2022 SCHEDULE
Below is our detailed schedule for June 23rd and 24th. Click to expand each event to see a more detailed description and brief speaker biography.
Thursday, June 23rd
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
8:45-9:10 Welcome (Bridgette Hard)
8:45-9:10 Welcome (Bridgette Hard)
9:15-10:15 FEATURED SPEAKER: Building Better Citizens Through Intro Psych
Erin Hardin (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Erin Hardin (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
As many as 1.5 million students each year take Introductory psychology annually (Gurung et al., 2016), and it is one of the most popular courses for non-psychology majors (Halonen, 2011). As such, the course provides a tremendous opportunity to help students see how Applying psychological principles can change our lives in positive ways (APA, 2019). In this talk, I will discuss a variety of ways instructors can harness this potential to create better learners and better world citizens, by focusing on what and how we teach within the classroom, as well as how we can use non-disposable assignments (Seraphin et al., 2018) to engage students in giving psychology away outside the classroom in socially meaningful ways.
Erin Hardin is professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the psychology department at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She received her BA in psychology with an interdisciplinary concentration in Chinese Studies from Grinnell College, and her MA and PhD in Counseling Psychology from The Ohio State University. She has received numerous teaching awards, including the 2016 Robert S. Daniel Teaching Excellence Award from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology. Her favorite courses to teach are Introductory Psychology and College Teaching seminars to train graduate student instructors, both of which she has taught for 2 decades at three different institutions. She is a member of the APA Introductory Psychology Initiative’s Teacher Training group. In addition to research in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Erin’s research has also focused on cultural differences in the self and understanding individuals’ career development in their unique cultural contexts. Most recently, her work has examined the recruitment and retention of underrepresented individuals in STEM, with an emphasis on educational attainment among rural Appalachian youth. She has also been immersed in thinking about the purpose, value, and implementation of General Education.
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10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:45 Teaching Expo: 15-minute Teaching Ideas
Instructors share favorite demonstrations, assignments, teaching tips, and class practices.
Instructors share favorite demonstrations, assignments, teaching tips, and class practices.
Is a Hot Dog a Sandwich? A Fun and Engaging Example for Both Cognition and Research Methods
Rachelle Tannenbaum (Anne Arundel Community College)
Rachelle Tannenbaum (Anne Arundel Community College)
Description: Is a hot dog a sandwich? It's a tricky question! More importantly, though, it's one that can be used as a segue into a number of concepts related to cognition and memory (e.g., concepts, prototypes, top-down processing). In my classes I use it to illustrate those concepts, but also use it as an opportunity to introduce or reinforce several concepts related to research methods (e.g., sampling, experiments, the need for replication).
Speaker Bio: Rachelle Tannenbaum is a psychology professor at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, MD. She primarily teaches Introduction to Psychology, which is her favorite course by far; she also teaches and is course coordinator for Developmental Psychology. She has been actively involved in training and review processes related to online learning and course design, her department’s learning outcomes assessment efforts, and efforts to reshape the curriculum to emphasize access, equity, and inclusion. After 22 years, she's still in love with the fact that she gets paid to spend her time learning new things. When she's not at school, she can be found reading, playing board games, and generally hanging out with her husband and three kids.
Speaker Bio: Rachelle Tannenbaum is a psychology professor at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, MD. She primarily teaches Introduction to Psychology, which is her favorite course by far; she also teaches and is course coordinator for Developmental Psychology. She has been actively involved in training and review processes related to online learning and course design, her department’s learning outcomes assessment efforts, and efforts to reshape the curriculum to emphasize access, equity, and inclusion. After 22 years, she's still in love with the fact that she gets paid to spend her time learning new things. When she's not at school, she can be found reading, playing board games, and generally hanging out with her husband and three kids.
Demonstrating Psychological Phenomena Using BYOD Technology and Self-Generated Student Data in the Classroom
Gary Muir (St. Olaf College)
Gary Muir (St. Olaf College)
Description: BYOD polling systems in the classroom provide a powerful opportunity to use self-generated student data to demonstrate and increase student engagement in understanding psychological phenomena. Over the course of a semester, students in my Principles of Psychology course generate data using PollEverywhere to describe, for example, frequency distributions, correspondence bias and attentional processing. This brief teaching technique demonstration will show how to use Kahoot! to collect data to demonstrate the Stroop Effect (Stroop, 1935), and how that is integrated into a broader discussion of attentional processes.
Speaker Bio: Gary Muir is Associate Professor and Chair of Psychology at St. Olaf College, and former Director of its teaching and learning center – the Center for Innovation in The Liberal Arts (CILA) – and Director of Assessment and Evaluation. In addition to his neuroscience research examining the neural mechanisms of spatial cognition and navigation using single-unit electrophysiology techniques, Muir has published in the areas of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and assessment, and teaches Principles of Psychology (introductory psychology) every year, along with Biological Psychology and other neuroscience-related courses.
Speaker Bio: Gary Muir is Associate Professor and Chair of Psychology at St. Olaf College, and former Director of its teaching and learning center – the Center for Innovation in The Liberal Arts (CILA) – and Director of Assessment and Evaluation. In addition to his neuroscience research examining the neural mechanisms of spatial cognition and navigation using single-unit electrophysiology techniques, Muir has published in the areas of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and assessment, and teaches Principles of Psychology (introductory psychology) every year, along with Biological Psychology and other neuroscience-related courses.
Micro to Macro: You and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Model
Nathalie Yuen (The Evergreen State College)
Nathalie Yuen (The Evergreen State College)
Description: This interactive demonstration focuses on Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model. Although this model is not typically included in introductory psychology courses, this activity could be used to introduce developmental psychology. Students are invited to respond to the writing prompt, "Share an experience from childhood or adolescence." Next, students are introduced to the model. Finally, students are asked to apply the model to their own experience. This activity could support student learning in understanding bio-psycho-social processes, as well as developing community in the classroom.
Speaker Bio: Dr. C. Nathalie Yuen is a member of the faculty at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. She is a co-convener for the Psychology, Health, and Community Path and teaches undergraduate psychology classes in team-taught interdisciplinary programs. Her research interests include emerging adulthood and social media use. She earned her PhD at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, MA at St. Bonaventure University, and BA at Whittier College. She has experience in teaching a range of courses including introductory psychology, developmental psychology, and research methods.
Speaker Bio: Dr. C. Nathalie Yuen is a member of the faculty at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. She is a co-convener for the Psychology, Health, and Community Path and teaches undergraduate psychology classes in team-taught interdisciplinary programs. Her research interests include emerging adulthood and social media use. She earned her PhD at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, MA at St. Bonaventure University, and BA at Whittier College. She has experience in teaching a range of courses including introductory psychology, developmental psychology, and research methods.
The Write Stuff: Using Graphology to Assess Personality
Carolyn Cavanaugh Toft (Arizona State University)
Carolyn Cavanaugh Toft (Arizona State University)
Description: Many people love to take personality tests and strongly believe in the accuracy of feedback they have received from assessments that have poor validity (e.g., Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Enneagrams, etc.). This interactive demonstration from my Intro to Psychology class will involve the assessment of participants' handwriting, discussion of the feedback received, and the connections to confirmation bias.
Speaker Bio: Carolyn Cavanaugh Toft, Ph.D. is a Principal Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University. She teaches Introduction to Psychology, Psychological Disorders, Psychological Disorders in Children & Adolescents, and runs the Early Start: Psychology program for incoming college students. Carolyn earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Arizona State University and is a licensed psychologist who has worked in various clinical settings and supervised doctoral students in Clinical Psychology. She was the recipient of the 2018 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Outstanding Lecturer Award, the 2022 Samuel Leifeit Memorial Citizenship Award, and is the inaugural head of the Teaching Faculty in the Department of Psychology. Carolyn's family motto is "We do stupid well," as evidenced by their having seven pets (3 dogs, 3 cats, and 1 snake), two of whom were planned acquisitions.
Speaker Bio: Carolyn Cavanaugh Toft, Ph.D. is a Principal Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University. She teaches Introduction to Psychology, Psychological Disorders, Psychological Disorders in Children & Adolescents, and runs the Early Start: Psychology program for incoming college students. Carolyn earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Arizona State University and is a licensed psychologist who has worked in various clinical settings and supervised doctoral students in Clinical Psychology. She was the recipient of the 2018 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Outstanding Lecturer Award, the 2022 Samuel Leifeit Memorial Citizenship Award, and is the inaugural head of the Teaching Faculty in the Department of Psychology. Carolyn's family motto is "We do stupid well," as evidenced by their having seven pets (3 dogs, 3 cats, and 1 snake), two of whom were planned acquisitions.
11:45-1:15 Lunch and Discussions
Assigned seats. While enjoying lunch, guests will be given a collection of teaching topics to discuss with fellow attendees in a roundtable format.
Assigned seats. While enjoying lunch, guests will be given a collection of teaching topics to discuss with fellow attendees in a roundtable format.
1:15-2:30 Research Expo: 15-minute Research Reports
Instructors share the results of their research on teaching and learning.
Instructors share the results of their research on teaching and learning.
Do We Have to Be so Extra?
Des Robinson (Tarrant County College)
Des Robinson (Tarrant County College)
Description: Four studies conducted in General Psychology examine student responses on major exam when presented a subset of questions listed either as SHORT ANSWER or EXTRA CREDIT. Study 1 explored performance differences if students thought questions were either for credit or extra credit. The following studies examine 1) if the effect lasts through a 16 week semester, 2) if the value of the extra credit influences responses and 3) how students responded with a third condition indicating that the questions were for no credit. Implications, suggestions, and alternatives to extra credit are discussed.
Speaker Bio: Des Robinson is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department at Tarrant County College, a two year school of about 50,000 students. With over 170 sections of General Psychology taught, he still endeavors to incorporate evidence-informed techniques and conduct research to maximize the academic experience. He is the recipient of institution’s 2021 Chancellor’s Award for Exemplary Teaching and the NITOP 2022 Frank Costin Memorial Award for Excellence.
Speaker Bio: Des Robinson is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department at Tarrant County College, a two year school of about 50,000 students. With over 170 sections of General Psychology taught, he still endeavors to incorporate evidence-informed techniques and conduct research to maximize the academic experience. He is the recipient of institution’s 2021 Chancellor’s Award for Exemplary Teaching and the NITOP 2022 Frank Costin Memorial Award for Excellence.
Introductory Psychology Students’ Learning Engagement During the Outbreak of COVID-19 Pandemic
Feihong Wang (University of Florida)
Feihong Wang (University of Florida)
Description: COVID-19 led to an abrupt transition from in-person to online instruction in most of U.S. higher education institutions in Spring 2020, resulting in a significant disruption of college students' learning routines, motivation, and outcomes. This disruption is especially detrimental to Intro Psych students, many of whom are first-year students challenged to adapt to the application and critical thinking-oriented learning expected from this course. This research examines Intro Psych students’ behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement strategies at the start of the pandemic, and group differences in their strategies to proceed in learning given the obstacle.
Speaker Bio: Feihong Wang, Ph.D. is an Assistant Instructional Professor in the department of psychology at University of Florida where she teaches Abnormal Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and General Psychology for undergraduate students. She also provides regular bootcamp training preparing graduate instructors for their first-time teaching of varied psychological courses and supervises first-time graduate instructors for the General Psychology sections via the Coordinated General Psychology Program in the department. She earned her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology in 2011 and enjoys the opportunities to facilitate intellectual and academic growth in her students via teaching. She likes to engage students in imaginative and innovative ways so as to boost students’ intrinsic motivation for learning. Recently she won the 2021 Exemplary Online Award in Imaginative or Innovative Approach for her cruise ship themed CLP3144 Abnormal Psychology course from Center for Teaching Excellence of University of Florida. When she isn’t in the classroom or lab, she can be found taking a walk in the neighborhood, driving her daughter to different extracurricular activities, volunteering, cooking and gardening.
Speaker Bio: Feihong Wang, Ph.D. is an Assistant Instructional Professor in the department of psychology at University of Florida where she teaches Abnormal Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and General Psychology for undergraduate students. She also provides regular bootcamp training preparing graduate instructors for their first-time teaching of varied psychological courses and supervises first-time graduate instructors for the General Psychology sections via the Coordinated General Psychology Program in the department. She earned her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology in 2011 and enjoys the opportunities to facilitate intellectual and academic growth in her students via teaching. She likes to engage students in imaginative and innovative ways so as to boost students’ intrinsic motivation for learning. Recently she won the 2021 Exemplary Online Award in Imaginative or Innovative Approach for her cruise ship themed CLP3144 Abnormal Psychology course from Center for Teaching Excellence of University of Florida. When she isn’t in the classroom or lab, she can be found taking a walk in the neighborhood, driving her daughter to different extracurricular activities, volunteering, cooking and gardening.
Increasing Scientific Literacy in Introductory Psychology
Jarred Jenkins and Julie Grignon* (Anne Arundel Community College)
Jarred Jenkins and Julie Grignon* (Anne Arundel Community College)
Description: We designed twelve interactive, research lessons for our introductory psychology course. These lessons are delivered through the Canvas LMS "new quizzes tool. The lessons cover typical methods topics, but they are spread out across the entire semester. Each topic integrates with a broader content area to better contextualize the research content. To determine impact, we created a scientific literacy quiz that was given to students at the beginning and end of fall 2021. We also have comparative, control data from the previous spring. We plan to share some of our preliminary findings and outline our next steps.
Speaker Bio: Jarred R. Jenkins, Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychology at Anne Arundel Community College. His graduate training was in experimental psychology with a focus in animal behavior and cognition. He has a taught a wide variety of psychology courses at a variety of institutions, but his primary focus is introductory psychology, with additional efforts in psychology and law and biopsychology. He has created introductory psychology learning communities and he has particular interest in integrating research into the introductory classroom.
Speaker Bio: Julie L. Grignon, Ph.D. is an associate professor of psychology at Anne Arundel Community College. She holds an undergraduate degree in math and graduate degrees in educational psychology, school psychology, and general psychology. She has spent more than 20 years working as a teacher and school psychologist at the K-12 level. Julie has taught a number of psychology, education, and student success courses at the college level, but currently specializes in teaching introductory psychology. She also serves as one of the leads of Anne Arundel Community College’s signature program on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
* Dr. Grignon will be unable to attend the conference in person.
Speaker Bio: Jarred R. Jenkins, Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychology at Anne Arundel Community College. His graduate training was in experimental psychology with a focus in animal behavior and cognition. He has a taught a wide variety of psychology courses at a variety of institutions, but his primary focus is introductory psychology, with additional efforts in psychology and law and biopsychology. He has created introductory psychology learning communities and he has particular interest in integrating research into the introductory classroom.
Speaker Bio: Julie L. Grignon, Ph.D. is an associate professor of psychology at Anne Arundel Community College. She holds an undergraduate degree in math and graduate degrees in educational psychology, school psychology, and general psychology. She has spent more than 20 years working as a teacher and school psychologist at the K-12 level. Julie has taught a number of psychology, education, and student success courses at the college level, but currently specializes in teaching introductory psychology. She also serves as one of the leads of Anne Arundel Community College’s signature program on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
* Dr. Grignon will be unable to attend the conference in person.
Real-time Captioning in the Classroom: Is it Worth All the Fuss?
Alison Melley (George Mason University)
Alison Melley (George Mason University)
Description: Real-time captioning in remote learning situations has been a common accessibility technology, and it is easy to implement in the seated classroom. Students want it but is the added technology stress worth it? Does it improve learning or simply perceived accessibility? Preliminary in-class data in large introductory psychology courses suggest that immediate concept checks are improved for students given real-time captioning compared to those with no captioning, and this was true both between and within subjects. Investigation continues and subjective as well as objective assessments will be discussed.
Speaker Bio: Alison Heinhold Melley has taught PSYC100 for over 10 years, first at Montgomery College Maryland, and now at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She also facilitates the Teaching Practicum and related training experiences for graduate students. Major interests are in developing inclusive, accessible, and resilient classrooms (both online and in person). Alison is in an almost constant state of curiosity, and is driven towards making psychology more accessible. Although currently focused on teaching, Alison's research background includes infant mental health, preschool STEM education, parent-child interaction, personality disorders and social functioning, eating disorders, attachment and emotion. She earned the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia, M.A. at West Chester University Pennsylvania, and B.A. at Loyola College Maryland. When not teaching, she is hanging with her husband Pete and their five children (ages 8-22), hiking, swimming, biking, running, or gardening.
Speaker Bio: Alison Heinhold Melley has taught PSYC100 for over 10 years, first at Montgomery College Maryland, and now at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She also facilitates the Teaching Practicum and related training experiences for graduate students. Major interests are in developing inclusive, accessible, and resilient classrooms (both online and in person). Alison is in an almost constant state of curiosity, and is driven towards making psychology more accessible. Although currently focused on teaching, Alison's research background includes infant mental health, preschool STEM education, parent-child interaction, personality disorders and social functioning, eating disorders, attachment and emotion. She earned the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia, M.A. at West Chester University Pennsylvania, and B.A. at Loyola College Maryland. When not teaching, she is hanging with her husband Pete and their five children (ages 8-22), hiking, swimming, biking, running, or gardening.
Earlier Start Time for an Undergraduate Introductory Psychology Course Predicts Lower GPA, Wakefulness, and Completed Readings
Susan Wenze (Lafayette College)
Susan Wenze (Lafayette College)
Description: We tested whether course start time predicts student outcomes &/or evaluations of teaching in 82 Introductory Psychology students (8:00-8:50am n = 39, 10-10:50am n = 43). GPA was lower in the earlier section. Controlling for GPA, students in this section reported lower ease of wakefulness and marginally greater sleepiness and fewer assignments completed. Teaching implications (choice of class time, introduction to quasi-random experiments) will be discussed.
Speaker Bio: Susan Wenze is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Lafayette College in Easton, PA. She primarily teaches courses related to psychopathology and applied/clinical psychology, although she also regularly teaches Lafayette’s introductory psychology course and a first-year seminar on psychology and media. Her research interests center broadly on the assessment and treatment of mood disorders and related concerns. As a licensed clinical psychologist, she carries a small caseload of clients at a group practice in Bethlehem, PA; in addition to exercising an important part of her professional identity, this work directly informs her roles as an educator, mentor, and researcher.
Speaker Bio: Susan Wenze is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Lafayette College in Easton, PA. She primarily teaches courses related to psychopathology and applied/clinical psychology, although she also regularly teaches Lafayette’s introductory psychology course and a first-year seminar on psychology and media. Her research interests center broadly on the assessment and treatment of mood disorders and related concerns. As a licensed clinical psychologist, she carries a small caseload of clients at a group practice in Bethlehem, PA; in addition to exercising an important part of her professional identity, this work directly informs her roles as an educator, mentor, and researcher.
2:30-2:45 Break
2:45-3:45 Focused Roundtable Discussions
Guests will select from a range of teaching topics and exchange ideas in a roundtable format, led by a group facilitator. After 30 minutes, attendees will have an opportunity to switch to a different discussion topic.
Guests will select from a range of teaching topics and exchange ideas in a roundtable format, led by a group facilitator. After 30 minutes, attendees will have an opportunity to switch to a different discussion topic.
Accessibility in the Classroom
Alison Melley (George Mason University)
Alison Melley (George Mason University)
Description: This discussion will serve as a follow-up to the talk “Real-time Captioning in the Classroom: Is it Worth All the Fuss?” and will focus on accessibility in general. I will share how I structure my large enrollment in PSYC 100 classes to maximize access, inclusion, and equity. This includes offering multiple ways to engage with content and demonstrate learning. A resource list will be shared with participants (creating accessible documents, Universal Design for Learning). Participants are invited to share their experiences and challenges, or simply to learn about steps they can take to increase access in their courses.
Bio: Alison Heinhold Melley has taught PSYC100 for over 10 years, first at Montgomery College Maryland, and now at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She also facilitates the Teaching Practicum and related training experiences for graduate students. Major interests are in developing inclusive, accessible, and resilient classrooms (both online and in person). Alison is in an almost constant state of curiosity, and is driven towards making psychology more accessible. Although currently focused on teaching, Alison's research background includes infant mental health, preschool STEM education, parent-child interaction, personality disorders and social functioning, eating disorders, attachment and emotion. She earned the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia, M.A. at West Chester University Pennsylvania, and B.A. at Loyola College Maryland. When not teaching, she is hanging with her husband Pete and their five children (ages 8-22), hiking, swimming, biking, running, or gardening.
Bio: Alison Heinhold Melley has taught PSYC100 for over 10 years, first at Montgomery College Maryland, and now at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She also facilitates the Teaching Practicum and related training experiences for graduate students. Major interests are in developing inclusive, accessible, and resilient classrooms (both online and in person). Alison is in an almost constant state of curiosity, and is driven towards making psychology more accessible. Although currently focused on teaching, Alison's research background includes infant mental health, preschool STEM education, parent-child interaction, personality disorders and social functioning, eating disorders, attachment and emotion. She earned the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia, M.A. at West Chester University Pennsylvania, and B.A. at Loyola College Maryland. When not teaching, she is hanging with her husband Pete and their five children (ages 8-22), hiking, swimming, biking, running, or gardening.
Teaching on the Inside: Teaching in Prisons
Justice Morath (Salt Lake Community College)
Justice Morath (Salt Lake Community College)
Description: Education programs for the incarcerated reduces recidivism and problem behavior. While higher education in prisons is not new, a shift across the political spectrum to support these programs is happening. Changes in regulations around student financial aid and employment screening is making prison education more viable. This roundtable discussion will be led by someone with three years of experience teaching Introductory Psychology to the incarcerated. Participants will discuss myths and questions about teaching in prison, learn about current laws and regulations, and share experiences teaching psychology and related topics to incarcerated people.
Bio: Justice Morath is a PhD dropout and Associate Professor of Psychology at Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City, Utah. He found he loved teaching more than research so shifted his focus to teach introductory psychology and various sophomore level courses to students that are underserved in higher education. He also took this passion out of the ivory tower, founding multiple local and national science communication initiatives. Not really picking favorites but... his absolute favorite students are those at the Utah State Prison where he has taught for-credit, fully transferrable introductory psychology for three years.
Bio: Justice Morath is a PhD dropout and Associate Professor of Psychology at Salt Lake Community College in Salt Lake City, Utah. He found he loved teaching more than research so shifted his focus to teach introductory psychology and various sophomore level courses to students that are underserved in higher education. He also took this passion out of the ivory tower, founding multiple local and national science communication initiatives. Not really picking favorites but... his absolute favorite students are those at the Utah State Prison where he has taught for-credit, fully transferrable introductory psychology for three years.
Building your Mentor Network
Ellen Carpenter (Virginia Commonwealth University)
Ellen Carpenter (Virginia Commonwealth University)
Description: This workshop or discussion will center on attendees creating strong, supportive mentor networks. While it is fairly obvious that new faculty members benefit from mentoring, sometimes mid- and late-career faculty forego this essential component of their professional growth and satisfaction. This workshop/discussion will emphasize the need to identify different mentors to fulfill different roles.
Bio: Ellen Carpenter is an Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she commonly teaches Learning and Cognition, Perception, and Introduction to Psychology. She has spent the last two years engaged with VCU’s Leaders for Inclusive Learning, part of an HHMI grant and is committed to making institutional changes that allow all students to thrive in STEM courses, with special focus on PEERS (previously excluded based on ethnicity or race) and first-generation students. In the last few years Ellen has redesigned some of her courses to include specifications and contract grading, as well as gamifying the undergraduate Learning and Cognition course. Her current SoTL projects include specification grading and the numerous benefits of undergraduate teaching assistants. Finally, Ellen is in the second year of a Mentoring Faculty Fellow position with the College of Humanities and Sciences at VCU. Leisure activities include gardening, reading, cooking, yoga, running, and the (very) occasional triathlon.
Bio: Ellen Carpenter is an Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she commonly teaches Learning and Cognition, Perception, and Introduction to Psychology. She has spent the last two years engaged with VCU’s Leaders for Inclusive Learning, part of an HHMI grant and is committed to making institutional changes that allow all students to thrive in STEM courses, with special focus on PEERS (previously excluded based on ethnicity or race) and first-generation students. In the last few years Ellen has redesigned some of her courses to include specifications and contract grading, as well as gamifying the undergraduate Learning and Cognition course. Her current SoTL projects include specification grading and the numerous benefits of undergraduate teaching assistants. Finally, Ellen is in the second year of a Mentoring Faculty Fellow position with the College of Humanities and Sciences at VCU. Leisure activities include gardening, reading, cooking, yoga, running, and the (very) occasional triathlon.
"The Test": Implications of the Inclusion of Introductor-Level Psychology Questions on the MCAT
Thomas Capo (University of Maryland Global Campus)
Thomas Capo (University of Maryland Global Campus)
Description: The development of students' scientific thinking is of paramount importance for students’ future success, regardless of their career goals. As of 2015, the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) includes scored items on subject matter presumed to be covered in Introductory Psychology; some probe critical thinking skills, but many others focus on specific theoretical and empirical "basics." This discussion, led by someone with abundant experience with the inclusion of Intro content on "the test," will be centered on a skeptical reexamination of the recent push to deemphasize the importance of teaching "content" in our Intro courses. Thus, it will be of interest to anyone teaching Intro, whether or not your students are pre-med.
Bio: Dr. Tom Capo (Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, SUNY University at Buffalo, B.A. in Psychology and English, Marquette University), until recently worked as Psychology Editor for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), and is officially recognized as the first person ever to use the internet to register for an American Psychological Association (APA) annual convention (see the APA Historical Database, check out May 22, 1996). He has taught various Psychology courses to all types of college students in many different environments, including Canada, the Deep South, and the well-known maximum-security prison in Attica, New York. His students benefit from his skill at fostering their critical thinking ability, which he reminds everyone is simply the currently fashionable term for scientific thinking, or what he likes to call “thinking like a psychologist.” To that end, he once created a customized version of Keith Stanovich’s book, How to Think Straight about Psychology.
Bio: Dr. Tom Capo (Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, SUNY University at Buffalo, B.A. in Psychology and English, Marquette University), until recently worked as Psychology Editor for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), and is officially recognized as the first person ever to use the internet to register for an American Psychological Association (APA) annual convention (see the APA Historical Database, check out May 22, 1996). He has taught various Psychology courses to all types of college students in many different environments, including Canada, the Deep South, and the well-known maximum-security prison in Attica, New York. His students benefit from his skill at fostering their critical thinking ability, which he reminds everyone is simply the currently fashionable term for scientific thinking, or what he likes to call “thinking like a psychologist.” To that end, he once created a customized version of Keith Stanovich’s book, How to Think Straight about Psychology.
Invoking Gen Z in the Classroom
Karen Kwan (Salt Lake Community College)
Karen Kwan (Salt Lake Community College)
Description: Generation Z communicates in ways vastly unused in classrooms. As a whole, they don't use emails, phone calls, or the full stop. Join us for a discussion on using TikTok, Instagram and other market-based knowledge to connect with and engage students in the classroom and to integrate new ways for students to communicate knowledge.
Bio: Dr. Karen Kwan earned her master's degree in Clinical/Community Psychology from Pepperdine University. Her doctorate is in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Utah. In her classes, she strives to promote an atmosphere of fairness and equity in her relationship with students; to create a respectful, inclusive, effective, safe, open, fair, and supportive learning environment for students. And to do this within a culture of science and research.
Bio: Dr. Karen Kwan earned her master's degree in Clinical/Community Psychology from Pepperdine University. Her doctorate is in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Utah. In her classes, she strives to promote an atmosphere of fairness and equity in her relationship with students; to create a respectful, inclusive, effective, safe, open, fair, and supportive learning environment for students. And to do this within a culture of science and research.
Connecting Curriculum to Career Readiness While Retaining the Inherent Value of Learning
Sasha Cervantes (Governors State University)
Sasha Cervantes (Governors State University)
Description: Greater value has been placed on the profession-specific application of knowledge gained through the college curriculum. General Education course requirements continue to be minimized in favor of vocational applied education. However, general education and career readiness are not mutually exclusive. I propose a discussion regarding concrete ways to inspire students to view themselves as learners, recognize the value of knowledge acquisition and critical thinking as transferrable to the workplace and for conscious citizenship, while helping them to connect the course content, activities, and assessments with career readiness.
Bio: Sasha Cervantes is an Associate Professor at Governors State University. She received her BA from UC Berkeley, her MA from NYU, and her PhD in cognitive psychology and neurobiology from the University of Chicago. In addition to Introduction to Psychology, Sasha regularly teaches Cognitive Psychology, Learning, Biopsychology, and the Senior Capstone. Sasha has earned the Starkey Duncan Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and completed her postdoctoral fellowship as a Frederick Douglass Scholar. Her research interests include human memory and learning, as well as the engagement of first-generation students. Her work includes tutorials for Sage Publishing, such as Study Strategies based on Memory and Learning Theory. Sasha is a member of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology’s Diversity committee. She is also Advisor for the GSU chapter of Psi Chi Honor Society, hoping to increase student awareness and excitement about the breadth of psychology, its application, and its opportunities.
Bio: Sasha Cervantes is an Associate Professor at Governors State University. She received her BA from UC Berkeley, her MA from NYU, and her PhD in cognitive psychology and neurobiology from the University of Chicago. In addition to Introduction to Psychology, Sasha regularly teaches Cognitive Psychology, Learning, Biopsychology, and the Senior Capstone. Sasha has earned the Starkey Duncan Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and completed her postdoctoral fellowship as a Frederick Douglass Scholar. Her research interests include human memory and learning, as well as the engagement of first-generation students. Her work includes tutorials for Sage Publishing, such as Study Strategies based on Memory and Learning Theory. Sasha is a member of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology’s Diversity committee. She is also Advisor for the GSU chapter of Psi Chi Honor Society, hoping to increase student awareness and excitement about the breadth of psychology, its application, and its opportunities.
Teaching Methods in Intro Psych to Ameliorate the "Research Methods as an Equity Transfer Issue" Problem
Todd Joseph (Hillsborough Community College & Psi Beta)
Todd Joseph (Hillsborough Community College & Psi Beta)
Description: Several organizations, including Psi Beta and APA's CABE, are looking into how failure of 4 year institutions to accept Research Methods as a transfer course from community colleges leads to a lack of diversity in the psychology pipeline. Since a higher proportion of disadvantaged and minoritized students start at 2 year schools, they are disproportionately affected when 4 year schools don't allow transfer students to take Research Methods until their junior year. Teaching methods in Intro Psych can help bridge the divide.
Bio: Todd Allen Joseph is the Division Chair for Public Safety, Social, & Behavioral Sciences and an Associate Professor of Psychology at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida. He is currently serving as the National President of Psi Beta (the national honor society for psychology at 2-year schools) and as a member of the APA’s Committee on Associate and Baccalaureate Education, which he co-chaired in 2021. Professor Joseph is also currently serving on the team revising the APA Principles For Quality Undergraduate Education in Psychology, as well as serving as a member of the APA’s IPI (Introductory Psychology initiative) Implementation Team. He is also a member of the Southeastern Psychological Association Board of Directors, currently serving as Treasurer/Secretary. The most rewarding part of his job is serving as the co-advisor of his college’s chapter of Psi Beta and their Psychology Club, which gives him amazing opportunities to mentor young students.
Bio: Todd Allen Joseph is the Division Chair for Public Safety, Social, & Behavioral Sciences and an Associate Professor of Psychology at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida. He is currently serving as the National President of Psi Beta (the national honor society for psychology at 2-year schools) and as a member of the APA’s Committee on Associate and Baccalaureate Education, which he co-chaired in 2021. Professor Joseph is also currently serving on the team revising the APA Principles For Quality Undergraduate Education in Psychology, as well as serving as a member of the APA’s IPI (Introductory Psychology initiative) Implementation Team. He is also a member of the Southeastern Psychological Association Board of Directors, currently serving as Treasurer/Secretary. The most rewarding part of his job is serving as the co-advisor of his college’s chapter of Psi Beta and their Psychology Club, which gives him amazing opportunities to mentor young students.
3:45-4:00 Break
4:00-5:00 FEATURED SPEAKER: Inequality and Subjective Status: How Economic Inequality Shapes Thinking and Well-being
Keith Payne (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
Keith Payne (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
Income inequality is rising in advanced economies around the world, and especially the United States. Epidemiological evidence suggests that higher inequality is associated with a range of poor health and social outcomes, including obesity, diabetes, unintended pregnancies, drug overdoses, violent crime, and higher mortality rates. In this talk, I will share my framework for understanding how income inequality can affect individual lives and behaviors. This framework is based on the idea that people judge their own needs and socioeconomic status by comparison to others. This subjective status plays a key role linking economic inequalities to individual behavior. By affecting subjective status, inequality increases risky behavior, which leads to a variety of poor health and social outcomes. I will also share studies highlighting psychological reasons that inequality can create outcomes that look like poverty, even for people who are not poor.
Keith Payne is a Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis. His research examines how inequality shapes the human mind. For example: Why do people make more self-defeating decisions when inequality is high? Why does feeling poor sometimes have more powerful effects than actually being poor? Why do people sometimes act in prejudiced ways even when they intend to be fair? He and his collaborators use the methods of experimental psychology to understand the cognitive and emotional mechanisms behind these pressing social questions. Keith Payne has received numerous awards for his work, including the Rising Star Award from the Association for Psychological Science and the Young Scholars Awards from the SAGE foundation. His book, The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Affects the Way We Think, Live, and Die has appeared on a list of recommended books by former President Barack Obama.
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5:00-5:15 Group Photo
5:15-6:45 Wine and Cheese Reception at the Devil's Krafthouse
Enjoy beer, wine, soda, heavy hors d'oeuvres, and conversation. The reception will be held at the Devil's Krafthouse, located a very short walk from Penn Pavilion. Weather permitting, outdoor seating will be available.
5:15-6:45 Wine and Cheese Reception at the Devil's Krafthouse
Enjoy beer, wine, soda, heavy hors d'oeuvres, and conversation. The reception will be held at the Devil's Krafthouse, located a very short walk from Penn Pavilion. Weather permitting, outdoor seating will be available.
Reception Sponsored By:
Friday, June 24th
8:00-9:00 Breakfast
9:00-10:15 Teaching Expo: 15-minute Teaching Ideas
Instructors share favorite demonstrations, assignments, teaching tips, and class practices.
Instructors share favorite demonstrations, assignments, teaching tips, and class practices.
Remote Brain Bingo: Combining Zoom and Live Streaming for Group Learning Games
Monica Thieu (Columbia University)
Monica Thieu (Columbia University)
Description: Group games can teach and assess content while building camaraderie, but can be tricky to adapt from the in-person classroom to the remote classroom. I will demonstrate a remote learning "brain bingo" module for testing students' neuroanatomy knowledge. Students play in Zoom breakout room teams while following a YouTube Live feed from the instructor. This method can be adapted to run any game or activity requiring both a continuous feed from the instructor and breakout room functions.
Speaker Bio: Monica is an incoming NIH-funded IRACDA postdoctoral fellow at Emory University, where she will be researching in Phil Kragel's lab and teaching in the Atlanta University Center Consortium. She recently completed her PhD in psychology at Columbia University in Kevin Ochsner's lab, studying how we perceive and categorize social and affective stimuli. At Columbia, she co-founded an introductory coding boot camp in the psychology department and co-designed two new psychology courses. She is currently teaching one of those courses, a team-based introductory psychology class, as a 6-week summer term course at Columbia.
Speaker Bio: Monica is an incoming NIH-funded IRACDA postdoctoral fellow at Emory University, where she will be researching in Phil Kragel's lab and teaching in the Atlanta University Center Consortium. She recently completed her PhD in psychology at Columbia University in Kevin Ochsner's lab, studying how we perceive and categorize social and affective stimuli. At Columbia, she co-founded an introductory coding boot camp in the psychology department and co-designed two new psychology courses. She is currently teaching one of those courses, a team-based introductory psychology class, as a 6-week summer term course at Columbia.
Making it Stick: Centering PSY 101 Around the Theme of Habit Learning
Allison O'Leary (Brevard College)
Allison O'Leary (Brevard College)
Description: I plan to discuss and demo an experiential, semester-long project I use in PSY 101, in which students complete a new habit or stop a bad habit for 50 days. Throughout this project, students complete journal prompts asking them to relate their new habit to course topics like operationalization, operant conditioning, motivation, and others. Students also log and share their progress with the instructor and other students on an app called HabitShare. Finally, students reflect on their habit journey in a final presentation at the semester's end.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Allison O’Leary is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Brevard College, where she coordinates the psychology program and teaches undergraduate courses like introductory psychology, research methods and statistics, life-span development, and cognitive psychology, among others. She received her PhD at The Ohio State University and has also taught at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College before coming to Brevard College. Her research focuses on the development and dynamics of metacognition, including the development of metacognition in young children, and the benefits of metacognition in college students.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Allison O’Leary is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Brevard College, where she coordinates the psychology program and teaches undergraduate courses like introductory psychology, research methods and statistics, life-span development, and cognitive psychology, among others. She received her PhD at The Ohio State University and has also taught at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College before coming to Brevard College. Her research focuses on the development and dynamics of metacognition, including the development of metacognition in young children, and the benefits of metacognition in college students.
10 Modern Replacements for 10 Tired Examples
Mark Healy (De Anza College)
Mark Healy (De Anza College)
Description: Commonly-facilitated topics in Psych One have achieved "Sacred Cow" status, and so have their explanations. During this short session, Mark Healy, Chair of Psychology at De Anza College, substitutes well-worn and complex examples with evidence-based, easily-comprehended stories relevant to college students. These include operant conditioning (paying commission), correlation-not-causation (college admissions), normal curve (Big 5 factor distribution), dream research (modern findings from Cartwright's paradigm), personality traits (correlates with career success), group influence/decision-making (school group projects), social/cultural influence on sexuality (global and cultural comparisons) and more. Research references, as well as popular sources, will be provided, as will graphics where applicable.
Speaker Bio: Mark C. Healy is Chair of the Department of Psychology at De Anza College in Cupertino, California. He taught Psych One for the first time in 1992, and today facilitates the course in all formats; he also teaches the social science version of statistics. He maintains his own research program, and was a Founding Faculty Member of the Palo Alto University B.S. program in Psychology & Social Action. Mark is also President of the Board of Trustees for the California History Center Foundation, and leads the OER effort on campus. In addition to teaching at De Anza since 2004, Mark learned the craft as a graduate student at the University of Akron. And with over 25 years working in the real world of Industrial/Organizational Psychology, he helps Fortune 500 organizations improve testing and interviewing systems, design leadership development programs, and statistically analyze employee data.
Speaker Bio: Mark C. Healy is Chair of the Department of Psychology at De Anza College in Cupertino, California. He taught Psych One for the first time in 1992, and today facilitates the course in all formats; he also teaches the social science version of statistics. He maintains his own research program, and was a Founding Faculty Member of the Palo Alto University B.S. program in Psychology & Social Action. Mark is also President of the Board of Trustees for the California History Center Foundation, and leads the OER effort on campus. In addition to teaching at De Anza since 2004, Mark learned the craft as a graduate student at the University of Akron. And with over 25 years working in the real world of Industrial/Organizational Psychology, he helps Fortune 500 organizations improve testing and interviewing systems, design leadership development programs, and statistically analyze employee data.
Demonstrating the Say-Do Gap in Survey Research
Melanie Tabak (Kent State University)
Melanie Tabak (Kent State University)
Description: This demo shows students that how they respond in a survey may not be indicative of their behavior. A survey is given asking if people would eat a new foreign food, and then are given the opportunity to do so. There is often a large discrepancy between how many say they would eat it and how many actually choose to eat it. Post-demonstration, discussion centers around the implications for reading and interpreting survey research.
Speaker Bio: Melanie Tabak, Ph.D (Social/Health psychology, Kent State) is an Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences at the Trumbull Campus. Her past research examined Stress, Stigma and Social Support, but has since shifted her focus to teaching and counseling, earning an M.A in Instructional Technology and an M.A in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She teaches a variety of courses including Intro to Psychology, Biopsychology, Abnormal Psychology, Health Psychology, and Motivation.
Speaker Bio: Melanie Tabak, Ph.D (Social/Health psychology, Kent State) is an Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences at the Trumbull Campus. Her past research examined Stress, Stigma and Social Support, but has since shifted her focus to teaching and counseling, earning an M.A in Instructional Technology and an M.A in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She teaches a variety of courses including Intro to Psychology, Biopsychology, Abnormal Psychology, Health Psychology, and Motivation.
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:15 Reflections on Change: What have been the most positive changes in our Intro Psych courses in the last two years? A Breakout Discussion
Dana Narter (University of Arizona) and Bridgette Hard (Duke University)
Dana Narter (University of Arizona) and Bridgette Hard (Duke University)
Description: Our lives have changed in a variety of ways over the last few years, including how we conceptualize and approach teaching. In this discussion we will focus on the helpful lessons that we, as educators, have learned from teaching introductory psychology over the last several years. These positive changes might relate to the content or organization of our courses, the types of assessments we create, the ways in which we evaluate our students’ work, teaching modalities, technological innovations, pedagogical decisions, accessibility, flexibility, how we motive and engage our students, and how WE have changed as teachers.
11:15-12:15 First day, Three Ways
Three instructors share their favorite ways to welcome Intro Psych students on the first day of class.
Three instructors share their favorite ways to welcome Intro Psych students on the first day of class.
A Reciprocal Interview Activity for Establishing Rapport and Course Expectations
Erin Hardin (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Erin Hardin (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Description: We know that it is important for students to feel a sense of community with each other and support from their instructor, as well as to have clear expectations for our course – but how can we establish this kind of learning environment effectively and early? One way is through a reciprocal interview activity, in which the instructor interviews students and then students interview the instructor (Hermann et al., 2010). The activity can be incorporated into class of almost any size, and requires little more than some planning, a few handouts, and an openness to students’ curiosity.
Strangers in a Ballpit
Dana Narter (University of Arizona)
Dana Narter (University of Arizona)
Description: I have been using the strangers in a ball pit activity on the first day of intro psych for many years, and it is such a positive way to begin the semester. There are two main goals for this activity: engaging students and having students practice some skills they will need in the classroom throughout the course. Student engagement includes students interacting with each other, students feeling connected to the intro psych teaching team and students engaging with material that relates to psychology. Regarding skills students will need, that might vary depending on what you will be asking your students to do during the semester in your intro psych class.
"Marvel at the Commonplace"
Bridgette Hard (Duke University)
Bridgette Hard (Duke University)
Description: Intro Psych has the potential to transform the way that students understand their everyday experience, including the mundane aspects of everyday life they likely take for granted. An important theme of the course, in fact, might be a quote attributed to Confucious: "The common man marvels at the uncommon. The wise man marvels at the commonplace." This demonstration is meant to awaken student curiosity about a variety of commonplace aspects of psychological functioning that, when you consider them carefully, are truly amazing! Adapted from a demonstration by Danny Oppenheimer at the inaugural Psychology One Conference, this demonstration only requires a pack of M&Ms!
12:15-1:30 Closing Thoughts and Lunch