This article presents a census of empirical studies on the scholarship of teaching published in "Teaching of Psychology", "Psychology Learning and Teaching", and "Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology" over the past decade. All articles from each issue were coded for characteristics identifying the…

Two controversial topics related to the teaching of statistics to psychology students are (a) when to introduce statistical software and (b) which statistical software package to use. The current research looked at the use of statistical software in statistics classes from every university with a psychology program in Canada. Researchers collected…

The introductory psychology (Intro Psych) course is the bedrock of the psychology major and the front face of our discipline. The class not only provides a foundation for students in the major but also provides a comprehensive portrait of the discipline for nonmajors. Despite a sizable body of research focused on pedagogy related to the…

As class sizes increase due to stagnating budgets, and as colleges and universities around the nation increase enrollment, more faculty (especially those without graduate students) are turning to undergraduate teaching assistants (UTA) to meet the increasing demands on academia. We surveyed 142 students enrolled in courses that utilized UTAs to…

We conducted a national survey of psychology department chairs, and, based on their responses, we concluded that psychology programs differ in the number of students enrolled in various types of classes; the degree of focus on each of the goals recommended by the "American Psychological Association (APA) Guidelines for an Undergraduate…

Explores the benefits of structuring a research class with weekly alternation between one whole-group meeting (20 students and three professors) and three part-group meetings (six or seven students and one professor). Students participated more actively in part-group sessions. (Author/AV)

Suggests use of the planarian D. Dorotocephala, an animal 20 mm in size, in order to provide inexpensive lab experiences for students in large introductory psychology courses. The animal can be used to study perception, memory, behavior modification, and group processes. (Author/AV)

Discusses a study undertaken to determine variables influencing student ratings of college level courses in psychology. Findings indicated that student ratings reflect many variables other than teacher ability, including class size and student major. Suggests that the sole use of student ratings to evaluate teaching effectiveness is questionable,…

A personalized system of instruction for very large enrollment courses involves (1) development of a central instructional facility, and (2) recasting of text content into an interactive videotape format to provide continual feedback. (Author/AV)

A study tested the effectiveness of an undergraduate student as the principal instructor in a small-group psychology class. Students of the undergraduate instructor expressed positive attitudes about their course, whereas students in the larger control group were less positive about their course and instructor. Possible reasons for the differences…

Participating in a research activity by volunteering in a research study or by writing a short research paper as part of a course requirement relates to favorable perceptions of psychology and research, greater knowledge of procedures associated with participation, and other demographic and situational variables. College students who volunteered…

Presents results of a study comparing student class size preferences among first-year college students and upper-division students. Reports that first-year students prefer small classes and upper division students prefer large classes. Concludes that experience in larger classes results in a stronger preference toward the large classes. Urges…

Discusses methods of personalizing the large introductory college psychology class. Contrasts active learning by students with lecturing by professors. Suggests that separating the large class into smaller units can facilitate active learning. Argues that active learning also can be promoted in the large class setting. (SG)

Reports study results of introductory psychology students preparing for a quiz using programed instruction, reading a text, or reading an unrelated text. Lists principles of learning, including clear learning objectives, small steps, logical sequence, active responding, and drill and practice. Concludes that programed instruction is highly…

Observes a general dislike among instructors for large classes. Reviews research which suggests that instruction in large introductory college psychology classes may be superior to more conventional teaching methods. Explains that large group teaching can be helped through audiovisual aids, outlines, and detailed notes. Emphasizes the importance…