HEA Psychology Aston January 2008

1. HEA PsychologyAston January 2008

2. Teaching students to think like psychologists • Simon P Davies • University of Hull • Open University • External examiner at ‘old’ and ‘new’ Universities • ‘A’ level examiner

3. Overview • Introductions • What skills do psychologists need? • What skills do our entrants have? • Perceptions of new students • Using scientific literature • Plagiarism • The changing political climate • Focus on employment skills • Conclusions

4. Introductions • Who are you? • Where are you? • What do you teach? • What are your entry requirements?

5. What Skills do Psychologists need? • Working in groups of 3 or 4 discuss the skills that you think psychologists need • Are the skills needed by u/g psychologists the same as those needed by ‘professional’ psychologists? • 15 mins and report back

6. What skills do your new entrants have and which do they lack? • Different backgrounds - different skills? • 15 Min task and report back

7. What most entrants should be able to do …. • …. At AS and A level: • AS and A level specifications in psychology should encourage students to: • • study psychological theories, research, terminology, concepts, studies and methods; • • develop skills of analysis, interpretation and evaluation; • • develop an understanding of different areas of psychology; • • design and report psychological investigations, and analyse and interpret data; • • develop an understanding of ethical issues in psychology, including the ethical implications of psychological research. • …. At A level: • In addition, A level specifications in psychology should: • • include the study of psychological principles, perspectives and applications; • • enable students to explore and understand the relationship between psychological knowledge, theories and methodology and their relationship to social, cultural, scientific and contemporary issues; • • enable the study of cognitive, social and physiological psychology; • • enable the development of critical and evaluative skills in relation to theory, empirical studies and methods of research in psychology; • • enable candidates to have an understanding and critical appreciation of the breadth of theoretical and methodological approaches in psychology.

8. Skills • Skills on entry • Generic skills • Literacy • Number skills • Specific skills • Are we interested in psychological knowledge? • Is ‘A’ level Psychology needed? • Skills on exit

9. My perceptions of new students • Popular myths and misconceptions • Are pets psychic? • Wiseman, Smith and Milton BJP, 89, 435-462 • Therapy? • Can dogs look up? • Citations and Credibility • Wikipedia • Plagiarism

10. 1st Year tutorials embedded in PDP • Amazed at reliance on Wikipedia • Turnitin identified as common source – W often not cited

11. Aims • Analysis of T reports to investigate extent of problem • Students’ perceptions • Should students be using it?

12. Turnitin analysis • Assessed significant matches >2% similarity • T might be underestimating • Not built up sources for new students • Misses recent info - news

13. Citing Wikipedia • Out of 84 students • 34% cited W in reference list • 5% cited W more than once

14. Summary • High number of 1st year students use W as a scientific resource • Relationship between use and poor performance (on end of course marks)

15. Using Wikipedia • Useful way of discussing the nature of evidence and scientific authority (if combined with plagiarism software) • Probably not expect 2nd and 3rd year students to use it • Too many inherent problems (not just authorship but vandalism, graffiti etc) • Use W in more creative ways, not just ban or bemoan its use

16. But, how many how many of our students will become psychologists anyway? • About 20% according to surveys …

17. The Changing Political Climate • Leitch Report called for more than four in ten adults to have a degree-level qualification by 2020; less than a third have one today. • Higher education would have a key part to play in improving the UK's "desperately weak" skills base • High-level skills were "vital to leadership, management and innovation, key drivers of productivity and creators of wealth". There was also a social imperative, he said. • The Leitch report says that at degree level and above "individuals and employers should pay the bulk of the additional cost" of up-skilling. The Government is keen to increase funding by employers.

18. Various responses to Leitch Baroness Sharp a danger of moving "too far from the present position where universities train students in generic skills and companies train them in company-specific skills, to one where the individual, and ultimately the economy, is locked into a narrower, more specific skills set." • Les Ebdon, vice-chancellor of Bedfordshire University and chair of the group Campaigning for Mainstream Universities, said the DIUS "indicates that a Brown Government is serious about massively increasing the numbers in the workforce with higher-level qualifications, a challenge that our universities can undoubtedly fulfil." • John Taylor, from the Centre for Higher Education Management and Policy at Southampton University, said the new emphasis could be "greeted with concern by those who view the purpose of universities, and of education more generally, as critical within a civilised, inclusive society, and as something more than just an economic driver". • Lewis Elton, honorary professor of higher education at University College London, asked: "Is the knowledge economy the only master that universities are to serve?" If so, he said, this would be "anathema to many academics". • Boris Johnson, Conservative Higher Education Spokesman, said Mr Brown was right to value universities as drivers of economic growth but should not forget they "are there to enrich people's lives intellectually; they are not just laboratories for skills". • Sarah Teather, Liberal Democrat shadow Secretary of State for Universities, said: "While one of John Denham's first tasks will be to address the UK's skills crisis, our country must also retain our tradition of academic excellence."

19. Consequences of Leitch • Employer funding • Withdrawal of support for ELQ • Effects of widening participation

20. What skills do employers want? • Groups of 3 or 4 and report back • 15 mins

21. What skills do employers want? • Communication • Leadership • Personal effectiveness • Problem Solving • Task Management • Team Working • Major characteristics specified by a big employer for graduates

22. Are we doing anything about this • PDP (almost universal lack of enthusiasm among academics!) • Articulation of unarticulated skills • But who should be teaching this? • By making it voluntary we miss those students who might need such skills

23. Conclusions • What skills do psychologists need? • Ability to use ‘proper’ scientific evidence • Turning Wikipedia etc to our advantage • Should pre-university be doing different things? • Do we need to turn students into psychologists anyway? • Remedial role for PDP? • But we may need to rethink our roles