Abstract
Volume 45, No. 2
Topical Articles
Do We See Eye to Eye? Moderators of Correspondence Between Student and Faculty Evaluations of Day-to-Day Teaching
Kathleen M. Cain, Benjamin M. Wilkowski, Christopher P. Barlett, Colleen D. Boyle and Brian P. Meier
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 107–114.
Students and instructors show moderate levels of agreement about the quality of day-to-day teaching. In the present study, we replicated and extended this finding by asking how correspondence between student and instructor ratings is moderated by time of semester and student demographic variables. Participants included 137 students and 5 instructors. On 10 separate days, students and instructors rated teaching effectiveness and challenge level of the material. Multilevel modeling indicated that student and instructor ratings of teaching effectiveness converged overall, but more advanced students and Caucasian students converged more closely with instructors. Student and instructor ratings of challenge converged early but diverged later in the semester. These results extend our knowledge about the connection between student and faculty judgments of teaching.
student evaluations of teaching, S.E.T., student–instructor agreement, teaching effectiveness
Comparing Review Strategies in the Classroom: Self-Testing Yields More Favorable Student Outcomes Relative to Question Generation
E. Paige Lloyd, Ryan J. Walker, Molly A. Metz and Amanda B. Diekman
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 115–123.
Although previous research has demonstrated that guided testing (i.e., self-testing) and question generation effectively increase retention compared to control methods, no work has simultaneously implemented both strategies in the classroom. In a semester-long study designed to maximize experimental control in a naturalistic setting, we adapted both review strategies for an introduction-level psychology course. We found that guided testing produced better student performance on exams than generating one’s own practice questions. Additionally, students evaluated guided testing more positively than question generation. These findings build upon previous guided testing and question generation work by showing that, in the context of an introductory classroom, guided testing is more effective and efficient than generating questions.
study strategies, testing effect, generation effect, performance, student attitudes
Quantitative Skills, Critical Thinking, and Writing Mechanics in Blended Versus Face-to-Face Versions of a Research Methods and Statistics Course
Christopher T. Goode, Marika Lamoreaux, Kristin J. Atchison, Elizabeth C. Jeffress, Heather L. Lynch and Elizabeth Sheehan
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 124–131.
Hybrid or blended learning (BL) has been shown to be equivalent to or better than face-to-face (FTF) instruction in a broad variety of contexts. We randomly assigned students to either 50/50 BL or 100% FTF versions of a research methods and statistics in psychology course. Students who took the BL version of the course scored significantly lower on measures of quantitative mastery of statistical concepts than those who took the FTF version; however, the size of this effect was quite small. We detected no significant difference between BL and FTF in the expression of critical thinking through writing or writing mechanics. The greatest difference in performance was among instructors regardless of instruction type. We discuss these results in the context of increasing online and BL instruction, particularly with regard to teaching psychological statistics, research methods, and critical thinking.
research methods, statistics, blended classroom, critical thinking, quantitative skills
Current State of History of Psychology Teaching and Education in Argentina: An Empirical Bibliometric Investigation
Catriel Fierro, Ana Elisa Ostrovsky and María Cristina Di Dome´nico
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 132–145.
This study is an empirical analysis of the field’s current state in Argentinian universities. Bibliometric parameters were used to retrieve the total listed texts (N = 797) of eight undergraduate history courses’ syllabi from Argentina’s most populated public university psychology programs. Then, professors in charge of the selected courses (N = 7) were interviewed regarding the structure, procedure, and instructional strategies of their courses. Results showed predominance of works produced by Argentinian scholars and secondary sources. Syllabi showed limited incorporation of primary sources, recent research papers, and certain psychological schools. The pervasive presence of infrastructural constraints and lecture-based instruction are seen as limitations that should be collectively debated and addressed by courses’ faculty.
teaching of the history of psychology, history of psychology in Argentina, historiography, teaching resources, training and education in psychology
Incorporating Diversity Content Into Courses and Concerns About Teaching Culturally Diverse Students
Loreto R. Prieto
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 146–153.
I examined concerns surrounding teaching culturally diverse students and attitudes toward incorporating diversity content into courses, held by a national sample of psychology educators (N=91). Findings indicated that as instructors’ personal acceptance of culturally diverse students increased, instructors’ level of “backlash” attitudes toward those students decreased, and instructors attached a greater level of importance to incorporating diversity issues into their course content. Lower levels of instructor concern surrounding managing cultural differences in the classroom was associated with instructors attaching a greater level of importance to incorporating diversity issues into course content. Instructors of color spent a significantly greater amount of class time teaching about diversity issues in their psychology courses than their European American counterparts. I discuss implications of these findings for established and future psychology educators.
cultural diversity, college student teaching, faculty development
Methods & Techniques
The Partially Flipped Classroom: The Effects of Flipping a Module on ‘‘Junk Science’’ in a Large Methods Course
Stephanie Burgoyne and Judy Eaton
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 154–157.
Flipped classrooms are gaining popularity, especially in psychology statistics courses. However, not all courses lend themselves to a fully flipped design, and some instructors might not want to commit to flipping every class. We tested the effectiveness of flipping just one component (a module on junk science) of a large methods course. We compared two sections, one in a traditional format (n = 128) and the other in a flipped format (n = 139), based on students’ academic performance and attitudes toward the class structure. Compared to students in the traditional lecture section, students in the flipped section performed significantly better on a quiz tied to the lecture content and rated their enjoyment of the exercise as higher. These findings demonstrate the utility of using partial flipped classroom techniques with large classes.
flipped classroom, online learning, assessment, social science
Faculty Forum
How (and Whether) to Teach Undergraduates About the Replication Crisis in Psychological Science
William J. Chopik, Ryan H. Bremner, Andrew M. Defever and Victor N. Keller
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 158–163.
Over the past 10 years, crises surrounding replication, fraud, and best practices in research methods have dominated discussions in the field of psychology. However, no research exists examining how to communicate these issues to undergraduates and what effect this has on their attitudes toward the field. We developed and validated a 1-hr lecture communicating issues surrounding the replication crisis and current recommendations to increase reproducibility. Pre- and post-lecture surveys suggest that the lecture serves as an excellent pedagogical tool. Following the lecture, students trusted psychological studies slightly less but saw greater similarities between psychology and natural science fields. We discuss challenges for instructors taking the initiative to communicate these issues to undergraduates in an evenhanded way.
replication, undergraduate pedagogy, open-source materials, best practices, questionable research practices
Psychology or Psychological Science? A Survey of Graduate Psychology Faculty Regarding Program Names
Brian Collisson and David Rusbasan
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 164–171.
The question of renaming graduate psychology programs to psychological science is a timely and contentious issue. To better understand why some programs, but not others, are changing names, we surveyed chairpersons (Study 1) and faculty (Study 2) within graduate psychology and psychological science programs. Within psychology programs, a name change was often perceived as unnecessary, nonrepresentative, or intimidating to science-averse students. Within psychological science programs, a name change was often perceived as better conveying the science of psychology to others, a scientific/research focus, or interdisciplinary partnerships. Differences of opinion may be due to psychological science, as compared to psychology, faculty’s greater concern about conveying psychological science to others, clarifying their program’s focus, and partnering with other sciences.
science, faculty, chairpersons, psychological science, department name
A Program to Improve Student Engagement at Research-Focused Universities
Ashley V. Whillans, Sally E. Hope, Lauren J. Wylie, Bob Zhao and Michael J. Souza
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 172–178.
Promoting undergraduate engagement is an important and challenging obstacle at large research-focused universities. Thus, the current study evaluated whether a peer-led program of student-geared events could improve engagement among a diverse group of psychology students early on in their degrees. We randomly assigned interested second-year psychology students to participate in the program or to a wait-list. As compared to students who were randomly assigned to the wait-list, students who participated in the program attended more extracurricular events during the year, had higher grades, and reported greater feelings of engagement and enhanced skill learning. These data provide initial evidence that a peer-led program of student events can improve student life for psychology students attending large research-focused institutions.
student engagement, interventions, psychology, cohort program, extracurricular achievement, NSSE, peer-learning
Using the Movies to Illustrate the Principles of Experimental Design
Peter Strelan
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 179–182.
This article presents an innovative technique for teaching the principles of experimental design in a way that is entertaining and engaging for students. Following a lecture on experimental design, students participate in an experiment in which the teacher uses a funny segment from a movie to test the influence of implicit social norms. Randomly allocated “participants” receive either laughter cues from the class (experimenter confederates) or no cues. Condition “hilarity” ratings are compared, and the class as a whole discusses issues relating to experimental design including internal validity, random assignment, and independent and dependent variables. Student feedback, including pre- and postactivity ratings, suggests that the exercise may be useful for enhancing students’ understanding of experimental design. Most importantly, the exercise provides a fertile context for activelearning, and the usefulness of the exercise does not rely on the “success” of the experiment itself.
experimental design, research methods, movies
Repeating Something Familiar: Using Reoccurring, Television-Inspired Segments to Promote Students’ Recall of Learning Events and Course Content
Rhyannon H. Bemis
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 183–188.
Segments are a structured presentation style that is commonly used on late-night talk and variety television shows. Research has shown that shows that contain segments with both entertaining and informative content (e.g., The Daily Show) have increased students’ political knowledge. This study investigated how the structure of segments could be adapted to present material in classroom lectures to promote recall of both learning events and course content. For the first two units in a three-unit child development course, students experienced segments along with traditional lecture activities. Although performance varied across measures, results indicated that segments are a useful teaching tool to promote retention of material and recall of learning events. The use of segments in other types of courses is discussed.
lecture activities, humor, semantic memory, episodic memory
Undergraduate Students’ Attitudes Toward Individuals With Disabilities: Integrating Psychology Disability Curriculum and Service-Learning
Wendy Carlson and Hannah Witschey
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 189–192.
This study examined whether combining classroom curriculum with direct experience with people with disabilities (PWDs) can influence change in undergraduate students’ attitudes toward PWDs. Undergraduate students (N = 68) enrolled in a psychology course completed the Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale at the beginning and end of the semester. During the semester, students learned about various disabilities and participated in a 10-hr service-learning project that required direct, supervised interaction with PWDs at a local, nonprofit organization that provides employment services to adults with disabilities. Students reported more positive attitudes toward PWDs at the end of the semester. Having an increased comfort level in interacting with PWDs can give students pursuing careers that involve working with PWDs an advantage.
disability, undergraduate psychology curricula, service-learning
Promoting Critical Thinking Through Service Learning: A Home-Visiting Case Study
Cynthia G. Campbell and Brianna R. Oswald
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 193–199.
As stated in APA Learning Outcomes 2 and 3, two central goals of higher education instruction are promoting students’ critical thinking skills and connecting student learning to real-life applications. To meet these goals, a community-based service-learning experience was designed using task value, interpersonal accountability, cognitive dissonance, and guided reflection, and was implemented to motivate and promote students’ critical thinking skills in a human development psychology course. Students in this course served as home visitors or support-group facilitators to vulnerable families and reflected on their experiences in class assignments. Qualitative evidence from class discussions and journal entries, and quantitative data from the analysis of student essays, suggest that the majority of students engaged in critical thinking skills across the semester, particularly in using a broader locus for understanding and addressing issues experienced by their client families.
service learning, critical thinking motivation, transfer of learning, home visiting
The Generalist’s Corner
Teaching Students About Violent Media Effects
Brad J. Bushman
Teaching of Psychology, 45(2), 200–206.
Although violent entertainment has existed for centuries, the media have made it more accessible than ever before. In modern societies, people are immersed in media, like fish in water. Using hand-held devices, people can consume media just about anywhere they want, anytime they want. Moreover, violence is a common theme in the media, and research has consistently shown that violent media can have harmful effects on consumers, such as making them more aggressive and more numb to the pain and suffering of others. Teaching students about the harmful effects of violent media is challenging because many students love to consume violent media, and believe they are somehow immune to any harmful effects. This article reviews the scientific evidence on violent media effects, discusses some reasons why people deny violent media effects, and offers suggestions for how to teach students about violent media effects.
media violence, video games, aggression, desensitization