AMERICAN
PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASSOCIATION
EDUCATION DIRECTORATE
psychology teacher networkPTN
SUMMER 2009 • VOLUME 19, ISSUE 2 • FOR TEACHERS OF INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY
Why Don’t My
Students Think
I’m Groovy?
The New “Rs” for Engaging
Millennial Learners
Christy Price, EdD
Dalton State College
R
ecently, a great deal of attention has been focused on the new
Generation Y or Millennial generation of learners born between
1981 and 1999. Although there is an abundance of available
literature describing the traits of Millennials, little has been published
on how these characteristics affect the teaching and learning process.
To better meet the needs of Millennial students, the writer of this
essay explored perceptions of Millennial learners regarding their
ideal professors and learning environments. Implications for teaching
Millennial learners are discussed.
Ask colleagues who have taught undergraduates for a decade or
more if students have changed, and they will typically respond with
a resounding, “YES!” My interest in this new breed of students was
piqued when I began to notice unrealistically high expectations of
success among my students combined with an astonishingly low level
of effort on their part. After having read the “Bible” on assessment,
Angelo and Cross’s Classroom Assessment Techniques, I began to more
regularly embed formative assessments in the courses I taught. One of
these assessments turned out to be particularly valuable. After the first
major assessment or exam, I asked students to anonymously respond
to the following four questions:
1. What did you do to prepare for the exam?
2. Considering what you did to prepare for the exam, what grade
did you expect to earn?
3. What will you do differently in preparing for the next exam?
4. Is there anything I can do to assist you in preparing for the
next exam?
In response to the first question, students offered up surprisingly
candid admissions. For example, they replied, “I read parts of the
chapter” and “I looked over my notes the night before and reviewed
during my class that meets right before.” There was the classic
commuter student response: “I looked over my notes in the car before
coming to class,” and my personal favorite, “I’m going to do much
better next time, now that I bought the book.” Now that I bought
the book! This student sat through 3 weeks of class and took the first
exam without purchasing the required text! The most astonishing part
of all of this was when these students were asked what grade they
expected to earn, they confidently listed an A or a B.
The gap that existed between students’ level of effort and
their expectation of success was only one of many Generation Y or
Millennial issues thwarting my efforts to change the world through
molding young minds, so I did what any other self-respecting teacher
of psychology would do: I expressed my negative emotions through
interpretive dance and went to the literature!
(continued on page 3)
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INSIDE
Helping Students Value All Areas of Psychology...........................................................................................6
Using Visual Organizers to Present and Understand History…in Psychology......................8
Assessing Student Change as an Outcome........................................................................................................10
Professional Development Through AP Psychology.................................................................................13
News From the APA Center for Psychology in Schools..........................................................................15
Recalibrating Your Teaching.......................................................................................................................................16
Annual APA/Clark University Workshop Held.................................................................................................19
Announcements
TOPSS Congratulates Recipients...................................................................................................................................5
Claremont Graduate University Offers Free Videos....................................................................................10
E-Project Contest Winners.............................................................................................................................................14
Announcing the 11th Annual Mid-Atlantic Teaching.............................................................................17
Press Release: William Buskist..........................................................................................................................................18
2009 TOPSS Essay Competition Winners.....................................................................................................................19
More Than 1,500 Students Complete at Intel.....................................................................................................20
Announcing the 2009 Best Practices Conference........................................................................................20
STP ANnounces Teaching Excellence.....................................................................................................................21
National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology................................................................................21
Upcoming Fall Conferences..........................................................................................................................................21
(continued from page 1)
In my search, I discovered a wealth of information
describing the characteristics of Generation Y Millennials
(born between 1981 and 1999) and their hovering
parents. Howe & Strauss (2007) described Millennials as
wanted children who grew up central to their parents’
sense of purpose. They have often been sheltered by
helicopter parents, a practice that tends to extend the
students’ adolescence and delay their development
of independence. At the same time, they have been
overscheduled with extracurricular activities for most of
their childhood, leaving them feeling pressured to achieve
and sometimes unable to focus on one task at a time. In
her book Generation Me (2006), Jean Twenge described
Generation Y as the first generation to be fully raised in
the aftermath of the technological revolution in which
information has been readily available to them with the
click of a mouse. This environment has driven them to be
demanding educational consumers with no tolerance for
delay. In addition, Twenge found that Generation Y youth
are more likely to seek wealth as opposed to meaning
and purpose in life; therefore, they typically view their
college education as a means to an end. For these reasons,
Generation Y Millennials often fail to see the value of a
liberal arts education. Finally, this generation finds social
rules less important, and they have become very informal
in their writing, speaking, dress, and interactions with
authority figures. This generational shift has undeniably
increased incivility in the classroom.
Although there is an abundance of information
focused on the traits of Millennials, very little has been
published regarding how these characteristics impact
the teaching and learning process. One exception is Ellen
Pastorino’s 2006 E-xcellence essay “When Generations
Collide in the Classroom” in which she makes a case
for understanding generational differences and their
potential impact on our teaching. In keeping with
Pastorino’s assertion, I conducted a qualitative analysis of
narratives provided by more than a hundred Millennial
learners. What I uncovered was truly enlightening, and it
transformed my teaching.
Over the past year, I have maintained an almost
dizzying schedule of invited addresses and faculty
development workshops sharing the findings of this
research on the Millennial learner. Al Gore has his
Inconvenient Truth, and I have mine: Whether we like it
or not, the Millennial learner is the new generation of
student that we must influence, inspire, and serve. So take
heed, and be warned! There may be moments during the
reading of this essay when you become irate, vehemently
protest, and perhaps even secretly plot to slash the tires
of my minivan! At these moments, it is important to bring
yourself back to a peaceful place with a Tantric Chant
or an herbal tea and remember that as the author of this
article, I am simply sharing what Millennial learners have
offered up and so desperately wish for us to hear.
The student narratives I collected focused on four
main areas and provided Millennial student perceptions
regarding:
1. professors who were familiar with Millennial
student culture versus those who were not,
2. their ideal professor,
3. their ideal learning environment, and
4. their ideal assessments and assignments.
Student Perceptions of Professors Who
Are Familiar With Millennial Culture
Versus Those Who Are Not
In distinguishing between professors perceived as
familiar with Millennial culture versus those who are not,
Millennial learners noted the following differences:
• Techno-Savvy—Millennials view a professor’s ability
to effectively utilize technology as an indicator of his or
her connectedness to their culture. In fact, when asked
to write about professors perceived as unfamiliar with
Millennial culture, one student wrote in frustration, “My
professor is not up to date with technology. He is still
confused about how to work the VCR!”
• Currently Relevant—Use of “real,” “relevant,” and
“current” examples was one of the most obvious themes
apparent among professors perceived as connected to
Millennial culture. As one student commented, “Use of
old shows like Taxi are not practical references that the
average college student can relate to.”
• Seriously Humorous—Surprisingly, Millennials
associated our tone of voice as an indicator of our lack
of connection to their culture. Instructors perceived as
“boring” or “monotone” were seen as lacking connection
to Millennial culture. I realize this is disheartening news
to those of us who are innately boring and suffer from
monotononucleosis. To make matters worse, respondents
perceived professors to be more connected to Millennial
culture when they used “humor” and, dare I quote the
other word they used, “fun.”
• Relaxed & Relatable—Respondents perceived
professors who “listened,” “related,” and “talked to
students about their lives” as connected to Millennial
culture and perceived those professors who were
“unattached” or solely focused on course content as
not connected to Millennial culture. As one respondent
lamented about her biology professor, “he doesn’t really
talk about anything that we are interested in…he only
talks about strictly class stuff, and he won’t go off onto
anything else…he doesn’t seem like he is into anything
but scientific things.” Imagine that, a biology professor
who wants to talk about science!
Millennials also identified professors they perceived
as “down to earth,” “informal,” “relaxed,” and “flexible,”
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as connected to the Millennial culture; while those
described as “uptight,” “strict,” “intimidating,” or
“condescending” were perceived as not connected
to Millennial culture. In general, Millennials seem
to strongly resist authoritarian power structure.
Respondents relayed numerous examples of what they
viewed as rigid course policies and harsh reactions on the
part of the professors perceived as not connected with
their culture. Student responses such as “if you forget to
turn off your cell phone and it rings, it’s like you’re the
devil” and “my professor locks us out if we are late and
does not allow us to wear hats” perfectly illustrate key
generational differences between a mainly Baby Boomer
professoriate and a new Millennial generation of learners.
The Millennials’ Ideal Professor
Most surprising of all the findings of my study on
Millennial learners was their perceptions regarding the
ideal professor. The Top Five List below summarizes
respondents’ views. Millennials feel that the ideal
professor should be:
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5. “Energetic,” “enthusiastic,” and “upbeat” with a
“positive attitude”—I know upon reading the
student quotes above, some of you may suddenly
feel nauseous. Or perhaps, like me, the very
thought of students desiring me to be “upbeat”
drains my energy. The audacity of it all!!!
4. “Open minded” and “flexible”—Unfortunately,
students are not using the term “flexible” in the
physical “Pilates” sense, as they desire flexibility
in assignments, course policy, and our interactions
with them.
3. “Alert” as to whether students understand.
2. “Nice,” “friendly,” “caring,” and “helpful.”
If all this is not disturbing enough, the number one
characteristic of the Millennials’ ideal professor is:
1. “Approachable” and “easy to talk to”—It is hard to
believe that what these students basically want is
for us to be decent individuals who are responsive
to them! As the sarcasm begins to drip from the
page, it is important to note that I did ask for
Millennials’ views of the “IDEAL” professor. We
should at least give them credit for not expecting
us all to have chili peppers at ratemyprofessor.
com. Upon further analysis of their responses,
what is most intriguing is not what is on their list,
but perhaps what is missing. In other words, they
seem to care more about who we are and how we
interact with them, than they care about what we
know. What is painfully obvious is that Millennial
learners’ responses suggest they highly value
positive interactions with their professors.
The Millennials’
Ideal Learning Environment
The Top Five List below summarizes Millennials’
perceptions regarding their ideal learning environment.
Millennials felt the ideal learning environment was one in
which the following elements were present:
5. “Students know one another” and “work together
in groups”—This is consistent with Millennials’
team orientation, interdependence, and desire for
connection.
4. Learning is “relaxed,” “enjoyable,” and that awful
“F” word we dread hearing… “fun.”
3. A “multimedia” format is utilized, including
podcasts, online activities, video, PowerPoint, etc.
2. “Real examples” that are “relevant” to their culture
are used.
The number one characteristic Millennial respondents
desired in an ideal learning environment was that it be:
1. “Interactive” and “participatory.”
Interestingly, the most consistent theme present in the
analysis of the Millennial responses was they preferred
a variety of teaching methods, as opposed to a “lecture
only” format. It is important to note that these Millennial
students did not attack the lecture method altogether,
but they had strongly negative perceptions of learning
environments in which lecture was the only method used.
According to one Millennial respondent, “If you lecture
all throughout the time, then we get bored. If you are
constantly changing from lecture, to discussion, to group
work, that helps a lot. It helps keep us awake and we
learn more. Stuff gets into our head better.”
Millennials’ Ideal Assessments
and Assignments
When asked to describe their ideal assessments or
assignments, several of the Millennial students left this
particular section of the survey blank, perhaps suggesting
their idea of ideal assessment would be no assessment
at all. The apparent themes among the responses I
did receive suggested Millennials prefer a variety of
assessments given regularly throughout the semester,
as opposed to simply having two major assessments in
the form of a mid-term and final. They also expressed a
preference for “experiential” and “relevant” assessments.
Finally, although there has been concern surrounding
use of extrinsic reinforcers to motivate students (Deci
& Ryan, 1987), the most significant theme among
Millennials’ descriptions of their ideal assessments and
assignments was that they be “graded,” and, therefore,
incorporated into the point structure or grading
system for the course. This mindset that one should be
extrinsically rewarded for any time, effort, or contribution
is in keeping with the “everyone gets a trophy” culture
in which Millennials were raised. This became very
personally apparent to me a little over a year ago when
my own 5-year-old informed me he would “give me a
sticker” if I helped him clean his room!
Summary
In presenting on this topic, I often summarize the main
themes of this research with the following five new “Rs”
for engaging the Millennial:
altered their methods. It is my hope that this essay will
inspire you to do the same. PTN
References
1. Relevance—Millennials do not typically value
information for information’s sake. One of the greatest
challenges of the professoriate will be to connect course
content to the current culture and make learning outcomes
and activities relevant to Millennial learners and their
future.
Angelo, T. A., & Cross, P. K. (1993). Classroom assessment
techniques: A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
2. Rationale—Unlike Boomers who were raised in a
more authoritarian manner in which they more readily
accept the chain of command, Millennials were raised in a
nonauthoritarian manner and are more likely to conform,
comply, and adhere to course policies when they are
provided with a rationale.
Pastorino, E. E. (2006, April). When generations collide in the
classroom. E-xcellence in Teaching, 8.
3. Relaxed—Millennials thrive in a less formal, more
comfortable learning environment in which they can
informally interact with the professor and one another.
4. Rapport—Millennials are extremely relational.
They are more central to their parents’ lives than previous
generations and are used to having the adults in their
lives show great interest in them. They appreciate it when
professors show that same interest, and they seem to
be more willing to pursue learning outcomes when we
connect with them on a personal level.
5. Research-Based Methods—Millennials have grown
up in an era in which they were constantly engaged.
When they are not interested, their attention quickly shifts
elsewhere. This research suggests Millennials prefer a
variety of active learning methods, as opposed to a more
traditional lecture-only format.
Conclusion
Clearly, meeting the needs of Millennial learners is a topic
still under study, yet I highly encourage you to apply
these initial findings to your practice in the classroom. I
regularly receive enthusiastic e-mails from professors who
have participated in my workshops and subsequently
TOPSS Congratulates Recipients
for 2009 APA TOPSS Excellence
in Teaching Award
The APA TOPSS Committee congratulates Trudy Loop of
The Altamont School in Birmingham, AL, and Jeff Norby
of West De Pere High School in De Pere, WI, for being
selected as the 2009 TOPSS Excellence in Teaching Award
recipients. The TOPSS Excellence in Teaching Award
recognizes outstanding teachers in psychology. Loop and
Norby will each receive a framed certificate, award, cash
prize of $300, ActivePsych CD series, and a free TOPSS
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1987). Intrinsic motivation and selfdetermination in human behavior. New York: Plenum.
Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2007). Millennials go to college. Great
Falls, VA: LifeCourse Associates.
Twenge, J. M. (2006). Generation me: Why today’s young Americans
are more confident, assertive, entitled—and more miserable than
ever before. New York: Free Press.
Note. This article is being republished with permission. It was
previously published as an E-xcellence in Teaching column on
the PsychTeacher Listserv coordinated by the Society for the
Teaching of Psychology and will appear in Meyers, S. A., &
Stowell, J. R. (2010). Essays from e-xcellence in teaching (Vol. 9).
(To be available from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology
Web page January 2010.) Currently available at: http://www.
daltonstate.edu/teachinglearning/pdf/cprice_millennials.pdf
About the Author
A professor of psychology at
Dalton State College, Christy
Price has been teaching at the
collegiate level for 17 years. Price
won the Excellence in Teaching
Award at Dalton State in 2007,
the University System of Georgia
Teaching Excellence Award in
the Two & Four-Year College
sector for 2008/2009, and she was
honored by the National Resource
Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in
Transition as one of 10 Outstanding First-Year Student
Advocates for 2009.
membership renewal for the 2010
membership year. The ActivePsych
CD series has been generously
donated by Worth Publishers.
More information on the 2009 award
winners will appear in an upcoming
PTN issue. The 2010 deadline for
the TOPSS Excellence in Teaching
Award nominations will be in March
2010. Nomination information will be
posted to the TOPSS Web site
(http://www.apa.org/ed/topss)
later this year.
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Helping Students
Value All Areas
of Psychology
Daniel Niederjohn, PhD
Kennesaw State University
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“D
o I really need to know about this (e.g., statistics, research
design) if I’m going into counseling?” This comment and
similar sentiments were verbalized in the first few weeks of
many, if not all, introduction to psychology courses that I have taught.
Student sentiments about seemingly peripheral aspects of psychology
are particularly noticeable in the research methods and physiological
psychology units. Although I am impulsively defensive and feel a
similar level of frustration as when I hear “Is this going to be on the test,”
perhaps the “Do I really need to know this?” question deserves a bit
more consideration. The breadth of psychology is interesting and vital to
me as the teacher, but how can I make it more interesting or engage those
students who expect the noncounseling pieces of the course to be dry
and unworthy of
their focus?
I attempt to convince students of the importance of all aspects of
psychology by using a top-down approach. For example, eclecticism
is the model orientation of clinical psychologists (Norcross, Karpiak,
& Santoro, 2005). In relating the eclecticism model to students, I use an
analogy from the cartoon Go, Diego, Go! In the show, Diego often gets
into situations in which he needs help from his trusty friend Rescue
Pack (Rickkempy, 2008). Rescue Pack keeps a number of tools and helps
Diego choose the appropriate tool for these situations. For example, if
Diego is at the edge of a cliff, Rescue Pack might suggest using a hangglider instead of a snorkel or climbing shoes. Each of the tools is useful
in certain situations, and in order for Diego to be successful and make it
through his adventures, he will likely need the use of multiple tools. For
those non-Diego fans, similar analogies involving cooking (i.e., baking,
searing, frying) and sports (triple-threat position in basketball: shoot,
pass, or dribble) might better fit the students whom you teach.
These analogies illustrate two key points: Humans tend to be
biased and want to stick to only one perspective (Beck, 2004), and
multiple perspectives give us a more complex and more accurate view
of behavior. Students tend to relate well to the Diego example, and it
opens the door to discussing why it is important to value all areas of
psychology. Once students can view each area as a tool that has value,
they become more interested—even in those areas that appear, at first
glance, unrelated to clinical psychology.
Another way I have pulled students into the scientific and eclectic
sides of psychology is to provide a clinical example and ask students to
list all of the variables that might be related to the presenting symptoms.
Typically, students can come up with a list of up to 20 independent
variables (e.g., genetics, culture, attachment style, maladaptive thinking
styles, etc.). I then ask students how they could learn more about these
variables and their relation to human behavior. Of course this leads them
right back to the breadth of psychology and the need to understand
topics like physiological, cross-cultural, developmental, and cognitive
psychology.
The follow-up piece to this clinical diagnostic exercise is asking
students to identify the most important variable for a clinician to focus
on in treatment. This example often helps students to see the value of
multiple variables and their interaction, and it spotlights the scientific
process of counseling. I also ask my students how they would decide
which method of psychotherapy they would use in treating symptoms,
and, eventually, we get around to discussing the scientific method and,
specifically, hypothesis testing. In these ways I can help students see
the value of the science of psychology and the need
to be able to critically analyze complex behavior. I
use this example to illustrate how, when I am doing
psychotherapy, I am collecting data and testing
hypotheses moment to moment, as well as using the
empirical data as a guide.
In addition to using the top-down model of
processing, I’ve created an exercise that helps
students clarify the need for multiple perspectives
and uses a bottom-up approach to the question of
“Do I need to know this?” In this exercise, I play the
role of a client and break students up into groups
representing distinct areas of psychology (e.g., social,
developmental, physiological, cognitive, learning,
and behavior). I then ask them to work as a group
to develop questions to ask the client. The catch is
that they can only use their assigned perspective in
creating questions. Two interesting things typically
happen during this exercise: Students feel constricted
when they can use only one area of psychology,
and they develop an appreciation for the other
perspectives after listening to the questions from
other groups. In other words, they more clearly
recognize the value of each area of psychology
as being important. After students complete this
exercise, I typically discuss the more current
biopsychosocial (Johnson, 2003) and eclectic view of
psychology and how each aspect of psychology is
interrelated. This group exercise can also be related
back to the Diego cartoon. As an analogy, if Diego
must dive to the bottom of the ocean following his
hang-gliding activity, he needs to go back to Rescue
Pack (set of psychological perspectives) and search
for his snorkeling gear, just as a psychologist must
continually review research findings from multiple
perspectives in psychology.
After helping students see the relevance of
all areas of psychology, I think it is important to
continually introduce applications and current
events into classroom discussion. Linking areas of
psychology that some students might consider less
interesting to popular media or interesting analogies
is one way to address the question of how to make
all areas of psychology more relevant. Of course,
some students are more interested in the science and
basic research aspects of psychology, but I recognize
that many students need to be reminded of the links
between their interests in the more applied areas
of the discipline and the more scientific aspects of
psychology. Linking students’ initial interests (e.g.,
clinical psychology) to the areas of psychology that
may be less appealing to some students allows me
to teach the breadth of the discipline. For instance,
if students were particularly interested in cognitivebehavioral therapy, when discussing memory, I
would focus on how memories are constructed and
shaped by our experiences (Loftus, 1975). Using
this approach, the areas of psychology become less
compartmentalized and more integrated. In addition,
I spend a bit of time considering how research
findings in each area of psychology can be applied
not only to a counseling setting, but also to business,
health, education, and sports.
“Yes, you do need to know all areas of psychology
if you plan to go into counseling.” We do not need
to be defensive in our responses as psychology is
becoming more and more integrated and we are
valuing all areas of psychology. We are moving
toward even greater eclecticism and empirically based
treatments in clinical psychology, so if our students
want to be ready for the future, we must prepare them
with the appropriate tools. It is our job to help them
see the value of those tools and develop their own
Rescue Pack. PTN
References
Beck, A. T., & Weishaar, M. E. (2004). Cognitive therapy.
In R. J. Corsini & D. Wedding (Eds.), Current
psychotherapies (8th ed., pp.263-294). Belmont, CA:
Thomson, Crooks/Cole.
Johnson, H. G. (2003). Psychology and health research,
practice, and policy. American Psychologist, 58, 670-677.
Loftus, E. F. (1975). Leading questions and the eyewitness
report. Cognitive Psychology, 7, 560-572.
Norcross, J. C., Karpiak, C. P., & Santoro, S. M. (2005).
Clinical psychologists across the years: The division
of clinical psychology from 1960 to 2004. Journal of
Clinical Psychology, 61, 1467–1483.
Rickkempy. (2008). Go, Diego go! Rescue Pack [video].
Retrieved February 10, 2009, from http://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=3gNNJQkb2Dg&eurl=http://
video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&rl
z=1T4GGLD_enUS311US311&q=go+diego+go&um=1
&ie=&feature=player_embedded
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M
Using Visual
Organizers to
Present and
Understand
History,
Perspectives, and
Controversies in
Psychology
ost instructors who teach introductory psychology courses
have an understanding of the benefits of using multiple
means of presentation. They also understand the advantages
of encouraging students to use multiple means to express their
understanding of concepts (Rose, Harbour, Johnston, Daley, &
Arborbonell 2006; McGuire & Scott, 2006). While some students may be
more ready than others to tackle the idea that psychology is a divided
discipline that can be understood from a variety of perspectives, it
is still an essential concept that is ordinarily conveyed early in an
introduction to psychology course. This basic notion that there is a
range of perspectives within the discipline is often introduced as a
part of psychology’s history, along with the very basic idea that both
genetics and environment play into the development of an individual’s
personality, behavior, and mental processes.
Ken Gobbo, MS
After providing students with some basic information on the
history of psychology, explain the emergence of the major perspectives
in the discipline and the ideas that biology and experience both make
important contributions to the development of a person and a person’s
behavior and thinking. The process of helping students to visually
represent their understanding of these concepts can help them begin
to clarify the range of possibilities related to these ideas. Classroom
exercises in mind mapping or concept mapping are not a new idea
(Hyerle, 2004; Buzan, 1994; Novak, 1990). Visual exercises like these
have been used with success for some time in teaching concepts like
these in psychology at different levels (Diekhoff, 1982; Howard, 2007).
Landmark College
This exercise can be done by students on their own or in small
groups. Ask students to first list the names of 6 to 10 key figures in
the history of psychology. Then have students group the names of
key historical figures that they have selected according to perspective.
For example Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner would be grouped together
as behaviorists. Freud, Jung, Adler, and Erikson would be grouped
together as being from the psychoanalytic school of thought. Binet,
Wechsler, and other cognitive psychologists would be together, etc. Ask
students to list their historical figures and to place them on a time line.
Students can also color code groups of figures. For example, they can
list all the psychoanalysts in red, behaviorists in blue, and cognitive
psychologists in green.
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Then have students place the names of individual psychologists
(or schools of thought) on a nature-nurture (genetics/biology–
environment) continuum labeled “all genetics” at one end and “all
environment” at the other (Piggrem, 2001, p.25).
Figure 1.
Neuroscience
Then ask students to combine their selections onto a larger
collective chart or newsprint or on the board in a visual organizer using
CogPsych
Psychoanalysis Behaviorism
Binet
Freud
Pavlov
Jung
Watson
Adler
Wechsler
Erikson
Skinner
All Genetics
All Environment
Figure 1. S
ome major perspectives in psychology with examples of psychologists placed on a
Genetics-Environment continuum
Figure 2.
Past
Galvani
Gall
Broca
Wernicke
Pavlov
Charcot
Binet
Freud
Thorndike
Jung
Watson
Adler
Piaget
Horney
Cannon
Vygotsky
Bandura
Penfield
Erikson
Skinner
Sperry
Wechsler
Wolpe
Chomsky
Kohlberg
Gazzaniga Gardner
Dawkins
Present
Nature
Nurture
Figure 2. Selected psychologists placed on a visual organizer based on time and estimated relative
importance of genetics (nature) or environment (nurture) in their theories
an x and a y axis. The x axis represents nature–nurture
or the genetics–environment continuum; the y axis
represents time.
Some historical figures and points of view will
be very easy to locate on the chart. Others will
cause a good deal of difficulty. This can lead to a
discussion about the varieties and combinations of
influences that ensue within the splintered discipline
of psychology. Charts can become very complex and/
or specialized. They can reach into the past and include
“prescientific” and later philosophers and their views
on the influence of biology and experience on human
nature. In more advanced classes, the experience can
focus on human development or history of systems,
and charts can become either complex or specific. The
charts themselves often prove to reveal instructors’
philosophical biases, or they can help students
understand their own developing leanings.
For beginning students, this visual exercise provides
a way to experience the variety of approaches to the
discipline, and possibly improve understanding of
the relative contributions of biology and experience
in the environment. The exercise also allows students
to elaborate on their understanding by constructing
a visual diagram and begin to synthesize important
concepts. PTN
References
Buzan, T. (1994). The mind map book. New York: Dutton.
Diekhoff, G. M. (1982). Cognitive maps as a way of presenting
the dimensions of comparison within the history of
psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 9(2), 115-116.
Howard, G. S. (1990). Cognitive maps of the history
of psychology. In V. P. Makosky, C. C. Sileo, L. G.
Whittemore, C. P. Landry, & M. L. Skutley (Eds.),
Activities handbook for the teaching of psychology (Vol. 3).
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Hyerle, D. (Ed.). (2004). Student success with thinking maps,
school-based research, and models for achievement using visual
tools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
McGuire, J. M., & Scott, S. S. (2006). Universal design for
instruction: Extending the universal design paradigm to
college instruction. Journal of Postsecondary Education and
Disability, 19(2), 135-151.
Novak, J. D. (1990). Concept mapping: A useful tool for science
education. The Journal of Research in Science Teaching,
27(10), 936-949.
Piggrem, G. (2001). Instructor manual for essentials of abnormal
psychology in a changing world. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall.
Rose, D. H., Harbour, W. S., Johnston, C. S., Daley, S. G. &
Arborbonell, L. (2006). Universal design for learning in
postsecondary education: Reflections on principles and
their application. Journal of Postsecondary Education and
Disability, 19(2), 135-151.
PTN9
Assessing
Student Change
as an Outcome
of General
Psychology
Courses
An End-of-Term Survey
Diana Joy, MA
Community College of Denver
H
ow do we assess the value and the impact of teaching general
psychology in a community college? Assessment is a hot issue
at our colleges these days. We are asked if our assessments are
frequent, diverse, quantitative, and pertinent to 4-year graduation
rates or workforce criteria. Traditional academia demands answers to
these questions and frequently ignores qualitative assessments and the
measurement of our impact on the quality of life itself. Many of my
graduating students will not choose to go on to achieve 4-year degrees;
many will not major in psychology. What of lasting import will they take
away from their general psychology courses?
In an effort to satisfy my curiosity, I’ve developed an end-of-term
essay assignment. This essay assignment requires students to choose
specific knowledge they gained during the semester that they believe
will still be with them in 5 years. Students must accurately describe what
they learned and describe an application in their life that illustrates the
personal significance of the knowledge. In addition to the written essay,
students must present a brief oral summary to the class. These essays
have, in many cases, been moving and inspirational.
In an attempt to elicit data that lends itself more readily to
quantitative analysis, I developed a structured end-of-term survey. In
addition to obtaining data, I hoped this process would increase students’
conscious awareness of changes in beliefs or behaviors.
PTN10
Sixty one general psychology students at the Community College
of Denver (CCD) completed the survey in the spring 2006 and fall
2007 semesters. These students represent a very diverse student body.
Academic skills vary widely at CCD. One class may include students
struggling with English as a second language, students writing at a
junior high level, and students doing master’s level work. Ages range
from adolescence to older adulthood. Survey responses included
students from Asia, Africa, Mexico, and the Americas.
The survey contained open-ended questions about changes in belief,
behavior, and relationships. The questions were chosen based on the
general themes that had emerged from students’ final essays over the
previous 3 years. The open-ended questions regarding change were:
• Have you made any changes in beliefs you previously held? If so,
elaborate a bit.
• Have you made any changes in behaviors due to what you learned
in this course? If so, describe briefly.
• Has anything you learned about human development and
psychology changed your perception of, and/or relationship with,
others? If so, describe briefly.
Claremont Graduate University
Offers Free Videos
Claremont Graduate University’s online library of free
videos for those teaching psychology has grown over
the years to include talks by cutting-edge scholars
as well as giants in the field (Zimbardo, Rosenthal,
and more). The library has been recently expanded
to include a series of talks on how social psychology
can inform teaching methodologies, which we invite
teachers to explore: http://www.cgu.edu
/teachingandlearning.
Highlights From the Full Library
• Philip Zimbardo on the Abu Gharib scandals
• Robert Rosenthal on nonverbal communication
• Diane Halpern on teaching for long-term student
retention
• Dale Berger on careers for applied psychologists
• ...and many, many more!
The full library may be found at: http://www.cgu.edu/
pages/4435.asp. Please contact outreach@cgu.edu with
questions or feedback.
In addition, several questions allowed students
to comment on the course and assignments and offer
me, and future students, advice. I reviewed all the
responses, and three general categories emerged. These
categories related to improvements in intrapersonal,
interpersonal, or critical thinking skills.
“I always thought my siblings were aliens because we
would see something with different stories [sic]. Now I
just realize their perception differs.”
“I have become more forgiving.”
“I think I am generally more accepting and less likely
to pass judgment so quickly ...the fundamental
attribution error just leads to more problems.”
These were some of the student responses that
went into the category of interpersonal change. One
hundred and three responses could be represented
by the statement “I am less judgmental, more
understanding or accepting of others and/or have
better relationship skills.” (Included in this category
were statements specifying increased understanding
or acceptance, being less judgmental, engaging in less
arguing or fighting, having more patience with others,
having improved listening skills, reconciliation with
or forgiveness of others, and general improvements in
relationships.)
“I sleep more and drink less.”
“I can handle my emotions more, and I get angry less.”
These quotes are representative of the 94 responses
indicating “I understand myself better and have
improved my self-care and/or self-management skills.”
(Included in this category were positive changes in
self-talk, self-appraisal, stress management, anger
management, sleep hygiene, emotional awareness or
emotional management, and substance abuse.)
“This class has helped me change the way I look at
things in life, and when I changed the way I looked at
things, the things I looked at changed.”
“I think more and use critical thinking when it comes to
decision making.”
Similar to the preceding quotes, 38 responses
indicated “I recognize the importance of critical
thinking, and I have increased the use of critical
thinking skills in my life.”
Included in this category were statements
specifying critical thinking in general; openmindedness; seeing more than one perspective;
recognizing bias—such as belief, hindsight, perception;
understanding correlation versus causation; greater
curiosity or challenge of one’s own beliefs. These
results are summarized in Table 1.
The question can be asked, “Will these changes
last?” Students who had taken General Psychology 101
the previous semester and were now taking General
Psychology 102 were asked five additional yes or no
questions. Fifty two out of 52 (100%) of the respondents
answered yes to the question “Has what you learned
about psychology had a positive impact on you?”
Fifty (96%) responded yes to the question “Has what
you learned about psychology had a positive impact
on your relationships with others?” Forty eight (92%)
responded yes to the question “Has what you learned
about critical thinking, research, the brain, emotion,
and/or perception changed your decision-making
processes?” Forty eight (92%) responded yes to the
question “Are you continuing to use stress-reduction
methods?” Forty four (86%) responded yes to the
question “Are you continuing to use mnemonics or
memory strategies you learned?” (The assignments
I use include applied exercises in both mnemonics and
stress management.) These results are summarized in
Table 2.
The results appear quite encouraging regarding the
likelihood that community college students will learn,
understand, and apply information from a general
psychology course to their personal and professional
lives. Student responses demonstrated ability to
articulate their knowledge of psychology and its
application in their lives.
The narratives behind some of the comments
emerge in students’ final essays and oral reports.
Stories include those of forgiveness, decreased conflict,
improved grades, and job promotions attributed by the
student to knowledge gained in the general psychology
course. One student reported that she had hugged
her father for the first time in 12 years after coming
to understand the nature of addiction through her
coursework. In each of the classes, at least one student
has shared a story about having overcome serious
insomnia and sleep debt, changing a substance abuse
pattern, or changing a parenting style. One student put
it simply, “Psychology makes better people.”
As we all know, knowledge can be temporarily
stored and regurgitated on exams after all-night study
sessions and make no significant impact on our lives.
Indeed some of us could probably pass a multiplechoice exam in a subject we actually know very little
about. Using the final essay, “What I learned and why
it matters” and including a survey designed to prompt
students to articulate the effect of knowledge on their
lives can fill a significant gap in outcome measurement
in three ways.
One, this approach requires students to go
beyond the knowledge level through comprehension
to application and evaluation. Two, it is useful for
identifying areas of course design or teaching method
that may be less effective in moving students beyond
rote knowledge. (The survey also contains several
questions about the effectiveness of course design and
teaching methods.) Three, and equally important in
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determining the quality of our teaching, it can inspire
us with the knowledge that what we do does make
a practical and vital contribution to the lives of our
students, their families, friends, and communities. PTN
Table 1: Categories of Student-Identified Change Related to a General
Psychology Course
Category
Total Responses
1. I am less judgmental, more understanding or accepting of others and/or have
better relationship skills.
(Included in this category were statements specifying increased understanding or
acceptance or being less judgmental and those indicating less arguing or fighting, more
patience with others, improved listening skills, reconciliation with or forgiveness of others,
and general improvements in relationships.)
103*
2. I understand myself better and have improved my self-care and/or selfmanagement skills.
94a
(Included in this category were positive changes in self-talk, self-appraisal, stress
management, anger management, sleep hygiene, emotional awareness or emotional
management, and substance abuse.)
3. I recognize the importance of critical thinking, and I have increased the use of
critical thinking skills in my life.
(Included in this category were statements specifying critical thinking in general; openmindedness; seeing more than one perspective; recognizing bias—such as belief, hindsight,
perception; understanding correlation versus causation; greater curiosity; or challenging of
one’s own beliefs.)
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38
* Totals may reflect more than the number of surveys when the content was mentioned in the answer to more
than one question (i.e., changed belief, behavior, and relationships).
Table 2: Persistence of Change in Psychology 102 Students*
Questions
Yes
No
Total
%
1. Has what you learned about psychology had a positive impact on
you?
52
0
52
100
2. Has what you learned about psychology had a positive impact on
your relationships with others?
50
2
52
96
3. Has what you learned about critical thinking, research, the
brain, emotion and/or perception changed your decisionmaking
processes?
48
3
51
92
4. Are you continuing to use stress-reduction methods?
48
4
52
92
5. Are you continuing to use mnemonics or memory strategies
learned?
44
7
51
86
* Included only students who had taken Psychology 101 and were now completing Psychology 102
Professional
Development
Through
Advanced
Placement
Psychology
Barney Beins, PhD
Ithaca College
&
Maureen McCarthy, PhD
Kennesaw State University
I
magine how much psychology you could learn if you spent a week
with almost 400 psychology teachers. This opportunity arises every
year when psychology teachers from around the country congregate
to grade the Psychology Advanced Placement (AP) tests. Ken Keith, the
Chief Reader for the Psychology AP test, notes that at the annual reading
week for AP Psychology, you have the opportunity to spend time with
some of the best and most creative psychology teachers in America, in
both structured and casual settings.
Participation in the annual reading of AP Psychology tests
provides an excellent way to expand your horizons and develop
professionally. Each year, high school and college teachers come together
and collaborate to score the thousands of tests taken by high school
psychology students. The task of scoring the exams is work, but readers
do receive a stipend, and the Education Testing Service (ETS) covers
travel, food, and accommodations for the week.
The original psychology AP reading took place at Clemson
University in 1992, with 3,000 tests to be scored, and it has moved
several times over the years. This year readers met in downtown
Kansas City, MO, to score about 150,000 exams. We have grown
considerably, and this figure places psychology well into the top 10
Advanced Placement subjects. The number of AP Psychology tests (and,
correspondingly, the number of readers) has increased significantly each
year since the test’s inception.
Readers benefit from the experience in a number of ways. For
one thing, teachers learn about the scoring process first hand. This
knowledge can be invaluable in how you help your students prepare
for the test. As everybody knows, students need to know psychology
in order to be able to do well on the test. But students who have good
strategies for answering the free-response questions will perform at
a higher level on the test than will students without good strategies.
These useful approaches to taking the test are available in the material
provided by ETS, but seeing them in application can be very instructive
for a teacher.
Rob McEntarffer of Lincoln Southeast High School in Lincoln, NE,
was a participant for more than a decade and served as a question
leader. He recognizes how valuable his experience as a reader has been,
stressing that he learned how to build a useful grading rubric that
specifies the core components of a sound answer. A good rubric also
leads to consistent grading. Not only does this experience help him
prepare his AP students for the test, but it helps him in his own test
construction and scoring. Rob has written that “if I spend the time to
make a very complete rubric for the essays I assign in my class, I know
this work will pay off in time spent grading.”
To understand how the week evolves, it is useful to get a sense of
the schedule. At first, the reading period sounds unimaginable. Readers
begin grading the handwritten essays, some of them nearly illegible,
at 8:00 in the morning and end at 5:00 in the afternoon. This schedule
repeats itself every day for a week, until all exams are scored.
If you want a surprise, ask teachers who have done this whether
they would do it again. The answer in most cases is an overwhelming
yes.
Readers are generally enthusiastic about returning year after year. It
is hard to explain the dynamic environment during the reading period,
but readers bond with one another in small groups as they refine their
skills in scoring the test.
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How to Become a Psychology Advanced Placement Reader
PTN14
• To be eligible to become an Advanced Placement
Reader (Reader), you need to have taught AP
Psychology for 3 years (for high school teachers)
or a comparable college-level course within the
past 3 years (for college teachers).
• There is now a waiting list, so if you apply,
you may not receive an appointment for the
subsequent reading. Appointments are for a
single year, but it may be possible to continue
for years.
• If you meet the criterion for becoming a Reader,
you should check the Educational Testing Service
(ETS) Web site (http://apcentral.collegeboard.
com/apc/public/homepage/4137.html).
There, you will find general information and
instructions for submitting an online application,
which must be followed up with a copy of your
vita and your course syllabus.
• If you have any questions about applying, you
can contact ETS by phone Monday through
Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time at 609406-5384, by e-mail at apreader@ets.org, or via
the traditional post at the following address:
Readers work very diligently when grading tests,
but even though the work day runs from early in the
morning to late afternoon, the schedule is astonishingly
easy. Readers start early, but there is a snack break
at about 10:15. Lunch then rolls in around at noon.
If people haven’t had enough to eat at breakfast, the
snack, and lunch, there is another break with food
around 3:00 p.m. that prepares you for dinner. After
dinner, some of the evening activities include more
food. (The frequency and abundance of food leads
people to refer to the week as “Read-and-Feed.” This
schedule usually keeps fatigue at bay.)
Even though the grading of tests dominates
the week, there are other enjoyable events. Some of
them enhance teaching directly, like teaching activity
exchanges. Others, like the professional night featuring
a marvelous speaker, serve to expand knowledge that
will add to your classroom environment.
E-Project Contest
Winners Recognized
Congratulations to the winners of the seventh
annual APA Electronic Project Contest to recognize
innovative and high-quality electronic presentations
by community college psychology students.
The APA Committee of Psychology Teachers
at Community Colleges extends thanks and
appreciation to the APA Education Directorate and
our contest cosponsor, Allyn & Bacon Publishing. In
addition, special thanks go out to all of the students
who participated in the 2009 competition. Join us in
congratulating this year’s winners and their PT@CC
sponsors:
ETS
Attn: Performance Assessment Scoring Services
Mail Stop 09-Z
Princeton, NJ 08541
Sometimes, the gatherings are simply fun. Many
readers take advantage of the group trip to a baseball
game of the local baseball team (the Kansas City
Royals), some people play nightly tennis, and yet
others get together for trips to the movies or to shop.
One of the most rousing events is a culminating
performance on the final night of the reading, when all
the pressure is off. The talent might be minimal, but the
enthusiasm is maximal.
The next day, people will return home, pleased that
the grading is finished, but sad to see friends depart.
Happily, there may be 150,000 tests or more next year,
so the process repeats itself, and the participants are
eager to return. PTN
First Place: Gordo’s Box
Presentation by Jessica Palmer of Mesa Community
College (AZ)
PT@CC Sponsor: Ann Ewing, PhD
Second Place: Gender and the Recall of
Relational and Overt Aggression
Presentation by April Suppe of Lehigh Carbon
Community College (PA)
PT@CC Sponsor: Robin Musselman, EdD
Third Place: Attention of the Lucky
Presentation by Aaron Griffin of Charles Stewart
Mott Community College (MI)
PT@CC Sponsor: Gail Knapp, PhD
Coming Soon!
Visit the PT@CC Web site (www.apa.org/ed/pcue/
ptatcchome.html) to view the winning projects.
News From the
APA Center for
Psychology in
Schools and
Education
T
he Center for Psychology in Schools and Education (CPSE) has
several projects in the works that may be of use and interest to
teachers. At the forefront is a series of Web-based modules on the
Applications of Psychological Science to Teaching and Learning. An APA task
force was formed by the APA Board of Educational Affairs to explore
this issue, and the task force members identified 10 specific areas of
teacher practice (see table below).
For each of the 10 topics, a draft online module was constructed
to give teachers information about what to do and what not to do, the
theory and research that support the recommendations made in the
module, and information on individual differences that may affect
application of these recommendations.
These modules are currently being reviewed. Before they are
published online, we would appreciate teachers’ feedback. To access the
modules and evaluation, go to http://www.apa.org/ed/apstlsecure/
teachers_site.html, where you will be prompted to enter a username and
password:
U: apaint\apstl
P: education
10 Specific Areas
of Teacher Practice
1. F
ormative assessment: Giving
feedback to students in order to
improve learning
2. D
iagnostic teaching: Capturing
students’ pre-instructional (prior)
knowledge that affects learning
3. G
etting students over preinstructional subject-matter
(knowledge) misconceptions to
increase learning and achievement
4. Improving students’ relationships
with teachers to provide essential
supports for learning
5. Dealing with bullies effectively
6. U
sing praise to enhance student
learning
7. U
sing practice effectively to
increase learning and achievement
8. D
eveloping more autonomous
learners in the classroom
9. R
esearch in brain function and
learning
10. Classroom management
We thank you in advance for your support! The final versions of
these modules will be available on the CPSE Web site in late 2009. Based
on the feedback we receive, one or two topics may be selected to be
developed into a fully comprehensive course, such as the one we have
on classroom management. The related PowerPoint presentations and
PTN15
professional voiceovers are available on the CPSE Web site:
www.apa.org/ed/cpse.html.
The module on classroom management was developed in response
to feedback from teachers who participated in CPSE’s Teacher Needs
Survey. The script for “Practical Classroom Management: Class-Wide
and Individual Strategies” was developed by Drs. Russell Skiba and
Jack Cummings. This two-part module introduces identifying and
understanding pre-K–12 classroom management problems, while
delineating the skills needed by educators to implement various
effective strategies with disruptive students.
CPSE is also staffing a task force on classroom violence directed
against teachers to create a resource aimed at helping K–12 teachers
cope with and prevent the occurrence and threat of violent incidents in
their classrooms. The task force will focus on gathering and translating
psychological science on this topic into an accessible resource for
teachers. The task force drafted a brochure for pre-service teachers,
teachers, and administrators. The brochure will be employed to solicit
ideas from teachers about the sources of violence directed against
teachers. We hope that we can call upon teachers to respond to the
survey embedded in the brochure. The final brochure will also serve as
a research-based foundation to inform education policy with regard to
school management, parent and community involvement, classroom
climate, and teaching and learning. PTN
Recalibrating
Your Teaching
in These
Economic Times
Robin Hailstorks, PhD
APA Education Directorate
T
hese uncertain economic times serve as fertile ground for
rethinking professional development opportunities for teachers.
As administrators in school systems and colleges throughout
the nation struggle to make decisions about what further cuts they
need to make in their budgets, one of the items that they have already
eliminated in their budgets is funding for professional development.
Tough times require administrators to make tough decisions. Yet,
we know that professional development is an important cornerstone
of good teaching. The question for teachers of psychology is, How
can we continue to be good teachers despite the lack of funding for
recalibrating our teaching?
Perhaps rethinking how we traditionally pursue professional
development is the answer. We often perceive professional development
as attending a workshop, conference, or meeting with like-minded
colleagues in pursuit of similar goals and aspirations. But, with travel
funds becoming increasingly elusive, maybe it’s time to think of
professional development in terms of what we can do to arm ourselves
with the best teaching resources on a local level. It has often been said
that necessity is the mother of invention, and tough fiscal times require
us to develop other strategies for meeting our professional needs.
Developing Collaborative Partnerships
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One of the strategies I have employed throughout the years is
partnering with colleagues in local schools and colleges to sponsor
workshops, conferences, and meetings. As a former department chair,
I would contact the supervisors for social studies at all of the local
high schools in the metropolitan area. I would also meet with the
chairs of departments of psychology to find out about their plans for
the upcoming academic year. We would agree to jointly host events
throughout the year for the benefit of teachers of psychology in the
local area. To make certain that high school teachers could attend these
programs, we offered them free registration.
There are many tangible benefits to be reaped from developing
collaborative partnerships with local high school and community
college psychology teachers. Moreover, there are countless benefits
from working with colleagues at research intense universities. First and
foremost, the costs associated with planning these events may be less.
Second, you learn firsthand about the strengths and challenges of local
schools and colleges. This makes you more aware of your community
and may lead to your taking a more active role in local matters. Third,
you can plan more effectively when you know the resources available
to you and your colleagues. This will put you in a position to leverage
resources where necessary in order to offer high-quality programs.
Fourth, you will gain visibility as a local leader and may be called upon
in the future to serve as a regional or national leader. Finally, you will
develop lifelong professional and personal relationships with other
people who are just as passionate as you are about teaching.
Pooling Resources
Another strategy for meeting your professional needs is pooling
resources so that one colleague can attend an event with the intent of
sharing those resources with a wider audience in the near future. The
focus here is on sharing the acquired knowledge across a number of
settings and during different times. A colleague might be expected to
write an article about his/her experience, give a workshop on what
was learned during the meeting, or design a professional development
program for his/her colleagues.
Participating in E-Workshops
or E-Conferences
Still another strategy is for psychology teachers to
participate in e-workshops or e-conferences with other
colleagues. Information is usually available online for
a specific period of time and can be readily accessed
by conference participants. This format affords even
greater dissemination of knowledge because the number
of participants is unlimited. The only caution to this
particular strategy is that there may be technological
difficulties encountered while these programs
are occurring.
Organizing a Brown Bag Lunch
How about organizing a brown bag lunch? This certainly
isn’t a novel idea, but it can recalibrate your teaching
if you are looking for new ideas about how to present
material in the classroom. You and your colleagues can
simply meet on a monthly basis to talk about pedagogy.
It has always been amazing to learn the various ways
my colleagues teach classical conditioning. You may be
surprised to know how your colleagues teach research
methods, statistics, and biological bases of behavior. It is
also good just to spend quality time with your colleagues
discussing the importance of good teaching.
Designing a New Psychology Course
How about designing a new psychology course, writing
a book on teaching psychology, or setting up an Internet
site about the psychology of teaching? Each of these
professional development opportunities is rewarding and
can be shared with your colleagues. It is exciting to be
engaged in any activity that requires sustained focus and
energy but that will lead to a tangible product. We all feel
good when we have produced a product that will be of
value to our colleagues and our students. After all, that’s
why we teach. We want to make a difference, and these
resources help us achieve this goal.
Becoming Involved in APA Committees
You can also become more actively involved with the
American Psychological Association committees of
Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) or
Psychology Teachers at Community Colleges (PT@CC).
As you may be aware, there are numerous opportunities
available to you as teacher affiliates to participate
in activities and programs sponsored by these two
committees. You can learn more about these committees
by reading this issue of Psychology Teacher Network and by
visiting this Web site: www.apa.org/ed/pcue.
Teachers of psychology have many resources
available to them through the American Psychological
Association Education Directorate Web site
(www.apa.org/ed). These resources have been developed
by teacher affiliates and members of the association.
Some of the resources available to teachers are the
National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula,
unit lesson plans, pacing calendars, PowerPoint slides
developed by the APA divisions, the Online Psychology
Laboratory, the Adjunct Faculty Resources Manual, and the
Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major. Other
incredible resources are available to teachers through the
Society for the Teaching of Psychology (www.teachpsych.
org). We strongly encourage you to visit these sites and to
use these resources in your classes.
We know that these are difficult times, but you
can recalibrate your teaching by using the resources
available through APA and our professional development
networks. We encourage you to contact us if you have
any suggestions for how we might help you in this
regard.
We wish you a successful fall term! PTN
Announcing the 11th Annual
Mid-Atlantic Teaching of
Psychology Conference
October 30, 2009
The Prince George’s Community College Department
of Psychology and Argosy University are sponsoring
the 11th Annual Mid-Atlantic Teachers of Psychology
(MATOP) conference on the teaching of psychology.
The mission of the MATOP conference is to bring
together teachers of psychology from universities,
2- and 4-year colleges, and high schools who wish
to enhance their teaching of psychology and expand
their teaching skills through workshops, lectures, and
participant idea exchanges on successful teaching
strategies and techniques. In addition, MATOP fosters
the development of valuable teacher networks
that further strengthen the continued support of
good teaching and professional fellowship.
Dr. Robin Hailstorks of the APA Education
Directorate will deliver the keynote address, “The
Future of Psychology Education.” Her talk will focus
on the results of the Puget Sound conference,
held in June 2008.
Registration is $75. Early registration (by September
1, 2009) is $50. Registration for presenters is $50. For
more information, please visit http://academic.pgcc.
edu/~dfinley/matop.htm.
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Press Release Am
erican
Psychological
Foundation
William Buskist of Auburn University Receives
2009 Charles L. Brewer Distinguished Teaching of Psychology Award
PTN18
Washington—The American Psychological
Foundation (APF) Board of Trustees has named
William Buskist, PhD, of Auburn University as the
recipient of the 2009 Charles L. Brewer Distinguished
Teaching of Psychology Award. The award, which has
been given annually since 1970, recognizes exemplary
career contributions to the teaching of psychology and
leadership in improving the teaching and learning
of psychology.
Buskist is the Distinguished Professor in the
Teaching of Psychology at Auburn University,
where he has taught since 1982. He serves as the
Director of Auburn’s Teaching Fellows Program, as
well as a Faculty Fellow of the Biggio Center for the
Enhancement of Teaching and Learning.
At Auburn, Buskist has mentored many
psychology doctoral students and has taught over
33,200 undergraduates during his 27 years at the
university. Six recent graduates of Auburn’s PhD
program in psychology, all of whom named Buskist as
their teaching mentor, have received national teaching
awards. He is a prolific author and presenter; he has
written more than 70 publications and made more than
100 presentations, many of which were coauthored or
copresented with graduate or undergraduate students.
In 1999, Buskist started the EDGE research group
at Auburn, focused on teaching and learning. He
and his students have published nearly 25 articles
in the last 10 years on topics such as preparation for
college- and university-level teaching, development
of student-teacher rapport, the scholarship of teaching
and pedagogy, and qualities and behaviors of master
teaching. Additionally, Buskist has developed
numerous teaching materials and curricula: He
developed the psychology department’s curriculum
for preparing doctoral students for their future
teaching duties, which has become a national model for
preparing graduate students for teaching positions.
Buskist has served in leadership positions in
national organizations, including the Society for the
Teaching of Psychology (APA Division 2), where
he served as president in 2007. He also served
as a member of the steering committee on the
APA Conference on Undergraduate Education in
Psychology (2006–2008) and the National Institute
on the Teaching of Psychology (NITOP) planning
committee. He has led task forces and committees and
published scholarly books and articles on topics related
to teaching and learning. He has also been a national
leader in the preparation of graduate students as
teachers of psychology.
Buskist is a Fellow of APA Division 2 and APA
Division 1 (General Psychology). He received his BS
in psychology and PhD in experimental psychology at
Brigham Young University.
APF President Dorothy W. Cantor, PsyD, presented the
Brewer Teaching Award at the American Psychological
Association annual convention in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
As the award recipient, Dr. Buskist received $2,000 and gave
an invited lecture at the convention on College Teaching
and its Functions: An Inquiry Into Pedagogical Meaning and
Purpose.
For more information, please visit the
APF Web site at www.apa.org/apf.
The American Psychological Foundation (APF) provides
financial support for innovative research and programs that
enhance the power of psychology to elevate the human
condition and advance human potential both now and in
generations to come.
Annual APA/
Clark University
Workshop Held
in July
“I
’ve never had an opportunity to have a professional development
workshop devoted solely to teaching psychology,” said one of the
participants of the fifth annual APA/Clark University Workshop
for High School Teachers. “It was one of the best organized, friendliest,
and most generous of all conferences I have ever attended. What a great
chance to meet colleagues from all over the nation.”
Twenty-three high school teachers from around the country
participated in the APA/Clark University, held July 13-15, 2009, at Clark
University in Worcester, MA. Clark University, APA, and the American
Psychological Foundation (APF) Lee Gurel Fund sponsored the event
organized by the APA Education Directorate and Clark University. The
workshop has been made possible through generous gifts from Lee Gurel,
PhD— a Clark University alumnus, APA member, and longtime APF
donor—to both Clark and APF.
Master Teachers
Participate in Summer
Institute for
Psychology Teachers
Presenters
At the conclusion of the Clark
Workshop, a group of seven master
teachers participated in a Summer
Institute for Psychology Teachers on
July 15-17, 2009.
• Clark Psychology Professor and Chair Marianne Wiser, PhD.
Through funding provided by
American Psychological Foundation
(APF), Clark University hosted
the institute, which provided an
opportunity for the master teachers
to develop the content for new
TOPSS unit lesson plans on:
• History and Perspectives in
Psychology
• Research Methods and Statistics
These new resources will replace
the original TOPSS unit lesson
plans on An Introduction to the
Field of Psychology and The Stats
Pack: Statistics Without Fear and are
expected to be published in 2010.
• TOPSS members Hilary Rosenthal of Glenbrook South High School in
Glenview, IL, and Jeff Norby of West De Pere High School in De Pere, WI;
• Clark Associate Provost, Dean, and Psychology Professor Nancy
Budwig, PhD; and
Ludy T. Benjamin, Jr., PhD, of Texas A&M University, delivered a
keynote address, “Why Are Psychologists Keeping Their Science a Secret
From the Public?” Maureen McCarthy, PhD, Kennesaw State University,
gave a presentation on the APA Online Psychology Laboratory.
Eric Amsel, PhD, of Weber State University, presented a keynote
address entitled “Psychology Students’ Understanding of the Scientific
Foundation of the Discipline” and also presented on “Challenging
Introductory Psychology Students’ Folk Beliefs of the Discipline: A
Simulation.”
1909 Conference Connection
The July APA/Clark workshop coincided with the 100th anniversary of
the 1909 Conferences held at Clark, which were organized by then-Clark
President G. Stanley Hall and attended by Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and
other noted scientists and scholars. Freud delivered his Five Lectures on
Psychoanalysis at the 1909 Conferences, the only lectures he gave in the
United States.
For more information about the centennial celebration of the 1909
Conferences, visit http://www.clarku.edu/micro/freudcentennial/. PTN
2009 TOPSS Essay
Competition Winners
The APA TOPSS Committee congratulates the student
winners of the 2009 APA TOPSS Essay Competition.
Arzina Alam of Avenel, NJ; Sharon Hecker of Sparta,
MI; and Meghan Christine Zeitter of Grand Rapids, MI,
each received $500 scholarships for their winning essays.
Sara Berlin of Miami, FL, received an honorable mention
award for her essay.
The 2009 essay question asked students to focus on
techniques advertisers use to encourage consumers
to purchase their products. Students were asked to
create an advertising campaign on behalf of a fictitious
company that sells new athletic shoes, explaining
how principles of compliance and techniques of
persuasion were used. Students also had to discuss at
least two potential ethical issues in using compliance
in advertising and develop a conclusion on the value
of using psychological principles and techniques in
advertising in general. Finally, students were asked to
make a recommendation for prospective consumers that
would aid them in making good decisions about future
purchases.
Information about the 2010 TOPSS Essay Competition
will be included in the fall 2009 issue of PTN.
PTN19
PTN20
More Than 1,500 Students
Compete at Intel International
Science and Engineering Fair
First Place Award of $1500
More than 1,500 students from 49 countries
competed at the 59th Intel International Science
and Engineering Fair (ISEF) on May 10-15, 2009.
To compete in Intel ISEF, held at the Reno-Sparks
Convention Center in Reno, NV, students first
competed against more than 65,000 students at
over 500 regional Intel ISEF-affiliated science fairs
around the world. Each affiliated fair selected
two individual projects and one team project to
travel to the Intel ISEF and compete in 18 different
categories: Animal Sciences, Behavioral and Social
Sciences, Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular
Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth
Science, Engineering: Electrical and Mechanical,
Engineering: Materials and Bioengineering, Energy
and Transportation, Environmental Management,
Environmental Science, Mathematical Sciences,
Medicine & Health, Microbiology, Physics and
Astronomy, Plant Sciences, and Team Projects.
Second Place Award of $1000
During the fair, APA, as a Special Awards
Organization, granted seven awards to the best
projects in the psychological sciences, an effort
funded and organized by the APA Education
Directorate. During two days of intense judging,
a panel of psychologists selected the top projects
related to psychology.
Gina Mamdouh Gayed, Dar El Tarbiah American
School, Cairo, Egypt. Secret Factors Affecting
the Doctor­–Patient Relationship in Egyptian
Governmental Hospitals
The following awards were given by APA for
the best projects in the psychological sciences. All
winners received an award certificate and a 1-year
student affiliate membership to APA.
Announcing the
2009 Best Practices Conference
Hot Topics: Best Practices in Teaching
Controversial Issues in Psychology
Friday & Saturday, October 16-17, 2009
Atlanta Marriott Northwest
200 Interstate North Parkway Atlanta, GA, 30339
(770) 952-7900
Conference Web site: http://teachpsych.org/
conferences/bp/index.php
The Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP,
Division 2 of APA), the Psychology Department
of Georgia Southern University, and the National
Institute on the Teaching of Psychology (NIToP) are
excited to announce the eighth conference in the
popular “Best Practices in Teaching Psychology”
Trisha Paige Nussbaum, Roslyn High School,
Roslyn Heights, NY. How Harry Potter Can Help You
Get a Higher SAT Score: The Effects of Context and Familiarity on Vocabulary Retention in Adolescents
Nicole Traci Goldbaum, Plainview Old-Bethpage
John F. Kennedy High School, Plainview, NY. The Impact of Grade Level and Gender on High-School Students’
Self-Regulated Learning Strategies
Third Place Award of $500
Elliot E. A. Prince, Wilsonville High School, Wilsonville, OR. Efficacy of Peer-Delivered Sleep Hygiene
Education on Sleep Hygiene Practices, Sleep Quality, and
Mood in Evening-Type Adolescents
Jonathan Dean Loucks, Illinois Mathematics and
Science Academy, Aurora, IL. Socioeconomics and
Public Education: An Examination of Factors and Policies
That Narrow the Achievement Gap
Alessandra Fellin Rossi, The Academy of Science
and Technology, The Woodlands, TX. Give Us a Sign
Estefania Arand and Cristhian Emmanuel Fink,
Escuela de Comercio No. 2, Gral M. M. de Guemes,
Concordia, Entre Rios, Argentina. Burnout Syndrome
at School
series, which started in 2002. The 2009 conference
will focus on teaching controversial topics in
psychology. Modeled after the format of the previous
conferences, the conference will include keynote
speakers, concurrent symposia and workshops, and
poster sessions.
In 2009, the three keynote speakers will be Dr. David
Myers, discussing Bridging the Divide: Strengthening
Marriage, Welcoming Gays; Dr. David Buss,
talking about 17 Tools for Teaching Evolutionary
Psychology; and Dr. Laura King, presenting Moving
Beyond Serial Killers and Their Ilk: Engaging
Students Without Overreliance on the Extraordinary
and Abnormal.
Sponsors of the conference include Worth Publishers,
McGraw-Hill, and the American Psychological
Association.
STP Announces Teaching
Excellence Awards Winners
Congratulations to this year’s recipients!
Bryan K. Saville, PhD
Chair, STP Teaching Excellence Awards Committee
James Madison University
The STP Teaching Awards Committee is pleased to
announce the 2009 recipients of the STP Teaching
Excellence Awards. The winners were honored at the STP
Social Hour during the 2009 APA convention in Toronto.
Robert S. Daniel Teaching Excellence Award
(4-Year College or University)
Richard Miller, University of Nebraska at Kearney
Wayne Weiten Teaching Excellence Award
(2-Year College)
Jennifer O’Loughlin-Brooks, Collin College
Mary Margaret Moffett Memorial Teaching
Excellence Award (High School)
Susan Spencer, N
orthern Highlands Regional
High School
Jane S. Halonen Teaching Excellence Award
(First 5 Years of Full-Time Teaching at Any Level)
Debra Mashek, Harvey Mudd College
Wilbert J. McKeachie Teaching Excellence
Award (Graduate Student)
Jeremy Houska, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
National Institute on the
Teaching of Psychology
Coming in January
The 32nd Annual National Institute on the Teaching of
Psychology, cosponsored by the University of South
Florida Department of Psychology and the Association
for Psychological Science, will be held January 3-6, 2010,
at the TradeWinds Island Grand Hotel, in St. Pete Beach,
FL. Registration is limited to 375 participants; early
registration is highly recommended.
Poster session proposals should be received by October
1, 2009, to guarantee space in the program, although
later submissions from registered participants will
be considered if poster space remains available. The
preliminary conference program includes several
morning workshops on the first day, three poster
sessions, three participant idea exchanges, social hours,
book and software displays, and about 35 featured
speakers who are well known for their excellence in
teaching psychology.
The conference registration fee, which will also include
buffet breakfasts and lunches, refreshments at coffee
breaks and poster sessions, and an evening reception is
$485.
For more information, contact:
Joanne Fetzner
National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology
2303 Naples Court
Champaign, IL 61822
Phone: 217/398-6969
E-mail: jfetzner@illinois.edu
http://www.nitop.org
Upcoming Fall Conferences
September 25, 2009
Oklahoma Network for the Teaching of
Psychology (ONTOP),
October 9, 2009
Renaissance Hotel/Cox Conventions Center
Oklahoma City, OK.
http://psychology.okstate.edu/faculty/kennison
/ontop.htm
Contact: shelia.kennison@okstate.edu
Northeast Conference for Teachers of
Psychology (NECTOP)
September 25-26, 2009
November 13-15, 2009
Mountain States Conference on the Teaching
of Psychology
National Council for the Social Studies
Colorado Springs, CO
http://mountaintop.fortlewis.edu/
Worcester State University, Worcester, MA.
Contact: chakala@wnec.edu or
tbosack@providence.edu
Annual Conference
Atlanta, GA
Register online at http://www.socialstudies.org/
PTN21