The words below represent a basic list of some educational terms you may encounter in readings, classroom observations, interviews, etc. The sources used for the many of the definitions are given below.
Assessment: Assessment in the classroom accomplishes two goals: 1.) increases learning, 2.) increases motivation. Assessment includes all of the processes involved in making decisions about student's learning process. (#1, pg. 594).
Cognitive Development: Describes changes in the way we think and process information. (#1, pg. 29)
Critical Thinking: This involves evaluating information or arguments in terms of their accuracy and worth. It may take a variety of forms, depending on the context. (#2, pg. 319)
Differentiation: A response to student needs and interest levels to increase the chances of fitting the needs of all students. Differentiation is student centered, proactive, qualitative in approach to assessment, provides multiple approaches to content, process, and product, and involves a blend of instructional strategies.
Diversity: Individual differences of people, including but not limited to differences in: intelligence, learning styles, academic and/or social ability, culture, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, religion, sexual orientation, value systems, etc.
Emotional Development: The ways in which individuals learn to interact in socially acceptable ways, establish and maintain relationships, and view themselves in positive ways.
Individual and Group Differences:
Intellectual Development: The cognitive development of an individual; the individual's ability to learn and process information.
Accommodation: a form of adaptation in which as existing scheme is modified and a new one is created in response to experience. (#1, pg. 35)
Assimilation: a form of adaptation in which an experience in the environment is incorporate into an existing scheme. (#1, pg. 35).
Language Development: The ways in which individuals develop communication skills based on sets of symbols. Language development includes written, oral, or signed communication.
Learner-centered: This form of instruction places learners at the center of the learning process and emphasizes thought-demanding processes such as explaining,
finding evidence, providing examples, and generalizing in an effort to acquire an understanding of certain topics. (#1, pg. 589)
Learning Styles: Learning styles are students' approaches to learning, problem solving, and processing information. (#1, pg. 135)
Metacognition: A concept that describes learners' awareness of and control over their thinking and learning; "thinking about thinking". (#1, pg. 137)
Moral Development: The developmental changes that occur in the ways people view rules, right and wrong, justice, etc. relative to interactions between people..
Pedagogy: The art or profession of teaching.
Pedagogical Content Knowledge: An understanding of the 'ways of representing...the subject that make it comprehensible to others' and 'an understanding of
what makes the learning of specific topics easy or difficult.' (#1, pg. 9)
Personal Development: An understanding of who we are, including our emotional and moral growth. (#1, pg. 29)
Self Concept: A cognitive appraisal of our physical, social, and academic competence. (#1, pg. 99)
Self Efficacy: Learners' beliefs about their capacity of succeeding on specific tasks. (#1, pg. 427)
Self Esteem: An affective or emotional reaction to the self. (#1, pg. 99).
Self Identity: Awareness of and identification with oneself as a separate individual
Social Development: The ways in which individuals create and maintain relationships to others.
Teacher-centered: This approach involves instruction where the teacher presents content in a direct way and takes responsibility for guiding the students' learning. (#1, pg. 548)
Sources used (represented above by number)
#1: Eggen, P. & Kauchak, D. (2001). Educational psychology: windows on classrooms. Merrill Prentice Hall, Columbus, OH. 5th edition
#2: Ormrod, J.E. (2000). Educational psychology: developing learners. Merrill Prentice Hall, Columbus, OH. 3rd edition.
#3: Sullivan, E. (1990). Critical Psychology and pedagogy: interpretation of the personal world. Bergin & Garvey Publishers.