Educational Psychology in Singapore (PSY358)

This course is best suited to educators and those with a relevant background. Students will need to read widely and be ready to synthesise information from multiple sources as part of their learning. In this course, we learn about how people learn and discuss some considerations unique to the Singaporean landscape. Students will gain an understanding of educational behaviours and settings and discuss the importance of applying research findings to teaching practices. In addition to formalised school settings in Singapore, the consideration of adult learning is particularly important given Singapore's growing emphasis on lifelong learning and our efforts at skills upscaling. Students will also discuss issues such as learner diversity, classroom assessment, and how to foster productive learning environments for varied groups of learners. Management of learners with neurodevelopmental needs as well as social emotional learning will also be examined.

• Teaching and Educational Psychology
• Adult Education
• Creating a Supportive Learning Environment
• Theories of Learning: Complex Cognitive Processes
• Application of Learning Theories
• Learner Diversity: Group Differences
• Learner Diversity: Individual Differences and Special Needs
• Classroom Assessment Knowledge & Screening Tools
• Understanding Test Scores and Communicating Assessment Results
• Psychosocial Development, Social Theories of Learning and Social Emotional Learning
• Motivation
• Managing Individuals and Groups in Educational Settings

• Compare how psychological concepts and theories (e.g., cognition) are applied across different neurodevelopmental disorders that can present in Singapore’s educational settings
• Illustrate learner diversity, such as gender, culture, socioeconomic, special needs, giftedness
• Appraise formal and informal assessments for common neurodevelopmental disorders present in Singapore’s educational settings
• Examine management strategies, including specific instructions, for different types of developmental disorders (e.g., intellectual disabilities, which are related to cognition)
• Discuss the role of educational psychology (including scope and limitations) in certain developmental disorders seen in educational settings (e.g., physical and sensory impairments)
• Develop research skills, such as evaluating and critiquing academic articles relevant to educational psychology and related developmental disorders
• Evaluate case studies/research findings based on the understanding of educational psychology and related developmental disorders