Learning, Knowledge and Human Development MOOC’s Updates

Educational psychology - dynamics of learning

After working in the education sector for many years, I would like to say that educational psychology is an essential and integral part of education. One must understand how educational psychology offers valuable insights into the dynamics of learning by examining how cognitive, emotional, and social processes influence students' educational experiences.

One of the crucial areas in educational psychology is the idea of "productive struggle," which describes the advantageous challenge that students encounter when working on difficult assignments or issues. George Reese and others have examined this idea to show how students can use this struggle to get a deeper understanding and improve their problem-solving abilities.

Educational psychology emphasizes how learning is supported by productive struggle—the advantageous difficulty that students encounter when working on complex tasks. It draws attention to social elements like teacher support, emotional components like a growth mindset, and cognitive processes like problem-solving and metacognition. According to research, students who struggle productively improve their learning and problem-solving abilities. Theories such as Schunk's Self-Efficacy Theory, Dweck's Growth Mindset, and Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development provide explanations for how and why these processes improve learning.

Empirical studies provide evidence supporting the benefits of productive struggle. Educational psychology offers several interpretative concepts and theories to understand productive struggle such as Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, Dweck’s Growth Mindset, and Schunk’s Self-Efficacy Theory. In conclusion, Educational Psychology is needed for better learning and teaching.