Thursday, June 28, 2012

New ToPIX Content: 6/28/12


This week we had updates to the Learning in the News and Research Methods in the Classroom pages. The Song List continues to expand thanks to the efforts of contributors. A new ToPIX Assistant Editor was named.

New ToPIX Content

An article from the June issue of The Atlantic was posted to the Learning in the News page. The piece covers applications of Skinner's behavior modification techniques to weight loss, shopping and other "temptations." Also included was mention of smartphone apps that utilize theories of learning. A Q&A with the author was also posted. (Thanks to Kay Banister Schaffer via the AP Psychology Listserv!) 

Yesterday Mitch Handelsman posted a list of Research Methods resources culled from the PSYCHTEACHER listserv. This compilation was posted to the Research Methods in the Classroom page. (Thanks Mitch et al.!)

Jeff Bartel sent along his song list and I am in the process of adding his suggestions to the ToPIX Song List. If you have suggestions for the list, please do not hesitate to send them to TOPIX@TeachPsych.org.



Please join me in welcoming Nicole Bies-Hernandez to ToPIX. Nicole will be serving as an Assistant Editor responsible for a new section in ToPIX. She will tell you a bit more about that in the next couple weeks. All I can say now is that if you like the Song List, you’ll love this resource.

As always—if you have found ToPIX useful, please consider contributing!  You are welcome to update the wiki yourself or drop me an email. Also, if you might be interested in serving as a ToPIX Assistant Editor, please contact me for more details (TOPIX@TeachPsych.org).

Thursday, June 21, 2012

New ToPIX Content: 6/21/12


This week we had an update to the Pedagogy section, some more on the “The Why and The How of Songs in the Classroom”, and some updates to the ToPIX Song List.


New ToPIX Content


A number of new (and classic!) songs and concepts were added to the Song list courtesy of Jeff Henriques and Steve Jones. Thanks to both of you! Use your internet browser’s “Find Text” function to search the song list by unit, concept, artist, song title, or year. Or, simply scroll through the growing list. Please e-mail any other suggestions (or songs) for the ToPIX Song List to ToPIX@TeachPsych.org.

Some of the challenges to using songs in the classroom (and ways to overcome them) are now included on the page Songs in the classroom: The why and the how

Jeff Henriques contributed to the Pedagogy section by adding some Ways to Use Scoring Rubrics for Student Work and Program Assessment. Thanks Jeff!

As always—if you have found ToPIX useful, please consider contributing! You are welcome to update the wiki yourself or drop me an email at TOPIX@TeachPsych.org.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

New ToPIX Content: 6/14/12


Here is your latest installment of #ToPIXThursdays. This week we have two news items, an activity, and some updates to the ToPIX Song List.

A number of new (and classic!) songs and concepts were added to the Song list thanks to Assistant ToPIX Editor Juliana Breines, Dianne DeSousa, Fabiana DesRosiers, Carol Furchner, Jeff Henriques, and John Lewis. Tamara Spiewak Toub suggested that we include the year the song came out, and the list has been updated in light of that suggestion.

Please e-mail any other suggestions (or songs) to ToPIX@TeachPsych.org.

New ToPIX Content

Song list Use your internet browser’s “Find Text” function to search the list by unit, concept, artist, song title, or year.

Video of the “You’re Not Special” commencement speech, CBS News coverage, and a developmental psychologist’s response in Psychology Today was posted to the Development in the News page (along with questions for discussion).

A link to a NY Times article on parking and congestion relief incentives at Stanford University was posted to the Learning in the News page (along with questions for discussion).

A new small group activity--involving a shower cap and labeling neural structures-- was posted to the Neuroscience in the Classroom page. (Thanks Sue Frantz!)

Monday, June 11, 2012

SAGE Teaching Innovations & Professional Development Award


This award is designed to defray costs for graduate students and early career faculty (within seven (7) years post-doctorate or within seven (7) years of beginning full-time college teaching, whichever comes first) who wish to attend the Division 2 programming at the meeting of the American Psychological Association. One graduate student and one untenured faculty member will each receive a $1250 travel grant. To be eligible for funding, applicants must be a member of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP).

We are currently accepting applications for the Sage Travel Award. Completed applications should be sent to Lori Rosenthal at LRosenthal@Lasell.edu along with a current CV. Review of applications will begin June 10, 2012 and will continue until the award has been made.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

New ToPIX Content: 6/7/2012

I wanted to kick off the first #ToPIXThursdays with something fun for the summer, and I hope extremely useful for those of us who use music in the classroom.

It is my goal to have a working list of songs and concepts ready for everyone in time for the Fall semester (by the end of July). Right now I am piecing together lists sent from colleagues, and pasted from listservs. So, I think we will have a pretty solid list going. However, I see we will be a bit thin from 2007 to present.

If you have any songs that you like to use in the classroom (2007 or newer), please send them to TOPIX@TeachPsych.org.

Also, if you are a music lover and would like to join this summer effort, please drop me a line!


New ToPIX Content


Song list

Songs in the Classroom: The Why and The How
(If anyone has any additional suggestions please add them, or email them to me)

...and I reposted an abbreviated "Call for Songs" here.

Also, an ABC News article about Project X parties was posted to the Social in the News page (along with questions for discussion).


ToPIX Call for Songs


The practice of using music to illustrate psychological concepts is not new (see ToP articles: Hughes, 1984; Leck, 2006; Potkay, 1982).  Recent work suggests that the practice is still alive and well in classrooms. Marin (2012) has asked her students to role play as American Idol contestants, choose a song related to a psychological concept, and provide the rationale for their decision.

It seems that a request for songs related to a particular chapter/unit hits listservs every few years. When general calls are made, impressive lists have resulted (see Ann Weber’s SPSP list here; see Rick Froman’s list from the PsychTeacher archives: subject “Compilation of songs used in psych classes).

In the meantime, music fans may have sought out an online compendium (e.g., Intro Psych Resources), or a great site like The Songs of Psychology. Detailed postings on The Songs of Psychology site illustrate specifically how a song or particular lyrics relate to a psychological concept. Recent blog posts (“Psychology Songs” from Psych Your Mind) could also be helpful for instructors who seek to update their song lists with more current music.

Are you using music in the classroom? If so, please consider sharing with ToPIX.

Please email your favorite songs along with the concept illustrated to TOPIX@TeachPsych.org with subject: “TOPIX Song List.” Also, any comments on how you have used songs (or could use them) in the classroom would be helpful. All songs are welcomed, but we are particularly looking for recent songs (2007- present) to fill in the gaps of our working list.

The goal is to have an updated song list by the end of July and continue regular updates to the wiki throughout Fall 2012.

The work in progress can be found here. We hope you will join us in the fun this summer!

References

Hughes, R.L. (1984). Teaching concepts of personal adjustment using popular music. Teaching of Psychology, 11 (2), 115.

Leck, K. (2006). Teaching personality theories using popular music. Teaching of Psychology, 33 (1), 34-36.

Marin, A. J. (2012). Micro-activities in the classroom: When good teaching comes in small packages. In J. Holmes, S.C. Baker, & J. R. Stowell (Eds.), Essays from e-xcellence in teaching (Vol. 11, pp. 3-7). Retrieved from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology Web site: http://teachpsych.org/ebooks/eit2011/index.php

Potkay, C.R. (1982). Teaching abnormal psychology concepts using popular song lyrics. Teaching of Psychology, 9 (4), 233-234.