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Using the National Standards to Promote Excellence in Teaching:
An Institute for High School Psychology Teachers on Biopsychology
Sponsored by the American Psychological Association (APA), the APA Teachers of
Psychology in Secondary Schools, and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
July 22-27, 2007
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Green Bay, WI
This site contains information about a five-day institute on biopsychology
held at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in July 2007 for high school psychology
teachers.
In July 2007, the American Psychological Association (APA) and the APA Committee
of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) held a five-day institute
for high school psychology teachers at the University of Wisconsin – Green
Bay (UWGB). The 2007 Institute focused on biopsychology, one of the domains
of the National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula. Thirty-one
high school teachers from fourteen states attended the institute. Most
participants stayed in the UWGB dorms, and all sessions were held on the UWGB
campus.
Most participants arrived to the Green Bay campus on Sunday, July 22. The
institute started Monday morning, July 23, with a welcome from Sue K. Hammersmith,
UWGB Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Throughout the
week, teachers heard presentations from a variety of expert psychologists, speaking
on different topics related to biopsychology. Speakers included:
- James Kalat, PhD (North Carolina State University), who presented on Biological
Psychology: The Major Issues and Biological Psychology: Mechanisms,
- Nancy Dess, PhD (Occidental College), who presented on Feelings on the Tip
of the Tongue:
Taste,
Emotion, and the Organization of Behavior
- Dean VonDras, PhD (UWGB), who presented on Aging: Promoting Awareness and
Advocacy,
- Eric Chudler, PhD (University of Washington), who presented on Neuroscience
in the Psychology Classroom: Challenges and Opportunities and Neuroscience
in the Psychology Classroom: Journey into the Brain
- Cynthia Belar, PhD (APA Education Directorate), who presented on Health
Psychology, and
- Regan Gurung, PhD (UWGB), who presented on Advances in Stress & Coping
(and Why Women do it better)
In addition to these biopsychology sessions, Kristin Vespia, PhD, and Georjeanna
Wilson-Doenges, PhD, both from UWGB, presented special sessions on careers
in psychology and environmental psychology.
Each day, four master teachers also presented on pedagogy, activities, and
resources. The master teachers were: Amy Fineburg (Spain Park High
School, Hoover, AL), Hilary Rosenthal (Glenbrook South High School, Glenview,
IL), William Elmhorst (Marshfield High School, Marshfield, WI), and Kent Korek
(Germantown High School, Germantown, WI).
Besides providing attendees with lectures and addresses, the institute allowed
for small groups of teachers and faculty to work together to update the following
TOPSS unit lesson plans, all originally produced in the 1990’s:
- Sensation and Perception
- Development
- Biological Bases of Behavior
- Motivation and Emotion
The unit plans are expected to be fully revised and posted to the TOPSS Web
site by early 2008.
Beside the excellent sessions and group work, highlights from the week included:
- Visits from two representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Education.
- An opening dinner overlooking the bay
- A tour of Lambeau Field (complete with cheeseheads!) and a dinner at Curly’s
Pub
- A closing reception on the UWGB campus
The TOPSS Committee hopes that the 2007 institute will be the first of at
least five summer institutes. The next institute will be held during
the summer of 2009. Information about the next institute will be shared
via the TOPSS Web site and in the PTN in 2008.
Questions? Contact Emily Leary by
Email or phone (202) 572-3013.
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