The course is to enable students gain computer knowledge to complete their thesis and oral examination. It is also, to equip students with skills in ICT that they may need to teach in their various areas of specialization. The course is intended to equip students with computer literacy to help them improve in the presentation and teaching of Home Economics Education. Data management tools such as MS Excel and MS Access as well as Presentation tool such as Power Point would be explored.

The course provides extensive coverage of key theories ranging from the psychoanalytic and humanistic to behaviourist and trait theories, biological and socio-cultural factors that interactively influence personality development and their concomitant adjustment and maladjusted tendencies are examined. Major therapeutic techniques for correcting maladjustment as well as current research findings in the area will also be discussed.

The course is designed to examine the various factors that influence cognitive development. Theories and processes of cognitive development are discussed. Contemporary research findings on cognitive development from childhood through adulthood are examined and their implications for educational practice are assessed.

An elementary knowledge of statistics, including the use of SPSS is required for this course. The focus of the course is the application of statistical methods to educational problems. Emphasis is on the normal, t, chi-square and F distribution. Hypothesis testing and one-way analysis of variance will be treated.

This course examines both theoretical and practical issues in students’ assessment. It discusses the nature and relevance of assessment in the teaching and learning processes and examines extensively the theoretical and practical issues of validity and reliability of assessment results. Principles and guidelines for crafting various teacher-made tests and standardized tests are also discussed. Professional responsibilities, appropriate ethical behaviour of educators in assessment as well as legal requirements in educational assessments are presented and discussed.

The course focuses on several aspects of psychological testing. It deals with historical evolution of psychological tests, identification and measurement of traits. The item design strengths and limitations, use, interpretation and adaptation to local administration and analysis of such tests are covered. Aptitude tests, intelligence tests (such as Stanford-Binet and Wechsler Intelligence Scales) and personality tests (such as Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and Myers’ Briggs Types Indicator (MBTI) are treated. For each of the tests, the construction, strengths and limitations, use, interpretation and adaptation to local conditions are discussed.

This course critically examines various theories of learning. The in-depth knowledge of the behavioural, social and cognitive learning theories will be treated. Much emphasis will be focused on information processing theories. Different dimensions of memory and memory errors will be examined. The course also considers the role of the complexity of process in cognitive development in learning. The educational implications and practical applications of the theories will equally be examined.

The course clarifies the concept of behaviour modification and its historical evolution. The identification of the steps involved follows. It applies the clinical and experimental methods, scientific approach of methodological behaviourism: Classical conditioning, operant conditioning, cognitive-social learning, among others. Counter-conditioning, fatigue, incompatible stimuli, inhibitory and disinhibitory effect, and so on, are equally treated. It further considers specific practical illustrations of common behaviour problems in the school. Ethical issues involved are also considered.

The course embarks on comprehensive analyses of the major theories of personality. It starts with a study of different dimensions of the psychoanalytic theories and motives such as neopsychoanalytic approach (analytical psychology, inter-psychic theories and psychoanalytic social psychology.) more recent trends (ego analytic psychology and human relations) are also treated. The course goes further to the study of behaviour and learning theories (experimental analysis of behaviour and social psychology theories); dispositional theories (trait theories and temperament; factor analytic theories , theories, biological traits); self-theory and cognition (personal construct, cognitive behavioural theories); humanistic/existential theories (humanism and existential psychologises) and social context-situation ( social structure and culture). The implications to their therapeutic practices as well as their educational implications will be examined.

The course surveys the nature of normal affective development and possible assessment procedure including resolution of any deviation. Emphasis will be on educational implications such as in moral development, attitudes, values, empathy, self-esteem and locus of control. 

The conceptualization of processes through which individuals and groups relate to each other will be explored. It provides a highly personalized professional development experience. Various technique facilitating learning about self and interpersonal processes are examined.