The role of psychological literacy in enhancing the student experienceGARETH WILLIAMS AND ROWENA HILL

DIVISION OF PSYCHOLOGY, SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY

Overview

There are three aims to the session.

1. Explore what can be learnt from a wide range of subject literacies and their role in teaching and learning throughout the university

1. - and more broadly subject literacy - amongst higher education

2. Explore the current state of the art of psychological literacy

3. Current state of psychological literacy in psychology courses at the Division of Psychology

4. Re-examine point 1 above within the new context

Subject Literacy

Subject literacy is not

Reading and writing literacy

Only transferrable skills

What it includes:

Subject Knowledge

Transferable skills

How we treat knowledge

Employability skills

Global citizenship

NTU Graduate attributes

For example, active listening

Psychological literacy

Challenge for psychology

Most psychology graduates do not go into named psychologist roles

Around 5% continue with a career leading to a chartered psychologist role

Chartered routes have changed but A-Level student perception has stayed the same

Shift from masters courses to doctorates

Careers out of reach for many students

Clinical Psychology DClin

Applicant : place ratio 2014 = 7 : 1

Educational Psychologist

DEdPsych

Applicant : place ratio = 13 : 1 (Southampton)

Other chartered routes For example, MSc

Forensic Psychology

Also competitive

Employability and subject challenge

Staying true to subject integrity Is it possible to teach psychology to the

appropriate standard

Offer students a positive learning experience

Unknown employment the changing graduate landscape

Preparing students for employment and society

but ensuring our students apply their subject literacy in their every day life now – not just ‘after NTU’

Psychological literacy1. Having a well-defined vocabulary and basic knowledge of the

critical subject matter of psychology

2. Valuing the intellectual challenges required to use scientific thinking and the disciplined analysis of information to evaluate alternative courses of action

3. Taking a creative and amiable skeptical approach to problem solving

4. Applying psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues in work, relationships, and the broader community

5. Acting ethically

6. Being competent in using and evaluating information and technology

7. Communicating effectively in different modes and with many different audiences

8. Recognizing, understanding, and fostering respect for diversity

9. Being insightful and reflective about one’s own and others’ behavior and mental processes

McGovern et al. (2010), p. 11

Division of PsychologyPSYCHOLOGY SINGLE HONOURS

PSYCHOLOGY WITH CRIMINOLOGY

PSYCHOLOGY WITH SOCIOLOGY

Plotting psychological literacy

Mostly in level 6 Elective modules, Research Project, Professional

Practice

Levels 4 and 5 mostly BPS Graduate Basis for Chartered

Membership

Research Methods, Statistics

Psychology: Cognitive, Biological, Individual Differences, Social, Developmental

Content heavy in levels 4 and 5 No plan to include psychological literacy features

Method

Analysis of learning outcomes to assess current status Psychology Single Honours

Compared against the nine criteria McGovern et al. (2010)

15 modules (N = 22 as some modules were composites)

Analysis by Level

4, 5, 6

Mode of teaching Lecture, medium interactive, small interactive

Mode of assessment Essay, phase test, examination, report

Findings: Psychological literacy by level

Criteria 4 5 6

Having a well-defined vocabulary… 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Valuing the intellectual challenges… 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Taking a creative ... problem solving; 85.70% 100.00% 100.00%

Applying psychological principles … 57.10% 88.90% 83.30%

Acting ethically 42.90% 33.30% 66.70%

Being competent ... technology; 71.40% 66.70% 100.00%

Communicating effectively… 42.90% 66.70% 50.00%

Recognizing... diversity; 100.00% 77.80% 100.00%

Being insightful and reflective… 71.40% 77.80% 100.00%

Findings: Psychological literacy by teaching method

Criteria Lecture Medium Interactive

Small Interactive

Having a well-defined vocabulary… 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Valuing the intellectual challenges… 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Taking a creative ... problem solving; 88.90% 100.00% 100.00%

Applying psychological principles … 77.80% 80.00% 66.70%

Acting ethically 33.30% 60.00% 33.30%

Being competent ... technology; 66.70% 90.00% 66.70%

Communicating effectively… 44.40% 60.00% 66.70%

Recognizing... diversity 88.90% 90.00% 100.00%

Being insightful and reflective… 66.70% 90.00% 100.00%

Findings: Psychological literacy by assessment

Criteria Essay Exam. Ph. tests Portfolio Pres. Report

Having a well-defined vocabulary… 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Valuing the intellectual challenges… 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Taking a creative ... problem solving; 100.00% 85.70% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Applying psychological principles … 66.70% 71.40% 0.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Acting ethically 0.00% 28.60% 0.00% 50.00% 0.00% 100.00%

Being competent ... technology; 66.70% 71.40% 100.00% 50.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Communicating effectively… 66.70% 14.30% 0.00% 100.00% 0.00% 100.00%

Recognizing... diversity 100.00% 85.70% 0.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Being insightful and reflective… 100.00% 57.10% 0.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Summary of Findings

Psychological literacy represented in learning outcomes ‘Knowledge’ type literacy more common than

skills and actions

Acting ethically focused on concepts related to research methods

BPS content heavy Level 5 Dip in some learning outcomes being sensitive to

psychological literacy

Some assessments offer psychologically literate learning experiences Examinations and Essays less consistent

Case study: Individual Differences and Conceptual and Historic Issues

Assessment is a 2,500 word essay entitled: “Critically analyse how useful seminal and

contemporary individual differences theories can be when making sense of a life event that you have personally experienced”

Opportunities and Challenges

Opportunities Staff inspiration

Student inspiration

Aggregates priorities

Challenges Threatens the student comfort zone

Staff resistance in other institutions

Summary:

Ongoing here at NTU within psychology

Success we feel is a balance between: Subject integrity vs subject application

Consistent context vs differentiated delivery across the course

Assessment vs learning opportunities

Therefore these are likely to be different for each course within psychology

Next steps are to find out how to take advantage of opportunities and overcome any barriers

What could we learn from your current practice?

Discussion: Your subject literacy

Use your course learning outcomes as a ‘starter for ten’; what can come ‘off the page’ now?

What is the balance between subject integrity and subject literacy – we think neither one should be compromised

Learning opportunities versus assessment opportunities – we feel that subject literacy should be balanced between the two

Identifying potential subject literacy assessment opportunities?

Is literacy most appropriate for UG only or should it be an aim for PG courses?

Suggested References:

Cranney, J. & Dunn, D. (Eds.) (2011) The Psychologically Literate Citizen: Foundations and Global Perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press.

Mair, C., Taylor, J. & Hulme, J. (2013). An introductory guide to psychological literacy and psychologically literate citizenship. HEA website: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/subjects/psychology/psychological-literacy

Watt, R. (2013). Developing the psychologically literate citizen at the University of Stirling. HEA website: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/node/7555