Breakout Events

1

Round table discussion

Paul Sander, Tim Jones

Division of Teachers and Researchers in Psychology

The BPS Division of Teachers and Researchers in Psychology is hosting a Round Table Discussion about the links (and gaps) in the psychology curricula of HE and A Level. How can we make the experience of studying psychology more coherent for our students? Coe along and have your say.

2

Symposium 1

Chair Paul Sande

UWIC and Editor of Psychology Teaching Review

Four mini presentations on the topic of teaching and learning in
psychology (see symposium abstracts

3

Symposium 2

Chair: Patrick Hylton

University of Lincoln

Four mini presentations on the topic of teaching and learning in
psychology (see symposium abstracts)

4

Writers workshop

Cara Flanagan

Universidad de la Vida

Are you interested in writing? Maybe an article for Psychology Review or contributing to a textbook or even writing a book on your own. Cara has experience with a wide range of publishers and can offer tips and suggestions on how to get started and develop your writing.

MINI TALKS

5

Selective Self-Disclosure as a Teaching Aid

Fay Short

Bangor University

It was a lecture-changing experience… I had been lecturing in psychology to groups of three hundred undergraduates for several years, but nothing could have prepared me for the experience of standing in front of a class of twenty Cambodian nine-year-olds. I can honestly report that one-week experience of teaching English in Cambodia taught me more about how to deliver an effective psychology lecture than all of my years training to be a lecturer. I learnt that the most valuable teaching aid that can be employed is the teacher herself – not the teacher as a teacher, but the teacher as a unique individual with a life beyond the classroom. These children did not engage with stories about horses or posters showing A is for Apple, but they would instantly focus on me
when I began to tell them about my life back home. I learnt that all teaching could be made more fun and exciting by taking advantage of selective self-disclosure, and selective self-disclosure is particularly appropriate for teaching the subject of Psychology. Abstract concepts can be made significantly more concrete by presenting real-world examples and examples are intrinsically more interesting if they directly relate to the speaker. My presentation will explore the value of self-disclosure in the classroom and introduce some personal examples of the benefits of self-disclosure. In particular, I will discuss how my experience as a volunteer teacher in Cambodia provided me with an insight into the atrocities committed in this country during the rule of Khmer Rouge and how this insight gave me a unique angle for teaching the topic of Social Psychology. The aim of this talk will be to offer the audience a different perspective on teaching in psychology in addition to providing some interesting content for those working on the social psychology syllabus.

6

Research methods in psychology

Sandy MacRae

Statbasics

Sandy is a regular contributor to the conference and his is the author of statbasics which is the friendliest, most enjoyable statistics course you’ve ever seen. It’s a complete and authoritative foundation course on CD that can run interactively at the student’s own pace or can have any of its explanations bookmarked by a tutor to show to a whole class with a projector. It has animated cartoon graphics, self-test questions and an optional voice commentary.

7

Psychologising the terror

Patrick Hylton

University of Lincoln

This talk will introduce some psychological perspectives on terrorism. The session will consider definitional issues around this phenomenon, the role of psychology, and contrasting theories of terrorism.

8

The psychology of personal appearance

Joe Cocker

Universidad de la Vida

Two years ago I came across a book written in 1930 called “The
Psychology of Clothes” by Prof. J.C. Flügel. It is interesting to
compare attitudes then and now. Despite the title he also looks at the wider field of body decoration and appearance. At the conference last year I gave a presentation on this topic. While the basic presentation is the same this year I have incorporated some details of a recent local project in which 14 and 15 year old girls who had serious worries about appearance were encouraged to change their attitudes. Since Flügel´s time the pressures on the young have increased enormously and the large number of magazines devoted to ´fashion´ echo this. Allied to this we
have issues of religious/ethnic clothing. The subject will be of obvious interest to most students and involves topics such as social behaviour, conformity, dominance, sexual attraction, learning and much else. Last year we discussed the possibility of a one day event on this topic. If you cannot come to the workshop but are interested in further details please let me know. joe.cocker@ukonline.co.uk

9

Mind & Brain In The 21st Century

Guy Sutton

MBI consultants

The session will look at advances in neurogenetics, neuroplasticity and neuroimaging with a quick look at neurobionics at the end. The full multi-media presentation will introduce material that has been successfully used with teachers and students at numerous previous
events.

10

Teaching and Learning

11

Transitions from school to university

Paul Humphreys

Universidad de la Vida

Paul has been involved with A Level psychology almost from when time began but looks quite well on it. Most recently he has been interested in the transition between A level and university and what each sector can learn from the other. Paul will look at this during this session and consider how we can best prepare our students for their university studies.

12

Born Bad?

Julia Russel

a UNIVIEW presentation

How do psychologists investigate the causes of criminality and what have they found? A lively session giving teachers the chance to explore the issues and engage in activities to enhance lessons

13

Accelerated Learning in Psychology

Laura McInerney

Teachfirst

Accelerated Learning is a tool for lesson-planning that helps teachers quickly and easily think through the detail of activities.  The session demonstrates how to quickly create accelerated learning lessons that engage and academically push learners to achieve desired learning outcomes.  The session will itself model accelerated learning, so come ready to take part!

14

Some new fun !! active learning strategies, practical tips for use in the psychology classroom – PGCE styley

Karen Duffy & Psychology PGCE students

Manchester Metroploitan University

4 trainee teachers from MMU Psychology PGCE will be delivering a session on fun ways of delivering aspects of psychology specifications

15

Claims, expectations and inference: focusing on the creativity of critical thinking

Roy van den Brink-Budgen

if…then Consultancy

If we look at much of how Critical Thinking is assessed (and thus
taught) in this country, we find that there is a noticeable emphasis on the detail of the structure of argumentation. Students are required to distinguish between evidence and examples, spot counter-claims, and report verbatim on the reasons used for the conclusions drawn. Even when they’re asked to write arguments, the marks are awarded more for structure than for content.   This Haynes manual approach to Critical Thinking does the subject a big disservice. Much more important than fretting about things like the distinction between evidence and examples (is there an agreed one?) is the skill of being able to create and evaluate explanations for claims, and inferences drawn from such explanations. Thus questions like ‘what might this mean?’ and ‘what inference could be drawn from this?’ are of much greater significance than ‘is this bit of the argument evidence or a reason?’   In focusing on the creativity of Critical Thinking, we rescue it from the cul-de-sac of the ‘what is an argument?’ approach. In this workshop we will look at how productive this explanation and inference approach can be in encouraging students to think beyond the structure.   Roy van den Brink-Budgen has been working in Critical Thinking for twenty-two years. In this time, he has played a central role in the growth of the subject in schools and colleges (including having been Chief Examiner for most of the time that the subject has been assessed). His resources for teachers and students (including books, CD-Rom, online course, and Critical Thinking card game) are widely used not only in this country but also in others, including the US, Australia, and the Netherlands. He runs theeducation consultancy if…then which provides services to both students and teachers.

17

Developing Higher Order Thinking Skills in Psychology:

Emma Shakespeare

The McAuley Catholic High School

This workshop will focus on innovative ways to teach students those tricky skills of evaluation and analysis which make the difference
between a C and an A*.

18

The Blooming Buzzing Confusion

Phil Banyard

Nottingham Trent University

This session is a work in progress and will explore how we can get the wonder back into cognitive psychology. William James suggested that a baby’s perception is a blooming bussing confusion so how we do get thisacross to our students? Oh, and why are sad songs sad?

19

The International Baccalaureate

Katanya Hamilton

Coleg Llandrillo Cymru

Katanya is a coursework moderator with the IB and will guide delegates through the do’s and don’ts of coursework, She will also try and deal with any questions delegates have about the IB and also run a sharing best practice session. That’s a lot to cover in one session but if you don’t try … (Please note, Katyana is offering this sessions as a teacher of the IB and not a representative from the Board)

20

Introducing the Independent Learner Series

Nick Redshaw

Advanced Success Ltd.

An introduction to the benefits of independent learning for your
department in enhancing the achievement of lower ability students. Come along and meet the author of this highly successful Independent Learner Series, Nick Redshaw who has over ten years classroom experience teaching psychology.

21

Increasing attainment through questioning

Deb Gajic

Polesworth School

This workshop aims to get delegates to reflect on their own questioning skills, share good practice and gain valuable new skills and ideas. Improving our use of questioning in the classroom increases student’s understanding and ultimately their attainment.

22

SHARE: practical ideas for classes

Frances Harding

St Michaels Catholic High School

Frances is an experience teacher and examiner who will illustrate how to use practical activities to teacher research methods. The session will also allow for delegates to share ideas – both those that work  and those that don’t.

23

Teaching research methods

Jeff Standen

Boston College

In March ATP ran a workshop for new teachers.  It included this session on teaching research methods, and consisted of some practical ideas for delivering concepts such as experiment, correlation, measuring variables and a novel way of teaching observation that a learner can do “with my mum”.   Jeff has had a number of requests to repeat this,  especially since the review in the latest ATP Now! magazine  and although aimed at new teachers, some of the more experienced may want to share the ideas. Jeff Standen is an ATP  Committee member and Head of Psychology at Boston College,  Lincolnshire. He has been teaching psychology for 17 years and says it’s the most fun he’s had while still being paid!

24

Teaching Research Methods effectively for AS and A2 – love it or loathe it?

Vicky Newham

Wimbledon High School

Whether you’re teaching this for the first time, and dreading it, or just want to find out what other people do and how – this is the
workshop for you! I’ll bring along my resources, and explain briefly how I cover the main areas, and we can share ideas. With the new content and no coursework now, I’ll outline the investigations which I get my AS and A2 students to do, how I integrate teaching the stats into these, and how I get them to write it up. You can get paper copies of my resources,and I’ll also make them available digitally. Primarily geared towards AQA teachers but all welcome!

25

Do you have issues with issues?

Helen Gibb & Mandy Wood

Portsmouth Grammar and the Blandford School

Edexcel teachers Helen and Mandy discuss their ideas about how to tie your key issues and practicals to just about anything that stands still long enough in a bid to kill as many birds with as a few stones as possible! (Ideas for both AS and A2)

26

First time delegates

Joe Cocker

Universidad de la Vida and the ATP Committee

A pre-conference event. Come along and meet some of the other delegates and find out how to make the best out of the conference.

27

The European psychology teachers association

Joe Cocker, Dorothy Coombs

Universidad de la Vida

Joe and Dorothy are leading lights in European Federation of psychology teachers. If you’d like to find out more about this and join in then come along.

28

Belly dance your way to a stress free life

Shiraz58, a.k.a.Lesley McHenry

Universidad de la Vida

By popular demand Shiraz58 (a.k.a.Lesley McHenry) is back again this year. Following the memorable display at last year’s conference, delegates are invited to join a class to either improve their skills or to learn them for the first time. No veil required.

29

Getting the best out of the OCR specification

The ATP Committee

An opportunity to compare notes with other teachers and figure out the best ways to deal with problems areas on the course.

30

Getting the best out of the AQA-A specification

The ATP Committee

An opportunity to compare notes with other teachers and figure out the best ways to deal with problems areas on the course.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

31

Teaching with Facebook

Laura Rudd

Franklin College

Discussing and exploring the potential and the pitfalls of using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter as teaching aids

32

Psychexchange

Jamie Davies and Mark Holah

psychexchange

Mark Holah and Jamie Davies from Wyke College have created numerous websites for students and teachers of psychology. Their latest successful venture is psychexchange. They have presented their work at CPD events for teachers and also at academic conferences. They will provide a session that shows you how to get the best from psychexchange and how to search, download and upload resources.

33

Interactive Whiteboards and you

ATP Committee

Come along and share your IW lessons and tips. Don’t be shy.

34

Psychology and Citizenship vs the big bad world

Mark Souter

Clacton Coastal Academy

This session will be presented demonstrating ‘Zingthing’ (Google it!), a collaboration system using wireless keyboards and a shared discussion screen. Participants will be invited to share ideas about the role of psychology in enlightenment about the ways of the world: is it enough to just raise ideas or do we have a professional duty to combat oppression?

35

Sharing resources and practice: Partners in crime II – the collaboration

Mark Souter

Clacton Coastal Academy

This session will be presented using ‘Zingthing’ (Google it!), a
collaboration system using wireless keyboards and a shared discussion screen. Participants will be invited to share cheers and tears over the new OCR A2 spec. on Forensic Psychology. Contributions will be saved, collated and shared (so be careful what you type!)

36

YouTubing and psychexchanging

Jamie Davies and Mark Holah

psychexchange

A pre conference event for early arrivals will look at internet
resources and try out the latest downloads

AWARDING BODIES

41

AQA A Level Specification A: Feedback on AS and A2

Ruth Hooper

AQA

42

AQA A-level Psychology Specification B: AS and A2 feedback – the story so far

Karen Boswell

AQA

43

AQA GCSE Psychology: Feedback and Top Tips

Mike Stanley

AQA

44

Learn more! Cambridge Pre-U Psychology

David Clark

CIE

Cambridge Pre-U is an exciting new post-16 qualification. It prepares students with the skills and knowledge they need to make a success of their subsequent studies at university.    University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) has developed Cambridge Pre-U as a coherent curriculum underpinned by a core set of educational principles, in response to teachers’ requests to be able to prepare students for higher education more effectively.    This seminar will cover key questions about Cambridge Pre-U, including:
• Key features of the Cambridge Pre-U Psychology syllabus
• Experiences of students who started following the syllabus in September 2008
• QCA accreditation
• University recognition

45

UCLES International A Levels

David Clark

CIE

46

OCR AS feedback on the January examinations

Sarah Byrne

OCR

This workshop aims to give teachers of OCR AS Psychology an opportunity to gain feedback from the January 2010 exam series. Led by an experienced OCR Principal Examiner, the session will provide delegates with an opportunity to receive detailed commentary on how students gained and lost marks in exams for units G541 and G542. Supplementary support material, such as candidate style answers, will also be available. This is the only AS Psychology training event being hosted by OCR that will specifically focus on the January session.

47

Edexcel GCSE Psychology: Introducing the new specification

Dr Julia Russell

The Queen’s School

This event is designed for those new to teaching the Edexcel GCSE
specification and will provide an overview of the topics as well as an introduction to the assessment of the units. The event will be hosted by Dr Julia Russell, the Principal Examiner for the GCSE.

48

Edexcel A Level Psychology: Understanding the examinations

Craig Roberts

Universidad de la Vida

This event will provide feedback on what our examiners look for when marking the AS and A2 and on common errors that students make. The event is hosted by Craig Roberts, a Senior Examiner for the Edexcel A Level.

49

WJEC: 12 steps to improving performance on AS & A2

Frances Harding

St Michaels Catholic High School

The workshop will draw on deas from all the Principal Examiners. Francis will also share some of her ideas for teaching the research methods issues on PY3. The workshop will also provide an opportunity to meet and share ideas with existing WJEC teachers and anyone who would like to find out more about WJEC courses.