Abstracts of recent articles published in Psychology Teaching Review

Volume 29 No. 1, 2023

Reflecting on Students’ Perspectives of a Pre-Entry Psychology Course in Academic Skills (2017–2021)

GILLIAN HENDRY, ZARA P. BRODIE, CLAIRE WILSON, AND JIM MCKECHNIE

Psychology Teaching Review 2023, Vol. 29(1), 5–12

It is known that first-year retention rates are a cause for concern within higher education. One way in which to tackle this is to consider how institutions can best prepare new students for the transition to university. The current paper details a project from the University of the West of Scotland where first year psychology students enrolled on a pre-entry academic skills induction course in order to support their transition to university. The course consisted of engagement with five interactive magazines to allow students to begin experiencing the digital environments, skills, and resources that they would need throughout their degree (‘What is psychology?’, ‘How do I study?’, ‘The importance of critical thinking’, ‘What’s involved in psychologica research?’ and ‘Life after university’). Focus groups were conducted with students shortly after taking part in the course, and again four years later upon graduation, to explore its perceived value both as a new student, and across time at university. A deductive thematic analysis showed a positive reception to the materials, but that some topics were less relevant at the beginning of a degree course. We reflect upon these findings in the context of current HE practice.

Keywords

Transitions, Students, Higher education, Academic skills, Psychology

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Board Game to Learn Biological Psychology Facts

EMMA WHITT AND MARK HASELGROVE

Psychology Teaching Review 2023, Vol. 29(1), 2023 13–24

Using games in a classroom setting to help engagement and learning is becoming popular, but controlled investigations into the benefits of games are few. Games are potentially a way to incorporate retrieval practice into a class and garner subsequent benefits to memory. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a board game assisted students to remember facts from a year one biological psychology module. Forty-seven participants (42 female, 5 male) took part in a seminar to test the hypothesis that playing the board game would enhance memory compared to taking part in a quiz. An experimental design was adopted with a between-subject factor (group: board game versus quiz) and two within-subjects factors: time of test (before the seminar, immediately after the seminar, 7-days after the seminar) and question type (seminar questions, i.e. questions contained in the game or quiz versus control lecture questions, i.e. questions that were not contained in the game or quiz but in a lecture). Contrary to the hypothesis, there were no differences in scores between the board game and quiz groups. We propose this is due to both groups having participated in retrieval practice during the game or the quiz. However, there was a significant main effect of time of test (scores immediately after the seminar increased) and a main effect of question type (scores were higher for seminar questions than control questions). The time of test x question type interaction was significant; post hoc analyses show that both groups scored higher on seminar questions compared to the control lecture questions in the after seminar test, and in the 7 days test. In conclusion, games can engage students and help them to remember complex material, but it is the use of retrieval practice specifically that aids memory. Our data show that retrieval practice can be equally effective in a board game or quiz, but students preferred the board game.

Keywords

Active learning, Game-based learning, Biological psychology, Retrieval practice

‘We can’t See your Slides!’ Undergraduate Psychology Students’ Perceptions of Emergency Remote Teaching

PATRICK A. O’CONNOR AND RUTH LEE

Psychology Teaching Review 2023, Vol. 29(1), 25–36

The Covid-19 pandemic precipitated a national lockdown, and the implementation of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) in higher education (HE), but there is a gap in the literature in terms of how Psychology students, studying a single-honours degree in the UK, responded to ERT for practical lab classes. The aim of this study was to assess the experiences of first year Psychology students undertaking practical lab classes via ERT. Ninety-one participants completed a Qualtrics survey asking them to record challenges to engaging in lab classes delivered through ERT, and to suggest improvements for these. Responses were analyzed using Thematic analysis. A novel finding in the study was that a large proportion students discussed issues relating to the structure, format and content of practical classes, to a greater extent than other issues reported in similar studies involving psychology students (e.g. communication, motivational and digital issues). Other novel findings were that students either witnessed or admitted to engagement in social loafing occurred during online group activities, and there was disagreement amongst students regarding the role of groupwork in improving ERT. These results have implications for online teaching provision in higher education institutions.

Keywords

Emergency remote learning, Online learning, Psychology students

The influence of Prior Experience with Mathematics and A-Level Science Subjects on Statistics Anxiety in Undergraduate Psychology Students

STEPHANIE MCDONALD AND MEGAN P. BARNARD

Psychology Teaching Review 2023, Vol. 29(1), 37–50

Statistics is a core subject in the psychology undergraduate curriculum and is often associated with increased anxiety among learners. The aim of this study was to identify factors relating to statistics anxiety, and specifically, how prior experiences in mathematics and A-Level science qualifications may influence students’ perceptions as they begin their undergraduate course. Four hundred and eighty-seven first year psychology students filled in an online survey with a range of quantitative and qualitative measures. Number of science A-Level subjects studied at school was a significant negative predictor of interpretation anxiety, and a positive predictor of perceived worth of statistics and perceived self-concept. Students without a mathematics qualification felt at a disadvantage in studying statistics in their degree overall and compared to their peers. Findings provide key insights into students’ specific concerns and highlight the benefits of studying science subjects in secondary education prior to a psychology undergraduate degree.

Keywords

Statistics anxiety, A-Level qualifications, Experience in mathematics

Higher Education Psychology Teacher of the Year Winner Case Study

Supporting students to reimagine social psychology through a critical feminist lens

MADELEINE POWNALL

Psychology Teaching Review 2023, Vol. 29(1), 2023 51–55

‘A feminist perspective is not only compatible with the history, objectives, and emphases of social psychology, but necessary for its continued vitality.’ (Lott, 1991, p.505).

Social psychology is a core component of the British Psychological Society accreditation of psychology programmes. Typically, the teaching of social psychology relies upon well-established, dominant approaches.

However, in recent years, critical, community, and feminist psychologists have provided alternative ways of thinking about the methods, research questions, and epistemological approaches of mainstream social psychology.

Feminist social psychology is ultimately concerned with three core aims: (1) the inclusion of women and girls, (2) advocating for diverse, critical perspectives, and (3) promoting equality.

I encourage students to think critically about their core social psychology teaching, to promote psychological literacy (i.e. application of content to solving societal problems; Pownall et al., 2021, 2022).

Keywords

Feminist psychology, Psychology of women, Social psychology, Psychological literacy

Higher Education Psychology Teacher of the Year Finalist Case Study

Decolonising the curriculum at the university of reading

AL LAVILLE

Psychology Teaching Review 2023, Vol. 29(1), 2023, 56–59

From a series of listening exercises as part of the Race Equality Review (2021) at the University of Reading, it become clear that decolonising the curriculum is important to both students and staff.

The aim of the decolonising the curriculum project was to create an effective resource to support colleagues to decolonise their curricula across a varied range of disciplines across the University.

The key consideration points throughout the project were a) to make sure we established a clear vision of what decolonising the curriculum means for Reading students and staff, b) the resource provides guidance on how to consider decolonising the curriculum within your own practice, c) informs how other colleagues have engaged in decolonising the curriculum, and d) what additional learning can take place to advance your understanding of decolonising the curriculum.

Challenges included balancing a call to action with a considered approach to encouraging personal reflection.

The resources have received excellent feedback from students and colleagues, and received external recognition from colleagues working across the sector.

Keywords

Decolonising, Curriculum, Race equality, Inclusion

Winner of the DARTP/PsyPAG Teaching Award 2022

Recognising the barriers to postgraduate study for students who identify as working-class

ELIZABETH TRAVIS, CAROLYN MCCRORIE, DANIEL OKEOWO, SIOBHAN MCHUGH, AND EMILY PARKER

Psychology Teaching Review 2023, Vol. 29(1), 2023, 60–68

Whilst the widening participation programme aims to increase the accessibility of undergraduate study for students with a lower socio-economic status, much less support is available for students wishing to progress to postgraduate study. Postgraduate study risks becoming a discipline exclusive to those from upper-middle class and upper-class backgrounds, with too few role models from lower socioeconomic backgrounds encouraging uptake. To explore class-related inequalities in academia reported by existing data through the lens of access to postgraduate study, we developed, and piloted, the CLASS (championing lower-class academic and social success) programme within our university. The programme aims to harness the lived experience of workingclass individuals to uncover the barriers to postgraduate study and to develop strategies at an institutional level. An initial understanding of the barriers and challenges current students experience have been captured in our pilot programme. Future CLASS initiatives include assessment of these barriers at a national level to harness findings through the development of strategies with universities.

Keywords

Socioeconomic status, Working class students, Barriers to postgraduate study, Academic success

Abstracts and Awards from the DARTP Conference 2022

VARIOUS

Psychology Teaching Review 2023, Vol. 29(1), 69–106

Too many to include.

Note. The full articles are published in Psychology Teaching Review, Volume 29, No. 1, which can be downloaded from: https://shop.bps.org.uk/psychology-teaching-review-vol-29-no-1-2023.