................................................................................................................ 20
        Major theories and models of learning.......................................................................................................... 23
      3. Student development............................................................................................................. 41
        Why development matters............................................................................................................................. 42
        Physical development during the school years.............................................................................................. 43
        Cognitive development: the theory of Jean Piaget........................................................................................ 46
        Social development: relationships,personal motives, and morality .............................................................50
        Moral development: forming a sense of rights and responsibilities............................................................. 56
        Understanding “the typical student” versus understanding students...........................................................61
      4. Student diversity....................................................................................................................66
        Individual styles of learning and thinking..................................................................................................... 67
        Multiple intelligences..................................................................................................................................... 68
        Gifted and talented students.......................................................................................................................... 70
        Gender differences in the classroom.............................................................................................................. 72
        Differences in cultural expectations and styles..............................................................................................75
        Accommodating diversity in practice............................................................................................................ 80
      5. Students with special educational needs.............................................................................. 85
        Three people on the margins..........................................................................................................................85
        Growing support for people with disabilities: legislation and its effects...................................................... 86
        Responsibilities of teachers for students with disabilities.............................................................................87
        Categories of disabilities—and their ambiguities........................................................................................... 91
        Learning disabilities........................................................................................................................................91
        Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.........................................................................................................94
        Intellectual disabilities................................................................................................................................... 96
        Behavioral disorders.......................................................................................................................................99
        Physical disabilities and sensory impairments.............................................................................................101
        The value of including students with special needs..................................................................................... 104
      6. Student motivation.............................................................................................................. 109
        Motives as behavior.......................................................................................................................................110
        Motives as goals.............................................................................................................................................113
        Motives as interests....................................................................................................................................... 116
        Motives related to attributions......................................................................................................................118
        Motivation as self-efficacy............................................................................................................................ 120
        Motivation as self-determination................................................................................................................. 125
        Expectancy x value: effects on students’ motivation....................................................................................130
        TARGET: a model for integrating ideas about motivation...........................................................................131
      7. Classroom management and the learning environment.................................................... 138
        Why classroom management matters.......................................................................................................... 139
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