T-405 Social Dimensions of Teaching and Learning
Hunter Gehlbach
Educators face a myriad of decisions regarding the social aspects of learning environments on a daily basis. Should a teacher call on Jane Doe who has her hand up or her brother John, who is sitting quietly staring out the window? Should a curriculum designer develop collaborative activities for students, or will that result in the “smart kids” ending up doing all the work? By themselves, these decisions may seem unimportant, but in aggregate, they exert a potent impact on the educational climate. A wealth of research from social and educational psychology speaks to these social aspects of educational settings. Unfortunately, few educators are exposed to this work. The goal of this course is to provide that exposure to teachers, administrators, and researchers. The course will examine four areas: perceiving one’s self; perceiving others; motivating the self and others (i.e., attempts to motivate yourself versus attempts to motivate others); and interpersonal relationships. The learning environments examined will focus primarily on school settings and will extend to the contexts of interests of students in the class. Newcomers to psychology are welcome, although some background in the field will be beneficial.
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