News from TOPSS/APA

The following is from Emily Leary, Assistant Director of the APA Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Programs, regarding items of interest from the APA and TOPSS (Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools) to all high school psychology teachers. If you would like to be included on Emily's email listing, please contact her at the address below.

APF Professional Development Awards for High School Psychology Teachers

The purpose of these awards is to help high school psychology teachers travel to and attend regional or national teaching and/or psychology conferences.

Applicants may be awarded up to $250. Funds can be used to offset costs of travel, conference registration, and housing accommodations. Applications to attend the APA Convention (August 4-7, 2011, Washington, DC; www.apa.org/convention) are encouraged. $2,500 is available for funding. These grants are made possible through a generous gift from Dr. Lee Gurel.

The application deadline has been extended until May 1, 2011; for details on how to apply, visit http://www.apa.org/apf/funding/professional-topss.aspx.

APF High School Psychology Teacher Network Grants

The purpose of these grants is to support the development of local and regional networks of psychology teachers and to support a local or regional teaching workshop or conference for high school psychology teachers. APF is particularly interested in proposals for professional development opportunities for teachers that could lead to the formation of a new regional network of psychology teachers. APF will award $1,500 in grants in 2011. These grants are made possible through a generous gift from Dr. Lee Gurel.

The application deadline is May 1, 2011; for details on how to apply, visit http://www.apa.org/apf/funding/psychology-teacher-network.aspx.

APA TOPSS Poster Competition for High School Psychology Students

TOPSS is pleased to announce the 2011 APA TOPSS Poster Competition for High School Psychology Students. There will be four winners, each of whom will receive a $250 award.

Topic: Although psychology has historical roots in the discipline of philosophy, a contemporary definition of psychology states it is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes psychology as a diverse scientific discipline with nearly boundless applications in everyday life. In this competition, students will design an original visual poster on the theme “Psychology is a Science,” and also submit a written explanation of the poster and theme.

The submission deadline is June 1, 2011; please visit http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/poster-competition.aspx for competition details, rules, scoring rubric, and submission information.

Call for Nominations: 2011 TOPSS Committee Elections

The mission of TOPSS is to promote introductory and advanced high school psychology, meet curricular and professional needs of secondary school teachers; and provide opportunities for high school students to be recognized and rewarded for their academic excellence. If you would like to become more involved in TOPSS, and are interested in gaining leadership experience and positively impacting the teaching of high school psychology, we encourage you to consider serving on the TOPSS Committee. TOPSS is especially interested in encouraging individuals from diverse backgrounds (including diversity in race/ethnicity, gender, ability/disability, sexual orientation, age, and religion) to consider running for TOPSS Office. In 2011, the following three elected positions will be filled: Chair (three-year term), Member-at-Large (two-year term), and Membership Coordinator (two-year term).

Nominations are due by July 1, 2011. Visit http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/call-for-nominations.aspx for additional information.

APA Annual Convention

All high school psychology teachers are encouraged to consider attending the APA Annual Convention (www.apa.org/convention), being held August 4-7, 2011, in Washington, DC. TOPSS is pleased to announce the 2011 TOPSS Invited Addresses; the following sessions will be held Friday, August 5, and Saturday, August 6, 2011:

• Barney Beins, PhD, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY; Psychology: Gateway to Critical Thinking and Scientific Literacy
  

• April Bleske-Rechek, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI; The Lee Gurel Lecture: A Primer on Evolutionary Psychology: Foundational Ideas, Exemplary Research, and Criticisms

• Jessica Henderson Daniel, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital, Cambridge, MA; Teaching Adolescents about Adolescents: Using Mirrors that Focus on Race, Ethnicity and Gender
• Gil Einstein, PhD, Furman University, Greenville, SC; Remembering to Perform Actions in the Future: Can Intentions Pop into Mind?

• Regan Gurung, PhD, University of Wisconsin Green Bay, Green Bay, WI; Maureen McCarthy, PhD, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA; Katherine Minter, Westwood High School, Austin, TX; and Steve Behnke, PhD, JD, APA Ethics Office, Discussant; Ethical Issues in the Introductory Psychology Course

Also, please join TOPSS for a reception on Saturday, August 6, from 5:00 – 5:50 PM, at the Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel (Burnham Room).

Membership

The TOPSS Website is http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/index.aspx. For only $40 a year, high school psychology teachers can join APA as affiliate members and become a member of TOPSS. To join TOPSS, visit http://www.apa.org/membership/hs-teacher/index.aspx. Benefits include access to 19 Unit Lesson Plans, subscriptions to the monthly APA Monitor magazine and quarterly Psychology Teacher Network newsletter, and more!

Please contact Emily Leary by e-mail (eleary@apa.org) or at (202) 572-3013 if you have any questions.

Emily Leary | Assistant Director, Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Programs Education Directorate American Psychological Association 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242 Tel: (202) 572-3013 | Fax: (202) 336-5962 email: eleary@apa.org | www.apa.org

Fall Post from TOPSS

The following message was sent out by Emily Leary from the APA/TOPSS.

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The American Psychological Association (APA) Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) met in late September to discuss ongoing plans and priorities to support the teaching of high school psychology.  Please see below for recent and ongoing information from APA and TOPSS:

FALL MEMBERSHIP BLITZ: TOPSS reminds all high school psychology teachers that new members who join TOPSS NOW through December 31 will receive bonus months of membership for no extra cost!  For just $40, new affiliates can join TOPSS NOW and be members through December 2011.  An application is available online at http://www.apa.org/membership/hs-teacher/index.aspx.  TOPSS is aiming to reach 2,000 current members by December 31, 2010, please help us reach our goal by forwarding this note to any psychology teacher you know!  Visit the TOPSS website at http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/index.aspx to read about the TOPSS mission and programs.

STUDENT RESEARCH: The APA Education Directorate sponsors annual awards for students at the Intel ISEF competition, and at all ISEF-affiliated fairs. Please visit http://apps.societyforscience.org/find_a_fair/ to find a local research fair!  Please be sure to read the TOPSS manual on conducting research with high school students: http://www.apa.org/education/k12/science-fairs.aspx,

PSYCHOLOGY TEACHER NETWORK (PTN): The Summer PTN 2010 issue is posted online at http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/ptn/2010/07/issue.pdf.  We are always looking for submissions! The PTN is sent four times a year to TOPSS members.

UNIT LESSON PLANS:  Two new unit plans on Motivation and Emotion were published earlier this year; all units are posted to http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/lessons/index.aspx.  There are currently 19 units available free of cost to TOPSS members, including four teaching modules on topics like the Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Positive Psychology!

NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR HIGH SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY CURRICULA: The National Standards are available online at http://www.apa.org/education/k12/national-standards.aspx and are currently being revised!  We expect the new revision to be released in August 2011.

APA MONITOR: TOPSS members receive the monthly APA Monitor in the mail, with up-to-date news from the field of psychology:

http://www.apa.org/monitor.

POWERPOINTS: Visit http://www.apa.org/education/k12/powerpoint.aspx for newly developed PowerPoints for high school teachers!  TOPSS has invited every APA division to develop a PowerPoint for teachers!

NEW TOOLBAR:  Be sure to read about the new TOPSS toolbar for teachers! http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/topss-web-toolbar.aspx

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:  The 2011 APA/Clark University Workshop dates will be announced this fall!  The 2011 APA Convention will be held in Washington, DC, August 4-7, 2011.  Visit http://www.apa.org/convention/ for information, videos, and more from the 2010 convention.

UPCOMING AWARDS AND COMPETITIONS: Stay tuned for announcements for the call for nominations for the 2011 TOPSS Excellence in Teaching Award and the 2011 student competition.

AND MORE …  New initiatives include funding for professional development, the development of classroom posters, the ongoing revision of unit lesson plans, and more.  Please be sure you join TOPSS to stay on top of ongoing projects and initiatives.  Please contact TOPSS Chair Kay Minter      (kay_minter@roundrockisd.org) or Emily Leary (eleary@apa.org) with questions or recommendations.

APA Psychology Posters

The American Psychological Association's Education Directorate has produced four posters for classroom use. The posters can be downloaded off the APA's website and then printed. For more information, with links to the posters, go to http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/undergrad/classroom-posters.aspx.

I (Kent) would like to thank Daria Schaffeld (daria.schaffeld@d214.org), Prospect High School, Mt. Prospect, IL for providing the original idea behind this posting and all the work she has done as the NCSS Psychology Community Chair.

News from TOPSS

Below is the latest news from Emily Leary (Eleary@apa.org) regarding the Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS).

2010 TOPSS Committee Elections

The mission of the APA Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) is to promote the scientific nature of introductory and advanced high school psychology; to meet curricular needs of secondary school teachers; and to provide opportunities for high school students to be recognized and rewarded for their academic excellence. If you would like to become more involved in TOPSS, we encourage you to consider serving on the TOPSS Committee. TOPSS is especially interested in encouraging individuals from diverse backgrounds (including diversity in race/ethnicity, gender, ability/disability, sexual orientation, age, and religion) to consider running for TOPSS Office. In 2010, the following three elected positions will be filled:

• Chair-Elect
• Member-at-Large (2)

The Chair position is a three-year position and the Member-at-Large positions are each two-year positions. Please consider nominating a colleague who would make a positive impact. We encourage teachers to consider volunteering to be a candidate for the TOPSS Election Ballot. Nomination materials should be submitted by July 1, 2010. For more information, visit http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/call-for-nominations.aspx.

2010 APA TOPSS Excellence in Teaching Award Recipients

The TOPSS Committee congratulates William James of Milford High School (Highland, MI) and Scott Reed of Hamilton High School (Chandler, AZ) for being selected as recipients of the 2010 APA TOPSS Excellence in Teaching Awards. The TOPSS Teaching Awards recognize outstanding teachers in psychology. The award recipients will receive a framed certificate, award, cash prize of $300, ActivePsych CD series, and a free TOPSS membership or renewal for the 2011 membership year. The ActivePsych CD series has been generously donated by Worth Publishers. Congratulations, Bill and Scott!

2010 APA TOPSS Scholars Essay Competition Winners

The TOPSS Committee congratulates the student winners of the 2010 APA TOPSS Essay Competition. Sabina Babar of Colonia High School (Colonia, New Jersey), Rachael J. Erickson of Sutton Memorial High School (Sutton, Massachusetts), Allison Gutworth of Colonia High School (Colonia, New Jersey), and Alexis Suskey of Grandville High School (Wyoming, Michigan) each received $250 scholarships for their winning essays. The 2010 essay question asked students to focus on the effects human behavior has had on the current environmental crisis.

Information about the 2011 APA TOPSS Excellence in Teaching Awards and the 2011 APA TOPSS Scholars Essay Competition will be announced during the fall of 2010.



Posted by Kent

APA Monitor article - High School Psychology

If you are a member of TOPSS (and if you're not, why not? :) you may have seen this already: a nice summary article in the APA's Monitor about high school psychology. 1 million high school Psychology students! Woot!

2010 TOPSS Scholars Essay Competition

The following comes from Emily Leary of the APA's Education Directorate.

The 2010 Essay Topic focuses on human behavior and the environment. In 3,000 words or less, students are asked to develop a statement on how human behavior affects a specific environmental issue and describe a project that could be carried out in the local community. Students must include three principles of learning theory that may encourage behavior change in the community, and research findings on these principles should be used to support the plan. The competition is open to any high school student who has been enrolled or is presently enrolled in a high school psychology course. Up to four $250 awards will be given to the best papers. Essays must be submitted online.

See http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/essay-competition.aspx for full details. The submission deadline is March 1, 2010

APA TOPSS Excellence in Teaching Awards 2010

The following comes from Emily Leary of the APA's Education Directorate.

The purpose of the APA TOPSS Excellence in Teaching Awards is to recognize outstanding high school teachers in psychology. Up to three awards will be given to recognize outstanding teaching. The award includes a cash prize, award, certificate, and TOPSS membership or renewal, along with a teaching resource donated by Worth Publishers.

See http://www.apa.org/about/awards/teaching-excellence.aspx for full details. The nomination deadline is March 5, 2010.

2010 APA/Clark University Workshop for High School Teachers

The following comes from Emily Leary of the APA's Education Directorate.

The 6th Annual APA/Clark University Workshop will be held July 26-28, 2010 in Worcester, MA. This exciting annual event is co-sponsored by APA, the American Psychological Foundation, and Clark University. All interested high school psychology teachers are invited to apply; the workshop will be open to twenty-five teachers. Workshop presenters will include Nancy Budwig, PhD, Marianne Wiser, PhD, and others from the Clark University Psychology Department. TOPSS members Charlie Blair-Broeker of Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa and Michael Hamilton of Hopkinton High School, Hopkinton, MA will also present. Dana Dunn, PhD, of Moravian College, will deliver a keynote address.

Housing in the Clark campus dorms and materials will be provided for all participants. There is no registration fee. Participants will also receive travel stipends of $100. New in 2010, five travel scholarships of $250 each will be available to teachers in need of extra travel support.

The application deadline is April 15, 2010. Participants will be selected by approximately May 1. For additional details on registration, travel reimbursement, and more, please visit http://www.apa.org/news/events/2010/apa-clark.aspx.

APA Psychology National Standards--updated info

My spring semester begins in the morning and I was doing some planning this afternoon.  Our school has finally gotten to the electives for creating curriculum maps and there are no California state psychology standards.  So I began my revisit to the APA National Standards for Psychology.  Kent already highlighted the site this past April, but the URL has changed.

As Kent had written earlier:

So, you've been asked to teach a psychology course and have no idea where to start? At a workshop or meeting of psychology teachers, you are puzzled when someone asks if you follow the domains? When your school administrators ask you to submit a formal curriculum complete with content standards for your high school level psychology class, do you wish someone in the country had one posted online?

Believe it or not, since 1999 TOPSS (Teacher of Psychology in Secondary Schools) has published national standards for a high school psychology course (non-AP). The document has gone through a number of different names, but it is now referred to as "National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula".

The Standards have been endorsed by the National Council of Social Studies (NCSS) and would make an ideal framework for any state's educational standards.

One of my favorite features is the visual map below of the primary domains of psychology.  One strategy of designing a course is to choose one overview topic from each domain to create the foundation of a course (especially those of us who have one semester courses).

The standards can be found online in a PDF format at http://www.apa.org/education/k12/national-standards.aspx or from the "Links of Interest" section of this blog. The document can be downloaded by sections or as one complete .pdf file.  It is an outstanding resource.

BEA Block Grants for 2010

The following is from Martha Boenea of the APA's Education Directorate:


The Board of Educational Affairs (BEA) is awarding $5,000 in grants in 2010 to support conferences on enhancing the quality of undergraduate education in psychology and advancing the teaching of psychology at the secondary, two-year, or four-year level. To be considered for funding, the conference must be directed by an APA member, associate or affiliate. The grant may be used to offset travel expenses of selected conference participants, registration fees of conference participants and speaker fees.

Applicants may receive up to $1,000 during a given year. However, if fewer than five acceptable applications are received in a given year, the BEA may award more than one block grant to the same conference in that year.

Funding requests for teaching conferences in 2010 should be postmarked by Feb. 15. Send written requests to Martha Boenau, Education Directorate, at the APA address below.

Martha Boenau, Associate Directory, Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Programs
Education Directorate
American Psychological Association
750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
Tel: (202) 336-6140 Fax: (202) 336-5962
mboenau@apa.org | www.apa.org

American Psychological Foundation Pre-College Psychology Grant Program

PRE-COLLEGE PSYCHOLOGY GRANT PROGRAM

American Psychological Foundation (APF) Mission and Funding

The APF provides financial support for innovative research and programs that enhance the power of psychology to elevate the human condition and advance human potential both now and in generations to come. It executes this mission through a broad range of scholarships and grants. For all of these, it encourages applications from individuals who represent diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, and sexual orientation.

The Pre-college program awards grants to individuals or institutions to advance psychological science in high schools. Its description, application requirements, and procedures appear below.

Description

This program provides financial support for efforts aimed at improving the quality of education in psychological science and its application in the secondary schools. Proposals must focus on supplying education for talented high school students.

Program Goals

- Improve the quality of high-school education in psychology

- Encourage talented high school students to pursue careers in psychology

Funding Specifics

- Up to $20,000 annually

Eligibility Requirements

- Educational institution, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, or individual affiliated with qualifying institution

Evaluation Criteria

- Conformance with stated program goals

- Nature and magnitude of incremental contribution

- Capability for accomplishing the proposed work

- Likelihood of producing generalizable outcomes

Proposal Requirements

- Description of proposed project to include goal and its relation to the institution’s mission and target population, qualifications for execution, other participants and respective roles, intended outcomes and plan for achieving them, extent to which outcomes may generalize

Format: not to exceed 7 pages (1 inch margins, no smaller than 11 point font)

- Timeline for execution

- Full budget and justification (indirect costs not permitted)

- Current CV for project leader

Submission Process and Deadline

Submit a completed application online at http://forms.apa.org/apf/grants/ by May 1, 2010.

Questions about this program should be directed to Kim Palmer Rowsome, Program Officer, at krowsome@apa.org.

Memory Studies on APA's OPL

Back on April 24th of this year (2009), we posted a blog entry with information on the APA's highly interactive Online Psychology Laboratory (OPL) (http://teachinghighschoolpsychology.blogspot.com/2009/03/opl.html). The laboratory has a number of memory activities for students to partake in. In fact, the memory unit is second only to sensation and perception for the amount of studies.

Below you will find a listing of the seven studies currently on the OPL. Simply click on the item below to go to the study. Please be aware, the site requires teachers register and obtain a class ID.

To register your classes go to the homepage for the OPL at http://opl.apa.org/Main.aspx

Memory

• Be A Juror
• Learning and Memory
• Numerical Memory (Requires headphones)
• Object Location Memory
• Pitch (Requires headphones)
• Word Recognition
• Facial Recognition