Welcome from HEA: Lessons in psychological literacy

1. Welcome from HEA: Lessons in psychological literacy • Dr Julie Hulme, Discipline Lead for Psychology

2. Housekeeping Fire Facilities E-resources

3. HEA mission HEA’s mission is to support the development, delivery and dissemination of excellent learning and teaching in UK higher education. We do this through funding, research, provision of continuing professional development and fellowship, events, conferences…. Support at subject level is at the heart of our work and we deliver and develop the services which are most valued by those working in the Psychology community. See Click Away flyer and talk to me throughout the day!

4. Welcome to the workshop! • Speakers: • Dr Julie Hulme; • Dr Carolyn Mair; • Caprice Lantz • Professor Roger Watt and students from Stirling University; • Dr Jacqui Akhurst #PsychLit

5. Aims • To introduce the concept of psychological literacy and the psychologically literate citizen; • To consider where psychological literacy fits within psychology education; • To explore current issues and share academic practice around psychological literacy.

6. Why psychological literacy? Included in the BPS revised accreditation criteria as an indicator of good practice since 2012. Trapp et al. (2011) The Future of Undergraduate Psychology in the United Kingdom. York, Higher Education Academy.

7. What is psychological literacy? • Skills and knowledge acquired by students studying Psychology (McGovern et al., 2010, p11): • vocabulary and knowledge of the critical subject matter of Psychology; • scientific thinking, disciplined analysis of information to evaluate alternative courses of action; • creative and ‘amiable skeptic’ approach to problem solving; • applying psychological principles to personal, social and organizational issues in work, relationships and the broader community; • acting ethically; • competent in using and evaluating information and technology; • communicating effectively in different modes and with many different audiences; • recognising, understanding and fostering respect for diversity; • insightful and reflective about one’s own and others’ behaviour and mental processes.

8. What is psychologically literate citizenship? “Today’s students must prepare themselves for a world in which knowledge is accumulating at a rapidly accelerating rate and in which old problems such as poverty, racism, and pollution join new problems such as global terrorism, a health crisis created by alarming increases in obesity, and the growing gap between the poor and the very rich. All of these problems require psychological skills, knowledge and values for their solution.” (Halpern, 2010, p. 162)

9. A personal perspective

10. Developing psychological literacy “Promoting psychological literacy entails reorienting what and how we teach students in a way that emphasizes Psychology’s relevance”. Dunn et al. (2011, p. 16).

11. What are you already doing? An opportunity to share good practice from your own course, and to explore aspects which might be developed. Share with your table group at least one way in which your Psychology programme already teaches students to apply Psychology to the real world – is there an associated assessment? Write a summary on a post-it note and display. To what extent were you already aware of the concept of psychological literacy?

12. What next? Throughout the day, we will be exploring ways in which psychological literacy complements existing university and UK agendas around internationalisation, employability and graduate attributes (such as global citizenship). The day aims to get you thinking about where you can improve, and also where you already demonstrate good practice – perhaps giving you new ways of thinking about it. Existing and forthcoming HEA resources. Over to Carolyn!