Pedagogical psychology studies the process of the best presentation of educational information. This is the science of how to properly educate children in terms of psychology, how to effectively present material in the learning process. The objectives of educational psychology: to recognize and develop the child’s abilities, to educate morality and the ability to think independently, to develop the desire for work for the benefit of society. She is also called school psychology. Let us consider in more detail the subject of the study of educational psychology. The history of the formation of this science will reveal the prerequisites and the beginning of its development.
Science and its subject
Interest in the development of personality from an early age has always existed. However, more attention was paid to the physical health of the child. The psychology of childhood began to be studied relatively recently, at the end of the 17th century.
What is the difference between educational psychology and personality psychology? The first science studies the learning process, the personality of the child in this process, his abilities, the tasks of the teacher.
Educational psychology is the result of the integration of pedagogy and psychology. As a science, this area of psychology is associated with many other sciences: sociology, physiology, philosophy, etc. The object of research is the child, the laws of his psychological development, methods of education. The results of studies of educational psychology are used to create didactic materials, training programs. The main task of educational psychology is the search for the optimal variant of human development at all stages of training. In modern society, pedagogy is not possible without psychology and psychoanalysis.
History of Science
How many stages of the formation of educational psychology? The process of its formation, as a separate branch of psychology, took several centuries. The development of educational psychology is divided into:
• statement of the general didactic foundation;
• formation of a system of scientific knowledge;
• development of independent scientific hypotheses.
Various kinds of fundamental sciences are characterized by spasmodic development. As a rule, having appeared once, she will find admirers and researchers immediately or later. The first echoes of the emergence of educational psychology were noted in 1657. At this time, the first of a four-volume work by Jan Amos Comenius was created. The book is called The Great Didactics. Throughout his life, Comenius carried the idea of "pansophia." This definition means universal, great knowledge. The Thinker believed that all the ills of mankind are from ignorance. He sought to spread knowledge and teaching everywhere.
Jan Comenius developed a four-stage school system. The teacher opened his schools. He drew attention to the difference in the abilities and foundation of the inherent knowledge, morality in students. He drew an analogy with plants: initially no one planted weeds, they grow themselves. Cultivated plants, Comenius said, need special care. The same goes for children. From early childhood, it is necessary to lay in the person the moral values and wisdom of the ancestors. Contemporaries of Jan Asmos did not differ in special care about this component of children's development. Therefore, based on the abilities and the material embedded in children, the school education system in its institutions had four options - for each type of temperament and intelligence of students. The teacher cited the ripening of apples in orchards as an example: later, medium and early. The basis of education according to the method of Comenius was morality and strict adherence to the training plan. In the early stages, for scientists, educational psychology had many shortcomings.
The author of the method draws attention to the fact that the foundations of the worldview must be laid in the parental home. The development of this knowledge and its complement falls on the shoulders of the school teacher. At home with a child, you need to read a lot to him aloud and teach yourself to master literature.
Teaching of Jan Comenius
The author of the methodology presented certain requirements for teachers in his schools:
1. A teacher needs to treat children with kindness and love.
2. The teacher should not be aggressive and angry with the students.
3. The teacher educates students in morality and is itself a model of it.
4. The teacher with his whole being expresses calmness and confidence.
5. The teacher is an expert in his subject so as to have the right to teach it to other people.
6. The teacher throughout his teaching practice develops his mind and continues to learn new things.
Comenius also drew attention to the fact that there is a view of students who have poor perception of material in connection with meager mental abilities. The teacher strongly recommended continuing to work with them, he believed that, like some varieties of apples that do not bear fruit annually, training will bear fruit over time.
The ideal result according to the Comenius method is the ability of a student to make decisions independently, guided exclusively by his own mind.
Comenius recommended not to overload the child with activities, this can bring the opposite result. The lack of a natural desire to learn is something that can be avoided if the load is given to the child evenly and methodically. The task of the teacher is to awaken in the student a love of knowledge.
The founder of Russian pedagogical psychology P.F.Kapterev wrote about the Comenius theory:
“... Comenius didactics are characterized by very significant flaws: this is the didactics of the method, presented in the form of some kind of external mechanical tool; in this didactics there is still no talk about the development of students' abilities by teaching; ... Komensky’s didactics lack psychology
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The name of this scientist is also associated with the first stage in the formation of educational psychology before the advent of science in Russia. The thinker noted that the arts and sciences have become subject to human passions. He sought to reveal and preserve the natural qualities of the human person. I paid tribute to the educational process. In 1762 his work "Emil, or On Education" was published. Russo is happy for the theory of upbringing in natural conditions. The process should not be influenced by religion. Education, according to Rousseau, happens from nature (inherent abilities), from people (help in developing these abilities) and from things (personal experience on which a person learns). The scientist draws the attention of contemporaries to the sensory perception of the world by a child. This view of education has become revolutionary, since no one has thought about this side of pedagogy. Rousseau was the first to speak of building a student’s worldview according to his characteristics and abilities. The purpose of education is to create a person, not a good Christian. The teacher urged to respect the interests of the student, to develop his natural abilities, to pay attention to the inclinations. He drew attention to the importance of monitoring the activities of the child, and not to indulging his whims. It is important to guide the student in the right direction, to interest and promote the initiative of independent development. He particularly emphasized the formation of skills for work, which he considered the main one.
According to Rousseau, there are four stages of raising a child:
- Up to two years. The emphasis is on physical education.
- From 2 to 12. Sensual education.
- From 12 to 15. Mental.
- From the age of 15 - the moral component of the educational process
Interestingly, in the second, sensual period, Rousseau recommended to refrain from reading books to a child. He must learn independently, experimentally study the world around him. Books give a misconception and force to take on faith the opinion of the authors. At the third stage, the position of the teacher should strive for answers to students' questions. In the moral component of education, the student must possess goodwill, a humane attitude to society and compassion. Rousseau assigned an important role to the study of history as an example of interpersonal relationships and the proper construction of interaction between people.
Johann Pestalozzi
A significant contribution to the first stage of the formation of educational psychology was made by this Swiss scientist. Its activity falls on the end of the XVII - the beginning of the XVIII centuries. He became known as the defender of the oppressed.
Pestalozzi, inspired by the ideas of Rousseau, is developing a system of education based on the development of abilities in each student and strict discipline. Begins to educate the poor and orphans. Creates the scientific work "Lingard and Gertrude", which brought him world fame. The author teaches the child to instill a sense of compassion, a friendly attitude towards others. Pestalozzi sought to organize training and develop work skills in children at the same time. The basis of the principles of the teacher was the method of study and observation. The gradual accumulation of experience by the student forms the following conclusions. It is better to study new material in parts and then proceed to generalization. Visual study and visual teaching form the foundation for the development of speech and thinking. The educational process should take place with a minimum amount of verbal information, so that empty words do not distract students from cognition. The teacher’s speech should be capacious, but concise. The purpose of the teacher is to contribute to the mental development of students.
Pestalozzi became the founder of the experimental study of children and their upbringing. According to the scientist, the development of the child should be:
1. Mental. The teacher is obliged to cultivate the ability to independent inference and critical thinking.
2. Moral. The ability to empathize, to have self-esteem.
3. Holistic. The student is able to isolate the most important from the rest and develop abilities.
4. Physical. A person is able to maintain physical fitness and health.
5. Labor. Skills and skills that contribute to a developed lifestyle in society.
The main contribution of Pestalozzi to the foundations of the development of educational psychology was the desire to stimulate the skills of self-development in children, the ability to think rationally. The student must develop logic and the ability to briefly and succinctly express their own thoughts. To train these skills, Henry Pestalozzi developed a system of exercises that stimulate brain activity and the desire for work.
Kapterev’s opinion on the Pestalozzi theory at the first stage of the formation of educational psychology is given below:
"Pestalozzi understood all learning as a matter of creativity of the student himself, all knowledge as the development of activity from within, as acts of amateur activity, self-development."
“... the exaggeration by him (Pestalozzi) of the influence of the method in teaching and a certain inclination towards the mechanization of school methods and teaching methods are obvious. The living personality of the teacher as a prominent factor in the school is not yet understood. In general, the psychological side of the educational process, its foundations, private paths and forms developed by Pestalozzi is very insufficient. "
Johann Friedrich Herbart
One of the followers of the genius Pestalozzi. Born and led activities in Germany in the late XVIII - early XIX century. At the first stage of the formation of educational psychology, this scientist finalized the works of Heinrich Pestalozzi. He believed that the sensory perception of the world is not the main thing. Exact sciences should be introduced into education, and their studies should be based on moral teaching. Specific judgments, in his opinion, help to create a more holistic picture of the world. The theory is based on the idea that the main ability of a human being is the ability to interact with the outside world and receive information from outside. Man easily adapts to the world around him. Education tempers character and forms moral content.
Herbart cried out for emphasizing moral education. The main goal of pedagogy is the consolidation of ethical and moral norms, the development of willpower and beliefs. Johann Herbart became the founder of the theory of education education. He believed that the dry provision of information to students does not provide the necessary fruits, they are not able to independently realize the material world without experimental study. The teacher has a duty to recognize the character of the student and his tendency and, based on this knowledge, provide information. Then the student himself will strive for knowledge, so good will and a moral character will be formed. Herbart drew attention to the need for strict discipline. It is necessary to calm the playfulness of the student so that he is able to perceive and absorb information. Limiting the child's free time contributes to this goal. The teacher’s task is to find the good in the character of the child. This should be relied upon in training. If discipline is not respected, punishments are allowed. Herbart's punishment system was used in German and Russian schools.
PF Kapterev wrote about Johann Herbart:
“... Herbart's didactics have significant advantages: it gives a psychological analysis of the pedagogical method, it seriously raises the extremely important question of the interest of teaching, it inextricably links education and upbringing. Herbert’s didactic shortcomings include its one-sided intellectualism and insufficient development of some issues, for example, about the interests of students ”
Friedrich Adolf Disterweg
The son of a lawyer, a future prominent scholar of the mid-19th century, he studied at a regular school. This education, as he later said, gave him nothing but unpleasant memories. In his youth, when he entered the university, he got acquainted with the works of Comenius and Pestalozzi. Their theories left their mark and became the foundation of all the activities of the scientist. Disterweg at the first stage of development of educational psychology is called the mentor of German teachers. He created an annual almanac with a pedagogical theme.
Disterweg was the first to speak openly about the separation of church and school. He supported the idea of creating a single school in which children could study, regardless of class and religion. Dysterweg distinguishes three age groups of students according to the type of perception of education:
- 6-9 years old. Sensory perception is developed, training successfully passes through fairy tales and in a playful way. The teacher should focus on the sensory perception of the world.
- 9-14 years old. The experience of cognition has already been accumulated and the ability to analyze, compare and draw conclusions appears.
- 14-16 years old. The task of the teacher is to instill moral standards, principles that will eventually become the beliefs of an adult.
The merit of Disterweg is that he began to develop the abilities of students, in contrast to the scientists described above, who did not consider such an opportunity.
The principles of the Dysterweg theory are as follows:
1. Consistency. In a child, qualities inherent in nature should be developed.
2. Cultural compatibility. Parenting contains the cultural level achieved by society.
3. Amateur activities. The child develops the ability to think independently, take initiative. This contributes to the further effective activity of the individual.
The teacher identified four groups of didactic rules for educational institutions. In the first group - the rules, where the main role is played by the student. Education is built taking into account individual abilities, psychological and physical development of the student. In the second group, the rules for presenting educational material are indicated. The third group of rules refers to the external environment surrounding the student, the time and place of training, the sociocultural component. The fourth group is about what a teacher should be like. Disterweg believed that the entire education system depends on the abilities of the teacher. He insisted that the teacher should provoke a cognitive tendency in the student, and not just present the material. The student should strive to analyze and draw conclusions.
Kapterev wrote about the teachings of Disterweg:
“... many of Dyterweg’s didactic provisions, in terms of their clarity, certainty, conciseness, and at the same time pedagogical practicality and intelligibility, despite the lack of depth and novelty, were included in didactics textbooks and became provisions of everyday pedagogical practice”
Konstantin Dmitrievich Ushinsky
This scientist became the founder of pedagogical scientific psychology in Russia at the end of the 19th century. The basis of his theory was the study of man, both psycho-emotional and anatomical, and physical.The scientist believed that in Russia, education and upbringing must be built in accordance with national characteristics and traditions. K.D.Ushinsky advocated the introduction of female education on a par with male education. It should be based on national interests, taking into account the characteristics of the language, geographical location and climatic conditions. Awareness of the unity of the nation is the key to the manifestation of industriousness, humanity. Education, in his opinion, should be inseparable from practice, labor is the main engine of progress.
Petr Fedorovich Kapterev
His activity came at the end of the XIX - beginning of the XX century. P.F. Kapterev became the first teacher to publish articles on educational psychology in Russia. It was after these articles that pedagogical psychology emerged as a separate area of pedagogical activity.
Kapterev considered the first three to be the most important years of the child’s development. During these years, the emotional and psychological foundation of a person’s character is laid. The first and main stage in the development of educational psychology in Russia was marked by an active discussion of the formation of kindergartens. Peter Fedorovich was an ardent supporter of this idea. He betrayed great importance in the formation of personality in partnership in children's games. In kindergartens there is no place for coercion to template behavior, the child is given complete freedom of action. The school must accustom to mental work, shape the worldview and educate character. At the same time, the role of parenting does not decrease. Peter Fedorovich drew attention to the manifestation of the child’s abilities in early childhood. It is they who leave their imprint on the character and talents of the child in the future.
Kapterev’s name is associated with all the main stages in the formation of educational psychology in Russia. Education began to be based not on a simple transfer of knowledge. Understanding and developing the child’s natural talents has become an important step in the formation of a new pedagogical system.
findings
The history of educational psychology dates back several centuries. The first, general didactic stage in the development of educational psychology is the longest. He opened a new round of development of pedagogy, taking into account the abilities of the student, the ability to influence the development of talents. The teacher becomes not just a person presenting knowledge, but a psychologist, exploring character, looking for an approach to each student. New educational systems, avoiding physical punishments are being developed. Education is becoming accessible to all classes and sexes. Books on educational psychology from the mid-17th century to the present have undergone a lot of changes. The shortcomings of the initial theories were finalized and new, psychologically sound methods were put forward. P.F. Kapterev made a significant contribution to Russian educational psychology. The child is placed at the center of the entire educational system. Special attention is paid to the development of memory, imagination, thinking, Russian speech and morality. The teacher is inextricably linked with the student, but his role is changing. From a locomotive pulling a student behind him, he turns into a mentor who helps the development of the child and guides him.