 Examine motivation and engagement in young children utilising contemporary educational psychology. In particular address, Engagement and motivation Critique Discovery Learning and Direct instruction...

Running Head: CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY            1
CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY                    9
CONTEMPORARY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
Table of Contents
Introduction    3
Contemporary Educational Psychology    3
Constructivism Approach    3
Emergent Approach    4
Strength Based Approach    4
Child-Led Approach    4
Adult Led Approach    5
Integrated Approach    5
Play-Based Approach    5
Discovery Learning and Direct Instruction Approaches    5
Information Processing, Attention and Memory    6
The Role of Prior Experience    7
The Impact of Social Processes    7
Teacher, Learner and Environment Relationship    7
Learner and Environment Characteristics    8
Implication for Teacher Practices    9
Conclusion    10
References    11
Introduction
Engagement can be defined as being involved with a work and completing it with interest. Motivation on the other hand, is the driving force, which helps to achieve the completion of the work needed to be done. Both engagement and motivation are related to each other, as a work cannot be completed without self-involvement, which is provided by either intrinsic or extrinsic motivation.
The development of motivation is highly important for children who are in their early learning state. For such children, motivation can be increased by developing an atmosphere of reading and different learning styles, making the child feel important by valuing his0her views, encouraging communication and showing interest towards learning, to increase the engagement of the child with any learning activity.
Such interests can be increased with activity-based learning in both indoor and outdoor environments. The outdoor environment is mainly used for practical based learning where the child is motivated to question the environmental processes and interact with the social processes through several activities of the learner’s or the teacher’s choice.
Contemporary Educational Psychology
Motivation and engagement in young children can be examined by the contemporary educational psychology. This concept includes different approaches to examine a child’s motivation and engagement. These are:
Constructivism Approach
This is an approach, which believes the learning stays in human mind only for a certain time but the application of it in the real world can help the child in gathering knowledge. As mentioned by Cooperstein and Kocevar‐Weidinger (2004), the constructivist approach deals with experience developed into knowledge. Hence, this psychological approach engages the child to create real world experiences through practical application of the learning, which gives them the motivation to engage with the activity gaining knowledge about the subject.
Emergent Approach
This approach deals with the teacher planning the activities and projects according to the child’s interest, which will help them in engagement with the process and provide them motivation towards learning. For example, teachers can plan bird watching activities to ease out the process of identifying the birds by young children.
As mentioned by Bertran, Segura, Duval and Isbister (2019), several innovative play designs are developed to increase the emergent approach of teaching and learning by the young children. These designs are visually attractive and engage the child until the learning is complete.
Strength Based Approach
This approach deals with the strength of every child on the area of learning and designing an individual plan of teaching for them. When the child can solve the problem according to their strength, they will be highly motivated to be engaged with the activity of learning they are provided with. According to Jalala, Latifoglu and Uzunboylu (2020), different child has a different interest in learning areas. Learning designs must be developed according to such interests to keep them motivated and engaged with the learning process.
Child-Led Approach
This approach is towards education, which includes the interest of the child and they are given the opportunity to choose their own activity, which they want to perform. According to Sau, Phuong and Hoi (2020), child-led approach helps in the education system of the kindergartens as the children can decide what activity to complete of their own choice. This helps in growing the concept with proper engagement and motivation.
Adult Led Approach
This approach deals with the planning of activities for the children by the adults who can be either instructors, teachers, or parents and guide the child throughout the activity. The guidance in the activity often motivates the child in engagement with the activity but often they lose interest if the activity is not of their own choice.
Integrated Approach
This approach includes the children to enact with their social and physical environment containing both theoretical and field-based learning. This grows a power to connect with the elements of the environment and motivates them towards learning practices.
As mentioned by McMurray (2020), this approach...