Description: In discussing one of the courses I developed a couple of years ago (a dual credit course for high school students focused upon the psychology of student transition and adjustment to post-secondary developmental pathways) I often found myself consistently pointing out that Psychology as a discipline is uniquely situated to provide insight and opportunities for self-reflection and development to students studying its content. After all, human development and learning are right in our research and application wheelhouse. The article/blog linked below does a fantastic job of providing an overview of areas of psychological research enquiry that speak directly to how students learn and develop. While aimed at teachers of elementary and secondary level students there is much here for learners at ALL levels to become interested in and to reflect upon. Especially, for students heading off to colleges and universities next month there is much here that can be filed in your virtual backpack and reflected upon as you figure out what it means for you to be a college or university student.
Source: 20 Psychology Principles That Will Help Your Students Learn Effectively, Nancy Fenton, Psych Learning Curve, American Psychological Association.
Date: August 17, 2017
Links: Article Link — http://psychlearningcurve.org/these-psychological-principles-will-help-your-students-learn-more-effectively/
The 20 areas of research covered in the article linked above can be usefully used in several ways by students either on their way to college or university or by those already there. If you have wondered what it will be like to be a college or university student this list provides a rich Psychological overview of what you can expect in ways that will allow you to reflect upon how the issues discussed in each area apply to you and what this might mean for you as you start to figure out how you will manage and thrive in the post-secondary learning environment. Alternatively, this article is a good place to start if you are already a post-secondary student and you are finding that some parts of your experience are not as positive, as engaging, or as successful as you had hoped they would be. The areas covered in the article can provide you with some clues as to which of your post-secondary tactics or strategies or which of your personal commitments or approaches to your current development might stand with some reflection and tweaking. Finally, it can serve as a valuable resource for you to pass along to friends who might talk with you about aspects of their own post-secondary experiences that are not going as they had hoped. There is LOT here to think about, discuss and apply as, ultimately, what you get out of your post-secondary learning and developmental opportunities is up to you (well and to the insight, support and assistance you can go and find related to some of the 20 areas of Psychology that bear upon the quality of your learning experiences).
Questions for Discussion:
- How are your (Psychological) preparations for your first year post-secondary experience going (or how are things now that you have been “in” for a year or two?
- Are there areas within the 20 presented in the article that clarify some of your concerns or challenges?
- If pathways to the improvement of your future or current post-secondary situation are still not clear what options are available to you at your college or university for assistance (look for student advising, student wellness centers, etc. and GO and talk to them, you will find they can help you try some of these psychological finding and insights on for size)?
References (Read Further):
Follow the many links in the article linked above to find additional resources.
