Educational Psychology Courses
Provides students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the importance and use of specific learning strategies. This course will also engage students in reflective decision making and critical evaluation of their learning process.
The purpose of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the behavioral and neuroscientific aspects of learning, memory, and cognition.
This course introduces the foundations and central characteristics of artificial intelligence (AI) with a focus on how generative AI systems learn and how understanding those learning mechanisms can improve the ways we as humans engage with AI. Topics include core theories of machine learning, how large language models (LLMs) acquire patterns, prompt engineering for practical use, cognitive science perspectives on learning, AI literacy and reading with AI, and ethical and educational implications of AI. Students will engage with both conceptual models and hands-on exploration of AI tools.
In this course, students will develop proficiency in the analytical skills needed to understand and manipulate neuroimaging data. Much of the focus will be on learning the fundamentals of MATLAB programming. Computing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course.
This course provides a comprehensive overview of experimental design and methodologies within cognitive psychology and neuroscience, as well as exploring interdisciplinary methods within educational neuroscience. Students will learn the basics of experimental design, how to read research articles, communicate research to others, construct literature reviews and generate proposals.
An examination of the social, psychological, philosophical, and historical foundations of education in a modern democratic society. Critical attention is paid to contrasting theories of human nature, the learner and the learning process that, when combined with judgments about the purpose and conduct of life, have shaped pedagogy.
This course will provide a comprehensive overview of the different areas of research in numerical cognition research and how they have shaped various approaches to learning and teaching mathematics. The focus of the course is to provide students with an understanding of the neural, cognitive, and cultural factors that affect numerical cognition and its implications for k-12 math and science teaching and learning. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course. The written assignments of this course require coherent, logical, and carefully edited prose that will demonstrate students' analysis and synthesis skills.
The Literate Mind is an advanced course in educational psychology/neuroscience that explores the consequences of reading and writing—for humankind, for communities, and for individual learners. The course reviews the cognitive, neural, and social mechanisms that produce those consequences, how those mechanisms arise, and how malleable they are. The course also examines the extent to which the latest technological advances, such as generative artificial intelligence (AI), might interact with the development of the written word and our engagement with it.
In this special topics course, students will develop a deeper understanding of how educational neuroscience research can inform science instruction and learning. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade. A student who does not write with the skill normally required for an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course. The written assignments of this course requires coherent, logical and carefully edited prose that will demonstrate students' analysis and synthesis skills.
This course is an overview of basic concepts and principles essential to understanding the psychological and behavioral aspects of sport and exercise. Emphasis is given to the conceptual frameworks and applied aspects of peak performance; concentration and attention control strategies; motivation; goal setting; imagery and performance planning; neuroscience and well-being. Applications are made to future practitioners of coaching, teaching, sports medicine, counseling, sport management, and fitness instruction, as well as current athletes and exercise enthusiasts.
What is morality? Would we all make the same decision in a moral dilemma? This course aims to help students answer these questions by providing an overview of the psychology of morality with a focus on the processes leading to moral action. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skills normally required of an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course. The written assignments of this course requires coherent, logical and carefully edited prose that will demonstrate students' analysis and synthesis skills.
This course will focus on the varied neuroimaging methodologies used by our Educational Neuroscience faculty. Faculty will present a different methodology in each iteration of the course. These methodologies include EEG, NIRS, Eye-tracking, and MRI. Please contact the department for information on semester-specific course offerings. Writing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course. A student who does not write with the skill normally required for an upper-division student will not earn a passing grade, no matter how well the student performs in other areas of the course. The written assignments of this course require coherent, logical and carefully edited prose that will demonstrate students' analysis and synthesis skills.
This course will provide students with an overview of the methods, experimental design, and analytical skills used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)data, as well as how these methods are used in educational neuroscience. Computing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course.
This course provides an overview of electrophysiological methods used in the field of educational neuroscience to conduct research on learning and cognition. Students will also gain experience in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of electrophysiology data. Computing proficiency is required for a passing grade in this course.
Courses for Educational Research
This introductory qualitative course covers five major emphases: 1) an introduction to qualitative research; 2) the researcher as part of qualitative research; 3) the role of theory; 4) conducting qualitative research; 5) ethics in qualitative research.
This course gives a basic introduction to the fundamental concepts and methods of statistics. In this course, students will utilize descriptive and inferential statistical methods in contextual situations, using technology as appropriate. The course is designed to increase problem-solving abilities and data interpretation through practical applications of statistical concepts.
Statistical methods in education; graphs, charts, frequency distributions, central tendencies, dispersion, correlation, sampling errors, estimation, and hypothesis testing.
The purpose of this course is to provide a comprehensive overview of experimental design and methodologies within cognitive psychology and neuroscience, as well as interdisciplinary methods within educational neuroscience. Students will learn the basics of experimental design, how to read research articles, communicate research to others, construct literature reviews and generate proposals.
Survey of teacher-made and standardized instruments for understanding students' achievement and evaluating teaching. Field practicum in the schools is required.