BSc Educational Psychology / Course details

Demonstrate a systematic understanding of key issues and concepts in cognitive psychology (e.g. working memory, multimodal stores, central executive).

Critically analyse and evaluate relevant literature in the areas of cognitive psychology.

Examine, interpret and apply topics in cognitive psychology to educational settings and contexts.

Explain, in cognitive psychological terms, aspects of perception, attention, learning and memory, and their significance in developmental and educational contexts

Discuss and debate chosen topics in neuropsychology and critically evaluate their strengths and limitations of their underpinning research.

Apply and critically evaluate neuropsychological theory in relation to education

Design and carry out workshop exercises to explore aspects memory and relate this to school based learning.

Take charge of their own learning and undertake self-directed study to produce a credit-bearing assignment (see below) Written communication

Oral communication (contributing to discussion and debate)

Working with others (group work)
IT skills (word processing, accessing electronic databases and library facilities, managing references)

Assessment task  Assessment task  How and when feedback is provided  How and when feedback is provided Students are to produce a reflective lab report from the workshop activities to consider how cognitive processes can be applied to learning in the classroom. 3000 Written feedback (utilising Turn-it-in), within University guidelines.

Students are also required to complete an online 'mid term quiz', as indicated on Blackboard

Written feedback (utilising Turn-it-in), within University guidelines

General texts

Ward, J. (2015) The Student's Guide to Cognitive Neuroscience (3rd Ed) London: Psychology Press

Developmental cognitive neuroscience: an introduction - Mark H. Johnson, Michelle De Haan 2015

Temple, C. M. (1997). Cognitive neuropsychology and its application to children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 27-52

Attention

Petersen, S. E., & Posner, M. I. (2012). The attention system of the human brain: 20 years after. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 35, 73.

Fernandez-Duque, D. & Johnson, M. L. (2002) Cause and effect theories of attention: the role of conceptual metaphors. Review of General Psychology, 6, 153-165. doi: 10.1037//1089-2680.6.2.153

LaBerge, D. L. (1990) Attention. Psychological Science, 1, 156-162. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.1990.tb00188.x

Sarter, M., Givens, B. & Bruno, J. P. (2001) The cognitive neuroscience of attention: where top-down meets bottom-up. Brain Research Reviews, 35, 146-160. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.01013.x

Scerif, G., (2010). Attention trajectories, mechanisms and outcomes: at the interface between developing cognition and environment. Developmental Science, 13, 805-812. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.01013.x

Perception

Sacks, O. (1985) The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. Picador: London Learning

Memory

Chapter 9 of Ward, J. (2015) The Student's Guide to Cognitive Neuroscience (3rd Ed) London: Psychology Press.

Bristow, J., Cowley, P. and Daines, R. (1999) Memory and Learning: A practical guide for teachers. This book gives lots of examples of how an understanding of memory can be used in planning learning.

Gathercole, S.E & Alloway, T.P. (2008) Working memory and learning: A practical guide for teachers. London: Sage

Alloway, TP (2011) Improving working memory: Supporting students learning. London: Sage

Bristow, J., Cowley, P. & Daines, R. (1999) Memory and Learning: A practical guide for teachers. London: David Fulton Publishers

Buzan, T. (1974) Use your head. BBC Publications - see also Use your memory, and Master your memory