Educational Psychology

Case Study

Alisha is a 22-year-old mother of a two-year-old girl named Sophie. Alisha was married at 19 and had her daughter when she was 20. Alisha’s husband, her high school sweetheart, was killed in a car accident 11 months ago. Alicia lives alone with her daughter, but does have family nearby to babysit while Alisha works and attends classes at a community college. She is in the second semester of her freshman year. Alisha has always wanted to be nurse and decided to pursue her degree after her husband died. She wants a better life for herself, and wants to set a good example for Sophie. During her first semester she struggled in her classes, earning two D’s and one C. Just three weeks into this semester, Alicia is already falling behind. She finds it hard to focus on schoolwork and missed several classes when she could not find a babysitter. Her English Composition instructor called Alicia when he discovered that she submitted a paper that had been submitted by another student the previous semester. During the conversation, Alisha admitted that she had plagiarized because she was feeling overwhelmed and was not prepared for the challenges of school. During the conversation, she began to cry and said, “I didn’t know it would be this hard. I feel like such a failure for my daughter, and I miss my husband.” She told her professor that she was going to call an academic counselor and drop out. The instructor believes that Alisha is fully capable but is having a rough time adjusting to all the changes in her life. He is thinking about how to work with the counselor and other campus support services to help Alisha and keep her from withdrawing.

In this course project, you will apply educational psychology theories to a case study. Click Launch Presentation to view the case studies. After selecting a case study, examine the facts presented in the scenario. Once you have gathered this preliminary information, identify one or more learning theories that are relevant to understanding the case, then seek relevant scholarly research to guide your understanding of the case. Based on what you know about learning theory, principles, and concepts, combine the case facts and information, theory, and research findings to help guide you in your discussion of the case.

Launch Presentation | Transcript

Questions to ask yourself as you review the case scenario:

·       

What are the concerns that the learner is experiencing?

·        Who would be able to provide information about the learner?

·        What learning theories might help in understanding what is happening with the learner?

·        Is this learner more intrinsically or extrinsically motivated for the learning task?

·        How can intrinsic motivation be encouraged?

·        Are there ethics that have to be considered in this case?

·        What ethical standards might apply in the case?

To successfully complete this project, you will be expected to:

1.   

Discuss how the theory is or theories are relevant for the case.

2.   

Identify and read two scholarly research articles that are relevant, that will help in understanding the case, and that will support the theory or theories you have chosen.

3.   

Discuss any ethics related to the case and identify ethical standards relevant to the case.

4.   

Fulfill the project objectives listed below.

Project Objectives

To successfully complete this project, you will be expected to:

1.    Discuss the behavioral and contextual factors relevant to understanding the case.

2.    Apply major theories, such as behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist approaches to support case conceptualization.

3.    Apply findings from a minimum of two scholarly research articles to support case conceptualization.

4.    Explain the relevance of specific ethical standards to the case.

5.   
Conclude how intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors for the client are relevant to the case.

6.   
Use well-developed written communication.

7.   
Successfully implement APA style.

Project Components

20%

Project Requirements

To achieve a successful project experience and outcome, you are expected to meet the following requirements.

·        Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.

·        APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA (6th edition) style and formatting.

·        Number of resources: A minimum of four credible sources of information is required, distributed as follows:

o   

Two research studies.

o    Minimum of one reliable source of information to describe the theory or theories being applied.

o    Minimum one source to address issues of ethics.

·        Length of paper: 4–5 typed, double-spaced pages, not including the title page or references.

·        Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12-point.

·        Submit your paper to Turnitin.

·        Submit your paper to the assignment area for grading.