ERIC EJ876500: It Is Not What We Teach but the Way that We Teach It

2008·0.05 MB·English

by  ERIC

It is not what we teach but the way
that we teach it
Annie Trapp
J
OHN RADFORD’s article Psychology in understand what is involved in studying psy-
its place makes some keen observations chology, to prepare them to ‘think psycho-
around the current status of psychology logically’ and to develop skills that can be
education. The opportunity to respond is applied in the real world. But students also
welcome. For my part, I will focus on under- need to learn how to articulate their skill-set
graduate psychology education and the in a way that is meaningful to future employ-
‘responsible autonomy’ of psychology edu- ers. Designing a viable educational framework
cators. to acquire, develop and practise these skills is,
Few would argue with Radford that psy- in my view, every bit as important as determin-
chology as a discipline involves a need for a ing the finer details of course content.
scientific approach to investigating ‘a set Radford considers the fractionation of
of problems that appear to be related’ and psychology, giving credence to those who
therein lies a responsibility for Higher Edu- consider that psychology should not be
cation to offer psychology programmes that viewed as a single and coherent discipline
are fit for purpose in providing the next (Koch,1993); that psychological studies or
generation of research psychologists. In this psychological sciences are more appropriate
respect, a strength of the current Graduate terms. From this perspective, the appropri-
Basis for Registration for accredited under- ate core domains to be covered by an under-
graduate degrees is the requirement to graduate studying should surely depend on
include a strong element of practical work, a the purpose of the particular undergraduate
research project work and training in differ- programme. Encouraging variation, it can
ent methodologies thus providing a good be argued, has more integrity for students
basis for the development of the academic and employers alike as it allows for pro-
skills required to analyse and problem-solve gramme leaders to develop learning out-
in order to undertake research within the comes that relate to particular needs of
discipline. society and, build on departmental strengths
Similarly, we can agree that psychology that are determined by the professional and
can never be wholly represented in text- research interests of its teaching staff. With
books and course curricula. We expect psy- innovation comes risk but with appropriate
chology undergraduates to learn a body of quality enhancement and assurance mecha-
knowledge but not as an end in itself. It is the nisms in place such risk can be evaluated and
ability to understand, extend or apply their managed.
knowledge that will be most useful to them- Of course, as many readers are aware,
selves in a personal context and in their role this process has already begun and is likely to
in society. Again, the ability to analyse and increase rapidly. In the UK the number of
problem-solve are core desired skills. unaccredited courses with a major or minor
Radford is right to be concerned about psychology component is increasing. Psy-
the employability of psychology graduates. chology is widely taught to other professions,
Psychology educators have a responsibility often by non-psychologists, not only at HE
to help potential and current students level but also in a plethora of FE courses
Psychology Teaching Review Vol 14 No 2 55
© The British Psychological Society 2008
Annie Trapp
related to childcare and healthcare and, if comes; and are content to assess perform-
current plans proceed, in the new 14-19 ance rather than learning. Whilst Radford’s
Diplomas for Science and the Humanities article is an exemplary example of metacog-
and Social Science Diploma. Similarly, courses nitive processes at work, how often do we
that cross subject boundaries are available ourselves reflect on our performance as
although few manage to achieve true interdis- psychology educators or indeed carry out
ciplinary. The government, through the sec- research to evidence our self-beliefs? Perhaps
tor skills councils, actively encourages the it is the motivational aspect of problem-
development of competency-based shorter solving that is lacking; the motivation to use
courses in conjunction with local employers our psychological understanding to chal-
or national service providers such as the lenge existing norms within psychology
National Health Service; the training of low- education or to debate Higher Education
intensity cognitive behavioural therapists practices such as modularisation, assessment
being one example. Here we have the content methods and student satisfaction surveys.
of psychology education being commissioned Radford is not alone in questioning the
by a variety of sources driven by the particular purpose of psychology at this time. There is
social needs and aspirations of individuals, growing international debate, albeit with
society and government. an aspirational flavour of what psychology
My point is that there is already consider- education should be about. At both the
able variation in the content of psychology International Conference on the Teaching
education driven by market forces but, pro- of Psychology and the International Con-
vided quality mechanisms are in place, this gress of Psychology in 2008, a number of
should not be the main focus of concern. Far papers addressed issues around the social
more important is the need to provide under- responsibility of psychologists, the relativity
graduate psychology students with an appro- of Western psychology and the role of profes-
priate learning environment. Radford’s sional psychologists. In June 2008, American
definition for a desired graduate outcome of Psychological Association’s (APA) National
responsible autonomy as ‘the ability to make Conference on Undergraduate Education in Psy-
and carry out one’s own decisions, always chology, took place at the University of Puget
having regard to the welfare of others’ is Sound. This week-long conference with
equally relevant for psychology educators. around 90 psychologists from around the
We can apply our own psychological world were charged with rewriting the way
knowledge to addressing some of the prob- the psychology discipline is taught at all lev-
lems raised by Radford, through the applica- els in colleges and universities, seeking
tion of the cognitive, metacognitive and answers to the critical questions that will
motivational skills necessary for problem- decide the future of their discipline, and
solving (Mayer, 1998). His article sets out the exploring how to best arrange learning activ-
declarative knowledge for us to consider but ities so students of Psychology will have the
as psychologists we also possess procedural knowledge and skills to deal effectively and
knowledge, for example understanding how ethically with a host of complex issues. The
we learn, that can be applied to the way in outcomes of the nine working groups will
which we set-up the learning experience for form Undergraduate Education in Psychology:
undergraduate students. Yet many lecturers A Blueprint for the Future of the Discipline, to be
are: content to deliver curricula through published by the American Psychological
lectures that require little or no interaction Association.
from students; quick to bemoan students’ As the popularity of psychology, in many
lack of interest or motivation in seminars guises, continues to increase it is not impos-
without building in active learning tasks that sible to imagine a time when the majority of
would achieve the required learning out- graduates, and maybe even school-leavers,
56 Psychology Teaching Review Vol 14 No 2
It is not what we teach but the way that we teach it
will have taken at least one module in psy- References
chology. Let us keep in mind that they are Koch, S. (1993). ‘Psychology’ or the ‘psychological
likely to remember more about how they studies’. American Psychologist,48, 902–904.
Mayer, R.E. (1998). Cognitive, metacognitive, and
learnt than what they learnt.
motivational aspects of problem-solving. Instruc-
tional Science, 26, 49–63.
Address for correspondence
Annie Trapp, Director, The Higher Educa-
tion, Academy Psychology Network, Univer-
sity of York, York YO10 5NH.
E-mail: [email protected]
Psychology Teaching Review Vol 14 No 2 57