What is the Society for the Teaching of Psychology and what can it do for me?, a column by SUNY Broome Psychology Professor Bill Altman, has just been published online by the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Board of Educational Affairs. In this month’s entry, Dr. Altman introduces high school teachers of psychology to three free resources available from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP is Division 2 of the APA).
Instructors in psychology and in many other disciplines may also find these resources useful.
The Teaching of Psychology Idea Exchange contains a plethora of materials, including large collections of activities, handouts and classroom demonstrations; video and audio files that instructors can use directly in class, organized by topic; lists of books and films for each topic; and news stories to illustrate particular concepts in class. In addition, there are materials to help students learn about critical thinking and information literacy, study strategies, and ways to become more effective writers.
The Today in the History of Psychology wiki is a constantly growing online compilation of key events and people in psychology, with more than 3,000 entries. It’s organized in a cross-referenced calendar format and has links to other online content. Instructors can use it to find information for class, or as an excellent tool for projects and assignments.
STP designed the Psychology in Communities wiki to help instructors share their knowledge with our wider communities, enriching the lives and improving the interactions of our friends, neighbors and communities in general. It contains ways to work with your local media, strategies for becoming a popular speaker for local groups, and even scripts and PowerPoint presentations that you can use for particular talks. There’s a link to STP’s media training website, to help you figure out your preferred way to work with the media (for example, becoming a trusted source, or getting your own column or time on the air), and to give you the step-by-step directions for achieving your goal. Some instructors have also used the information in this wiki to create assignments for their students. For instance, asking them to write letters to the editor or short columns for their local newspapers, or to engage in a class project that culminates in a presentation for local officials or members of the media on a topic of interest.
The Society for the Teaching of Psychology provides all of these resources, and many others, free of charge under the Resources column on their website.
For more information, contact Dr. Altman at altmanws@sunybroome.edu
