Online education can offer students some level of autonomy and control. Research suggests that Gen Z and Generation Alpha value this sense of choice.
An online master’s degree in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Adult Education expands a graduate’s knowledge of andragogy, opening new career opportunities. See how.
Increased Self-Awareness
Online educational psychology degrees follow the same rigorous accreditation processes as on-campus programs, requiring students to watch lectures, read texts, take tests, and engage with their professors and peers. They also need students to complete in-person internships and clinical hours.
A master’s degree in educational psychology in early childhood gives learners a solid grounding in human learning theories and research skills. Students learn about the psychological foundations of teaching and learning and study topics like child development, motivation, and cognitive theory.
They can then apply their knowledge to help kids reach their full potential. For example, if students struggle to understand certain concepts, an educational psychologist can create new teaching and testing methods more relevant to their needs. This macro-level approach to learning is called instructional design.
Increased Self-Confidence
Whether working on their next math problem or preparing for an interview, students with high self-efficacy believe they can perform the task successfully. While it’s similar to self-esteem, research shows that people with high efficacy levels perform better academically and enjoy more productive careers.
Educators now see that mental well-being is as crucial for student learning as nutrition or discipline. They increasingly incorporate social and emotional learning (SEL) into the classroom curriculum.
Students with SEL skills are more resilient to stress and more likely to engage in positive behaviors like coping with conflict or managing their emotions. These free, science-based tools, based on the latest in positive psychology, are great ways to boost emotional well-being and increase motivation for learning.
Increased Motivation
Students who learn with intrinsic motivation are engrossed in the learning process, engaging with it for the challenge and novelty it provides. Inherent reason requires a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Often, this means that students need to feel free to explore their interests, harness their curiosity, and develop a passion for their work.
Educational psychologists understand the importance of this innate motivation in learning and have developed interventions that help nurture it. For example, one study found that teaching adolescents about the science of the growth mindset reduced their retaliatory responses to peer aggression.
In addition, educators are increasingly aware that mental health is a prerequisite for learning. A heightened focus on student mental health has reduced bullying and increased opportunities for remote learning.
Increased Self-Discipline
The discipline of education psychology examines learning as a macro-level process, exploring large-scale changes. This field draws on psychological theories of human development, including those developed by Jean Piaget.
Research supports the benefits of a self-disciplined approach to education, particularly in students’ ability to delay gratification and control their impulses. Individuals with higher state self-control are more likely to have a stable temperament and be able to solve anagrams.
Online learning also improves academic outcomes for some kids with behavioral problems. For example, a child with social anxiety participated far more in virtual settings and chats when he studied online than in person. Similarly, she says her visual learners benefited from remote learning opportunities that streamlined the chance to watch videos of lessons again and again.
Increased Self-Regulation
Self-regulation is the ability to monitor and control one’s emotions and behavior. This is particularly important when learning and coping with difficult circumstances. It also enables students to take responsibility for their actions, which leads to improved performance and greater perceived control over outcomes.
It is also essential to ensure that students have a healthy attitude towards their learning. Without it, they might develop negative perceptions of college-level courses and become discouraged that they are not as good at academics as their peers.
Teachers can help students to develop their self-regulation skills by encouraging them to use learning strategies such as rehearsal, elaboration, summarising, and asking questions. They can also enable them to use a journal for recording their feelings and thinking through options before acting.
