Schedule
PRINTABLE version of the schedule
PsychOne_DetailedSchedule2024.pdfThursday, JUNE 27th
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
8:45-9:10 Welcome—Bridgette Hard
9:15-10:15 FEATURED PRESENTATION: The Bigger Picture: Introductory Psychology's Place in General Education—Melissa Beers
Introductory Psychology courses are not only the gateway to the discipline but can play a central role in students’ general education. Recently, the APA Intro Psych Initiative (IPI) advanced a set of learning objectives to encourage courses to teach and assess common skills, themes, and knowledge that can serve students beyond psychology. In our time together, we will consider the IPI objectives in the broader context of general education and how instructors might integrate the multiple goals and objectives of their courses in meaningful ways. Finally, thinking beyond the Intro Psych course, we will consider the broader and more far-reaching ways Psychology can impact the student experience.
Dr. Melissa (Missy) Beers is a social psychologist who has taught at Ohio State for 24 years. She directed Introductory Psychology, one of the university’s largest GE courses, for 16 years and trained and mentored new graduate student teachers. She was a core member of the APA’s Introductory Psychology Initiative and co-directed the team focused on Teacher Training and Development. Missy has a strong history of service at Ohio State and nationally. Her work in curriculum, assessment, and teaching development have been recognized with the OSU Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s Honors Award, the College of Arts and Sciences’ Distinguished Staff Award, The Ohio State University Distinguished Staff Award (including the inaugural Dr. Michael V. Drake President’s Award distinction), and a national award from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology for the mentorship of teachers.
She now serves as senior director for General Education (GE Bookends) and has helped establish a new Department of General Education at Ohio State. The Bookends are two novel courses all Ohio State students complete as part of the GE Curriculum: a Launch Seminar students complete within their first three semesters and a Reflection Seminar students complete prior to graduation. As senior director, Missy oversees curriculum and assessment and supports a diverse instructional team staffing these courses, impacting all undergraduate students at Ohio State.
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:50 Teaching Expo
Instructors share favorite demonstrations, assignments, teaching tips, class practices, and current research on teaching.
1. Navigating Complexity: Concept Mapping for Psychology’s Key Integrative Themes
Alison Melley, George Mason University
Description: In this demo, participants will experience an activity designed to support understanding of the seven key integrative themes from the APA IPI. It can be utilized in classrooms of various sizes and modalities. The method facilitates understanding by guiding learners first through the vocabulary necessary to fully grasp the densely worded themes and then guiding them toward the more complex leap to examples. By systematically breaking down each theme and then re-constructing them, students (hopefully) develop a deeper grasp of how various psychological concepts intersect and demonstrate the broader themes.
Bio: Alison Melley is an Instructional Associate Professor at George Mason University in Fairfax Virginia. She teaches large enrollment introductory psychology courses, and has a growing undergraduate Learning Assistant program. She also facilitates the Teaching Practicum and related experiences for PhD students. She is especially interested in mentoring teachers, making psychology accessible, and encouraging students to apply the science of psychology to positively impact their own lives and the world around them. She is currently developing a resource for Introductory Psychology focused on the seven key integrative themes. Alison earned her M.A. at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and her PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2003 at the University of Virginia. After that, she was raising kids (5 of them) and part-time research consulting, then added teaching at Montgomery College Maryland for eight years before beginning at GMU in 2019. Her other interests include anything outdoors away from a screen.
2. Thinking Big Picture: Thematic Course Organization in Intro Psych
Alisha Holland, Trinity College
Description: The APA-IPI recommends highlighting integrative themes that transcend the pillars of psychology to demonstrate that the field’s subdisciplines are not merely silos. Thematic course organization has been a successful pedagogical approach in other social sciences and may benefit both students (e.g., in retention of course material) and instructors (e.g., in reducing pressure to cover a long list of specific topics/textbook chapters). This roundtable discussion, which accompanies a teaching demo on organizing intro around “big questions,” will facilitate conversation about additional ways in which instructors might incorporate integrative themes into their own courses.
Bio: Alisha Holland is a Lecturer in the Psychology Department at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, where she also serves as the coordinator for the introductory psychology program. In addition to teaching intro, she teaches courses related to her doctoral training in cognitive psychology and human memory. Alisha supervises undergraduate thesis students on work related to autobiographical memory and emotion regulation, and more recently, on intro-related scholarship of teaching and learning projects. As a member of the Society for Teaching Psychology, she participated in a joint STP-CABE working group on making market-ready psychology majors and is currently serving as a reviewer for IPI assessments to be included in the APA Project Assessment repository.
3. Equity and Inclusion in Course Design
Tabitha Kirkland, University of Washington
Description: Equitable grading practices aim to raise standards and improve learning for all students by assessing students on what they do in the classroom, not out of it, and prioritizing learning as the best marker of success. I will share some equitable grading policies in a large introductory psychology class that build in flexibility and increase the student-centered nature of the class. My students’ feedback about these policies indicate that they help students learn and succeed in the class for many reasons: they decrease stress and competition, increase motivation to complete their best work, and support students as whole humans.
Bio: I love teaching and mentoring students as an Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Washington. I teach a range of undergraduate classes, including introductory psychology, research methods, social psychology, and senior seminars on emotion and well-being. My teaching philosophy encourages contemplative practices that deepen our understanding of our own minds and active collaboration with other learners in community. I am also the founder and director of the UW Psychology Undergraduate Mentoring Program, which matches psychology students from underrepresented groups with mentors. I'm interested in helping people become the healthiest and happiest versions of themselves.
4. Having Small Groups Create a “How-To” Deliverable That Incorporates Psychological Concepts and Research
Katherine Van Allen, Campbell University
Description: In this demonstration, I will share a group project that I've successfully used with introductory psychology students. Working in small groups, students are tasked with identifying an "everyday" topic of interest (e.g., how to improve your study habits; how to train for a marathon) and then creating a “how-to” deliverable geared toward a specific audience. The deliverable must also incorporate relevant psychological concepts and research. The final product can be presented in the form of a newsletter, brochure, pamphlet, TikTok, infographic, public service announcement, etc. The project not only gets students engaged and thinking creatively, but it also allows them to tie psychology to other important areas of their lives while honing their research skills.
Bio: Katherine currently serves as Interim Department Chair and Associate Professor at Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC. She is broadly interested in the areas of critical and creative thinking as well as the psychology of teaching and learning.
11:50-1:15 Lunch and Discussions
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 Teaching Expo
Instructors share favorite demonstrations, assignments, teaching tips, class practices, and current research on teaching.
1. After: How to Incentivize Metacognition Practices for Students
Paula Hylton, Cannon School
Description: Assessments are not simply an instrument for measuring learning. Assessments are also a tool for learning. The trick is how to get students to reframe these assessments and do the important work that happens AFTER the assessment is over; reflect and relearn. In this demonstration, I will discuss 3 specific ways that I have increased student participation in understanding how learning works after the test is over. I hope to inspire educators to reflect on their own assessment practices and how they might give students more ownership in their learning process. When students spend more time thinking about the content we are teaching, it’s a win, win.
Bio: I teach on-level and AP Psychology at Cannon School, in Concord, NC, and will begin my 18th year in the classroom this fall. I earned my undergraduate degree from St. Lawrence University and M.A. from University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Teaching psychology is a lifelong passion in which I am able to make a positive impact on my students and faculty. I am currently working on classroom initiatives that bring more of the science of teaching and learning pedagogy to all classrooms Jk-12 at Cannon. Additionally, I am working on analyzing assessment data and understanding various factors that impact student sense of belonging. I am also blessed with an amazing husband and two beautiful little girls.
2. What is Today? Infusing Introductory Psychology With Holiday Themes
Meredith Henry, Georgia State University
Description: Inclusive pedagogy describes how courses can engage all students in learning that is meaningful, relevant, and accessible. Teaching inclusively requires intentional effort by educators to create comfort and community, to acknowledge their students as whole humans with diverse experiences and needs, and to include and celebrate the diversity of students’ lived experiences. We can do this by creating thoughtful syllabi, course policies, assignments, and assessments. Let’s discuss some of the equitable policies and inclusive practices we have used in our courses.
Bio: Meredith A. Henry is a lecturer of psychology at Georgia State University and a founding member of the NSF-supported Research Coordination Network FLAMEnet (Factors Affecting Learning, Attitudes, and Mindsets in Education Network). Her research focuses on students’ and instructors’ views of failure and challenges in higher education. She is particularly interested in how these perceptions of failure/challenge can be leveraged to improve noncognitive outcomes (e.g., fear of failure, mindset, coping behaviors, attribution style) within the classroom. Her teaching interests include finding ways to encourage students to apply class content to real-world situations and continuing the quest to convince undergraduates that stats/research methods are cool.
3. Teach With Team-Based Learning
Laura Madson and Mary Gourley, New Mexico State University
Description: Instructors who flip their classrooms face new challenges: now that lecturing isn’t necessary, how should class time be structured? And what can be done about students who don’t complete the pre-class preparation? Team-based learning is a flipped classroom paradigm that provides specific guidelines to address both challenges. In this 30-minute session, we will demonstrate the Readiness Assurance Process that holds students accountable for completing pre-class preparation and four characteristics of good in-class activities (i.e., students work on the same, significant problem, make a specific choice, and respond simultaneously) that engage and challenge students working in permanent learning teams.
Bio: Dr. Laura Madson joined the faculty of the Psychology Department at New Mexico State University (NMSU) in August 1996. Shortly thereafter, she learned about Team-based Learning (TBL) and has been a dyed-in-the-wool practitioner of TBL ever since. She teaches 300–400 Introduction to Psychology students every academic year using TBL and has written a textbook specifically for use in her TBL Introduction to Psychology classes (Psychology for Everyday Life). Her scholarship documents socioemotional advantages to TBL such as increased social support and belongingness. As part of her goal to convince more psychology faculty to adopt TBL, she regularly gives presentations on TBL at scholarly conferences. When she’s not working (or knitting in faculty meetings) she spends time with her (one) husband, two sons (ages 18 and 16), three dogs, and solo cat.
Mary Gourley is a dedicated psychology educator at Gaston College, where she has been teaching since 2008. Over the years, she has influenced the lives of more than 300 students annually through her introductory psychology courses. Her approach to teaching underwent a significant transformation when she encountered Team-Based Learning (TBL) at New Mexico State University, under the guidance of Laura Madson. The experience sparked her fascination with TBL's capacity to foster critical thinking skills. Beyond this, Mary quickly recognized the extensive advantages TBL brought to the classroom environment, enhancing both student engagement and learning outcomes. Outside the classroom, Mary enjoys spending quality time with her husband and three daughters. She can often be found on the pickleball court, leading her Girl Scout troop, tending to her garden, or socializing with friends.
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. Halfway through the session, attendees will have an opportunity to switch to a different discussion topic. *A few roundtables focused on general, widely relatable topics will repeat across Thursday and Friday roundtable sessions, giving attendees more flexibility to engage with different topics.
1. *Save Time (and Sanity!) While Grading (repeats on Friday)
Rachelle Tannenbaum, Anne Arundel Community College
Description: As educators we want to foster intrinsic motivation, encourage critical thinking, give students opportunities for growth, and make them feel engaged and supported. At the same time, we need to maintain our own boundaries and health. How can we modify assignments, change our workflows, or use tech tools to save time while grading without sacrificing rigor or the quality of our students’ learning experiences? Bring your ideas and questions!
Bio: Rachelle Tannenbaum is a 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, diversity, equity, and inclusion. After 24 years, she's still in love with the fact that she gets paid to spend her time learning new things. Her fantastic experiences with the Psych One conference have inspired her to start a similar conference in the mid-Atlantic.
2. Research Participation Requirements in Introductory Psychology: A Discussion
Laura Knouse, University of Richmond
Description: A majority of four year institutions report having a research participation requirement for Introductory Psychology, but most do not examine the educational value of these experiences (Flynn & Rocheleau, 2022). At the University of Richmond over the past year, we have restructured our research participation component (Research IRL) to increase its educational value, provide opportunities for student reflection and assessment, and meet the needs of research active faculty and students. During this discussion, I will share our experiences and outcomes as a case study while guiding a discussion of the many challenges of designing and revising undergraduate research participation requirements.
Bio: Dr. Laura E. Knouse is Professor of Psychology at the University of Richmond and a clinical psychologist whose research and clinical expertise focuses on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults, specializing in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). She is co-author of the CBT skills-based Thriving in College with ADHD program for therapists and students. Her research focuses on cognitive and behavioral processes that contribute to avoidant coping and self-regulation difficulties in everyday life, with interdisciplinary work addressing the role of growth mindsets in mental health and the psychology of leadership during personal crisis.
3. Teach With Team-Based Learning
Laura Madson and Mary Gourley, New Mexico State University
Description: Team-based learning (TBL) is a teaching paradigm where students are assigned to permanent learning teams, held accountable for completing pre-class preparation, and use class time to apply course material to authentic tasks; to “do psychology” even in Intro Psych. This roundtable invites experienced TBL users and “TBL curious” participants to share ideas relevant to Introduction to Psychology and brainstorm potential solutions to implementation challenges they have encountered. We will also discuss why TBL is especially effective in Intro Psych and how implementing TBL does and does not change when teaching high school students enrolled in community college vs. traditional undergraduates.
4. Equity and Inclusion in Course Design
Tabitha Kirkland, University of Washington
Description: Inclusive pedagogy describes how courses can engage all students in learning that is meaningful, relevant, and accessible. Teaching inclusively requires intentional effort by educators to create comfort and community, to acknowledge their students as whole humans with diverse experiences and needs, and to include and celebrate the diversity of students’ lived experiences. We can do this by creating thoughtful syllabi, course policies, assignments, and assessments. Let’s discuss some of the equitable policies and inclusive practices we have used in our courses.
Bio: I love teaching and mentoring students as an Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Washington. I teach a range of undergraduate classes, including introductory psychology, research methods, social psychology, and senior seminars on emotion and well-being. My teaching philosophy encourages contemplative practices that deepen our understanding of our own minds and active collaboration with other learners in community. I am also the founder and director of the UW Psychology Undergraduate Mentoring Program, which matches psychology students from underrepresented groups with mentors. I'm interested in helping people become the healthiest and happiest versions of themselves.
5. Navigating Complexity: Concept Mapping for Psychology’s Key Integrative Themes
Alison Melley, George Mason University
Description: The Key Integrative Themes are somewhat dense and are written in teacher-facing language, presenting a challenge to learners, especially those new to college-level reading and deconstructing complex ideas. Some educators, including myself, have attempted to shorten them or write them in plain language. I have also rewritten them as questions. The over-simplification has not led to the nuanced understanding and connections to other course material that I am striving for. In this roundtable, I will share several recent approaches to emphasizing the themes and integrated content areas, including readings, activities, and assessments. Ideas, feedback, and discussion are more than welcome at this table.
Bio: Alison Melley is an Instructional Associate Professor at George Mason University in Fairfax Virginia. She teaches large enrollment introductory psychology courses, and has a growing undergraduate Learning Assistant program. She also facilitates the Teaching Practicum and related experiences for PhD students. She is especially interested in mentoring teachers, making psychology accessible, and encouraging students to apply the science of psychology to positively impact their own lives and the world around them. She is currently developing a resource for Introductory Psychology focused on the seven key integrative themes. Alison earned her M.A. at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and her PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2003 at the University of Virginia. After that, she was raising kids (5 of them) and part-time research consulting, then added teaching at Montgomery College Maryland for eight years before beginning at GMU in 2019. Her other interests include anything outdoors away from a screen.
6. Big Questions and Big Answers: A Thematic Approach to Introductory Psychology
Alisha Holland, Trinity College
Description: The APA-IPI recommends highlighting integrative themes that transcend the pillars of psychology to demonstrate that the field’s subdisciplines are not merely silos. Thematic course organization has been a successful pedagogical approach in other social sciences and may benefit both students (e.g., in retention of course material) and instructors (e.g., in reducing pressure to cover a long list of specific topics/textbook chapters). This roundtable discussion, which accompanies a teaching demo on organizing intro around “big questions,” will facilitate conversation about additional ways in which instructors might incorporate integrative themes into their own courses.
Bio: Alisha Holland is a Lecturer in the Psychology Department at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, where she also serves as the coordinator for the introductory psychology program. In addition to teaching intro, she teaches courses related to her doctoral training in cognitive psychology and human memory. Alisha supervises undergraduate thesis students on work related to autobiographical memory and emotion regulation, and more recently, on intro-related scholarship of teaching and learning projects. As a member of the Society for Teaching Psychology, she participated in a joint STP-CABE working group on making market-ready psychology majors and is currently serving as a reviewer for IPI assessments to be included in the APA Project Assessment repository.
7. Proctoring of Online Exams: Opportunistic Differences in Time Spent (and Scores) When Not Proctored
Tim Flemming, Georgia State University
Description: Integrity in online exam taking has been under scrutiny in recent years. With several proctoring services and questions about the need for and/or effectiveness of them, I have implemented and will share my experiences using several variants of proctoring services and software along with student exam performance. Interestingly, the type of proctoring does have a significant impact on scores and other intervening variables. From data in my courses, I have developed several recommendations both on proctoring methods and re-thinking exam design and content to avoid biases. Together we will dissect and discuss best pedagogical practices when administering online exams.
Bio: With a background in animal learning and behavior, my interests in psychology are rooted in the cognitive sciences. At Georgia State University, I am a Senior Lecturer and the Director of Online Studies in the Department of Psychology. I often teach Introduction to General Psychology, for which I also serve as the course coordinator. Additionally, I teach courses in Cognition, Learning, Research Methods and Statistics, Behavior Modification and Cross-Cultural Psychology. Outside of the classroom, I have developed a study abroad program in Cross-Cultural Cognition in which we explore differences and similarities in thinking in Japan. Beyond course-related learning, my research interests apply many of the same topic areas. As a researcher, I continually seek feedback from students on their study habits and investigate their learning efforts both in and out of the classroom.
8. *Reflecting on Introductory Psychology: How It Started, How It's Going (repeats on Friday)
Dana Narter, University of Arizona
Description: Whether you are new to teaching introductory psychology or you have been teaching it for a long time, it is important to reflect upon the course. I recently had a break from teaching introductory psychology, which provided me with time away from the class that allowed me to gain new insights and perspectives on the course. I thought about what my introductory psychology course was like when I first started teaching it, and the ways in which it has changed over time. I would like to exchange ideas with others about how it started and how it’s going in your course.
Bio: Dr. Dana Narter is an Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where she has taught psychology courses for 15 years. In addition to teaching introductory psychology, she also teaches research methods, human memory, developmental psychology and cognitive development. Dana has been involved in Faculty Learning Communities at her university as a participant and as a facilitator. She and a colleague recently started a program at the science center on campus called Psychology Discovery to introduce 6th to 12 grade students to the field of psychology. In her free time, Dana enjoys reading, spending time with her husband and sons and exploring the Sonoran Desert.
9. *Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in Our Teaching (repeats on Friday)
Brianna Gonzalez, Farmingdale State College
Description: Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly changing the way we teach and learn. Despite the challenges that it presents, there are numerous practical opportunities to enhance our teaching methods through its use. From redesigning lesson plans to creating personalized examples for students, GenAI tools can support our work in a variety of ways. This session will discuss creative strategies for incorporating GenAI in teaching and learning. Participants will be invited to share their experiences, ideas, and resources for GenAI use in the classroom.
Bio: Dr. Brianna L. Gonzalez is an Assistant Professor of Biopsychology at Farmingdale State College. She received her B.S. in Psychology from University of Florida, M.A. in Psychology from Stony Brook University, and Ph.D. in Integrative Neuroscience from Stony Brook University. She currently teaches undergraduate courses in Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Biopsychology, Learning, and Research Methods. Her research focuses on the behavioral and cognitive processes involved in learning, memory, and decision making, with a special interest in growth mindset.
3:45-4:00 Break
4:00-5:00 FEATURED PRESENTATION: The Goods in Everyday Life: Implications for Individual Well-being and Classroom Culture—Barbara Fredrickson
Professor Barbara Fredrickson has investigated the nature of positive emotions for more than three decades. In this presentation, she will share her foundational Broaden-and-Build Theory of positive emotions as a backdrop for her latest research on the value of positive emotions, which focuses on the positive emotions individuals co-experience with each other through day-to-day social connections. She will describe how mental health, physical health, and resilience grow stronger through shared moments of positive emotion. Furthermore, when people connect over positivity they gain greater appreciation for oneness, altruism and humility, character virtues that can benefit whole communities, including those forged in classrooms. Dr. Fredrickson will highlight the evidence that supports these conclusions and describe simple “micro-interventions” that anyone can use (including teachers!) to increase positive connections and reap the associated benefits.
Dr. Barbara Fredrickson is Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she directs the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory (www.PositiveEmotions.org). She has published more than 150 scholarly papers, becoming one of the most highly cited scientists. A recipient of numerous awards for her research and university teaching, Dr. Fredrickson also reaches general audiences worldwide through her two books, Positivity (www.PositivityRatio.com) and Love 2.0 (www.PositivityResonance.com) and her free, online course on the Coursera platform.
5:00-5:15 Group Photo
5:15-6:45 Wine and Cheese Reception at the Devil's Krafthouse
Sponsored by W.W. Norton and Soomo Learning
Enjoy wine, cheese, heavy hors d'oeuvres, and conversation just a short walk from our conference location at the Devil's Krafthouse.
(*Many attendees treat this event as dinner)
Friday, JUNE 28th
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
8:45-9:45 FEATURED PRESENTATION: An Intro Psych Course That Matters: What Our Neighbors Need to Know—Sue Frantz
An estimated 1.5 million students take Introduction to Psychology in the U.S. every year, but only a small number of them go on to major in psychology. For most of these hundreds of thousands of non-majors, Introduction to Psychology will be the only psychology course they will ever take. Our non-majors are our neighbors, such as police officers, healthcare providers, librarians, engineers, teachers, business owners, and politicians. What do they need to know about psychology? Our time with our Introduction to Psychology students is finite. For every concept we choose to cover, we are choosing not to cover something else. Because of the scope of its impact, Introduction to Psychology is the most important course in our curriculum. Rather than default to teaching this course as we always have, let’s consciously choose to cover the psychological concepts our neighbors need to know.
Sue Frantz is a first-generation college student who earned her BA in psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1989 and her MA in social psychology from the University of Kansas in 1992. She has been in love with sharing the concepts of psychology with her diverse student community since she began her teaching career as an adjunct professor at community colleges in the Kansas City area, before landing her first full-time professor job at New Mexico State University—Alamogordo (NMSU-A). After teaching at Highline College in the Seattle area for 22 years, she is now faculty emerita. Having relocated to Las Cruces, NM, she is affiliate faculty of psychology at New Mexico State University.
Frantz has been active in the national psychology instruction community for almost 20 years. She was on the executive committee of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology for eight years, serving as its president in 2019. She received NMSU-A’s Teaching Excellence Award in 1998, Washington State’s Ana Sue McNeill Assessment, Teaching and Learning Award in 2011, and was the inaugural recipient of the American Psychological Association’s Excellence in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at a Two-Year College or Campus Award in 2013. In 2016, she received APA’s highest honor for professors of psychology—the Charles L. Brewer Distinguished Teaching of Psychology Award. She is co-author with Charles Stangor on FlatWorld’s Introduction to Psychology, 4e (2023) and Principles of Social Psychology, 3.0 (in press). She is also co-author with Douglas Bernstein and Stephen Chew of Teaching Psychology: A Step-by-Step Guide, 3e (2020).
9:45-10:45 Focused Roundtable Discussions
Guests will select from a range of teaching topics and exchange ideas in a roundtable format, led by a group facilitator. Halfway through the session, attendees will have the opportunity to switch to a different discussion topic. *A few roundtables focused on general, widely relatable topics will repeat across Thursday and Friday roundtable sessions, giving attendees more flexibility to engage with different topics.
1.Teaching Research Methods in PSY 100—Practical and Ethical Considerations
Samantha Deffler, York College of Pennsylvania
Description: The APA Introductory Psychology Initiative (IPI) presents research methods as the foundation of instruction in Psy100. Given the importance of presenting research methods to diverse students with varied interests, we will discuss how instructors can frame research methodology to be accessible to all students. Furthermore, many Psychology programs incorporate experiential learning in the form of a participant pool into their Psy100 curriculum, so we will brainstorm solutions to the ethical and practical problems that instructors should consider when utilizing a participant pool. The facilitator is a current IRB chair and a Psy100 and methods/statistics instructor.
Bio: Samantha Deffler, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Psychology at York College of Pennsylvania and the Chair of the YCP Institutional Review Board. She received her B.S. in Neuroscience from Bucknell University and Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology with a Certificate in College Teaching from Duke University. She teaches courses in Cognitive Psychology, Learning and Memory, Statistics, and Research Methods. Her primary research interests include autobiographical memory and the application of cognitive principles to enhance student learning; secondary interests include the ethical conduct of research and the intersection of research in cognitive and social psychologies.
2. AP Psychology Course Changes and Discussion
Paula Hylton, Cannon School
Description: For the first time since AP Psychology’s inception, it has gone through a thorough redesign that will align more with the APA Pillar model of Introductory Psychology. The change asks high school educators to focus more on the science of the field than ever before. This table talk will discuss the specific changes in content, what topics have been removed, and how students will be evaluated with this new redesigned curriculum. This talk will invite educators to help brainstorm ideas on activities and assessments as well as helpful advice for our high school educators with regards to research methods curriculum.
Bio: I teach on-level and AP Psychology at Cannon School in Concord, NC and will begin my 18th year in the classroom this fall. I earned my undergraduate degree from St. Lawrence University and M.A. from University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Teaching psychology is a lifelong passion in which I am able to make a positive impact on my students and faculty. I am currently working on classroom initiatives that bring more of the science of teaching and learning pedagogy to all classrooms Jk-12 at Cannon. Additionally, I am working on analyzing assessment data and understanding various factors that impact student sense of belonging. I am also blessed with an amazing husband and two beautiful little girls.
3. Reflecting on Introductory Psychology: How It Started, How It's Going (repeats from Thursday)
Dana Narter, University of Arizona
Description: Whether you are new to teaching introductory psychology or you have been teaching it for a long time, it is important to reflect upon the course. I recently had a break from teaching introductory psychology, which provided me with time away from the class that allowed me to gain new insights and perspectives on the course. I thought about what my introductory psychology course was like when I first started teaching it, and the ways in which it has changed over time. I would like to exchange ideas with others about how it started and how it’s going in your course.
Bio: Dr. Dana Narter is an Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Arizona in Tucson, where she has taught psychology courses for 15 years. In addition to teaching introductory psychology, she also teaches research methods, human memory, developmental psychology and cognitive development. Dana has been involved in Faculty Learning Communities at her university as a participant and as a facilitator. She and a colleague recently started a program at the science center on campus called Psychology Discovery to introduce 6th to 12 grade students to the field of psychology. In her free time, Dana enjoys reading, spending time with her husband and sons and exploring the Sonoran Desert.
4. Using Flip As a Team-Teaching Tool to Promote Active Learning
Michelle Griego and Andrea Hogan, Grand Canyon University
Description: Creating a connection among students, faculty, and professionals in an introductory psychology course can prove to be difficult. This can be especially true in large class sizes and in online modalities. Flip can be used as a platform that gives faculty and students the ability to personally share information about themselves and the topics, building a community between them. Additionally, Flip can be used to bring in professionals from the field to tie in more expertise to the content. This discussion will provide a demonstration of Flip and experience how this asynchronous technology can create an environment similar to synchronous learning.
Bio: Dr. Michelle Griego is a faculty member for the College of Humanities and Social Science at Grand Canyon University. She has over 16 years of experience teaching online and feels like the connection she makes with her students is what helps them to be successful in her courses. Previously, she was a children’s trauma therapist, and this experience really helped her create a teaching style using support and open communication. Dr. Griego received her Ed. D. in Leadership with an Emphasis in Behavior Health in 2019. Using her education and professional experience, she collaborates with her colleagues to provide students with a solid academic experience. Michelle is married and busy with 3 amazing children. Her family loves to travel, try new foods, and experience new cultures. She also loves to cook and learn new recipes.
Bio: Dr. Andrea Hogan has taught introductory psychology and “university success” at Grand Canyon University for 16 years. She’s taught at the traditional ground campus, online and in hybrid learning environments. She works with a diversity of learners, helping traditional college students, high school seniors and working adults gain a passion for psychology. Andrea earned her PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in integrating technology in learning while being a mom and teaching full time and feels particularly connected to all students balancing life and work while pursuing higher education. She has researched and presented on topics in the scholarship of teaching and learning and enjoys employing those strategies in her classes. Andrea and her husband live in Arizona with their 2 children and are avid hikers and golfers. She volunteers her time leading her daughters Girl Scout troop and as team mom for her son’s little league team.
5. How to Find, Develop, and Implement Activities in the Classroom That Are Based on Social Media Trends to Get Students Reengaged in the Classroom
Shannon Wittig, Missouri Southern State University
Description: Social media has become a part of daily life. We often use social media for good, but we also use social media in irresponsible ways. The push towards short-form content has created a challenge to keep students’ attention in the classroom with ever shorter short-form content. However, what if we could harness the power of social media and use ideas sparked by social media in our own classrooms? This roundtable explores ideas on how to find, develop, and implement activities in the classroom that are based on social media trends to get students reengaged in the classroom.
Bio: Shannon Wittig is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Missouri Southern State University. She teaches a variety of courses including General Psychology, Child Development, Adolescent Development, Adult Development and Aging, and Educational Psychology. Over the course of her development as an educator, she has become hopelessly devoted to the discipline of psychology as a whole and to passing this passion onto the next generation of college students. It is now her passion to 1) engage students to be an active participant in their own learning; 2) utilize the diversity that students bring into the classroom; 3) provide an open and safe environment for learning; 4) employ multiple means of assessment and teaching methodology; 5) use active learning activities to promote independence; 6) promote a growth mindset; and 7) be a life-long learner to find more effective and exciting ways to engage students in the classroom.
6. Coordinating General Psychology Teaching by Graduate Student Instructors: Accomplishments and Challenges
Feihong Wang, University of Florida
Description: The introductory psychology course is hard to teach given the breadth of content, diversity in students, and the need to consistently teach common knowledge in the field. Teaching this course is even more challenging for graduate students given their lack of experiences in pedagogy and demands from their own coursework and research besides teaching. In this roundtable session, I share our coordinated general psychology program that aims at supporting graduate instructors’ course teaching and maintaining consistent course delivery quality across sections by graduate instructors and faculty members in this program. Discussion for best practices and future directions will be conducted.
Bio: Dr. Feihong Wang is an Associate Instructional Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Florida where she teaches Abnormal Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and General Psychology for undergraduate students. She also provided regular bootcamp training preparing graduate instructors for their first-time teaching of varied psychological courses and supervises first-time graduate instructors of the General Psychology sections via the Coordinated General Psychology Program in the department in the past five years. 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, research and service. She is an awardee of the 2021 Exemplary Online Award in Imaginative or Innovative Approach, a Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow for 2022-2023, and an awardee of the 2024 Global Learning Institute Award at the University of Florida. When she is not in the classroom or lab, she can be found taking a walk in the neighborhood, driving her daughter to different extracurricular activities, volunteering, cooking, or gardening.
7. Practical and Time-sensitive Suggestions on How to Build Community and Foster Feelings of Belonging
Thursby Bourke, University of Illinois Chicago
Description: Introductory Psychology courses offer instructors a novel opportunity to expose students to the various sub-disciplines in Psychology (e.g., Clinical, Social, Community), and encourage the application of the study of human behavior to their own lives. For students to apply course concepts to their lives and learn from the experiences of others, students must feel like they belong in the classroom. Indeed, students’ feelings of belonging have been shown to predict their final grades, course impressions, and feelings of belonging later in the semester (Yust et al., 2021). This roundtable discussion will offer practical and time-sensitive suggestions on how to build community and foster feelings of belonging, and discuss the positive impacts these exercises have had on my students and myself.
Bio: After serving as a high school special education teacher, Kay started graduate school in the Community & Applied Developmental Psychology program at the University of Illinois Chicago. Kay’s primary research interests are related to youth mentoring relationships and how to train and support mentors to best support their mentees. Kay is an adjunct instructor at Dominican University, a small, liberal arts, Hispanic serving institution in River Forest, Illinois, where she has taught Introductory Psychology and will be teaching Introduction to Community Psychology.
8. Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in Our Teaching (repeats from Thursday)
Brianna Gonzalez, Farmingdale State College
Description: Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly changing the way we teach and learn. Despite the challenges that it presents, there are numerous practical opportunities to enhance our teaching methods through its use. From redesigning lesson plans to creating personalized examples for students, GenAI tools can support our work in a variety of ways. This session will discuss creative strategies for incorporating GenAI in teaching and learning. Participants will be invited to share their experiences, ideas, and resources for GenAI use in the classroom.
Bio: Dr. Brianna L. Gonzalez is an Assistant Professor of Biopsychology at Farmingdale State College. She received her B.S. in Psychology from University of Florida, M.A. in Psychology from Stony Brook University, and Ph.D. in Integrative Neuroscience from Stony Brook University. She currently teaches undergraduate courses in Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Biopsychology, Learning, and Research Methods. Her research focuses on the behavioral and cognitive processes involved in learning, memory, and decision making, with a special interest in growth mindset.
9. Save Time (and Sanity!) While Grading (repeats from Thursday)
Rachelle Tannenbaum, Anne Arundel Community College
Description: As educators we want to foster intrinsic motivation, encourage critical thinking, give students opportunities for growth, and make them feel engaged and supported. At the same time, we need to maintain our own boundaries and health. How can we modify assignments, change our workflows, or use tech tools to save time while grading without sacrificing rigor or the quality of our students’ learning experiences? Bring your ideas and questions!
Bio: Rachelle Tannenbaum is a 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, diversity, equity, and inclusion. After 24 years, she's still in love with the fact that she gets paid to spend her time learning new things. Her fantastic experiences with the Psych One conference have inspired her to start a similar conference in the mid-Atlantic.
10:45-11:00 Break
11:00-12:20 Teaching Expo
Instructors share favorite demonstrations, assignments, teaching tips, class practices, and current research on teaching.
1. Photos on the First Day, Letters on the Last: Cultivating Long Term Thinking in Intro Psych
Cedar Riener, Randolph-Macon College
Description: We hope our students take their learning beyond our classrooms into their future. How do we encourage such long-term thinking? Here I present two activities to promote a longer time perspective in Intro Psych. The first is taking student photos on the first day. Before doing so, I show photos of previous students along with photos of what they are doing now. Then, on the last day of class, I ask students to write a letter of advice to next year’s students. In this session, I’ll give brief instructions, then show examples of how these activities can promote long-term perspectives.
Bio: Cedar Riener, PhD, is a cognitive and perceptual psychologist and Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Randolph-Macon College. His primary area of research focuses on our perception of the natural world and how the state of our body influences our perception. His second area of research interest is applying research in cognitive science to education. He also loves sharing the wonders of psychology and perception with diverse audiences, students young and old, through exploration of illusions. He received his bachelor’s degree in the history of science from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from the University of Virginia. He is an author (along with Daniel Willingham) of Cognition: The Thinking Animal, 4th edition, published by Cambridge University Press. The 5th edition will be published in fall of 2024.
2. Research Design Challenge
Jacqueline Cerda-Smith, Amy Koch, and Kristie Winter, North Carolina State University
Description: The Research Design Challenge fosters essential research skills by tasking students with creating specific research questions, operational definitions, and procedures within a limited time frame. Small groups of students are randomly assigned a research method and topic, present their ideas to the class, then receive constructive feedback from instructor/mentors. This iterative process supports students in developing essential skills and brainstorming ideas for future research projects, promoting adaptability and confidence in research methodologies.
Bios: Jacqueline (Jackie) Cerda-Smith is a postdoctoral student in the Lifespan Developmental Psychology program at NC State University. Her community-engaged research involves working with local stakeholders to examine ways that schools can support adolescent well-being and equity. For example, she is currently partnered with local AP Psychology teachers to co-design and implement the Ready Through Research curriculum. Jackie is a former AP Psychology teacher who received her National Board Certification in 2018. In January 2025, Jackie will start a new position as Assistant Professor at Illinois State University. To learn more about Jackie’s research and teaching, please visit her website: www.tinyurl.com/cerdasmith
Kristie Winter is a high school AP Psychology teacher at Carrboro High School. She has been teaching for 4 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Teaching from UNC-Chapel Hill. Kristie is passionate about building relationships with students and engaging them in the study of psychological science. Over the past two summers, Kristie attended the APA Clark University workshop and the APA/APF Oregon State University workshop, which ignited her love for collaboration with other high school teachers, college professors, and researchers to further her learning of psychology and best practices for teaching.
Amy Koch teaches AP Psychology at Raleigh Charter High School. She has been teaching for 27 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Duke. Amy transitioned from teaching science to psychology over 20 years ago and never looked back. Amy enjoys learning new things and is currently sponsoring the school’s Robotics Club. She loves building student confidence and helping them see psychology in everyday life.
3. An Industrial-Organizational Psychology Activity for Introductory Psychology
Liza Meredith, University of Minnesota
Description: Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology is the fastest growing division of psychology, yet few students in Introductory Psychology courses are exposed to it. We subsequently created an interactive activity to demonstrate core I-O content of personnel selection and fairness. The activity is paired with an engaging discussion to explore the ethical and legal implications of using psychological tests to hire employees. This activity and discussion contextualizes I-O psychology and broadens students’ understanding of psychology’s implications.
Bio: Liza Meredith (she/her) is a Contract Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota. She coordinates Introduction to Psychology each semester, which involves coordinating multiple lecturers and managing 15-20 undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants who run discussion sections. Liza teaches other classes in the Counseling Psychology area and sees therapy/assessment clients each week. She studies college student mental health and is interested in what factors predict which student success in college.
4. Psychology One Wellness Retreat: Putting the Science of Well-Being Into Practice
Natalie Kerr, James Madison University
Description: The field of psychology offers many evidence-based strategies for increasing well-being, including mindfulness, awe, gratitude, savoring, and meaningful connection, just to name a few. In this 15-minute demonstration, you’ll be invited to experience first-hand several of these strategies. Just imagine that you’re attending the world’s shortest wellness retreat. When it’s over, you might feel a little happier and more connected—and maybe even inspired to host a wellness retreat in your own classroom.
Bio: Natalie Kerr, Ph.D., is a social psychologist and a Professor of Psychology at James Madison University, where she studies social connection and loneliness. With Jaime Kurtz, she is co-author of the upcoming book Our New Social Life: Science-Based Strategies for Creating Meaning Connection (Oxford University Press, 2024). Natalie also maintains a blog at Psychology Today and designs community programs to help people feel more connected and less lonely.
12:20-1:30 Closing Thoughts and Lunch