Training in educational psychology at university is in some points discordant with what is observed in the professional sphere. Educational Psychology's presence in the univeristy curriculum is relatively recent and the formulation of research groups on educational issues and questions started barely a decade ago in the majority of the universities. In fact, comparing psychology curricula of different universities, one observes that educational psychology occupies a differentiated ranking in those that include it, and not all do so. Thus, for example, in some cases it appears only within the framework of doctorate programmes and in postgraduate courses; in others, it is an obligatory course for every students in Psychology; in others - such it is the case at the University of Barcelona - it is a course that only those students that choose the speciality on enrollment in school psychology must study. In other universities it is an optional course that a student of any of the specialities or options may study. In some cases - such it is the case at the University of Madrid (Complutense and Autonoma) and La Laguna - it has been turned into several courses, producing a true speciality of educational psychology.
The curriculum of some universities, starting from a basic common program for all students, introduce the possibility of choosing the beginning of a specialization. When this happens, the choices that are classically offered are those of clinical psychology, school psychology and industrial psychology. Analyzing the structure and contents of the school psychology option, one finds that the distinguishing trait is heterogeneity. In some cases, the option consists of an overview of the main theoretical and applied fields of educational psychology; in others, on the contrary, it is an amalgam of questions and issues taken from developmental psychology, life-span psychology, infantile clinical psychology and diagnostic assessment; in the majority, however, the offer is somewhere inbetween the two former extremes.
A point of interest pertains to studentsīs preferences in relation to the option of clinical, school and industrial psychology. According to most universities, the percentage of students that choose school psychology is approximately 15%, while those choosing clinical psychology is about 70%. These percentages contrast strongly with those already noted in previous studies. This means that, even accepting a wide margin of error, one finds a rather high percentage of psychologists practicing their professional actitivy in the field of educational psychology, who, however, have not received any specific training in this field, during their enrolment in the University. This is one of the most serious problems which faces school psychology in Spain at present.
It is difficult to carry out a comprehensive synthesis of the main contributions and research lines in school and educational psychology; partly, because the groups that are doing research in these fields are mostly very recent. Although they have already produced a considerable volume of work of undeniable quality and interest, they do not assess the real impact of their contributions from a more general perspective. The diversity and heterogeneity of academic and professional spheres disperse initiatives and theoretical and methodological viewpoints so that, while undisputably enriching, they offer an extremely complex general effect which is practically impossible to describe briefly.
Psychometric approaches, individual differences and behaviorism have had a strong and sometimes even predominant presence. Piaget, Wallon, Cognitive psychology, human information-processing and Vygotsky also had a paramount influence.
The influence of Piaget's and the Geneva School's theoretical viewpoints was particularly strong until the mid-eighties in some research groups, especially in the Autonomous University of Madrid, in the University of Barcelona and in the Municipal Institute of Applied Educational Research, in Barcelona. The influence of cognitive psychology and of human information-prossessing is more recent and perhaps also more difuse. There has been quite a lot of research carried out during the last decade under this theoretical perspective. Of special interest are the contributions of some groups of researchers whose work is within the framework of the so-called "instructional cognitive psychology". The most recent influence has come from the historical-cultural psychology of Vygotsky (e.g. Alvarez and Del Río, 1991).
The subjects that attract the researchers' attention and interest are of great variety. Their efforts, at first centered priority on adapting, typifying and elaborating instruments to diagnose and assess students' development and learning, have progressively spread out in many directions as a consequence of several factors. This factors include educational psychology's growing force in the university, the needs which arose from the practice of school psychology in the school support services and the widespread acceptance of theoretical and methodological frameworks already mentioned.
At the same time, increasing collaboration and exchange between Spanish and foreign researchers has caused a certain symmetry of themes studied. Thus, for example, similar to other western countries, we are developing research projects on teaching and learning school contents and skills - in the areas of mathematics, natural science, social science and oral and written language -; learning difficulties in the basic subjects - reading, writing and calculus-; integrating students with physical or psychological deficiencies; refurbishing cognitive and motivational training strategies; acquiring learning strategies; acquiring and developing social skills; characteristics and schooling of gifted children; interaction among peers and its repercussion on learning and development; teacher-student and adult-child interaction; parents' ideas about their children's education and development; etc.
A number of these studies have been published in general psychology journals, including Revista de Psicología General y Aplicada and the Anuario de Psicología. Other psychological journals that occasionally include school and educational psychology-related studies are: Análisis y Modificación de Conducta, Boletín de Psicología, Psicológica, Estudios de Psicología, Cuadernos de Psicología, Evaluación Psicológica and Papeles del Psicólogo. Contributions from school and educational psychologists frequently appear in pedagogical journals mainly directed at teachers, such as Cuadernos de Pedagogía, Investigación en la Escuela, or Revista de Educación. Recently, two new journals with the aim of reporting on advances in this field have appeared; they are Comunicación, Lenguaje y Educación, and the Revista de Psicología de la Educación.
None of the previously mentioned journals, excepting the last one, as yet not well-known, are publications specialized in school or educational psychology. This absence reflects the diversity and heterogeneity - of professional profiles, theoretical frameworks and methodologies. Perhaps the only specialized journal is Infancia y Aprendizaje. Since its appearance, in 1978, it has played a decisive role in the configuration of school psychology and educational psychology in Spain, introducing new theoretical and methodological approaches. It has attempted to bring together developmental, learning and educational psychology with research and practice. However the journal has not completely managed to achieve its goal of becoming the discussion and exchange organ of all Spanish school and educational psychologists - due, among other reasons, to its independence.
JOSÉ RAMÓN CORREAS GONZALEZ
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LAST UPDATED Sunday 6 de August de 1995 - -