Classroom demonstrations of empirically supported learning and memory strategies have the potential to boost students' knowledge about their own memory and convince them to change the way they approach memory tasks in and beyond the classroom. Students in a "Human Learning and Memory" course learned about the "Method of Loci"…

The current study empirically tested the effectiveness of a modular approach to integrating professional development across an undergraduate psychology curriculum. Researchers conducted a two-group, between-subjects experiment on 269 undergraduate psychology students assessing perceptions of professional preparedness and learning. Analysis…

A capstone experience serves as a culminating exercise for students to assimilate the information learned in a course and to realize how to use the material and skills in different contexts. Both majors and nonmajors benefit from having the material in the introductory course consolidated in such a way, for later study in the field and to more…

This project describes the results from a large enrollment introductory psychology course specially designed to improve performance of first-year students. The main objective of the project was to identify early indicators of student success to inform future teaching and promote classroom engagement. Variables representing academic preparation,…

As the burgeoning field of evolutionary psychology continues to gain exposure and acceptance throughout the psychological community, it is important to explain this field clearly and accurately to students. This article discusses some recent findings and trends in evolutionary psychological research to aid instructors in their efforts to provide…

Teaching researchers commonly employ group-based collaborative learning approaches in Teaching of Psychology teaching activities. However, the authors know relatively little about the effectiveness of group-based activities in relation to known psychological processes associated with group dynamics. Therefore, the authors conducted a meta-analytic…

A theoretical approach to the design and implementation of a web-enhanced course template for Introduction to Psychology is reviewed. Links between psychological constructs and pedagogical principles of learning that are pertinent to a web-based course and the self-determination theory literature are discussed in relation to the design and…

Classic personality theories, although intriguing, are outdated. The five-factor model of personality traits reinvigorated personality research, and the resulting findings spurred a new generation of personality theories. These theories assign a central place to traits and acknowledge the crucial role of evolved biology in shaping human…

Although the use of clickers (classroom response systems) has been widely investigated, fewer studies directly compared outcomes for clickers with other active response methods, such as handheld response cards. We measured students' test performance and their self-reported anxiety and hope for upcoming tests after attending review sessions for an…

A primary barrier to the usage of the well-documented pedagogical technique of service learning is time. Successful experiences require faculty to devote significant time to facilitating the community partnership. Another challenge is student readiness for experiences, both in terms of knowledge and motivation. In this article, 2 adaptations are…

A major function of instruction in psychology is to convey complex phenomena in a manner accessible to students. Instructors using well-designed teaching activities can help to make complex material accessible. We content analyzed teaching activities reported in the first 33 years of "Teaching of Psychology." We identified 15 general teaching…

Division 2 of the American Psychological Association was practicing the scholarship of teaching long before Boyer (1990) coined the term, but Boyer brought the idea to academe's consciousness. Over time, however, the scholarship of teaching and "scholarly teaching" have become confused. Based on Richlin's (2001) work, I attempt to resolve this…

We experimentally investigated the effect of crib sheet construction and use on student learning and exam performance. Students expected to use their prepared crib sheets during testing; however, unexpectedly they first completed a pretest without their crib sheets. Students scored significantly better on the same questions with crib sheets…

Failure is frequently the end point of laboratory exercises in physiological psychology that involve stereotaxic surgery by inexperienced students. Lab instructors should caution students to pursue the potential location of misplaced brain lesions using a variety of simple behavioral tests and the Thompson stereotaxic atlas. (Author/RM)

Examines historical ironies and stories with surprise endings about Rene Descartes and Wilhelm Wundt that can enliven history of psychology lectures and make certain concepts more memorable. Explains that this approach does not trivialize psychology's history but adds humor to a subject that students sometimes find dull. (CMK)