The role of
psychological
literacy in enhancing
the student
experience
GARETH WILLIAMS AND ROWENA HILL
DIVISION OF PSYCHOLOGY, SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES,
NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY
Overview
There are three aims to the session.
1.
Explore what can be learnt from a wide range of
subject literacies and their role in teaching and
learning throughout the university
1.
- and more broadly subject literacy - amongst
higher education
2.
Explore the current state of the art of
psychological literacy
3.
Current state of psychological literacy in
psychology courses at the Division of Psychology
4.
Re-examine point 1 above within the new context
Subject Literacy

Subject literacy is not


Reading and writing
literacy

What it includes:

Subject Knowledge

Transferable skills
Only transferrable skills

How we treat
knowledge

Employability skills

Global citizenship

NTU Graduate
attributes

For example, active
listening
Psychological
literacy
Challenge for psychology

Most psychology
graduates do not go into
named psychologist roles


Around 5% continue with
a career leading to a
chartered psychologist
role
Chartered routes have
changed but A-Level
student perception has
stayed the same

Shift from masters courses
to doctorates

Careers out of reach for
many students

Clinical Psychology

DClin


Educational Psychologist

DEdPsych


Applicant : place ratio
2014 = 7 : 1
Applicant : place ratio =
13 : 1 (Southampton)
Other chartered routes

For example, MSc
Forensic Psychology

Also competitive
Employability and subject
challenge

Staying true to subject integrity

Is it possible to teach psychology to the appropriate
standard

Offer students a positive learning experience

Unknown employment the changing graduate
landscape

Preparing students for employment and society

but ensuring our students apply their subject literacy in
their every day life now – not just ‘after NTU’
Psychological literacy
1.
Having a well-defined vocabulary and basic knowledge of
the critical subject matter of psychology
2.
Valuing the intellectual challenges required to use scientific
thinking and the disciplined analysis of information to
evaluate alternative courses of action
3.
Taking a creative and amiable skeptical approach to
problem solving
4.
Applying psychological principles to personal, social, and
organizational issues in work, relationships, and the broader
community
5.
Acting ethically
6.
Being competent in using and evaluating information and
technology
7.
Communicating effectively in different modes and with
many different audiences
8.
Recognizing, understanding, and fostering respect for
diversity
9.
Being insightful and reflective about one’s own and others’
behavior and mental processes
McGovern et al. (2010), p. 11
Division of
Psychology
PSYCHOLOGY SINGLE HONOURS
PSYCHOLOGY WITH CRIMINOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGY WITH SOCIOLOGY
Plotting psychological
literacy

Mostly in level 6


Levels 4 and 5


Elective modules, Research Project, Professional
Practice
mostly BPS Graduate Basis for Chartered
Membership

Research Methods, Statistics

Psychology: Cognitive, Biological, Individual
Differences, Social, Developmental
Content heavy in levels 4 and 5

No plan to include psychological literacy features
Method

Analysis of learning outcomes to assess current status

Psychology Single Honours

Compared against the nine criteria



McGovern et al. (2010)
15 modules (N = 22 as some modules were composites)
Analysis by

Level


Mode of teaching


4, 5, 6
Lecture, medium interactive, small interactive
Mode of assessment

Essay, phase test, examination, report
Findings: Psychological
literacy by level
Criteria
4
5
6
Having a well-defined vocabulary…
100.00%
100.00%
100.00%
Valuing the intellectual challenges…
100.00%
100.00%
100.00%
Taking a creative ... problem solving;
85.70%
100.00%
100.00%
Applying psychological principles …
57.10%
88.90%
83.30%
Acting ethically
42.90%
33.30%
66.70%
Being competent ... technology;
71.40%
66.70%
100.00%
Communicating effectively…
42.90%
66.70%
50.00%
Recognizing... diversity;
100.00%
77.80%
100.00%
Being insightful and reflective…
71.40%
77.80%
100.00%
Findings: Psychological
literacy by teaching
method
Criteria
Lecture
Medium
Interactive
Small
Interactive
Having a well-defined vocabulary…
100.00%
100.00%
100.00%
Valuing the intellectual challenges…
100.00%
100.00%
100.00%
Taking a creative ... problem solving;
88.90%
100.00%
100.00%
Applying psychological principles …
77.80%
80.00%
66.70%
Acting ethically
33.30%
60.00%
33.30%
Being competent ... technology;
66.70%
90.00%
66.70%
Communicating effectively…
44.40%
60.00%
66.70%
Recognizing... diversity
88.90%
90.00%
100.00%
Being insightful and reflective…
66.70%
90.00%
100.00%
Findings: Psychological
literacy by assessment
Criteria
Having a well-defined vocabulary…
Essay
Exam.
Ph. tests Portfolio Pres.
Report
100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
Valuing the intellectual challenges… 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
Taking a creative ... problem solving; 100.00%
85.70% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
Applying psychological principles …
66.70%
71.40%
0.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
0.00%
28.60%
0.00%
Acting ethically
50.00%
0.00% 100.00%
Being competent ... technology;
66.70%
71.40% 100.00%
50.00% 100.00% 100.00%
Communicating effectively…
66.70%
14.30%
0.00% 100.00%
Recognizing... diversity
100.00%
85.70%
0.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
Being insightful and reflective…
100.00%
57.10%
0.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
0.00% 100.00%
Summary of Findings

Psychological literacy represented in learning
outcomes

‘Knowledge’ type literacy more common than skills
and actions

Acting ethically focused on concepts related to
research methods

BPS content heavy Level 5


Dip in some learning outcomes being sensitive to
psychological literacy
Some assessments offer psychologically literate
learning experiences

Examinations and Essays less consistent
Case study: Individual
Differences and Conceptual
and Historic Issues

Assessment is a 2,500 word essay entitled:

“Critically analyse how useful seminal and
contemporary individual differences theories can
be when making sense of a life event that you have
personally experienced”
Opportunities and
Challenges


Opportunities

Staff inspiration

Student inspiration

Aggregates priorities
Challenges

Threatens the student comfort zone

Staff resistance in other institutions
Summary:

Ongoing here at NTU within psychology

Success we feel is a balance between:

Subject integrity vs subject application

Consistent context vs differentiated delivery across
the course

Assessment vs learning opportunities

Therefore these are likely to be different for each
course within psychology

Next steps are to find out how to take advantage
of opportunities and overcome any barriers

What could we learn from your current practice?
Discussion: Your subject
literacy

Use your course learning outcomes as a ‘starter
for ten’; what can come ‘off the page’ now?

What is the balance between subject integrity
and subject literacy – we think neither one should
be compromised

Learning opportunities versus assessment
opportunities – we feel that subject literacy should
be balanced between the two

Identifying potential subject literacy assessment
opportunities?

Is literacy most appropriate for UG only or should it
be an aim for PG courses?
Suggested References:

Cranney, J. & Dunn, D. (Eds.) (2011) The
Psychologically Literate Citizen: Foundations and
Global Perspectives. New York: Oxford University
Press.

Mair, C., Taylor, J. & Hulme, J. (2013). An
introductory guide to psychological literacy and
psychologically literate citizenship. HEA website:
https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/
subjects/psychology/psychological-literacy

Watt, R. (2013). Developing the psychologically
literate citizen at the University of Stirling. HEA
website:
https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/node/7555