Steve Provost (SCU) Leigh Mellish (UNSW) Jacquelyn Cranney (UNSW)

1. What do high school teachers of psychology think about the discipline, its value, and their relationship to traditional “academic” psychology and its practitioners: some preliminary data Steve Provost (SCU) Leigh Mellish (UNSW) Jacquelyn Cranney (UNSW)

2. Context for the survey Part of the agenda for the Carrick Discipline Based Initiative held by Jacky Cranney Other aspects of this work (honours students and staff surveys) reported by Frances Martin and Jacky Cranney elsewhere at this conference Strong links with stakeholders, including HODSPA and the APS Movement towards a national curriculum Provides a “voice” for high school teachers of psychology

3. Scholarly literature Very hard to find any empirical work relating to the teaching of psychology in high schools What there is relates to its development in the United States My interpretation of key issues follows...

4. Search for evidence of impact on subsequent university study • Dambrot and Poppleston (1975) found no difference in college-level achievement due to high school participation. Explained this in terms of inadequate knowledge base of teachers and different goals of two types of courses (mental hygiene vs science) • Federici and Schuerger (1976) obtained same outcome, and found no difference on a pre-test completed on the first day of class! Focussed on differences in course orientation and teaching methods. • Rossi et al (2005) found pre-test differences at one university (Auburn, 44.4% vs 39.9%) but not at another (Tuskegee, 32.5% vs 31.7%). Difference disappeared by end of semester. Considered variety of explanations, including possibility that studying at high school decreases motivation to study at uni

5. Tension between the teaching of mental health and self development vs psychology as a science • Initial emphasis on mental hygiene, still strong • Intermittent advocacy for critical thinking • More recent concern for college preparation in science

6. Concerns about curriculum • Rolison and Medway (1982) commented on teacher qualifications, instructional material and teaching methods • Differences in course content described by Griggs et al (1989) High School and College Psychology: Two Different Worlds

7. Concerns about the qualifications of teachers • Ragland (1992) proposed a five-year program, with a bachelors degree incorporating key elements of psychology (experimental, personality, developmental, learning and mental health) followed by a masters of education.

8. Key events in the teaching of high school psychology and the APA (Benjamin 2001; Hakala, 1999) • Newsletter Periodically first published in 1970 along with the establishment of a clearinghouse for high school teaching • Advanced Placement psychology exam approved in 1988, administered in 1992 • Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) formed as an extension of the High School Teacher Affiliate Program of the APA also in 1992

9. National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula (2005) The placement of Methods at the center of the model underscores the importance of teaching the content and skills consistent with the science of psychology as the core activity of the course.

10. CONTENT STANDARD IIB-3: Nature of attention Students are able to (performance standards): IIB-3.1 Explain what is meant by attention. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): a. Finding examples of selective attention and divided attention b. Identifying variables that draw attention to a particular event c. Identifying variables that influence the ability to divide attention d. Designing a demonstration that illustrates the difference between selective attention and divided attention, such as listening to a lecture while taking notes e. Relating signal detection theory to an everyday example Content standards and performance indicators

11. Our survey • Eight open-ended questions and 10 Likert-scale items (strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5)) • Sent to 452 schools in Victoria, 23 in Tasmania, and four in South Australia via email. • A total of 53 responses were received from 47 schools (45 Victorian, four Tasmanian, no S. Australian, and three unidentified.

12. What is the context for your involvement in psychology teaching? High /secondary school: 30 VCE only (both year 11 and 12): 14 Year 10 and VCE: 4 Year 12 only: 1 Year 11 only: 1 Counselling program at tertiary level: 1

13. How long have you now been involved in the teaching of psychology? Mean = 8.31 SD= 5.0

14. Grad Dip Ed: 30 • B Arts : 15 • B Science: 12 • M Education: 8 • B Arts (honours): 4 • B Behavioural Sciences: 4 • G Dip Psych: 3 • B Applied Science: 3 • B Teaching: 3 • M Psych: 3 • G Dip Child Psych: 2 • G Dip Student Welfare: 2 • B Psych: 1 • B Social Science: 1 • B Aquatic Science: 1 • B Science Ed: 1 • B Education: 1 • Higher Dip Ed: 1 • G Dip Psych for the teaching profession: 1 • G Dip Edu Psych: 1 • G Dip Career Ed: 1 • G Dip Maths Sciences: 1 • G Dip Creative Writing: 1 What are your formal qualifications?

15. Are you a member of the Australian Psychological Society? No: 49 Yes: 1 Associate member: 1 Was previously: 1 Was previously student member: 1

16. Are you registered as a psychologist in any State of Australia? No: 52 Provisional registration: 1

17. Are there any other qualifications or skills you possess relevant to the teaching of psychology? Counselling/welfare: 7 Life experience: 4 Research methods/statistics: 3

18. Where do (or could) you go for advice or information about the teaching of psychology? Other Teachers: 28 Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA): 11 Internet: 10 Science Teachers Association of Victoria Conference: 7 Psy Ed conference: 3 Unspecified Conferences: 8 Networking: 7 University: 5 Friends who teach psych: 5 Text books/ books: 4 Other schools: 4 APS: 3 Individual research: 2

19. In general, how do you think your students perceive psychology, relative to their main focus of study? Interesting: 18 Enjoyable: 13 Useful/Relevant: 12 Positively: 6 Self insight: 5 Easy science: 5 Future study/career: 5 Not main subject: 3 Misperceived: 2 Not important/Non-real science: 2 Filler subject: 2

20. What do you think are the important learning outcomes for students in the psychology component you are teaching? Understanding self: 22 Understanding others: 10 Applicable/skills: 9 Scientific knowledge: 22 Scientific application/procedure: 5 Biological reference to behaviour: 5 Critical thinking: 3 Psych as a science: 3 Research methods: 2

21. Likert scale questions (5=SA)

22. Conclusions: • High school teachers of psychology do so in a science context, but tend to regard outcomes from a personal development perspective • High school teachers of psychology are not well connected to or influenced by formal systems of the discipline • High school teachers of psychology would be likely to welcome constructive interaction and PD activities tailored to their needs

23. What can WE do about this? • Promote TLaPIG as a mechanism to engage high school teachers of psychology in disciplinary activities • Involve high school teachers of psychology in discipline-relevant scholarship of teaching and learning • Get involved, at places like STAVCON, in the dissemination of current, accurate, and relevant psychological knowledge within our own content expertise • Come to the forum tomorrow

24. The Australian Learning and Teaching Council funded this work through a Carrick Discipline-Based Initiative to Associate Professor Jacquelyn Cranney That doesn’t mean they agree with anything we say, of course But it does mean we are extremely grateful, especially Leigh, since he could buy food and pay rent as a result I’d like to thank all the wonderful people this project brought together, especially Frances, Lucy, Fiona, Lynne, Mary and Candice, and Jacky for always forgiving me when I spelled her name wrong.