Psychology of Learning

Code:

P104

Acronym:

PA

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Psychology

Instance: 2018/2019 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://sigarra.up.pt/fpceup/pt/conteudos_adm.list?pct_pag_id=1009119&pct_parametros=pv_ocorrencia_id=406003&pct_grupo=13579#13579
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master Psychology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIPSI	187	Official Curricular Structure	1	-	6	54	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Students should be able to: (1) know the major basic learning mechanisms; (2) understand and discuss the various learning types and major theories and models; (3) outline some of the major literature references and communicate information about this area; (4) attend as subjects in small experiments and demonstrations in order to integrate knowledge and skills.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of the course, students should be able to: (1) know and understand basic and complex learning mechanisms; (2) describe and explain the various learning types and major theories and models; (3) apply the acquired knowledge to practical situations, such as school learning in university settings; (4) analyse, write and communicate information about learning in order to integrate information and skills. 

Working method

B-learning

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

n/a

Program

(1) Brain, mind, cognition and learning: Interdependence with other cognitive processes.
(2) Learning: Beliefs about the scope of learning; Behaviorist and cognitive definitions; Main types and models of learning.
(3) Habituation: Stimuli familiarization mechanisms, permanence and explanatory factors.
(4) Classical conditioning (CC): Pavlov pioneering studies; pavlovian learning processes; Watson’s studies of emotional learning; Recent studies of CC; Rescorla-Wagner model; General explanations of the CC.
(5) Operant conditioning (OC): Thorndike and Skinner’s pioneering studies; Experimental studies and types of OC; Reinforcement: Types and explanations; Reinforcement and punishment; Shaping; OC applications to clinical and education.
(6) Verbal learning (VL): Ebbinghaus and Bartlett’s pioneering studies; VL types and measures; Cognitive revolution, VL and its relationship with human memory.
(7) Learning concepts and categories; Discriminative perception, categorization and thinking; Classical and prototype categorization models; Measures of categorization.
(8) Other theories of learning: learning studies and explanations according to the gestalt system; learning by observation and imitation; learning by interaction, learning through stages.
(9) School Learning (SL): Analysis of cognitive processes of organization, depth of processing, prior knowledge and meta-cognitive skills.

Mandatory literature

Pinto Amâncio da Costa; Psicologia da aprendizagem e memória. ISBN: 978-989-8148-80-3
Bransford John D. 340; How people learn. ISBN: 0-309-07036-8
Anderson John R.; Learning and memory. ISBN: ISBN 0-471-24925-4

Complementary Bibliography

Winfred F. Hill; Learning: A survey of psycological interpretations, Allyn & Bacon, 2002. ISBN: 0321056760 (FPCEUP library copy 159.953.HIL/LEA )
Mellanby, J. & Theobald, K.; Education and learning: An evidence based approach, Wiley, 2014. ISBN: 9781118483619 (FPCEUP library copy 37.015.3 MEL/EDU)

Comments from the literature

Reference to additional scientific papers and other documents will be made at the end of each lesson or chapter of the program and indicated in their briefs.

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures are tutorial and they are supported with PPTs and video clips;  Theoretical-Practical type classes include experiments, exercises and demonstrations, according to the time available for the semester.

keywords

Social sciences > Psychological sciences > Psychology > Experimental psychology
Social sciences > Psychological sciences > Cognitive science
Social sciences > Educational sciences > Learning studies
Health sciences > Neuroscience > Neuropsychology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	70,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	7,00
Estudo autónomo	90,00
Frequência das aulas	54,00
Trabalho escrito	11,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance to classes is advisable but not mandatory. Students must ensure they are active during classes and allow for its good functioning .

Calculation formula of final grade

Final grade results from the following components:

- Group work (30%)
- Final exame (70%)

All components are mandatory and a minimum of 9 in both components is required. 

Examinations or Special Assignments

Special Assignments are provided only for students with special needs who can not attend classes in whole or in part, and the required assignment can be adapted to each special case. It is also possible to provide special assignments to Erasmus students on request in the first class.

Internship work/project

n/a

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Any situation that does not allow the student to perform the assessment as it is planned should be iinformed as early as possible. In this cases a new modality of assessment will de discussed (e.g. assessment exclusively by final exam).

Classification improvement

It is possible only by final exame. The group work grade is not eligble to be improved.

Observations