Know Thy Selfie: using contemporary art to teach adolescent identity exploration

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-288
Author(s):  
Sarah Mead ◽  
Cheryl R. Ellerbrock
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
School Psychology ◽  
Contemporary Art ◽  
Visual Arts ◽  
Identity Exploration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teaching Identity ◽  
Developmental Theories ◽  
Psychology Curriculum ◽  
Psychology Course

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight how one high school psychology teacher helped students explore the concept of identity exploration and express their own personal identity through the use of contemporary art in a high school psychology course. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, techniques one high school teacher used for utilizing the visual arts to teach identity exploration in a high school psychology course are shared, including student discussion surrounding the visual analysis of contemporary artwork, thoughtful student application of developmental theories and the student production of original artwork to express one’s identity. Findings Students participating in the lesson engaged enthusiastically in the discussion of the use of selfies in contemporary art and demonstrated thoughtful reflection in the creation of their own selfies. Research limitations/implications Future research is needed to systematically investigate the effectiveness of incorporating contemporary art as a means of teaching identity exploration to adolescents as part of a high school psychology curriculum. Practical implications Adolescent exploration is a key feature of the adolescent experience and is part of the psychology curriculum at the high school level. Such courses afford students the unique opportunity to apply developmental theories and theories of identity exploration to recent occurrences in their lives. One possibility for teaching identity exploration is through the visual arts. Originality/value This lesson advances psychology instruction through the purposeful scaffolding of identity exploration as both content and process using contemporary art.

A Reexamination of the Relationship of High School Psychology and Natural Science Courses to Performance in a College Introductory Psychology Class

1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Griggs ◽  
Sherri L. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
School Psychology ◽  
Natural Science ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Introductory Psychology Class ◽  
Science Courses ◽  
Psychology Class ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Controlling for possible confoundings in a recent study (Carstens & Beck, 1986), we found that completing a high school psychology class was not related to performance in a college introductory psychology course but a strong background in high school natural science was related to higher grades in the course, especially in the section dealing with topics closely related to natural science. An explanation in terms of the congruence of the scientific–experimental focus of the natural science courses and the college psychology course is suggested.

The Relationship of High School Psychology and Natural Science Courses to Performance in a College Introductory Psychology Class

1986 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 116-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian B. Carstens ◽  
Hall P. Beck
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
School Psychology ◽  
Natural Science ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Introductory Psychology Class ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Science Courses ◽  
Final Grades ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
The Relationship

This study assessed the relationship between high school psychology and natural science classes and subsequent performance in a college introductory psychology course. After removing the variability due to SAT scores, both high school psychology and high school natural science courses were significantly related to precourse knowledge of psychology. High school psychology was not significantly related to final grades. However, students with strong backgrounds in high school natural sciences obtained higher final grades than students with less preparation.

High school students’ role-playing for identity exploration: findings from virtual city planning

2019 ◽  
Vol 120 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 640-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aroutis Foster ◽  
Mamta Shah ◽  
Amanda Barany ◽  
Hamideh Talafian
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
City Planning ◽  
Possible Selves ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
School Students ◽  
Identity Exploration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virtual City

Purpose This paper aims to report findings for the following question, “What is the nature of high school students’ identity exploration as a result of exploring the role-possible selves of an environmental scientist and urban planner in a play-based course?” Projective reflection (PR) is served as a theoretical and methodological framework for facilitating learning as identity exploration in play-based environments. Design/methodology/approach From 2016-2017, 54 high school freshmen students engaged in virtual city planning, an iteratively refined course that provided systematic and personally relevant opportunities for play, curricular, reflection and discussion activities in Philadelphia Land Science, a virtual learning environment (VLE) and in an associated curriculum enacted in a science museum classroom. Participants’ identity exploration was anchored in targeted role-possible selves in science, technology, engineering and mathematics: environmental science and urban planning through in-game and in-class activities. This role-playing was made intentional by scaffolding students’ reflection on what they wanted to be in the future while thinking of their current selves and exploring novel role-possible selves. Findings In-game logged data and in-class student data were examined using quantitative ethnography (QE) techniques such as epistemic network analysis. Whole-group statistical significance and an illustrative case study revealed visual and interpretive patterns of change in students’ identity exploration. The change was reflected in their knowledge, interest and valuing, self-organization and self-control and self-perception and self-definition (KIVSSSS) in relation to the roles explored from the start of the intervention (starting self), during (exploring role-possible selves) and the end (new self). The paper concludes with directions to advance research on leveraging role-playing as a mechanism for fostering identity exploration in play-based digital and non-digital environments. Originality/value This paper leveraged VLEs such as games as forms of play-based environments that can present players with opportunities for self-transformation (Foster, 2014) and enculturation (Gee 2003; Shaffer, 2006) to support learner agency and participation in a constantly changing society (Thomas and Brown 2011). The authors introduce and apply novel theoretical and methodological approaches to the design and assessment of play-based environments and address pertinent gaps in the emergent area of learning and identity in VLEs

Implementation of a positive psychology curriculum in a high school setting: A mixed methods pilot study

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-37
Author(s):  
Lauren Linford ◽  
Jeremy Bekker ◽  
John Ameen ◽  
Jared Warren
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive Psychology Interventions ◽  
Psychology Curriculum ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Psychology Course

This study used a mixed-method design to examine the qualitative feasibility of a comprehensive positive psychology curriculum taught by an educator in a naturalistic high school classroom. Limited efficacy testing was also performed. Using a naturalistic quasi-experimental design, this study examined the qualitative impact and feasibility of a high school positive psychology course compared to a standard psychology course. Qualitative variables examined included student attrition, demand, implementation, and practicality as well as student feedback. Quantitative self-report measures of well-being were also included. Participants were 113 adolescents enrolled at a high school in the Mountain West United States. The course was found to have high demand and low rates of attrition. The educator noted that preparing the course was feasible and did not require external funding. Feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive with many of them noting the positive effect that it had on their well-being and ability to cope with challenges. Quantitative results were mixed. These results largely support previous research that has associated positive outcomes with the employment of positive psychology interventions in a classroom setting. Future research should focus on the quantitative effects of school-based positive psychology interventions in a larger scale, high-powered sample.

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