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.

National Council for the Social Studies Psychology Community

I got to meet Daria Schaffeld, chair of the National Council for the Social Studies Psychology Community, last year at NCSS. She helped run a great meeting for psych. teachers at NCSS, and I mentioned that I could post something about her group here on this blog. Here's Daria's message - please join this group!

"NCSS Communities are groups of NCSS members formed around a similar interest, subject, or job area and vehicles for NCSS members to discuss current topics, seek advice, share their knowledge and connect with other members with similar interests. Our goal is very simple - to help Psychology teachers!

Each year at the National Conference, my co-chairs and I present many wonderful sessions filled with lesson ideas and best practices. We also write 3 newsletters a year and send them to our members.

I am very dedicated to showing NCSS that Psychology is a valuable elective within the Social Studies Curriculum. It is vital that we have a voice.

I truly believe that if you are looking for some inspiration, networking, or assistance becoming part of our organization would be a great move. Membership information can be found on our website.

http://communities.socialstudies.org/

Online membership is free. I ask that you take a moment to join us. The higher numbers we show the more support NCSS gives our science."





posted by Rob McEntarffer

Diagnostic Items, Formative Assessment, NCSS

I get to present a session at NCSS this Saturday about "Diagnostic Items in The Psychology Classroom". Its a formative assessment technique (written about by assessment guy Dylan Wiliam and psychology guy Stephen Chew) that involves single "big" multiple choice items. The items are designed to uncover student misconceptions about big, key ideas in psych. (see the presentation if you're interested in more detail and examples)

I'd love some suggestions for "big ideas": What are the big concepts in your classes that students HAVE to understand in order to move on? I'm thinking of things like control group, operational definitions, inferential stats, conformity/obediance, genetics/hereditability, etc. Please put suggestions for big ideas in the comments!

I'm going to ask the participants in this session whether I can share their diagnostic items with you all, so I hope to post an update after NCSS. Hope to see some of you there!