An academic’s primary responsibility, especially of those serving in universities, is to remain aware of growth and development. There is an utmost need to know, understand and implement how knowledge may be transformed to shape and groom students’ personalities. To accomplish this, a proper understanding of educational psychology is a must.
Education psychology helps a teacher evaluate whether the purpose of teaching and learning in a classroom has been achieved. It also helps to understand situational factors. These include managing the classroom environment, using modern teaching methods, and maintaining discipline. Moreover, the role of educational psychology is highly significant for developing effective and updated curricula and evaluation techniques. In higher education institutions in Pakistan, one primary criterion for getting a position in the faculty is to have the pre-requisite qualification, a thorough knowledge of the subject, and an excellent research record. No one asks a teacher whether they know how to handle students.
University administrations believe that a good researcher is a good teacher and vice versa. However, in many cases, this proves to be wrong. Even with excellent skills in delivering lectures and communicating concepts, teachers sometimes find it difficult to handle the classroom. It is, therefore, essential that training in educational psychology be made compulsory for the faculty in every field of study.
ABRAIZ H SHAH
LAHORE
