www.bps.org.uk
The BPS and predegree psychology
Gerry Mulhern FBPsS
BPS President
This session
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What do pre-degree psychology
teachers know about the British
Psychological Society?
What does the Society already do
for pre-degree teachers and
students?
What more should we do?
About the Society
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Learned Society and Professional
Body
2nd largest in the world
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circa 50,000 members
circa 130 staff
circa 9,000 student subscribers
2nd oldest
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Founded 1901
Questions
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What is/are the greatest
challenge(s) facing you as a teacher
of pre-degree psychology?
In an ideal world, what would you
change?
“If you could change aspects of
the course, what would you do?”
(Maras & Bradshaw, 2007)
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more contact teaching time
reduce the content of the syllabus
allow a longer teaching period
make the course less assessment
focused
emphasise the research and
practical nature of psychology
Issue 1:
Why do relatively few pupils
study A-level psychology in NI?
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Vicious circle:
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prior psychology qualifications
generally ignored by university
admissions services
Issue 2:
Psychology as a Science A-level
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QCA and Ofsted have reclassified
psychology as a science subject
Psychology will be reviewed in line
with other science subjects to meet
common core criteria and will be
inspected as a science
Psychology moved both intellectually
and physically into school science
departments - or has it?
Some relevant things we do as
a learned society
Recognising pre-degree teachers
and teaching
Dorothy Coombs: 2007 BPS
Award for Outstanding
Contribution to the Teaching of
Psychology
First winner outside the tertiary
sector
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Association for the
Teaching of
Psychology
Psychology Education Board
(PEB) Priorities include …
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Develop capability for teacher
networks
Excellence in Teaching Award for Alevel and Scottish Highers
Databank of good practice examples
for teachers
Teacher workshops at BPS Annual
Conference
Continue to engage with TDA over
number of PGCE courses for
psychology graduates
Standing Committee on PreTertiary Education (SCoPTE)
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Sub-committee of the Psychology
Education Board concerned with
issues relating to psychology
qualifications such as:
A Levels
Scottish Highers
Psychology Teachers in schools and
colleges
Teacher Training for Psychologists
Terms of reference include:
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Routes to qualified teacher status
Pre-tertiary curricula
Academic and scientific rigor
Enhancing teaching at pre-tertiary
level
Liaison with outside agencies
Usefulness of pre-tertiary psychology
as preparation for UG study
Usefulness of pre-tertiary psychology
qualifications in their own right
Standing Committee for
Psychology Education to Other
Groups (ScPEOG)
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Assist those who teach psychology
but do not have qualifications in the
field
Help other professions establish a
core psychology curriculum for their
training
Complementary role to SCoPTE
Division of Teachers and
Researchers in Psychology
(DTRP)
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Corresponding membership
Affiliate membership
Full membership
DTRP benefits
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The DTRP membership publication
Psychology Teaching Review
The DTRP newsletter
Reduced fees at Division events
Increased website access - including
resources bank and events listings
Joining the Society media database
Training and CPD
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BPS & National Science Learning
Centres provide some training for
psychology teachers already in post
What about your students?
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BPS student membership
Open to students taking an
undergraduate degree, A Level, AS,
A2 or Scottish Higher in Psychology
£17 p/a by DD
Student membership: Benefits
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The Psychologist house journal
Membership of the Society's Student
Members Group
PsychTalk, the quarterly magazine
with a careers focus from the SMG
Discounts on books, journals and
conference fees
Recognition of belonging to a
professional body, opportunities to
get involved, early career support
Student Members Group
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Student Members Group
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Facebook
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Comprehensive links, e.g.:
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Disabled students
Psychology Student Network (Yahoo
group)
psychWIRE
Quoteworld
BPS Research Digest
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“Unmissable read for psychology
students, teachers, lecturers or
anyone interested in what makes us
tick”
Fortnightly email
Free
Engaging round up of the latest
psychology research
More than 21,000 subscribers
For free subscription visit:
www.bps.org.uk/publications/rd/
Going forward …
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Resources
Training and professional
development
Continue to enhance the standing of
pre-tertiary psychology including
that of teachers