Abstract
Articles
Supporting students during an unsettling time
Xenya Kantaris
Psychology Teaching Review, 27(1), 5–8
No abstract.
Pre-tertiary subject choice as predictors of undergraduate attainment and academic preparedness in Psychology
MADELEINE POWNALL, PAM BLUNDELL-BIRTILL, RACHEL O. COATS, RICHARD HARRIS
Psychology Teaching Review, 27(1), 9–25
In the UK, psychology degrees are designed to equip students with skills such as critical thinking, research methods, and analytical debate. Many of the key skills and subject-specific content that is taught in the first year of a psychology programme is also introduced in A-level and AS-level study of psychology. Therefore, one would expect psychology A-level graduates to be both personally and academically more prepared for the unique challenges of their psychology degree, compared to students who had not studied A-level psychology. Here, we report findings from two mixed-methods studies which suggest that generally, mathematical-based A-level subjects, but not psychology A-level, more effectively prepare students for some of the academic skills required to succeed on a psychology degree. However, studying psychology A-level prepares students well for subject-specific content, which is highly valued in first-year students. We discuss these findings through a lens of constructive alignment, academic preparedness, and successful transitions.
pre-tertiary education, academic preparedness, transitions, attainment.
‘The most important question is not ‘how?’ but ‘why?’: A multi-method exploration of a blended e-learning approach for teaching statistics within undergraduate psychology
KATE MUSE, LAURA SCURLOCK-EVANS, HELEN SCOTT
Psychology Teaching Review, 27(1), 26–41
Research methods and statistics are cornerstones of undergraduate psychology degrees. However, many students find the subject uninteresting and anxiety provoking, while educators find it challenging to teach. This multi-method action research project explored how e-learning activities within a blended learning context affected students’ experience of learning statistics. Data were gathered with first year undergraduate students via a survey (N = 89), two focus groups (N = 12), and interviews with educators (N = 2). The e-learning activities were valued by students and staff, owing to the interactive, flexible approach to learning they afforded. The blended strategy provided an opportunity for students to develop intrinsic motivation to learn statistics, completing a range of activities to develop competence with autonomy. Social support from peer-networks and tutor feedback during face-to-face sessions facilitated deeper learning. These findings are timely, given increases in online teaching resulting from changing higher education landscapes and the Covid-19 pandemic.
statistics, research methods, e-learning, technology-enhanced learning, blended learning, self-determination theory, self-regulated learning.
Shifting from face-to-face learning to Zoom online teaching, research, and internship supervision in a technologically developing ‘female students’ university in Pakistan: A psychology teacher’s and students’ perspective
SAIMA EMAN
Psychology Teaching Review, 27(1), 42–55
During the Covid-19 pandemic, students, and teachers of the developing countries had to shift from the face-to-face traditional classroom to an e-learning environment, which elicited various reactions to teaching and learning. I conducted this research to understand how students perceived online learning and to share my reflexive experiences about this shift in a Pakistani public sector women university. I administered a short survey in seven domains. As a teacher, I found (working from home) online teaching, assessment, internship, and research supervision extremely productive, interesting, rewarding, and excellent for my health and wellbeing. More than 50 per cent of the students appeared adjusted to online mode of learning. Improvement in internet connection, development of teachers’ and students’ computer skills, and development of teachers’ cultural sensitivity can enrich students’ learning outcomes. Online educational systems need to be improved in developing countries. Students engaged in practical work or those progressing to online careers need more online hands on experience.
Covid-19, pandemic, Zoom, teaching, learning, research, job, employment, psychology, Pakistan, developing country, student, teacher, online, face-to-face, open book tests, critical thinking, internship, research, supervision, assessment.
Students’ understanding of psychological literacy in the UK undergraduate curriculum
RICHARD HARRIS, MADELEINE POWNALL, CHLOE THOMPSON, SAMANTHA J. NEWELL, PAM BLUNDELL-BIRTILL
Psychology Teaching Review, 27(1), 56–68
Psychological literacy is a concept in psychology learning and teaching in Higher Education (HE) that considers how psychology students can intentionally apply psychological knowledge to personal, professional and societal goals. However, despite its prevalence among psychology Higher Education scholars and developers, it is unclear whether psychology students are aware of psychological literacy. In this mixed methods study, psychology undergraduates studying in the UK (N = 117) were asked to rate the core eight competencies of psychological literacy, as outlined by the QAA (2019) subject benchmark statement. Overall, we found that students were mostly unaware of the term ‘psychological literacy’. However, students did value the attributes that it includes. When asked to define the term, students typically referred to the capacity to understand subject-specific knowledge, with some students discussing the application of this knowledge to everyday life too. Implications for the development of psychological literacy as an emergent pedagogic practice are discussed.
psychological literacy, psychology graduate attributes, psychology education, Higher Education.
Students’ perceptions of online lecture delivery: An empirical mixed-methods investigation
RICHARD HARRIS, PAM BLUNDELL-BIRTILL, ED SUTHERLAND, MADELEINE POWNALL
Psychology Teaching Review, 27(1), 69–78
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to shape and disrupt teaching provision in Higher Education, educators have responded with a swift pivot to online teaching for the 2020–2021 academic year. The debate surrounding the pedagogic utility of pre-recorded ‘asynchronous’ versus live ‘synchronous’ lecture modality continues to grow among teachers of psychology. We surveyed 279 students from across an undergraduate Psychology programme and investigated their preference for (a)synchronous lecture delivery, perceptions of online lectures, and self-reported lecture-watching behaviours. Overall, our results demonstrated that students enjoy both the structured nature of live lectures and the flexibility of pre-recorded lectures. Live lectures are useful at instilling social connections, but pre-recorded are more useful for understanding subject content. Taken together, students show a strong preference for a hybrid approach to online learning of both live and pre-recorded teaching sessions. However, students highly value enthusiastic, engaging lecturers, which largely outweighs any preference for specific delivery modalities.
online education, Covid-19, best practice, student engagement.
Book reviews
VARIOUS
Psychology Teaching Review, 27(1), 79–84
No abstracts.
Note. The full articles are published in Psychology Teaching Review, Volume 27, No. 1, which can be downloaded from: https://shop.bps.org.uk/psychology-teaching-review-vol-27-no-1-2021.