Educational Psychologist Course

Lesson 1 • Defining Educational Psychology

Clarifies the scope, history, and purpose of educational psychology as a discipline. Grounds subsequent chapters in a shared professional vocabulary.

Lesson 2 • Ethical Standards in Practice

Covers professional ethics, confidentiality, and informed consent specific to educational contexts. Establishes the ethical baseline for all applied work.

Lesson 3 • Major Theoretical Perspectives

Surveys behaviorist, cognitive, constructivist, and sociocultural theories. Provides the conceptual lens used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Social and Emotional Development

Covers Erikson's psychosocial stages, attachment theory, and peer relationship development. Connects emotional milestones to classroom behavior and motivation.

Lesson 2 • Language and Literacy Development

Traces phonological, syntactic, and semantic growth from early childhood through adolescence. Informs reading and writing instruction strategies.

Lesson 3 • Adolescent and Adult Development

Examines identity formation, executive function maturation, and adult learning characteristics. Prepares practitioners to support learners beyond childhood.

Lesson 1 • Constructivist and Inquiry-Based Design

Applies problem-based, project-based, and discovery learning models to curriculum. Builds learner autonomy and deep conceptual understanding.

Lesson 2 • Cognitive Load and Memory

Examines working memory limits, schema theory, and dual-coding to optimize instruction. Reduces extraneous load in lesson and material design.

Lesson 3 • Aligning Objectives, Instruction, and Assessment

Uses Bloom's taxonomy and backward design to create coherent learning sequences. Ensures instructional goals drive both teaching and evaluation.

Lesson 4 • Universal Design for Learning

Introduces UDL principles of multiple means of representation, action, and engagement. Ensures instructional design is accessible to diverse learners.

Lesson 1 • Self-Efficacy and Expectancy-Value

Applies Bandura's self-efficacy model and Eccles's expectancy-value theory to instructional planning. Builds learner confidence and perceived task relevance.

Lesson 2 • Goal Orientation and Achievement

Examines mastery versus performance goal orientations and their impact on learning outcomes. Teaches practitioners to shift students toward mastery-focused mindsets.

Lesson 3 • Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

Contrasts self-determination theory with extrinsic reward systems and their effects on persistence. Guides decisions about incentive use in educational settings.

Lesson 1 • Gifted and Talented Learners

Examines identification criteria, social-emotional needs, and enrichment models for gifted students. Prevents underachievement through appropriate challenge and support.

Lesson 2 • Intelligence and Cognitive Profiles

Reviews psychometric models, multiple intelligences, and cognitive style research. Prepares practitioners to interpret and apply cognitive assessment data.

Lesson 3 • Differentiated Instruction Frameworks

Applies tiered instruction, flexible grouping, and curriculum compacting to diverse classrooms. Synthesizes individual difference knowledge into actionable lesson adaptations.

Lesson 4 • Learning Disabilities and Neurodevelopmental Conditions

Covers identification, characteristics, and evidence-based support for dyslexia, ADHD, and autism spectrum conditions. Builds competency in inclusive instructional planning.

Lesson 1 • Formative and Summative Assessment Design

Distinguishes formative from summative purposes and designs instruments for each. Connects assessment type to instructional feedback cycles.

Lesson 2 • Data-Driven Instructional Decision Making

Synthesizes assessment data into actionable instructional plans using data teams and protocols. Closes the loop between measurement and improved learning outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Standardized Testing and Norm-Referenced Scores

Explains percentile ranks, standard scores, and grade equivalents from standardized tests. Enables accurate interpretation and communication of norm-referenced data.

Lesson 4 • Principles of Educational Measurement

Covers reliability, validity, and fairness as foundational measurement concepts. Establishes quality criteria applied to all assessment types in the chapter.

Lesson 1 • Stress, Trauma, and Adverse Experiences

Examines the neurological and behavioral effects of trauma and chronic stress on learning. Prepares practitioners to apply trauma-informed approaches in schools.

Lesson 2 • Behavioral and Externalizing Challenges

Addresses function-based assessment and positive behavior support for externalizing behaviors. Reduces punitive responses and increases proactive behavioral planning.

Lesson 3 • Social-Emotional Learning Frameworks

Introduces core SEL competency models and evidence-based program structures. Provides the framework for embedding SEL across instructional contexts.

Lesson 4 • Anxiety, Depression, and Internalizing Disorders

Covers recognition, prevalence, and school-based support for anxiety and depressive disorders. Enables early identification and appropriate referral pathways.

Lesson 1 • Consultation Models and Processes

Compares behavioral, mental health, and instructional consultation models and their stages. Equips practitioners to structure effective consultative relationships.

Lesson 2 • Family and Community Partnerships

Develops strategies for engaging families and community resources as partners in student success. Addresses cultural responsiveness and communication barriers in partnership building.

Lesson 3 • Leading Systemic Educational Change

Applies change management theory to school improvement initiatives led by educational psychologists. Develops capacity to sustain reform through data, leadership, and stakeholder buy-in.

Lesson 4 • Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

Applies MTSS frameworks to align academic and behavioral supports across three tiers. Integrates assessment data into schoolwide prevention and intervention planning.