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Embedding employability in higher education is a key Teaching Excellence Framework requirement, and psychology departments across the UK recognise that this is indeed important for students' employability prospects. The Final Year Research Project is the most important independent piece of work that psychology undergraduate students undertake, contributing considerably to the overall degree classification. Therefore, it can provide a fertile ground for embedding employability and allows for innovation in teaching and supervision of projects. Yet, based on our extensive Final Year Research Project supervision and coordination experience, this opportunity tends to be overlooked by psychology departments, project coordinators and supervisors; often resulting in projects being given insufficient attention in students' job and further study applications and interviews. In this practice exchange paper, we first detail how employability is built into Years One and Two of our undergraduate degree, before outlining how it is integrated in Year Three within Final Year Research Projects. We then describe and discuss several initiatives that we developed and implemented to embed employability in Final Year Research Projects. We developed the 3R approach to helping students Recognise and Reflect on their skill development and Relate them to the next step in their career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents papers focusing on topics including students' academic writing, academic development, and assessment.

Who are the most prestigious authors cited in today's psychology textbooks and journals ? And where are (or where were) they based ? This short note reports on the ansivers gained to such questions by using the Web of Science Core Collection to find the authors of the most highly cited papers in psychology published between 1927 and 2012. The findings suggest that well-known historic figures of the past have now been replaced with tool makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides some additional observations on publishing with undergraduates follorving the short paper by Hartley (2014) in a previous issue o/Psychology Teaching Review. This paper's main focus relates to how students can develop as scholars by lecturers actively encouraging students to disseminate their written and oral undergraduate xvork to wider audiences via many different outlets (e.g. journal papers, magazine articles, trade press articles, conference papéis, etc.). Examples are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a critical discussion about how the curriculum contributes to the sense of belonginess within Higher Education (HE), and how the ongoing aim of decolonisation needs to incorporate a more consistent intersectional lens with the curriculum within psychology. Psychology as a discipline has been criticised for its focus on primarily conducting research with people from countries that are Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich and Democratic (WEIRD; Henrich et al., 2010). This approach has neglected a number of social groups within the wider literature and has indeed marginalised the voices and experiences of many. Through the topic of decolonisation, there has been the discussion of the importance of belonging and belongingness, but the intersectional experiences of various social groups within the curriculum has been neglected. In summary, this discussion reveals that there are several key ways in which curricula and decolonial research can contribute to belonging: 1) communication of what (who) is important; 2) consideration of student learning needs; 3) appreciation of course content that is salient to students; 4) demonstration of alignment with a wider range of philosophical approaches; 5) promotion and celebration of cultural differences which allow students to be themselves; and 6) inclusion of a wide range of factors within teaching that contribute to belonging, for example the importance of place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the implementation of a translation project involving the Ecole de Psychologues Praticiens (EPP) in Paris, France and Professor Douglas Bernstein of the University of South Florida. The project aimed to identify and translate into French English-language journal articles and other written resources that would be useful to graduate students and future teachers of psychology at EPP and the broader French higher educational system. The papers were chosen based on quality.

It is known that first-year retention rates are a cause for concern within higher education. One way in which to tackle this is to consider how institutions can best prepare new students for the transition to university. The current paper details a project from the University of the West of Scotland where first year psychology students enrolled on a pre-entry academic skills induction course in order to support their transition to university. The course consisted of engagement with five interactive magazines to allow students to begin experiencing the digital environments, skills, and resources that they would need throughout their degree ('What is psychology?', 'How do I study?', 'The importance of critical thinking', 'What's involved in psychological research?' and 'Life after university'). Focus groups were conducted with students shortly after taking part in the course, and again four years later upon graduation, to explore its perceived value both as a new student, and across time at university. A deductive thematic analysis showed a positive reception to the materials, but that some topics were less relevant at the beginning of a degree course. We reflect upon these findings in the context of current HE practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outdoor learning experiences in Higher Education (HE) provide students with the opportunity for emotional development, cognitive development and learning. Despite this, the literature exploring the impact of emotive outdoor learning experiences on students’ development and learning is scarce. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the key factors important for the delivery of outdoor learning experiences in HE. The paper will also incorporate the authors personal experience of delivering emotive outdoor learning in HE (visiting Holocaust sites with undergraduate students). Broad recommendations for the future design and delivery of emotive outdoor learning experiences is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses disruptive innovation theory as a lens through which to analyse technology enhanced learning in higher education. The paper also explores how higher education might be disrupted. Specific technologies are examined, including the Virtual Learning Environment and Wikipedia. Specific practices are analysed, including Bring Your Own Device. The article argues higher education has not been disrupted by technology to date, but that the conditions for disruption are increasingly propitious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This paper presents a critically discursive analysis of young people's talk and drawings about mothers' roles in their support network, contrasted with careers advisors, prior to the school to work transition. Method: Thirteen young people aged 16-19 years, opting to go into work or apprenticeships following completion of compulsory education, were interviewed up to one year prior to the school to work transition. Participants were from two educational institutions in England (one further education college; one secondary school sixth form). Participants drew support networks and discussed these during semi-structured interviews. Transcripts and drawings were analysed using a critical discursive psychological (CDP) approach. Findings: Young people's construction of 'support' is an active and discursive process. Mothers were the source of support young people drew first and talked about the most. Conversely, careers advisors were absent from support network drawings and discussed ambivalently, outside the notion of 'support'. Positioning mothers as 'helpers' is discussed and contrasted with careers advisors as 'hinderers'. Limitations: Talk collected from semi-structured interviews rather than naturalistic talk could have shaped participants' talk. All perspectives on support were from the young person's perspective and others, such as those of family members or teachers, were not directly included in the study. Conclusions and applications: Mothers are positioned in various ways by young people in this study, overall as 'helpers'. Careers advisors are positioned as irrelevant or 'hinderers'. Mapping networks is suggested as a tool to support young people's school to work transition, along with suggestions to bring practitioner psychologists from school and work domains closer together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the learning experience of 10 undergraduate students taking part in a US National Science Foundation funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at a Midwestern US university (National Science Foundation, 2014). The curricular design of each REU programme is created by the primary investigators and is unique to each programme. The programme discussed in this paper engaged students in eight weeks of computer modelling and simulation research in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and mathematical and/or statistical research. In this paper the theoretical perspective of complexity is used to explore the students' learning as they engaged in research and the relationship between complex learning episodes and the environments in which those experiences occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article blends two of my professional long-term interests. I began graduate school in psychometrics just shy of 50 years ago, and depending on what one counts as administration, spent between 14--35 years engaged in one level of university administration or another. Specifically, I spent nine years as a Chief Academic Officer/Provost, five as a Dean of Arts and Sciences, six as a Chair of a psychology department, and 16 as Director of the Buros Center for Testing. While engaged in full-time academic administration, I tried to bring some of the principles of psychometric theory and practice to my work as an administrator and share some of those precepts in this paper. I specifically discuss three areas where measurement is most useful: college admissions and enrollment management, department and program evaluation, and the assessment of faculty needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the novel use of parallel student teams from a research methods course to perform a replication study, and suggests that this approach offers pedagogical benefits for both students and teachers, as well as potentially contributing to a resolution of the replication crisis in psychology today. Four teams, of five undergraduates each, independently attempted exact replications of Study 8 by Gailliot et al. (2007), which reported that participants' self-control is enhanced by consuming a glucose drink. In a 2 × 2 independent groups design, participants (N=306) first consumed a glucose drink or a placebo, and then wrote about death, intended to deplete their self-control, or dental pain as a control condition. Absolute levels of self-control were lower here than in the target article (shown by more items left unsolved in a word puzzle), but its main result was replicated, since self-control overall was raised by the glucose drink. Also, the teams reliably reported similar effects for the experimental treatments (ICC=.928). Two differences from the target study results were noted: the glucose effect occurred only with female participants, and no effect was found from the writing scenario used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult providers as well as further and adult education colleges are a major part of an economically driven society improving skills for developing careers as well as for new interests and jobs. Further education (FE) colleges deliver courses that not only meet the demands of school leavers but also serve the wider community in terms of delivering higher education courses allied to universities. FE advocates the concept of 'inclusiveness', in terms of, for example, disabilities, ethnicity and race. This complies with the Equality Act (2010), which points out that facilitating learning conditions for the vulnerable is essential. Additionally, staff should be appropriately trained to deal with issues such as the wellbeing of learners and day-to-day teaching (e.g. The Wolf Report, 2011; Ofsted, 2014; and the Society of Education and Training, 2017). However, this may be hampered by lack of resources to deal with such issues (Field, 2015). It is suggested there may be repercussions on the wellbeing of teaching staff and this may have negative effects on work-family balance. The Education Support Partnership (2017) advise that the effects of exhaustion/burnout should not be underestimated and this is the focus of this paper. The paper argues that there is sufficient evidence to show that what policy intends to achieve is unachievable given the current climate of FE. One effect is that teachers may feel pressurised. How exhaustion and burnout is dealt with must be a joint effort between policy makers, researchers, teachers and managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health in children is a topic that has been prominent in the news due to the publication of the Government's Green paper on 'Transforming children and young people's mental health provision'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces papers published within the issue, including one on psychology students' experiences in international community-based learning (ICBL) projects, another on the expected outcomes of an internationalised undergraduate psychology curriculum and a paper on cultural differences in students' academic motivation, academic self-esteem and social mobility.

Aims: This paper describes the application of a clinical cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention with an adolescent in a further education setting who was experiencing low mood and anxiety. Method: A retrospective single case study design was used based on data collected from outcomes and systematic feedback measures previously administered throughout the course of therapy. Qualitative data were also gathered including: reflections within a therapeutic diary, case notes, materials from the therapy, and a narrative summary detailing the implementation of therapy. This information was triangulated with records of session by session feedback measures to examine the relationship between the process of implementation in therapy and the young person's idiographic responses. Findings: Outcome measures derived from the intervention suggest that it was of limited effect in improving the young person's symptoms of low mood and anxiety. Variability in markers of progress between sessions was associated with factors of change, including divergences in expectancy between the educational psychologist (EP) in the role of therapist, motivational factors, systemic and extra-therapeutic factors. Conclusions: Findings underscore the importance of considering factors for change such as therapist, expectancy, relationship, technique, and extra-therapeutic based factors in the implementation of therapy with post-16 populations. This supports implementation research indicating that there is considerable room to engage individuals with the process of CBT and integrate motivational and systemic factors into decision making about therapy. Implications for research and educational psychology practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This paper explores the perspectives of recent entrants to the profession of educational psychology, specifically with regard to their discursive constructions about their professional role in delivering therapeutic interventions. Rationale: The purpose of this paper stems from an interest in how Educational Psychologists (EPs), new to the profession, attribute meaning to therapeutic practices and the language they use to describe such approaches. Methods: This research reports on a Discourse Analytical study (DA) that explores the discursive constructions of therapeutic practice within educational psychology. These constructions were taken from the perspective of 15 EPs who were new to the profession. Drawing on data from four focus groups, comprising of three to four participants, Discursive Psychology (DP) was used to analyse the psychological themes emerging from participant talk. Findings: Analysis indicated that five interpretative repertoires were used to discuss therapeutic practice within educational psychology. These included: 'therapeutic-as-skilled'; 'therapeutic-as-eclectic'; 'therapeutic-as-threatening'; 'therapeutic-as-limited' and 'therapeutic-as-emerging'. Conclusions: It is argued that participants were able to take up varying subject positions in relation to therapeutic practice; this seemed to present them as both passive and active agents. When talking about therapeutic work participants appeared to position themselves as confused, reluctant and unconfident, as well as valuable, skilled and motivated practitioners. It is concluded that the relational aspects of therapeutic EP practice are as important as the technical aids or tools used to facilitate this type of work. It is suggested that the uncertainty that exists around therapeutic work within educational psychology reflects the uncertainty of an emerging EP identity. It is felt that EPs, who are new to the profession, have the sufficient agency to negotiate and reconstruct new therapeutic practices that can be embedded alongside other EP roles. However, this will require further investment from leaders and other individuals within the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An internationalised curriculum could better prepare graduates for globalising and increasingly culturally diverse workplaces. There is a need to provide students with intercultural learning opportunities at home because many students do not have access to study abroad opportunities. This paper describes curriculum changes designed to enhance students' intercultural learning in a third year social psychology course at an Australian university. Two novel classroom activities based on the alliance building and cultural mapping methods of the Excellence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership (EXCELL) programme were used. Students reported increased intercultural learning in this course, especially regarding awareness and knowledge, compared to another third year psychology course they participated in that did not include such activities. Suggestions for embedding intercultural learning throughout the psychology curricula are discussed along with the challenges in sustaining such curriculum changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drives to internationalise the UK curriculum and psychology students' desires to work in communities are brought together in this paper. International community-based learning (ICBL) links with many psychology students' motivations to make contributions to others; with the potential to enhance students' learning and cultural sensitivities. The recently-developed literature on international service learning highlights multiple benefits for students (and sometimes community hosts), as well as the potential tensions that need to be negotiated. With the intentions of creating global citizens interested in social justice, community-based engagement can sometimes reinforce preconceived notions. In addition, benefits to the host communities may only be short-term or questionable, with less research on community partners' perspectives than on those of the students. This paper describes work with UK psychology students who undertook CBL in four different international settings (2008-2015); illustrating the complexities of setting up, facilitating and supporting students' CBL. It will then focus on two African settings (South Africa and Tanzania), with data drawn from group discussions with students, post-experience reflections, observations by the accompanying tutor and feedback from community partners. The findings show the richness of students' learning through CBL in both settings, including deeper insight into applications of psychological theory, the skills they enhanced and the emotional impacts of the work. Students reported changed perspectives, including greater awareness of social issues that impacted on their attitudes. The findings are explored and compared, using tools from Activity Theory, to illustrate points of confluence and tensions in such initiatives, when students, community partners and academic staff members interact. The discussion will reflect on what might guide the integration and optimising of ICBL to benefit both students and community partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until the late 20th century the transition from secondary to higher education (HE) was undertaken by only a small proportion of young people. The number of young people in the UK now applying to university each year is the highest it has ever been, at more than half a million. The decision to attend university raises questions for young people about costs and benefits - social, emotional and financial. Surprisingly, the transition to HE has provoked very little academic discussion in that part of the psychology community involved with young people and their education. The paper uses ideas from life course theory (LCT) to organise the research evidence and provide an account in terms of policy, social context and sources of influence. It examines critically the concept of 'progression' to higher education and the role of university marketing. The paper concludes by suggesting how psychologists might helpfully engage with the issue at the level of both public policy and individual guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mothers who study in higher education (HE) experience many roadblocks that typical traditional students do not. These challenges are most referred to in terms of a lack of time to dedicate to their responsibilities as students and carers. However, there is an overlooked relation between student-mothers' identities and space, considering the classic dichotomy of private/home space and the public sphere that had prevented many women to study. Based on interviews (N=4) and one focus group (N=3) with student-mothers at a prestigious university in Scotland, this research examines their place in HE in the United Kingdom. Data analysis revealed that these students' mobilities are constrained by their caring responsibilities but that they also challenge established gendered norms by building bridges between their homes and public spaces. Moreover, although all these students are marginalised due to their motherhood, other axes of power impact on their educational experiences. This paper provides an original contribution to discussing gendered spatial norms and accessibility of educational spaces using intersectional lens and moves the academic debate forward by exploring not only the spatial relations that constrain, but are also produced by, these mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dissertation is a highly valued form of teaching and learning in higher education, yet the practice of undergraduate supervision is understudied and under-theorised. Effective supervision is regarded as essential to student success -- by students and supervisors alike, although training, resources and support for supervisors is limited. Drawing on data from qualitative questionnaires with eleven supervisors, this paper utilises the concept of teaching dilemmas to explore tensions and challenges within supervision. Three dilemmas were identified regarding 'taking ownership', 'driving supervision' and 'challenging and encouraging'. Underpinning all of these was a tension between an ideal model of supervision (characterised by high levels of engagement from students and supervisors), and the need to flexibly adapt supervisory practice to suit students' learning styles, needs and abilities. We suggest ways in which conceptualising supervision as a dilemmatic space could inform future research and training in supervisory practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological literacy has become a key concept for the teaching and learning of psychology in higher education and is a laudable goal of pre-tertiary psychology education. The widely used definition of McGovern and his colleagues enables a subject-specific contribution to liberal education. Nevertheless, this definition also includes general educational goals and is not specific enough for introductory courses on psychology, which provide an overview of the field and familiarise students with various ways of psychological thinking. This practice exchange paper shows how Sternberg’s triarchic model of psychology learning and teaching could be used to elaborate a more subject-specific notion of psychological literacy which would interlink psychological knowledge, psychological thinking skills and reflective psychological attitudes that are necessary to critically reflect common-sense psychology. This more focused and comprehensive understanding of psychological literacy challenges the unquestioned topical approach to the teaching of introductory psychology and requires a rethinking of the basic arrangement of course materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short report will outline a remote work experience scheme that has successfully been running for three years in the psychology group within the Leeds School of Social Sciences. It is designed to aid transition to university for pre-tertiary students by introducing them to undergraduate literacy skills and making their expectations of university level study more realistic. Students act as remote research assistants by working on a brief provided by an academic within the psychology group. The brief summarises a research topic and asks for students to source relevant research and produce a reflective report of their thoughts on the area. The lead academic then provides a brief reference on the work received to the student and their school or college. The scheme is still growing and being refined year on year. This paper describes the scheme in its current form and discusses its effectiveness and potential future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a model of the challenges facing undergraduates transitioning to taught postgraduate studies developed from a grounded theory analysis of interviews with current and prospective taught postgraduates from a range of psychology programmes. The model reveals the importance of the visibility of current and recent taught postgraduates in influencing the decision making practices of prospective students. The process of transition to taught postgraduate studies is characterised by early decision making, as for many students graduation is no longer seen as the natural end point of their educational careers. Analysis also reveals that in spite of expectations of heavier workloads and increased intensity, the reality exceeds expectations. Key areas for support identified by participants include tailored study skills support and more clarity around what constitutes ‘masters’ level work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper advocates the teaching of photo elicitation in higher education as a valuable data collection technique and draws on our experience of teaching this visual method across two consecutive postgraduate cohorts. Building on previous work (Watt & Wakefield, 2014) and based on a former concern regarding student duty of care, a modification was made that constrained or made less 'risky' the topic area of a photo elicitation project for the second year group. The paper compares and contrasts the effects of this change through student and tutor reflections. In Cohort 1, (year one) although the reflections of some of the students gave us cause for concern, the work produced was exceptionally creative and of an excellent standard. The work produced by the following year, Cohort 2, was of much lower quality, in the main lacked creativity which was supported by student reflection that similarly lacked depth or insight. In comparing and contrasting the two cohorts we discuss the effect of the topic change in potentially affecting student engagement, creativity and quality of work. In taking what pedagogically, we perceived as a less risky topic area, we discuss the potential this had on stifling creativity and student engagement concluding that ours should serve as a cautionary tale that there is a need to be careful in what we wish for; a less risky topic equated to less risky work and affected student engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional intelligence is a widely researched topic with established associations between health, well-being and work-related outcomes. The concept of emotional self-efficacy is a relatively recent, but potentially important, addition to the emotional intelligence literature. Despite the interest in this area there are very few empirical studies that demonstrate it is possible for people to increase their levels of emotional competence. The study discussed in this paper involved the design, delivery and evaluation of an undergraduate teaching intervention that aimed to do this. The findings showed that it is possible to increase emotional self-efficacy and some aspects of emotional intelligence ability. Providing students in higher education with opportunities to develop their competence in this area will be beneficial both for their experiences whilst at university and their future employability as graduates entering the workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper examines the experience of nine undergraduates who had six coaching sessions over an academic year. It is part of a wider study which explores how young people experience and understand personal growth in the context of university life. Design: A qualitative, longitudinal design was employed and semi-structured interviews were used. The transcribed interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), an experiential approach which focuses on how individuals make sense of a particular experience in a specific context. Methods: A volunteer sample of nine students, across various Arts and Social Science subjects, was recruited in a Russell Group university and each student received six one-to-one professional coaching sessions in person and/or by Skype. Findings: The students felt that the coaching sessions sped up the growth that would have happened eventually, and thus they could put into practice what they had learned much earlier than they could otherwise have done. Coaching benefitted the students in four broad ways: it gave them an increased sense of control over their work and other areas; it helped them achieve greater balance and focus; it increased their confidence; and enabled them to take new perspectives on various issues. Conclusions: Coaching helped the undergraduates address common concerns such as time management, stress, social relationships and confidence. Universities could enhance the student experience if they helped students address these concerns, perhaps by training personal tutors to take a coaching approach or by giving students access to professional coaches as a widening or pre-emptive component of their psychological services provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This paper considers the differences in legislation between pre- and post-sixteen students regarding the use of the label ‘dyslexia’. Rationale: The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced new responsibilities for Local Authority educational psychology services. Some existing legislation takes a different view of the use of educational labels such as ‘dyslexia’ from that used traditionally with school-aged students. This can cause conflict and confusion for both clients and educators. Findings: Detailed examination of key cases that have set legal precedents reveal that the use of the label is not as essential as many have thought. A move towards an approach that considers the skills of an individual in the context in which they are working is compatible with current case law and would facilitate conclusions about an individual that may protect their entitlement to assistance without applying a specific label suggesting a life-long condition. Limitations: This article makes suggestions that may be subject to challenge by some pressure groups that have not been consulted. It further makes recommendations that have not been tested in UK courts of law. Conclusions: For educational psychologists working in this area, a new approach to assessment that highlights the functioning of an individual in a particular context rather than the traditional decontextualised assessments is compatible with existing UK law and removes the need for labels for individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an ongoing research project exploring how psychology undergraduates experience the process of transition in higher education. The study is unusual because it is being conducted primarily by students themselves through an institutional bursary scheme which provides undergraduates with the opportunity to work as researchers on a pedagogic project. To date, seven first and second year full-time undergraduate psychology students have participated in individual semi-structured interviews and a focus group about their experiences of transition. Thematic analysis of the data collected so far has identified themes around students' development of personal and social identity and their need for preparedness. Proposals for how the work will be further developed are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes one aspect of a larger scale qualitative study conducted to investigate psychology-specific issues in learning and teaching in higher education. Participants included academic psychologists from across the career spectrum and from diverse UK universities. A semi-structured focus group methodology was employed and results were analysed using thematic analysis. A key theme related to the nature of psychology, with a subtheme of teaching sensitive topics. For our purposes, we define 'sensitive topics' as topics within the psychology curriculum that may elicit an emotional or distressed response amongst learners. Psychology engages students in academic study and assessment that is relevant to their own personal circumstances or that they can find upsetting. Participants noted particular challenges when teaching sensitive topics, but also observed the value of doing so for students and society more widely. We explore the perceptions of university teachers with regard to teaching sensitive topics in psychology, reflect on the implications within higher education and by extrapolation, within pre-tertiary education. We close with recommendations for curriculum developers and educators within both sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development of a regional psychology teaching organisation, Psychology Educators of Tennessee (PET). PET is designed to enhance collaboration among teachers from local colleges, universities, and high schools. We discuss the history of PET, the themes and pragmatics associated with our annual conference, plans for expanding the organisation, and challenges we have experienced with developing and maintaining PET. We also provide evaluation data from recent participants and suggestions for institutions of higher education interested in creating a similar kind of organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study abroad in psychology promotes knowledge of other cultures, global-mindedness, the re-evaluation of one's cultural identity, interest in civic engagement, and insight into the universality or non-universality of psychological phenomena. Heightened recognition of these outcomes has led to increasingly larger numbers of psychology students studying abroad. Still, psychology staff who wish to direct a study abroad programme may find the process of organising and leading such a programme intimidating. They may also need practical strategies for responding effectively to mental health issues that arise while abroad, a charge for which professors of psychology are especially well suited. Additionally, psychology staff who advise students seeking study abroad opportunities need to be knowledgeable about the benefits of study abroad, options that exist for their students, and the basics of how to make study abroad administratively possible. In this paper we provide theory-, research-, and experience-driven strategies to guide psychology staff through the complex processes of advising students and directing study-abroad programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metacognition refers to thinking about thinking, reflecting self-awareness about one's cognitive abilities. Metacognition has long been considered a core element of academic success because higher metacognitive ability allows individuals to be efficient learners. In reality, however, developments in our understanding of metacognition have not been adequate to support changes in educational practice. Theoretical models typically focus on two facets; knowledge and regulation. Critically, these models do not consider how individual differences, such as personality, impact on learning - despite a robust body of research indicating that personality also influences academic performance. The current paper asks whether there is a relationship between metacognition, personality and academic success. To address this issue we carried out a pilot study exploring the hypothesis that metacognition and personality interact to influence academic success. One hundred and twenty-five university students completed the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and the NEO-Five Factor Inventory. Participants also provided demographic information including age, gender, year and area of study. Findings support the importance of both metacognition and personality for learning outcomes, but importantly, suggest a significant interaction between metacognition and conscientiousness. Our data provide a novel insight into the role of metacognition in successful academic performance: personality constrains the value of metacognition - only when students are high in conscientiousness does metacognition predict academic grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion are under increasing scrutiny in Higher Education. This poses an opportunity for educators involved in the delivery of psychology courses to reflect on the inclusivity of their curricula. Though psychology as a discipline has contributed to reproducing social inequalities, it has also brought them to the forefront, and has the potential to improve the landscape for minoritised people. To honour our commitment to building a more inclusive curriculum that could contribute to these efforts, we codesigned with students a final year undergraduate module, Psychology of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. The module employed inclusive pedagogies to explore how a range of EDI issues affect particular groups of people, sustaining an intersectional perspective throughout. Positive feedback from students indicated that they left the module with the confidence to speak about and take action on the inequalities and injustices they see around them, and experience themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students minoritised because of their race and/or ethnicity have a different university experience from their peers, which is reflected in degree completion statistics, awarding gaps, and graduate outcomes. One factor influencing these outcomes is students' sense of inclusion and belonging with the university, which is lower in minoritised students. We aimed to identify whether barriers to inclusion were present across students and alumni in one university, and whether this varied according to ethnic and/or racial backgrounds. Three-hundred and twenty-three students and alumni completed an online questionnaire measuring students' belonging, experience of the curriculum and microaggressions, and 14 students and alumni attended focus groups to further explore the barriers to inclusion and belonging, and proposed recommended actions to reduce these barriers. From the questionnaire, ethnicity and/or race did not influence students' sense of belonging, experience of the curriculum or microaggressions, though having a long-term health condition was consistently associated with these outcomes. However, students' culture and ethnicity/race were consistently reported as factors associated with experiencing obstacles in academia and microaggressions. From the focus groups, three key themes emerged: 1) Hidden racism at the university, which included a prevailing nature of microaggressions and 2) Eurocentric curriculum; that representation is valued in the community and curriculum; and 3) The role of diversity and inclusion initiatives for building community. These findings are discussed in terms of their impact for Higher Education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student response systems (SRS) are hand-held devices or mobile phone polling systems which collate realtime, individual responses to on-screen questions. Previous research examining their role in higher education has highlighted both advantages and disadvantages of their use. This paper explores how different SRS influence the learning experience of psychology students across different levels of their programme. Across two studies, first year students' experience of using Turningpoint clickers and second year students' experience of using Poll Everywhere was investigated. Evaluations of both studies revealed that SRS have a number of positive impacts on learning, including enhanced engagement, active learning, peer interaction, and formative feedback. Technical and practical issues emerged as consistent barriers to the use of SRS. Discussion of these findings and the authors' collective experiences of these technologies are used to provide insight into the way in which SRS can be effectively integrated within undergraduate psychology programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In George Miller's famous address to the American Psychological Association in 1969 he explored the aims and future direction of psychology. Psychology could develop as a professional elite that develops specialised knowledge that experts can hold on to or it could aim to 'give psychology away' and to allow the general public access to psychological knowledge that will be of benefit to them. In so doing it will create 'a new and different public conception of what is humanly possible and humanly desirable'. This vision is being realised 50 years on by the wide dissemination of psychology knowledge through, for example, university school courses in the subject, and the growth of psychological literacy in the general public. This paper discusses issues raised by this and the implications for the profession of psychology and the perception of psychology in the general public are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some people hold an entity theory of intelligence: they think of intelligence as innate. In contrast, others hold an incremental theory, believing that intelligence can be changed. Previous research has shown that an incremental theory is associated with positive outcomes. The aim of this paper was to evaluate an intervention which promoted an incremental view of intelligence in first-year university students. Thirty-five students were shown a presentation which discussed research promoting an incremental view of intelligence (intervention group). Forty-four students were shown a presentation which discussed research on memory (control group). Participants completed measures of theory of intelligence, goals and behavioural intentions before and after the presentation. Results suggested that the intervention had been successful in promoting an incremental view of intelligence and thus positive learning behaviours. Interventions such as this may therefore have a positive impact on student success at university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving students' psychological literacy has become a key part of the new British Psychological Society accreditation. This is fuelling an emphasis on helping students to apply their degree knowledge critically and innovatively, both to enhance their chances in a competitive job market and to give them the skills to make a real-world difference. This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a module that boosts psychological literacy in final year undergraduates. We invited external partners to give us examples of current problems they were facing. We then asked groups of students to design a feasible solution to the problem, supported by psychological theories and findings. The module also helped students explore the psychology behind job hunting. We found that the module had a beneficial impact on students' learning and skills and the external partners found their ideas useful and innovative. Here we outline the challenges and successes of our approach as a model for any colleagues who may be interested in developing their own teaching in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the widespread use of the term psychological literacy, it is argued in this paper that it lacks a clear definition and empirical support. The claim that all psychology students possess psychological literacy in the sense of knowing the main ideas and concepts is relatively uncontroversial. However, the claim that they also possess a wide range of generic skills is open to question since most of the skills are ones that all graduates might be expected to possess. The more ambitious claim that a training in psychology produces 'global citizens' is at best aspirational, with little indication that it corresponds to current reality. In order to be useful the concept needs both clearer definition and empirical research to justify the claims made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of psychological literacy has grown in importance within psychology education at all levels, in the UK and globally, in recent years. Increasingly, psychology educators and policy makers are seeking to emphasise the relevance and usefulness of psychology within everyday life, within the workplace, and as an element of global citizenship. The Division of Academics, Researchers and Teachers in Psychology (DART-P), recognising this recent development, hosted a symposium at the British Psychological Society (BPS) Annual Conference 2015, at which the concept of psychological literacy was explored within the context of higher and pre-tertiary psychology education. The aim of the symposium, reflected in this article, was to explore current thinking, developments and practice within contemporary psychology education, with a view to stimulating critical discussion and reflection on psychological literacy and its delivery within both pre-tertiary and higher education contexts. Ultimately, the symposium, and this article, are intended to facilitate exploration of the opportunities provided by psychology education, at all levels, to develop students as psychologically literate citizens. This article summarises the talks and discussions which occurred during the symposium. Firstly, we introduce the concept and literature surrounding psychological literacy and its importance to modern psychology education. This is followed by a case study illustrating one way in which psychological literacy has been embedded into the curriculum within a university undergraduate programme. We move to consider the development of thinking about psychological literacy in a historical context, linking it to societal benefits and Miller's (1969) concept of 'giving psychology away'. This raises the question of the extent to which pre-tertiary psychology education can equip students with psychological literacy, and the impact of the growing numbers of people who have studied psychology upon society. In England and Wales, the most popular pre-tertiary psychology qualification is the A level, which has undergone recent revisions, and so we consider the contribution of the new A level psychology specifications to psychological literacy. In conclusion, this paper offers some thoughts about the implications of the growth in emphasis on education for psychological literacy, reflecting the discussions held during the plenary session at the end of the symposium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number and percentage of students with mental health conditions (MHC) attending university is increasing. Students with MHC can be well supported during their time at university, but receive less support with the transition from university to post-graduation. This time is characterised by great change and can be accompanied by mixed feelings. This paper presents preliminary data on the transition expectations and perceptions of 35 students with MHC. High levels of fear and low levels of preparedness regarding the transition were reported. Only 55-60 per cent of students had accessed transition-related or careers-related support, but those who had found it productive. Students suggested that more condition-specific support, and support in the form of workshops, lectures and one-to-one meetings would be beneficial. This knowledge can be used to better support students with MHC with the university to post-graduation transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we argue that the topic area of Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology is a well crafted one, in that historical analysis is an invaluable tool in teaching the conceptual issues that must be appreciated to gain a full understanding of psychology. Using selected teaching examples we discuss how the history of psychology can illuminate and inform an understanding of not only specific issues and debates in psychology, but also the nature of psychology as a reflexive, socially embedded discipline. We then go on to present a case study of a recent curriculum re-design at the University of Gloucestershire that put Conceptual and Historical Issues at the core of first-year teaching, with the intention that the insights gained will provide a firm foundation for understanding the remainder of the syllabus. Early indications are that introducing students to this perspective while they are new to university study encourages them to see it as a form of thinking differently that is inherent to Higher, versus Further, Education; whereas previous practice of covering it in a final-year capstone module resulted in some students treating it as a marginal topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim(s): To explore the experiences of educational psychologists (EPs) and support reflection and professional development in their work with minority cultural and linguistic (C&L) populations. Rationale: EPs are called on to work according to principles of equality and diversity and inclusion in their support of all children and young people. There has been little exploration of EP practice with minority C&L populations in England. This research aimed to address this gap. Method: A participatory action research (AR) design, comprising four focus groups. Data was analysed inductively and collaboratively with participants. Findings: The development of practice with minority C&L populations was conceptualised as a dynamic journey of understanding and change. Findings support concepts in the literature including developing cultural self-awareness, skills and knowledge; reflection; taking each case as an individual. Implications: are discussed for developing practice at individual and service level. Limitations: This research was generated from participatory AR with one educational psychology service (EPS), readers can assess the degree of transferability to other contexts. The inclusive terminology of the research questions may have hindered participants from addressing specific dimensions of cultural difference such as class and race. Conclusions: Drawing on critical race theory and cultural humility a framework is offered for EPs and EPSs to support the on-going process of reflection and practice development with minority C&L populations, and redressing of power imbalances at individual, societal and institutional levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychology is a valuable Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) discipline, but one which could do far more at communicating its value to the wider public. This paper discusses how popular initiatives, such as The University of Northampton's STEM Champions programme, enhance psychology's STEM membership, while increasing public engagement and participation. These opportunities also enhance the psychology STEM student journey, by helping them to develop employability-related skills and allowing them to obtain valuable experience in the environments that they may later be working in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]