Each year, well over a million undergraduate students take an introductory psychology course. This edited volume presents recommendations for designing and teaching this important course. Given the diverse purposes served, book is a must-have for every psychology department and every person who teaches introductory psychology.
The book's recommendations cover four key areas: course design, defining and assessing student learning goals and outcomes, teacher training and development, and student learning and transformation. Chapters illustrate how to implement the recommendations in various institutions, including public and private colleges and universities, research universities, liberal arts colleges, comprehensive universities, two-year colleges, and high school.
The recommendations stem from an initiative of the American Psychological Association, which seeks to make introductory psychology a transformational experience for students. While some students taking the course will become psychology majors or even psychologists, most will pursue other careers. Thus, successful introductory psychology courses help students grow personally, academically, and professionally with skills that will be valuable for the rest of their lives, regardless of career.
Regan A. R. Gurung, PhD, is Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, professor of psychological science, and director of the General Psychology program at Oregon State University. His Applied Social Cognition lab studies factors influencing teaching and learning. A recipient of the APF Charles L. Brewer Distinguished Teacher of Psychology Award, he is author/co-author/editor of 15 books and over 100 peer-reviewed articles. He was founding co-editor of APA's Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology and past president of both the Society for Teaching of Psychology (APA Division 2) and Psi Chi, the International Honors Society in Psychology.
Garth Neufeld, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Cascadia College, founder of Teaching Introductory Psychology Northwest and the Teaching of Psychology Incubator workshop, and co-founder of the PsychSessions podcast. He has served the national teaching of psychology community through the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, the AP Psychology Reading, and APA's Education Directorate. In 2018, Garth was awarded a Citizen Psychologist presidential citation from the APA for co-founding Shared Space For All, an organization that educates and mentors at-risk Thai children toward the prevention of prostitution. He is also the recipient of the 2019 STP Wayne Weiten Teaching Excellence Award.
