Psychology 202 is one of two courses that together introduce students to psychological science. At OSU, Psychology 202 meets Baccalaureate core and many other program requirements. The vast majority of Psychology 202 students are not Psychology majors. Typically enrollment is 250 per section, with 1 – 2 face-to-face and 1 online section offered each quarter. Different instructors teach this course differently. In face-to-face sections, I typically emphasize lecture, and grades are based on 4 multiple choice tests.
I had 3 goals in this re-design:
1) Provide opportunities for student engagement.
2) Improve students’ scientific thinking skills.
3) Better meet the needs of both high-achieving and struggling students.
I am working on this project with a group of Psychology majors. Here are some features of the course that are designed to help us meet these goals:
1) A range of optional online demonstrations, simulations, videos, etc. The Psych majors and I are working to create mini-reviews of these activities, helping Psy 202 students better choose activities that best meet their needs and interests.
2) Framing deeper questions. It’s easy to lose sight of the big questions in a large survey course, and too often the “big questions” in textbooks are not that interesting. (“What are the ethical guidelines that Psychologists must follow?”, asks one.) The Psych majors and I are working to create more intriguing questions. For example, one asked “Can you learn while you sleep?”. Turns out, that’s a great question. You can’ t just listen to a book on tape and remember what it said, but sleep is important in memory consolidation. We hope to use these questions to frame the list of online and in-class assignments.2
3) Adaptive quizzing. As part of a publisher-supplied supplement, these quizzes give students more points for harder questions, while providing more hints for students who struggle. These quizzes are designed to encourage reading, provide more practice for those who need it, and shortening the assignment for those who demonstrate mastery quickly.
