The necessity of teaching Psychology in vocational institutions

This article highlights the importance of psychology in the educational process for pupils. The proofth at teaching the discipline of Psychology would be effective in technical education institutions becomes apparent when former graduates begin to have their first difficulties at the beginning of their professional life. It is essential to approach psychology in the context of methodologies aimed at the individual, personal and socio-professional development of young people. Students are incorporated into vocational education at an age suitable for learning future trades. The formation of their personality in these periods is greatly influenced by the relationship with their peers and parental authority, obviously still very important, when professional life is still just an abstract notion.

Interactive methods in teaching psychology of professional education

This article explores the implementation of interactive methods in teaching psychology of professional education. The object of this research is the process of teaching the discipline “Psychology of Professional Education”, while the subject is the interactive methods of teaching this discipline. The article employs the method of theoretical analysis of scientific and methodological literature, methods of generalization, synthesis, comparison, and classification. The author discusses the essence of interactive teaching methods and their role within system of modern teaching techniques. Special attention It is emphasized that each class can be conducted using interactive teaching methods, selected by the pedagogue based on the desire to improve the effectiveness of educational process and develop professional competencies of students. The scientific novelty consists in determination of specificity of using interactive teaching methods within the framework of the discipline under review. It is established that heuristic conversation, psychological diagnostics, method of projects, role games, and problem-based learning are considered as most effective interactive teaching techniques. The acquired results can be applied in organizing educational process with regards to psychology of professional education and other disciplines of psychological and pedagogical orientation. The conclusion is made that in teaching psychological-pedagogical disciplines and future pedagogues, the students learn how to implement these methods in their future pedagogical activity.

Teaching psychology at university using the content and language integrated learning (CLIL) approach

A lesson in a psychology course given to university students is presented, using the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach. A total of 78 psychology freshmen college students participated in this experiment. All participants received four lessons in a regular university class. The lessons were about general concepts on psychological disorders. The lessons were taught in English. Different quantitative and qualitative aspects of content acquisition were assessed. In addition, attitudes about and motivation to participate in this bilingual learning practice at the university were evaluated. Results showed a high level of approval and motivation for this methodology, along with a significant assimilation of the content taught. In conclusion, intensifying interaction and diversifying of linguistic skills, as well as adjusting the lecturing time to match the students’ learning capacity and the professor’s second language proficiency, could potentially improve this CLIL experience.

From teaching psychology in conqueror South Africa to teaching African swa moya in the psychology curriculum: critical reflections and experiences in a Masters Clinical Psychology programme

The democratic transition in conqueror South Africa in 1994 from the colonial and apartheid education system to the current epoch did not transform and address the epistemological and ethical injustices embedded in the psychology curriculum. This is despite the Constitutional provision for the exercise and enjoyment of cultural rights by the multiple ethnic groups existing in the country. Despite the fact that most departments of psychology in conqueror South African are led by Blacks and the staff and students composed mainly of Black African bodies, the philosophies, methodologies, and theories which are taught in the psychology curriculum still reflect the dominance of the conqueror’s epistemological paradigm manifesting in the exclusion of African swa moya (life discerning power of the soul). From the viewpoint of the conquered, the epistemological and ethical justification on which African experiences are excluded from the psychology curriculum are questionable. In order to fully gain legitimacy, relevance, and reflect the multiplicity of the realities of the current student population, and to serve the local communities, psychology in Africa in general and conqueror South Africa in particular must be premised on swa moya curriculum. Swa moya (life discerning power of the soul) is the resolute reaffirmation of African humanness. It also recognises the humanisation of the colonial conqueror and its posterity. In this article, I present the epistemological and ethical basis for an authentic African swa moya, as well as the development and practical implementation of swa moya curriculum in the Master of Science in Clinical Psychology training programme that is currently being taught at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University.