IToP welcomes psychology teachers from four-year colleges, community colleges, and high schools. As you can see from the agenda, November 7 will be a full day devoted to learning from our invited speaker and each other. There will also be an opportunity to exchange ideas and materials, see demonstrations and activities, view publishers’ exhibits, explore resources, and establish or renew relationships with other psychology teachers. We hope to see you there!
Featured Keynote Presentations
Dr. Chris Hulleman, Research Associate Professor
University of Virginia
- "The Promise and Perils of Social Psychological Research for Education"
An emerging body of research in social psychology is producing promising interventions that boost student motivation and achievement. The interventions are brief exercises integrated into the classroom curriculum have been particularly effective for underperforming and disadvantaged students. Because these psychological interventions focus on students’ thoughts and beliefs about course topics or school in general (e.g., growth mindset, belongingness, utility value), rather than a specific curriculum, they hold great promise for implementation in the classroom. However, these interventions are not magic bullets. Can these brief interventions be successfully exported, and what is necessary for effective implementation? I will present case studies of several interventions, and highlight the challenges for effective implementation in classroom settings.
Dr. David Daniel, Professor of Psychology
James Madison University
- "When Helping Hurts: Teaching as Co-Dependency"
Do your students blame you for their poor grades, or meet your attempts to engage them in meaningful learning with indifference or even hostility? In an age where the skills of college students vary, consumerism abounds, and education is often undervalued, our students are adopting a number of strategies to achieve their degree goals. These strategies often engender a set of responses from teachers who attempt to walk the line between academic integrity and sensitivity to individual circumstances. As faculty members we all want our students to be successful. However, it is difficult to know in which situations our actions might actually be more harmful than helpful. We are constantly faced with challenges such as, “How much help is too much?” and “How quickly should one step in to assist a struggling student?” In this testimonial, David will recount his journey as a popular, professional enabler and his battle with pedagogical co-dependence ranging from his scholarship in pedagogy to his dealings with individual students. Is it time for an intervention and are you ready to offer some "tough love"?