Describes the Key Groups that is a 40-60 minute exercise centering on student-led groups that create an answer key to a quiz that the students have taken immediately before the exercise. Recommends using Key Groups because this exercise helps students develop leadership skills and task-group membership. (CMK)

Explores students' self-perceptions of their classroom participation as compared to peer and instructor perception. Finds significant correlation between instructor and peer rankings, while the correlation between self and instructor rankings was not significant. Concludes that students rated themselves as participating at higher levels than both…

Describes a matrix that depicts the relationships between desired perspectives, skills, knowledge, and attitudes and an undergraduate psychology curriculum. Expounds that the curriculum matrix is a useful tool for representing the coverage of specific material in the individual courses offered within the overall curriculum. Provides a blank…

Compares teaching observational research using a lecture format to using a software program called Courseware for Observational Research (COR). Finds that the COR-instructed class obtained a mean score of 78% on the examination, earned higher grades on the research reports, and rated the usefulness of conducting research more highly than the…

Describes the Correlator, an interactive computer tutorial that helps students explore positive, zero, and negative correlation coefficients. Discusses studies that assessed whether the Correlator aided in student learning revealing that students completing the Correlator better understand correlation coefficients and enjoy the tutorial. (CMK)

Presents an interview with Theodore R. Sarbin, a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Focuses on his work with narrative psychology and role theory, how he developed his research interests, and his book entitled "Believed-In Imaginings: The Narrative Construction of Reality." (CMK)

Examines coverage of critical thinking in 37 full-length introductory psychology textbooks published from 1955 to 1997. Checks for coverage of scientific thinking, cognitive biases in thinking, and difficulties in statistical reasoning. Suggests that findings should facilitate the review and decision process for instructors interested in…

Describes 12 critical-thinking books that instructors could use as supplements in psychology courses. Observes that, although the breadth and depth of most of these books limit their use in a one-term introductory course, they fit comfortably into two-term courses. Suggests alternative ways to incorporate supplementary books into the psychology…

Argues that educators should provide students with explicit training in asking critical questions. Describes a training strategy taught in abnormal psychology courses at Bowling Green State University (Ohio). Based on a pre- and post-test, results support the promise of using explicit questioning training in promoting the evaluative aspects of…

Argues that accounts of paranormal phenomena can serve as an ideal medium in which to encourage students to develop critical-thinking skills. Describes a cooperative-learning approach used to teach critical thinking in a course on paranormal events. Reports that critical-thinking skills increased and that the course received favorable student…

Describes a course on communication skills in psychology that includes learning library research skills, writing research reports and term papers, making behavioral observation notes, and giving oral presentations. Shows that student performance in tests on knowledge of American Psychological Association principles improved during the course.…

Describes a classroom demonstration for stimulating consideration of personal vulnerability for contracting a sexually transmitted disease during a lifetime. Reports that the demonstration utilizes class participation, holds student interest, stimulates class discussion, and has resulted in generally positive feedback from students. (DSK)

Details a course for teaching ethics to undergraduates. Argues that participation in service-learning experiences teaches students about moral philosophy and ethical principles for psychologists, and helps them become more sensitive to complex ethical dilemmas involved in psychology and related fields. Reports that students' course evaluations are…

Describes a procedure for teaching experimental design to students in the social sciences. Argues that by replicating Solomon Asch's and H. Kelley's classic studies on impression formation, students learn how to conduct experiments, analyze data, and evaluate the significance of research. Provides instructions for implementing the strategy. (DSK)

Discusses and evaluates student responses to an activity in which seven grandmothers talked about their lives, perceptions of changing gender roles, and expectations for their daughters and granddaughters. Observes that it provided a powerful learning experience, linking textbook material on gender bias and cohort effects to the lives of actual…