Concept walls
Sometimes, the old ways of doing things can be the best. One of the learning hurdles for psychology students is the amount of new terminology they must learn. Additionally, they must learn how each...
Class practicals
Students will complete four practical activities in class: an experiment, an observation, a survey/questionnaire, and an interview. Participation in each practical is mandatory, and these can be designed...
Transfer of learning
Transfer of learning is the application of knowledge and skills acquired in one context to another. (As in from riding a bike to riding a scooter!) We do it all the time in daily life. This practice is...
New course FAQs
It is natural to feel anxious when a new syllabus is released, especially when it initially appears to require a different approach from what has come before. Every few weeks, I will collect questions...
HL Extensions
One of the questions that is commonly being asked is whether we have to teach all of the extensions for all of the contexts. The simple answer is, “No.” If you have taught IB history, then you know that...
Using current events
References to current events can support psychological theory. Psychological principles need to be applied to social issues, and the new course demonstrates this by eliminating the need for intensive...
Research methods
Research methodology comprises research methods, sampling techniques, procedures, data collection and analysis. It is part of every context and forms the focus of the class practicals. All students need...
The IA research methodology
Research methodology includes an explanation of the sampling technique, choice of procedure, ethical considerations, and a justification for the research method. A student should explain why their proposed...
Choosing the IA research question
The IA is now a research proposal into a “population of interest” to the student. It is their chance to explore a passion or interest that goes outside the bounds of the course. The student does not have...
Content within context
In the last curriculum, many of us taught the biological, cognitive, and sociocultural approaches as stand-alone units. To cut down on content, we chose content from the options to support them. In the...