Reflections on the course

After completing my first unit, I want to reflect on how things are going so far. Many of you have expressed concerns that students may be behind or lack the necessary skills. With only six weeks completed, I’m encouraged by their enthusiasm and the early signs that they are beginning to master psychological terminology and can evaluate studies, even if only at a basic level. So, I thought I would share my perspective.

At the CAT 1 workshop in Stockholm, my psychology peers convinced me to begin with an introduction to research methods, as outlined in the lesson plans. I have focused exclusively on experiments, linking the method to key concepts: biases and how to control them; internal validity (causality); cross-sectional vs. longitudinal research; prospective studies (change); construct validity (measurement); positivism vs. interpretive approaches; indigenous psychology (perspective); and ethics (responsibility).

To encourage those who may feel discouraged, I’d like to share a few thoughts and suggestions:

• Take it slow. At this stage, I would not expect students to perform well on a Paper 1 exam. Remember, the course has shifted from a focus on content to a focus on skills, and skills take time to develop. I have started with Paper 2, Section B, because it is more accessible and builds a foundation for understanding concepts and applying psychological terminology. These skills are essential for success in Paper 1, Section C.
• Scaffold learning. Help students understand their progress by starting small. Ask them to write for 20 minutes rather than 40. Provide a word bank for early assessments. Highlight only a few aspects of the rubric at a time, rather than assessing every strand.
• Content is not the focus. Content is only directly assessed in Paper 1. The lists for Sections A and B are relatively short, while the essay in Section C is the most challenging. A solid understanding of concepts, however, will allow students to succeed on this essay. The other papers emphasize skill development, which will improve with repetition over time.
• Teach Papers 2 and 3 gradually. They do not need to be taught in their entirety at once. Focus on one question per unit for each paper. For example, in my first unit on research methods, I introduced the limitations of graphical representations of data. In the next unit, we’ll move on to analyzing data. Research considerations will come later, when students are ready for them.

In the end, our assessments will guide us. Our students’ work will show us when they’re ready to take the next step, and that’s something we can trust. The conversations we’re having here and on social media are such a good reminder—not to rush, but to give ourselves and our students the time to grow. If we keep encouraging reflection along the way, the skills will come.

If you have any reflections on the start of the course, we would love to hear them.  Please feel free to reply to this post.