The BPS and pre- degree psychology Gerry Mulhern FBPsS BPS President

The BPS and pre-degree psychology

Gerry Mulhern FBPsSBPS President

www.bps.org.uk

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This session

What do pre-degree psychology teachers know about the British Psychological Society?

What does the Society already do for pre-degree teachers and students?

What more should we do?



About the Society

Learned Society and Professional Body

2nd largest in the world circa 50,000 members circa 130 staff circa 9,000 student subscribers

2nd oldest Founded 1901



Questions

What is/are the greatest challenge(s) facing you as a teacher of pre-degree psychology?

In an ideal world, what would you change?



“If you could change aspects of the course, what would you do?” (Maras & Bradshaw, 2007)

more contact teaching time reduce the content of the syllabus allow a longer teaching period make the course less assessment

focused emphasise the research and

practical nature of psychology



Issue 1:Why do relatively few pupils study A-level psychology in NI?

Vicious circle: prior psychology qualifications

generally ignored by university admissions services



Issue 2:Psychology as a Science A-level

QCA and Ofsted have reclassified psychology as a science subject

Psychology will be reviewed in line with other science subjects to meet common core criteria and will be inspected as a science

Psychology moved both intellectually and physically into school science departments - or has it?

Some relevant things we do as a learned society



Recognising pre-degree teachers and teaching

Dorothy Coombs: 2007 BPS Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Teaching of Psychology

First winner outside the tertiary sector

Association for the Teaching of Psychology



Psychology Education Board (PEB) Priorities include …

Develop capability for teacher networks Excellence in Teaching Award for A-level

and Scottish Highers Databank of good practice examples for

teachers Teacher workshops at BPS Annual

Conference Continue to engage with TDA over

number of PGCE courses for psychology graduates



Standing Committee on Pre-Tertiary Education (SCoPTE)

Sub-committee of the Psychology Education Board concerned with issues relating to psychology qualifications such as:

A Levels Scottish Highers Psychology Teachers in schools and

colleges Teacher Training for Psychologists



Terms of reference include:

Routes to qualified teacher status Pre-tertiary curricula Academic and scientific rigor Enhancing teaching at pre-tertiary

level Liaison with outside agencies Usefulness of pre-tertiary psychology

as preparation for UG study Usefulness of pre-tertiary psychology

qualifications in their own right



Standing Committee for Psychology Education to Other Groups (ScPEOG)

Assist those who teach psychology but do not have qualifications in the field

Help other professions establish a core psychology curriculum for their training

Complementary role to SCoPTE



Division of Teachers and Researchers in Psychology (DTRP)

Corresponding membership Affiliate membership Full membership



DTRP benefits

The DTRP membership publication Psychology Teaching Review

The DTRP newsletter Reduced fees at Division events Increased website access - including

resources bank and events listings Joining the Society media database



Training and CPD

BPS & National Science Learning Centres provide some training for psychology teachers already in post



What about your students?

BPS student membership

Open to students taking an undergraduate degree, A Level, AS, A2 or Scottish Higher in Psychology

£17 p/a by DD



Student membership: Benefits

The Psychologist house journalMembership of the Society's Student

Members GroupPsychTalk, the quarterly magazine

with a careers focus from the SMGDiscounts on books, journals and

conference feesRecognition of belonging to a

professional body, opportunities to get involved, early career support



Student Members Group



Student Members Group

Facebook

Comprehensive links, e.g.: Disabled students Psychology Student Network (Yahoo

group) psychWIRE Quoteworld



BPS Research Digest

“Unmissable read for psychology students, teachers, lecturers or anyone interested in what makes us tick”

Fortnightly email Free Engaging round up of the latest

psychology research More than 21,000 subscribers For free subscription visit:

www.bps.org.uk/publications/rd/



Going forward …

Resources

Training and professional development

Continue to enhance the standing of pre-tertiary psychology including that of teachers

Documents

The BPS and pre- degree psychology Gerry Mulhern FBPsS BPS President