PSYC 7010
Learning and Assessment
William G. Huitt, Ph.D.
Last Revised: January 2000
Introduction
This course is designed to aid the inservice
educator in predicting, understanding, and
controlling the fundamental principles of learning
and assessment as they apply in educational
settings.
The emphasis is on studying the variables shown
by research to affect students and educators
(especially classroom teachers) in the teaching/
learning process.
Introduction
The course objectives support the College of
Education Conceptual Framework Principles at
an introductory level.
Proposition 1
Graduates are committed
to their roles as helping
professionals.
Introduction
The course objectives support the College of
Education Conceptual Framework Principles at
an introductory level.
Proposition 2
Graduates are capable of
excellence in their
professional practice.
Introduction
The course objectives support the College of
Education Conceptual Framework Principles at
an introductory level.
Proposition 3
Graduates think
systematically about their
practice, use research, and
contribute to the knowledge
base.
Introduction
The course objectives support the College of
Education Conceptual Framework Principles at
an introductory level.
Proposition 4
Graduates are members of
learning communities.
Course Objectives
1. Name and discuss the major categories
of variables that have been studied in
educational psychology in an attempt to
answer the question "Why do some
students learn more than others?" and
arrange these in the form of a model of
the teaching/learning process.
Course Objectives
2. Name and discuss the major categories
addressed in a systems model of human
behavior, describing how behavioral,
cognitive, humanistic and learning/
development theories address different
factors in this model.
Course Objectives
3. Define learning and compare and
contrast the factors that behavioral,
cognitive, humanistic, and social cognition
theorists believe influence the learning
process, giving specific examples of how
these principles could be used in the
classroom.
Course Objectives
4. Name and discuss the major issues in the
assessment and evaluation of classroom
learning as well as important techniques
that can be used to address individual
differences.
Topics
I. Introduction
A. How can Ed Psyc help?
B. Characteristics of effective
classrooms and schools
C. Model of teaching-learning process
Topics
II. Need for a scientific approach
A. Hypothesis testing
B. Theory building
C. Types of studies
1. Descriptive
2. Correlational
3. Experimental
Topics
III. The Changing Context of Education
A. Industrial to information age
B. National to global economy
C. Role of the family
Topics
IV. Overview of Learning and Assessment
A. Overview of Learning
1. Definitions of learning and
development
2. The antecedents of a psychology of
learning
B. Overview of Assessment
1. Achievement assessment and
instruction
2. Nature of student assessment
Topics
V. Theories of Learning
A. Behavioral
B. Cognitive
C. Humanistic
D. Social Cognition
Topics
VI. Additional Measurement and
Evaluation Issues
A. Grading
B. Interpreting Standardized Tests
Participation
Students in on-campus sections are
expected to attend all class sessions.
A student who is absent more than 10% of
class sessions will have his or her grade
reduced one letter grade.
A student who misses more than 20% of class
sessions will receive a grade of F for the
course.
Participation
Students in web-based sections are expected
to participate in all audio conference
sessions.
A student who misses more than 3 audio
conference sessions will have his or her
grade reduced one letter grade.
WebCT Bulletin Board
Each student enrolled in the on-campus section
will be required to make 10 e-mail postings to the
WebCT bulletin board.
The explanation of the bulletin board
requirements is described in the materials
packet.
Samples of appropriate e-mail postings are
on the web.
WebCT Bulletin Board
Each student enrolled in the web-based section
will be required to make 3 postings to the
WebCT bulletin board each week.
The explanation of the bulletin board
requirements is described in the materials
packet.
Grading
Option I
1. Four essay exams
55%
2. 10-page paper
30%
3. Web search
4. 10 e-mail postings
5%
10%
Note: requirements for off-campus and
web-based sections are slightly different.
Grading
Option II
1. Two essay exams
30%
2. 25-page paper
60%
3. 10 e-mail postings
5%
4. Leading class discussion
5%
Note: requirements for off-campus and
web-based sections are slightly different.
Extra Credit
Up to ten points extra credit may be earned by
critiquing one or more of the following:
1. research articles from education or
psychology journals,
2. cassette or video tapes,
3. computer software or web pages dealing
with issues related to the teaching-learning
process.
The points will be added to a test grade.