A Psychology of Education and Learning is the branch of Psychology responsible for studying learning and human development in the field of education.

These studies are translated into new approaches for effective educational strategies containing the latest intervention programs.

First, from this definition we can extract the second focus of attention of Educational Psychology: teacher training. In other words, psychoeducational research is linked to innovation, because it allows the application of new models and teaching techniques in the classroom.

Educational Psychology and Learning: Expanding Educational Psychology

First of all, Educational Psychology is not limited only to the school environment. Its theoretical and practical principles also apply to other contexts, such as the military, public health, or the family.

In fact, humans do not stop learning and developing as individuals when they finish their academic studies.

Educational Psychology Theory

As the name suggests, educational psychology is an interdisciplinary science identified with two different but interdependent fields of study: the psychological sciences on the one hand, and the educational sciences on the other.

The core between these two sciences is the one that provides educational psychology with its own constitutive scientific structure, which is shaped through the study of learning.

In this way, educational psychology deals with the processes of learning educational topics and the nature of interventions designed to improve that learning.

Educational psychology deals with issues such as:

• the learning process and the phenomena that constitute it, such as: memory, forgetting, transference, strategies, and learning disabilities;
• the determinants of learning, based on the study of the characteristics of the knowing subject: cognitive, affective, and personality dispositions that can influence learning outcomes;
• teaching and thought development, educational implications;
• students with special needs;
• the educational interaction between teacher-student, student-student, teacher-student educational context, as well as education in the family environment, the structure and process of the classroom as a group, discipline and control in the class;
• instructional processes: psychological processes of instruction, instruction and development, goal of instruction, individualized instruction, psychoeducational evolution, and the schooling process.

Human Development and Education: Two Intertwined Branches

Let's imagine the case of a 4-year-old boy who presents difficulties in the development of his communication skills, without medical evidence that he suffers from some kind of hearing impairment.

At first, before developing an intervention program, one should analyze how language evolves throughout childhood, but also at what stage of this process the child is in and whether the speech problems are symptoms of some other type of disorder.

This fictional case helps us understand the close relationship that exists between Educational Psychology and Developmental and Evolutionary Psychology, which focuses on the study and investigation of psychological changes throughout the life cycle of a human being.

Psychology of education and learning

The Psychology of Learning, like the Psychology of Education, also considers the external variables that intervene in this process of cognitive maturation: age, genetic inheritance, sociocultural factors, etc.

Another characteristic they share is the recognition of internal factors that undoubtedly promote the integral development of the human being: emotions, attitudes, and social values.

The study of the influence of these factors on learning generated several explanatory theories throughout history, until arriving at the constructivist model: the paradigm where the foundations of today's school are laid.

Educational psychology

Educational psychology supposes a radical change in the traditional conception of the roles of teacher and student, since it defends the active role of the latter in the learning process.

In addition, it allows the teacher to show the building materials and guidelines necessary for the child to progress in his or her own integral development.

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Benefits of educational psychology

In general terms, the benefit of educational psychology is that the teacher presents the student with the necessary and structured information to solve a problem or task that will help the student develop a learning series.

This task should be a motivating challenge for the child, but it should be adjusted to the student's prior knowledge. While the child solves it, the teacher should limit himself to offering the necessary support to achieve the goal.

Educational psychology training: professional competencies

The main function of the educational psychologist is to improve the educational system by acting at three levels: in the development of the capacities of an individual, of groups or of institutions. This implies the acquisition of skills in:

• psychoeducational assessment and intervention techniques;
• elaboration of curricular adaptation programs and educational projects;
• skills for vocational and career counseling and guidance.

Along these lines, to practice the profession of educational psychologist, it is essential to have a degree in Psychology. Specialization occurs throughout the career as elective courses are chosen.

Roles of the Educational Psychologist in Educational and Learning Psychology

Among the tasks of the educational psychologist are the following duties:

• Preventive: the psychologist intervenes in the educational environment, proposing modifications and improvements to prevent and avoid situations that may alter or hinder student learning;
• guidance: promotes the organization, planning, development and evaluation of professional and vocational guidance and counseling processes for students, facilitating decision making;
• intervention: participates in the care of all educational stages (infant, primary, secondary, and post-obligatory) to detect and prevent learning difficulties and developmental disorders.

Educational Psychology - The importance of the Psychologist

The psychology of teaching requires the intervention of several professionals, above all, who will act with the goal of improving and facilitating the students' educational processes.

Consequently, the educational psychologist's actions and interventions must be coordinated with other specialists such as psychopedagogues, teachers, speech therapists, physical therapists, etc., in order to achieve the desired results.

Finally, it is worth noting the importance of the school psychology of education on students.

The professional will dedicate his skills to preventing and facilitating the psychological and emotional processes of each student, and to establishing learning that is adjusted to the needs of each one, as well as promoting well-being and potential.

Final thoughts on the psychology of education and learning

Educational Sciences are intertwined for the formation and improvement of an efficient educational system all over the world.

In short, among the various sciences is p sicology of education and learning It aims to help the study of pedagogy and its effect on students as human beings, and to help them achieve lasting teaching-learning experiences.

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