Journal of Studies in Education ISSN 2162-6952 2012, Vol. 2, No. 3 www.macrothink.org/jse 42 Associating Educational Psychology Theories in a Curriculum to maximise Student Participation Cecilia. K.Y Chan Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Received: April 25, 2012 Accepted: May 22, 2012 Published: August 1, 2012 doi:10.5296/jse.v2i3.1712 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/jse.v2i3.1712 Abstract Psychology has existed for a long time in the academic field of engineering education although many teachers are unaware or unfamiliar with the psychological theories and associated terms. This paper discusses how psychology is related to engineering education, from the development of the curriculum to the delivery and assessment process and how each student and teacher affiliate with one another. It pays particular attention to the development of an electrical engineering first year degree program in Ireland and presents some humanistic approaches in targeting student motivation. Keywords: Psychology, Engineering Curriculum, Student Motivation, Student Retention and Laboratory Training Psychology is the study of the thoughts and actions of individuals and groups Educational Psychology is the study of those thoughts and actions as they relate to how we teach and learn