A Guide to Teaching Introductory Psychology focuses on the critical aspects of teaching introductory psychology to undergraduate students. It includes ideas, tips, and strategies for effectively teaching this course and provides useful answers to commonly asked questions. A concise and accessible guide to teaching introductory courses in Psychology Begins with an orienting history of the course· Evaluates current trends in teaching and offers suggestions for developing personal techniques Addresses a number of relevant issues, including how to teach difficult topics; linking course content to everyday experience; developing and using class presentations, lectures, and active learning ideas; and increasing interest in course topics Supported by a website that provides links to useful websites and handouts that instructors can use in their classes (http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/teachpsychscience/lucas/)
Like its predecessors, Volume III of the Handbook for Teaching Introductory Psychology provides introductory psychology instructors with teaching ideas and activities that can immediately be put into practice in the classroom. It contains an organized collection of articles from Teaching of Psychology (TOP), the official journal of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, Division 2 of the American Psychological Association. Volume III contains 89 articles from TOP that have not been included in other volumes. Another distinction between this volume and its predecessors is its emphasis on testing and assessment. The book is divided into two sections. Section One, "Issues and Approaches in Teaching Introductory Psychology," contains 52 articles on critical issues, such as: how to approach the course; understanding students' interests, perceptions, and motives; students' existing knowledge of psychology (including their misconceptions); a comparison of introductory textbooks and tips on how to evaluate them; test questions and student factors affecting exam performance; an overview of different forms of feedback; giving extra credit; and how to deal with academic dishonesty. Section Two consists of 37 articles that present demonstrations, class and laboratory projects, and other techniques to enhance teaching and learning in both the introductory, as well as advanced courses in the discipline. This section is organized so as to parallel the order of topics found in most introductory psychology textbooks. Intended for academicians who teach the introductory psychology course and/or oversee grad assistants who teach the course, all royalties of the book go directly to the Society for the Teaching of Psychology to promote its activities to further improve the teaching of psychology.
This new book provides a scholarly, yet practical approach to the challenges found in teaching introductory psychology: developing the course and assessing student performance; selecting which topics to cover and in how much depth; the effective use of t
Part of the Blackwell Series on Teaching Psychological Science, this practical, hands-on guide shares ideas, tips, and strategies for effectively teaching lifespan developmental psychology to undergraduates. Provides a unique wealth of concrete suggestions and a clear roadmap for successfully teaching developmental psychology Links chapters to major areas of a lifespan development course, including Research Methods, Teaching Infant Development, and Teaching Adolescent Development Offers practical, hands-on tips for novice teachers and experienced instructors alike Includes sample syllabi and lecture outlines, reading quizzes, critical thinking assignments, and references for helpful videotapes and websites
The International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching is a reference work for psychology learning and teaching worldwide that takes a multi-faceted approach and includes national, international, and intercultural perspectives. Whether readers are interested in the basics of how and what to teach, in training psychology teachers, in taking steps to improve their own teaching, or in planning or implementing research on psychology learning and teaching, this handbook will provide an excellent place to start. Chapters address ideas, issues, and innovations in the teaching of all psychology courses, whether offered in psychology programs or as part of curricula in other disciplines. The book also presents reviews of relevant literature and best practices related to everything from the basics of course organization to the use of teaching technology. Three major sections consisting of several chapters each address “Teaching Psychology in Tertiary (Higher) Education”, “Psychology Learning and Teaching for All Audiences”, and “General Educational and Instructional Approaches to Psychology Learning and Teaching”.
A Guide to Teaching Statistics: Innovations and BestPractices addresses the critical aspects of teaching statisticsto undergraduate students, acting as an invaluable tool for bothnovice and seasoned teachers of statistics. Guidance on textbook selection, syllabus construction, andcourse outline Classroom exercises, computer applications, and Internetresources designed to promote active learning Tips for incorporating real data into course content Recommendations on integrating ethics and diversity topics intostatistics education Strategies to assess student's statistical literacy, thinking,and reasoning skills Additional material online at ahref="http://www.teachstats.org/"www.teachstats.org/a
This ground-breaking book is the first to address the learning andteaching issues associated with psychology in Higher Education inthe UK and Europe Presents effective, evidence-based practice and advice for bothexperienced and new lecturers Covers challenging areas of psychology teaching, such asresearch methods and statistics, supervision of research projectsand management of online learning Relevant for European Universities aligning with the BolognaDeclaration
Most new psychology instructors enter their first undergraduate classrooms with little or no formal preparation for their role as a teacher. The goal of this book is to review the body of teaching research that is available as well as some of the well-accepted lore, so as to make the first foray into teaching psychology a positive experience. Teaching Psychology outlines the major problems and issues confronting psychology teachers. It presents an overview of the "nuts and bolts" of teaching psychology including dealing with troubled and troubling students, choosing and using technology, developing evaluation instruments, and selecting methods for self-evaluation. Written by two award-winning psychology professors with over 50 years of combined teaching experience, the book offers a wide range of down-to-earth suggestions and immediately usable materials intended to help psychology teachers teach better and help students learn more. The chapters are organized to roughly parallel the sequence of tasks that new psychology teachers face, beginning with goal setting and ending with evaluation of one's teaching. Each chapter is chockfull of helpful tools including checklists, sample lecture notes, writing assignments, and grading criteria. To make it easier to customize this material, these tools are available on an accompanying CD along with a rating sheet for choosing a textbook, a student grade-record sheet, a sample statement on academic integrity and a pool of less-than-perfect test items to hone item-writing skills. This book offers guidelines for teaching such as: setting goals in line with 10 basic principles of effective teaching planning the basics including choosing a text, writing a syllabus, and creating a grading system setting a positive tone in the classroom providing tips on asking and answering questions, promoting critical thinking, and evaluating student performance. Intended for psychology graduate students who are learning to teach, faculty who train psychology instructors, and new psychology faculty at institutions ranging from high schools to universities, as well as experienced faculty wishing to hone their teaching skills.
Introductory and capstone experiences in the undergraduate psychology program are crucial ways to engage students in their major and psychology department, impart realistic expectations, and prepare them for life beyond college. Providing the right orientation and capstone courses in psychology education is increasingly a concern of instructors, department chairs, program directors, and deans, and both types of courses have become important sources for gathering pre- and post-coursework assessment data for degree learning outcomes. The strategies presented here have been designed to help educators examine issues around teaching the introductory or careers course and developing a psychology-specific orientation program. The authors also provide concrete suggestions for building capstone experiences designed to fit the needs of a department, its pedagogical philosophy, or the educational agenda of the college or university. Undergraduate psychology curriculum designers and instructors can benefit from learning innovative and effective strategies for introducing the major to first-year students and, at graduation, for bringing closure, reinforcing the overall departmental learning outcomes, and helping students apply their disciplinary knowledge in capstone experiences and post-graduate life. In this collection of articles, psychology instructors involved in the improvement of teaching and learning review the research and share their own successes and challenges in the classroom. Discussions include effective practices for helping students become acclimated to and engaged in the psychology major, application of developmental knowledge and learning communities to course design, and use of quality benchmarks to improve introductory and capstone courses. Other chapters describe innovations in the design of stand-alone courses and offer concrete advice on counseling psychology graduates about how to use what they have learned beyond their higher education experiences.
This volume provides thoroughly updated guidelines for preparing and teaching an entire course in psychology. Based on best principles and effective psychological and pedagogical research, it offers practical suggestions for planning a course, choosing teaching methods, integrating technology appropriately and effectively, developing student evaluation instruments and programs, and ideas for evaluation of your own teaching effectiveness. While research-based, this book was developed to be a basic outline of "what to do" when you teach. It is intended as a self-help guide for relatively inexperienced psychology teachers, whether graduate students or new faculty, but also as a core reading assignment for those who train psychology instructors. Experienced faculty who wish to hone their teaching skills will find the book useful, too.
