Indigenizing the introduction to psychology course: Initial course content suggestions and call for collaboration.

2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 391-399
Author(s):  
Jonathan M. P. Wilbiks
Keyword(s):  
Course Content ◽  
Psychology Course

Early Detection of Final Performance in an Introductory Course in General Psychology

1974 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 620-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert R. Zimmermann ◽  
Larry Wise ◽  
Olin W. Smith
Keyword(s):  
College Courses ◽  
Act Scores ◽  
Specific Test ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Course Content ◽  
General Ability ◽  
Introductory Course ◽  
Ability Tests ◽  
Final Grades ◽  
Psychology Course

Final grades in an introductory psychology course were found to correlate significantly with a test representative of course content and ACT scores. Contrary to traditional predictions, the content specific test was not superior to the general abilities test in the prediction of final grades. Course content tests taken during the first three weeks of the academic quarter correlated .85 with course content tests taken during the last 3 wk. of the academic quarter. Both general ability tests and specific content tests given early in the academic year could be used to assign students to course programs that might provide the special assistance some students require to cope with traditional large lecture college courses.

Introductory Psychology from the Standpoint of the Consumer

1989 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Lou Zanich ◽  
David E. Grover
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Hard Science ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Course Experience ◽  
Similar Survey ◽  
Individual Needs ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Interest Levels

Psychology and other majors were surveyed before and after completing an introductory psychology course to determine their interest in topics traditionally covered in such a course. No substantial difference between the two groups was observed. In addition, interest levels did not change significantly as a result of the course experience. Students were most interested in topics relating to their immediate individual needs (e.g., interpersonal relationships) and least interested in the “hard science” aspects of psychology. Results are compared to a similar survey taken 50 years ago. Implications for course content and organization are discussed.

scholarly journals Service-Learning in an Undergraduate Abnormal Psychology Course: What Do Students Learn?

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Christina Michaelson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Racial Differences ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Psychological Disorders ◽  
Abnormal Psychology ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Personal Strengths ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
The Impact

In my Abnormal Psychology course students reported that their service-learning work at mental health related organizations in the community helped them connect course content to life experiences, increase their understanding of the impact of mental illness on people’s lives, and examine their attitudes about people with psychological disorders. They also developed increased empathy, greater understandings of cultural and racial differences, and more awareness of their personal strengths. They felt useful to others, that their service made a difference, and that they were more likely to volunteer in the future. These results are consistent with previous research that service-learners increase their understanding of course content and experience personal growth. The present study provides a more focused perspective on how Abnormal Psychology students are affected specifically by their experiential understanding of psychological disorders and reflection on their attitudes about mental illness.

scholarly journals Infusing Diversity into an Entry Level Psychology Course

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Ruth Fallahi
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Life Span Development ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Large Lecture ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Large Lecture Classes

Life Span Development is a required course for majors in psychology and a general education elective for students at large at our university. This article follows the journey of a redesign project that focused on infusing diversity into both small and large lecture classes, with emphases on both course content and pedagogy. 

Effects of Raising Student Teachers’ Metacognitive Awareness of Their Educational Psychological Misconceptions

2021 ◽  
pp. 147572572199622
Author(s):  
Stephanie Pieschl ◽  
Janene Budd ◽  
Eva Thomm ◽  
Jennifer Archer
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Educational Psychology ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Metacognitive Awareness ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Metacognitive Judgments ◽  
Subject Factor ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Educational Psychological

Fostering metacognitive awareness of misconceptions should enhance deep processing of scientifically correct explanations and thereby decrease misconceptions. To explore these potentially beneficial effects, we conducted a field study implemented in a regular educational psychology course in an Australian teacher education program. In a two-by-two within-subject experimental design, student teachers ( n = 119) answered misconception questionnaires, made metacognitive judgments, and participated in awareness activities at the start (T1) and the end (T2) of the semester (within-subject factor: time). Half of the misconception items focused on educational psychology course content, while the other half focused on related topics that were not covered in the course (non-course content). Awareness activities (AA) consisted of providing feedback regarding all misconception items. During the lectures, we provided additional scientifically correct refutational explanations (RE) regarding course content. Thus, we compared the combined AA+RE treatment for course content with the AA treatment for non-course content (within-subject factor: treatment). Our findings confirm that student teachers harbor numerous high-confidence educational psychological misconceptions. Furthermore, awareness activities plus refutational explanations resulted in significant increases in metacognitive awareness and in performance. Additionally, initial metacognitive overconfidence was related to persistent misconceptions, indicating that overconfidence may hinder correction of course content misconceptions.

scholarly journals The Use of Principles for Organising the Introductory Psychology Course

2005 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-101
Author(s):  
Daniel Nelson ◽  
Kari Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Field Survey ◽  
Teacher Expectations ◽  
Psychology Students ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Content Area ◽  
General Psychology ◽  
Introductory Courses ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Survey Approach

Common difficulties in teaching introductory courses such as general psychology are breadth of content and differing student and teacher expectations. The use of psychological concepts or principles as organising factors is recommended to address these problems. Psychological principles for each content area were identified and presented to two groups of general psychology students. Course content was organised around these principles, along with class exercises and tests that fostered their application. When compared with two other groups organised by the text's field survey approach, the principles-organised groups self-reported greater abilities to apply content to everyday situations, relationships and future occupations. Students strongly recommended the use of principles in future courses as one way of addressing common difficulties in the general psychology course. The percentage of answers correct on tests of content did not differ significantly between groups, indicating a similar grasp of material from both the principles-organised sections and field survey-organised sections.

Evaluation of a Prototype Psychology Course for Adult Education

1994 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 1203-1206
Author(s):  
Welko Tomic
Keyword(s):  
Adult Education ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Study Guide ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Audiovisual Aids ◽  
Course Material ◽  
Level Of Difficulty ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Self Instruction ◽  
Instruction Strategies

This paper deals with the evaluation of a prototype introductory psychology course for The (Dutch) Open University. For this purpose a random sample of 400 students completed a questionnaire asking them to evaluate course content, arrangement of course material, level of difficulty, expectations for the course, opportunities to monitor one's own progress, self-instruction strategies, usefulness of the study guide, use of prior knowledge related to the course, and workload. The responses to most questions were positive. It appears, however, that students made only limited use of audiovisual aids and those who did were not positive about its effectiveness. The nominal workload was exceeded amply. Students preferred an integration of the textbook and the study guide.

Enhancing the Psychology of Memory by Enhancing Memory of Psychology

1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 171-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell N. Carney ◽  
Joel R. Levin ◽  
Mary E. Levin
Keyword(s):  
Psychology Students ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Personal Relevance ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Mnemonic Techniques

Perhaps the classic introduction of mnemonic techniques to introductory psychology students is the textbook or the instructor describing a few simple examples. However, such examples may be insufficient to convince students of the utility of such techniques for their own learning. We offer supplementary instructional suggestions, along with specific examples, for enhancing students’ motivation to apply mnemonic strategies. First, confidence in the efficacy of mnemonic strategies is fostered through actual demonstrations, or mnemonstrations, initially provided by the instructor and then by the students themselves. Second, greater perceived personal relevance of mnemonic strategies is established by helping students apply the strategies directly to psychology course content on which they will be tested.

Student Expectations of Course Content Affect Faculty Evaluations in an Abnormal Psychology Course

1979 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances A. Bock
Keyword(s):  
Subject Matter ◽  
Abnormal Psychology ◽  
Student Expectations ◽  
Faculty Evaluations ◽  
Course Content ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Media ◽  
Psychology Course

If course subject matter is highly visible in the public media, student expectations may be more apt to modify ratings of the teacher.

Some Retention, but Not Enough

1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 151-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry C. Rickard ◽  
Ronald Rogers ◽  
Norman R. Ellis ◽  
William B. Beidleman
Keyword(s):  
Concept Learning ◽  
Teaching Strategy ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
General Psychology ◽  
Traditional Lecture ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Adequate Test ◽  
Psychology Course

The retention of introductory psychology course content 4 months after the end of a semester was compared to the performance of a group of undergraduates who had not taken a psychology course. Instructed students performed significantly better on a multiple-choice test of general psychology content than those who received no instruction, but the differences were disappointingly small in educational terms. Similar retention scores were obtained for both a traditional lecture approach and a teaching strategy that focused on concept learning. Further research preceded by the development of a more adequate test to measure retention is needed to clarify and expand these tentative findings.

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