What's New in ToPIX

Each week TED sends out an email highlighting new talks available on their website.  I had a backlog going back to August of psych-related TED talks.  I finally added them to ToPIX as well as a couple other video links I had lying around.  If your favorite TED talk isn't available in ToPIX please consider adding it.

By the way, TED has made it easy to download their videos if you don't want to rely on your classroom's internet connection.  See this blog post.

Neuroscience Videos

• Allan Jones on mapping the brain.
• Paul Zak on oxytocin's role.
• Iain McGilchrist on "the real differences between the right and left halves of the human brain."

Sensation Video

• Todd Kuiken on the next generation of prosthetics -- those that connect to the nervous system.

Emotion Video

• Pamela Meyer, author of Lie Spotting, on how to detect lying.

Development Video

• Alison Gopnik on the information babies take in.

Gender/Sexuality Video

• Amy Lockwood on how one should be more thoughtful on how one markets free condoms.

Social Video

• Derren Brown recreates one of Milgram's obedience studies.
• Philip Zimbardo on why boys are faring less well than girls.
• Lauren Zalaznick on how television "reflects who we truly are."

Language Video

• Mark Pagel on how language evolved to foster cooperation.

ToPIX: What's new?

We have all kinds of new stuff over on ToPIX.

If you're a user of Eric Landrum's APA-style and SPSS videos, you may have noticed that those links were recently disabled.  Eric was kind enough to provide video files that will be stored on the ToPIX website, so no more broken links on those.

Xin Zhao continues to do amazing work on the books section of ToPIX.  If you have other book suggestions, please add them to the page, or if you'd rather you can just add them in the comments section at the bottom of the appropriate page.

A special thank you to Joe Melcher who discovered some broken links on the Psychological Disorders in the News page and provided us with some alternatives.

For those who are following the Dutch scandal, Jeremy Houska added a link to the NY Times article on the Research Methods in the Classroom page.

Jeremy also added a Pinky and the Brain video at the bottom of the Neuroscience Video page.

In the this-isn't-the-news-I-wanted category, it looks like all of our embedded YouTube videos aren't working.  They're now fixed on the Neuroscience Video page, but it's going to take some time to fix on the other pages. If I don't catch them all, please let me know.  In most cases the YouTube URL is there, so you can get to the page; the videos just aren't embedded on the page.

Kit Nast has added some content to the newly-created Careers Video page.  Be sure to check out that page. He also add a video of an interview with a clinician on the Therapy Video page.

Michael Britt added his "Finding Little Albert" activity to the History in the Classroom page.  If you've used the activity, please feel welcome to add comments at the bottom of that page on how it worked for you and any suggestions you have for others.

Finally, if ToPIX has been a useful resource for you, consider adding your resources.  If you're interested in helping to maintain the pages, like when the embedded YouTube videos stop working, please drop me an email (sfrantz@highline.edu).  I'd like to add some assistant editors to ToPIX.  Looking forward to hearing from you!

STP Programming at 2011 APA Convention

Going to the APA Convention in D.C.?  Jim Freeman has put the STP programming into a public Google Calendar.  Follow this link. 

If you use Google Calendar, after following the link, look for the +Google Calendar button in the bottom right corner.  Click on it to add this calendar to your list of Google calendars.

Hope to see you in D.C.!

New ToPIX Content: 7/1/2011

The last 6 weeks have been quite a ride.  The quarter ended, ten days at the AP Psych reading in Kansas City with 400 of my closest friends, followed by a week in Wisconsin visiting family.  I'm happy to report that I am not teaching this summer! That means I have some time to devote to ToPIX.


I want to thank Xin Zhao for his continued excellent work on the books section of ToPIX. In the completed sections, each book cover is displayed with a short description, a link to a review, and, where available, a video of the author.  It's been a lot of work for him, so if you find these resources valuable, please let him know (click to email).

On June 22nd, the New York Times ran an article (Baby Makes Four, and Complications) about a woman, her friend and sperm donor and his male partner.  It raises interesting questions about what is family.  You can find it in Development-in-the-News.

I have several new videos for you.  They are all embedded, so when you follow the link, scroll down to embedded video section to view them.

Perception: There are several videos of Derren Brown of the British TV show Trick or Treat available online.  I've posted a 4-minute clip where he pays, or attempts to pay, for goods with blank paper.  Also in this section is an 11-minute TED video of Daniel Tammett talking about his synesthesia.

Disorders: Joshua Walters, a performer with bipolar disorder, discusses pros and cons of the disorder. (TED video, 6 mins.)

Development: Ric Elias was sitting in the front row of Flight 1549 when it went down in the Hudson.  He discusses the impact that experience has had on his life. (TED video, 5 mins.)

Cognition: Kathryn Schulz argues that it's time we reframe what it means to be wrong.  She notes that being wrong feels the same as being right.  It's when we find out that we were wrong that things change. (TED video, 18 mins.)

Therapy: JD Schramm makes a plea for more compassion and resources for those who have made failed attempts at suicide. (TED video, 4 mins.)

Gender/Sexuality: "Alice Dreger works with people at the edge of anatomy, such as conjoined twins and intersexed people. In her observation, it's often a fuzzy line between male and female, among other anatomical distinctions. Which brings up a huge question: Why do we let our anatomy determine our fate?" (TED video, 19 mins.)

If your favorite videos aren't listed in ToPIX, you're welcome to add them yourself or email me their links at sfrantz@highline.edu.

New ToPIX Content: 5/1/2011

Aaron Richmond has added some new stuff to the Educational Psych in the Classroom page.  (Thanks Aaron!)

How to increase student engagement through cultural diversity
Using picture books to illustrate psychology concepts
How to use student artifacts as case studies in your class

Xin Zhao continues to do some amazing stuff with the books and films section.  First, this section has been moved to the top row of ToPIX’s first page, making it more prominent.  Click on the Thinking/Language/Intelligence category to see how this area is shaping up.  In addition to book descriptions, he includes links to reviews, and embedded video of the authors when available.  Good stuff!

New ToPIX Content: 4/18/2011

ToPIX welcomes Xin Zhao from Utah State University!  (And a special thank you to Scott Bates for the recommendation!) He has started working on organizing and adding content to the recommended psychology-related books.  Once the book titles are sorted, the plan is to move them into a categorized column on the main ToPIX page, next to the video clips. Look for that in the coming weeks.  

NPR news featured a short (4-min) segment last week by gerontologist Mark Lachs on adaptive competence, the apparent key to living a long life: Development-in-the-News.

The NPR health blog featured some new research on the impact of meditation on pain: Sensation-in-the-News. 

 

NOVA aired an episode on February 2, 2011 titled “How Does the Brain Work?”  It’s divided into 4 segments.  One of the segments, Magic and the Brain (12 mins), can be found on the Perception Video page.  The other 3 segments are coming soon.

New ToPIX Content: 4/10/2011

It's the beginning of a new quarter for many of us here in the Pacific Northwest.  It usually takes me about 3 weeks to get my bearings.  Tomorrow begins Week 3, so I'm declaring myself ahead of schedule.

Aaron Richmond has added a couple new resources to the Educational Psych in the Classroom page. (Thanks Aaron!)

• How to use instructional and assessment vignettes in your educational psychology class
• Constructivism taught constructively

In Neuroscience in the News is a story on soldiers who returned home with traumatic brain injury and PTSD.  The story opens with one soldier's failed attempt at suicide-by-cop.


On a lighter note, NPR reported last week on research on the benefits of being bilingual.  You can find a link to that story on the Language in the News page.
 

Research/Writing Workshop on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Call for Participation

The Society for the Teaching of Psychology announces the first STP writing workshop for faculty who would like to learn more about the process of developing and/or writing a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) project. SoTL is defined as methodologically rigorous scholarly work conducted to enhance teaching and advance learning, ideally resulting in peer-reviewed products made public.

The workshop will allow a small select group of faculty members to receive guidance on SoTL research from an experienced mentor and consult with both statistical and publication experts.  Each participant will be placed with a mentor and a team of 3-4 peers.  The mentor will support participants through the research process, which may include discussing ideas or analyzing, outlining, and writing a final product.  The ultimate goal is to generate a complete manuscript.

This workshop will be held in conjunction with the STP Best Practices Conference on October 14-15, 2011, in Atlanta, GA.  The cost of the workshop is $100 in addition to the conference registration fee which is heavily discounted for you as you will use some conference session time for your project work.  Mentors will work with their team before the conference to prepare for the workshop as well as Friday morning and Saturday afternoon.

Please complete an application; no payment is required at this time. Applications are due by May 30th, 2011.  For questions or more information/details please contact the Chair of the writing workshop, Janie Wilson (jhwilson@georgiasouthern.edujhwilson@georgiasouthern.edu).

New ToPIX Content: 3/23/2011

Out of curiosity, I thought I’d check in on ToPIX stats.  Since the first of the year, there have been 10,866 page views from 3,743 visitors.  Since ToPIX opened for business last March, there have 39,373 page views from 13,783 visitors.  About half of those visitors have been back more than once.  It’s good to see you!
 

Now for what’s new.

A few weeks ago Jordon Troisi asked the PsychTeach denizens for any end-of-course activities they might employ.  Last week he submitted that compilation to PsychTeacher. (Thanks Jordan!)  It is now available on ToPIX.  On the main page, at the bottom of the In-Class-Activities section is a new link: Last Day Activities.  Would anyone like to repeat this process for first day activities?  =)

In my last update I noted that Comparative Psych made its debut in the “In the News” category.  Today I announce that it has made its debut in the “Videos” category, courtesy of primatologist Isabel Behncke Izquierdo’s TED talk on bonobos at play.

While I’m on a TED kick, new in Video: Language is Patricia Kuhl’s talk on the development of language in babies.  Also in this section is Susan Savage-Rumbaugh’s TED talk on bonobos and language.  I’ve copied this into the Video: Comparative Psych page so it’s available in both places.

Madeleine Albright, the first woman to be U.S. Secretary of State, made a TED appearance to discuss her views on women’s issues (Video: Gender & Sexuality).  My favorite quote comes in her telling the story of her 7 year old granddaughter who said to her mom, Albright’s daughter, “so what’s the big deal about Grandma Maddie being Secretary of State? Only girls are Secretary of State.” 

I had been having some trouble embedding TED talk videos into ToPIX pages, but I think I have that solved now.  You can watch the videos without leaving the page, or you can follow the link to watch it on the TED site.  Or if it appeared on TED in the last 5 months, you can watch it on your Roku player. =)

I see also that Ron Shapiro updated some of the games information on the In-the-Classroom: Human Factors page.  Thanks Ron!

One last update.  On the main ToPIX page, in the bottom row of the grid, there is a section titled STP resources.  I’ve added a link to the STP web browser toolbar.  Download this toolbar to gain quick access to any STP resource or see new STP-related content, including this blog, via the embedded RSS feeds.    

New ToPIX Content: 3/21/2011

A few weeks ago many of you contributed your examples of positive and negative correlations.  If you have additional examples, you’re welcome to edit the page or add your comments at the bottom of the page.

Steve Jones pointed out that the bobo doll video on the Video: Learning page was no longer available.  He was kind enough to find another one for us.  If you were looking for that video, it’s back.  Thanks Steve!

In digging through some old emails, I found the April 2010 Dateline episode, “What Were You Thinking?”  Dateline recreates some classic social psych experiments.

Not long ago we got a Roku box in preparation for ditching satellite and going internet only.  Last night I discovered that TED now has a Roku channel.  The first video I watched was Deb Roy of MIT.  He wired his house to record video and audio, beginning the day he and his wife brought home their newborn son. He is able to track when his son was exposed to language, for example ‘water,’ and where, for example in the kitchen.  You can find his talk under Video: Language.

There have been a number of psychology-related news stories lately.  Here are some that I’ve added. 

In the News:

Consciousness:  There’s a new robotic surgery for sleep apnea.

Psychological Disorders:  A journalist and his son talk about the son’s schizophrenia diagnosis.

Comparative Psych:  This category debuts with an elephant intelligence test.

New ToPIX Content: 3/6/11

Two weeks ago I asked for examples of positive and negative reinforcement you use in class.  Those are now available in the learning section of “In the Classroom.”  Thanks to everyone who contributed!

Here’s what’s new in the “In the News” section: 

I/O:  An article in Wired Magazine discusses the factory work in China.  It raises a number of issues relevant to I/O psychology.  (Thanks to Michael Britt for adding this!)

Therapy:  This New York Times article discusses how psychiatry is moving from psychotherapy to drug management.  

Cognition: A recent article in the newspaper, The Oregonian, reports results from a survey that shows that most Oregonians think that crime is on the rise when in fact it is not. This is an easy class demonstration.  Ask your students if they think crime is increasing or decreasing.  There are two more examples you can use in class here.

One new video has been added in the Therapy category.  It’s 5 minutes from Walter Freeman’s original lobotomy footage. 

New ToPIX Content

Aaron Richmond is the ToPIX go-to person for all things Ed Psych.  This week he’s added three very nifty resources.  Be sure to check out the rest on that page.  You can find them all here.

• “Motivation Reflection Activities” comes from a 1984 Teaching of Psychology journal article where students engaged in three classroom activities that were designed to increase student motivation while learning about motivation.
• In “How to Be a Bully” the author of a 2004 Psychology Learning and Teaching article describes using role-playing to help students understand bullying and identify appropriate responses to it.
• In “The Motivational Toolbox,” an article in the Teaching Educational Psychology journal, the authors “focused on how to motivate students to learn motivation theories.”  It sounds like an activity that would be easily adapted to other courses that cover motivation.

The “In the News” section of ToPIX has some new content this week.

• Social: “One Man Says No to Harsh Interrogation Techniques” is a 26-min Fresh Air interview with Matthew Alexander (pseudonym), the author of How to Break a Terrorist and Kill or Capture.
• Neuroscience: “V.S. Ramachandran’s Tales of the ‘Tell-Tale Brain’” is a 19-min Fresh Air interview with V.S. Ramachandran.  He discusses, among other things, phantom limbs.
• Neuroscience: “Aerobic Exercise May Improve Memory In Seniors” is a 5-min Morning Edition story on a study that found that aerobic exercise increased the volume of the hippocampus in previously sedentary seniors.
• Development: “Taking a New Approach to ‘How We Age;” is a 31-min Talk of the Nation interview with Marc Agronin, author of How We Age: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of Growing Old.  He argues that, culturally, we see aging as a disease and that it’s time that we change our way of thinking.
• Gender/Sexuality: “Virus Passed During Oral Sex Tops Tobacco as Throat Cancer Cause” from the NRP blog.

New ToPIX Content

For the last week participants in the various teaching of psychology listservs have been contributing their favorite examples of positive/negative reinforcement/punishment.  If yours isn’t there, be sure to add it by editing the page or adding a comment at the end of the page.  You can also find some more examples of schedules of reinforcement.  Erin Hardin has contributed a handy document for instructors new to teaching operant conditioning.

This week NPR reported on a study that found that children’s self-control is correlated with their later success.  You can find a link to that study in the In the News: Development section of ToPIX.  This fits in well with the video (now available in the Video: Development area) that shows how different kids react when given a marshmallow that they can either eat now or, if they save it, they can have a second one later.  

There’s been much discussion on the TIPS listserv of how an engineering student created a live replica of Escher’s waterfall.  See the video and the likely building plans at Video: Perception.

This past week reporter Serene Branson, while reporting from the Grammy’s, had a migraine that scrambled her speech.  The interview with her, including footage from her episode, is available from Video: Neuroscience.  (Thanks to Mike Palij of the TIPS listserv for this story.)  Continuing in the area of neuroscience, the NY Times reports that the runner’s high may be due to endocannabinoids.  Access that article through In the News: Neuroscience.  

Other news stories making it to ToPIX this week include an NPR story on how women hesitate to ask for a raise (In the News: Gender/Sexuality) and a NY Times report from a participant in this year’s U.S. Memory Championship (In the News: Memory).

New ToPIX Content

This week I asked on the teaching of psych listservs for examples of schedules of reinforcement.  Many of you contributed examples, thanks!  I've added them to ToPIX on this page. If you have examples you'd like to add, you can edit that page or visit that page and add them in the comments box.  

Also new this week is a short video from ABC News on distracted driving, a short video from CBS News on belief perseverance, and an edited episode from the TV show the Big Bang Theory that shows just the positive reinforcement scenes.

New ToPIX Content

While my ToPIX updates have been on hiatus, ToPIX has not been.  ToPIX is averaging over 1,000 page views a week. It looks like you're finding it to be a useful resource.  Great!

I want to thank Aaron Richmond (primarily ed psych resources), Julie Murphy (psych disorders videos), Bill Altman (rubrics), Robin Musselman (books) and Scott Bates (APA assignment) for their contributions to ToPIX over the last few months.  (If I've forgotten someone, my sincerest apologies!)

If you have content that you think should be added to ToPIX, please drop me an email at sfrantz@highline.edu.  I can either help you post it yourself or I can post it for you, whatever your preference.

What's New

The 'video' section is now called 'video/audio.'   Under "Other Teaching of Psych Wikis..." (bottom left on the main page), TeachPsychScience.org (specializing in resources for teaching research methods) has been added as a link.

Here's the most recent new content:

http://topix.teachpsych.org/w/page/19981038/Sexuality-Video

81 Words: This American Life (Audio)

Guys and Dolls  (Video)

http://topix.teachpsych.org/w/page/19980986/Development-Video

 Growing Up Online: Frontline (Video)

http://topix.teachpsych.org/w/page/19981004/History-in-the-Classroom

Psychology’s Feminist Voices

http://topix.teachpsych.org/w/page/19980997/Grading-rubrics-from-Bill-Altman

Bill Altman has provided several of his rubrics.

http://topix.teachpsych.org/w/page/19981012/Language-Video

RadioLab’s Lucy story is now in the Video/Audio area

http://topix.teachpsych.org/w/page/19981011/Language-in-the-News

Does Your Language Shape How You Think (NY Times, 8/26/2010)

STP Early Career Psychologist Council

 STP is now accepting nominations (including self-nominations) for this new Council. Nominees must be members of STP, within 7 years of having completed their doctoral degrees, and willing to commit to a three-year term to work with the VP for RRR to promote the interests of early career professionals. Nominations should include a CV, the name of two references who agree to be contacted, and a one-page statement of interest in the position. Please reply by February 14th to Regan A. R. Gurung or Diane Finley.

The Early Career Professionals (ECP) Council is comprised of four members who are engaged in establishing their professional careers. The Vice President of Recruitment, Retention, and Public Relations will serve as ex-officio member. The Council is charged with spearheading activities and opportunities to aid Early Career Professionals through education, training and networking, and as well as representing ECP interests in division matters. Possible projects might include a workshop for the APA/STP program or maybe for the STP hospitality suite or building a web link for early career professionals on the STP homepage.

Chair and Members

This Council is comprised of a Chair and members, all of whom are within 7 years of having completed their doctoral degrees. The Council Chair oversees the activities of the Council and will be appointed by the VP and STP-Executive Council. Each Council member, including the Chair, will serve a three-year term. Terms will be staggered.

Activities, Responsibilities, Policies, and Procedures.

The ECP Council works to promote the contributions and concerns of Early Career Professionals in Division matters. This is accomplished through two avenues. First, members of the ECP Council are assigned to Division Councils or Committees of particular interest to the ECP membership. Committee assignments are based on representation, need, relevance to ECP issues, and the respective member's interests. Second, the ECP Council will promote training and professional development through organization and implementation of focused programs at the Annual Meeting and other endeavors consistent with these goals.

Responsibilities of specific ECP Council members include the following:

Early Career Professionals Council Chair. Maintain contact with and coordinate activities of the ECP Council members; prepare and submit two reports each year to the VP for RRR (prior to mid-winter and APA convention Board meetings).

Liaison to APA Early Career Professionals Network. Report to the Division leadership about activities and needs.

Budget
The Council will have a budget of $1000.00 to support incidental expenses related to any initiatives the committee comes up with or to facilitate council meetings (conference calls, meetings).