Philosophy

· Have fun! If the professor is not enjoying class, then the students probably aren’t either

· Infuse lectures with real life examples of psychology in practice

· Involve students in live demonstrations to portray concepts introduced

· Maximize use of media to illustrate main points of discussion

· Provide an environment in which students will be free to share their opinions, personal experiences, and ideas*

· Facilitate student debates (pro & con) about almost any issue related to psychology*

· Encourage student discernment in dealing with self-appointed experts

· Make the material relevant to student vocational and personal aspirations

· Evaluate the students’ ability to comprehend and apply the concepts taught rather than just assessing their knowledge

· Identify ways psychology permeates virtually every aspect of our lives

· Ignite in the students an appreciation for research

· Facilitate group dynamics within the classroom

· Debates assume an environment of academic freedom. Input by students and faculty will likely reflect differing viewpoints. It is expected that faculty and students will respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions. An honorable goal of higher education is to develop postformal thought, which recognizes that one’s own perspective is only one of many potentially valid views and that life entails many inconsistencies. It also promotes dialectical thinking, which involves considering both sides of an idea simultaneously and then forging them into a synthesis of the original idea and its opposite.

Page Updated: 09/24/2009