THINKING PSYCHOLOGICALLY - 2020/1

Module Overview

This module introduces the student to the fundamentals of psychology and integrates the professional skills relevant to psychology. It provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and comprehension, practical skills and reasoned judgements in familiar and unfamiliar contexts. The student will take responsibility for initiating and completing tasks and procedures. The module will use a combination of teaching strategies that encompass cross discipline learning, reflection on outcomes, self-guided research and traditional lecture teaching. There will be synoptic assessment of the assimilation of knowledge and understanding across the main strands of study in the module.

Module provider

Psychology

Module Leader

HACK Sarah (Psychology)

Number of Credits: 60

ECTS Credits: 30

Framework: FHEQ Level 3

Module cap (Maximum number of students): 75

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

The content for this module will build knowledge and understanding of debates and issues within core areas of Psychology, examples of which are:

Current debates and issues in Psychology

Approaches and perspectives in Psychology

Cognitive Psychology

Social Psychology

Biology/Neuropsychology

Personality and Individual Differences

Developmental Psychology

Psychopathology

Core transferable skills

• Professionalism, team working


• Reflection, ePortfolio work


• Engagement in feedback


• How to make notes, understanding academic integrity, referencing


• How to perform effective literature searches


• What is the scientific method?          


• How to critically read a science paper


• How to write scientifically


• Presentation skills; how to communicate clearly (written and oral)


• Arithmetic and numerical computation

Data presentation, analysis and interpretation (including statistics)

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychological principles that will benefit their introduction to L4.

The module will be assessed using synoptic methods to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate learning across the subjects taught over the two semesters.  A range of formative and summative assessments will be set throughout the programme. The formative assessments feed in to the summative assessments.

Formative assessment

There will be a formative assessment in each semester to support the development of knowledge and understanding, intellectual and cognitive skills.  In semester 1 the formative assessment takes the form of a short essay (which will form part of the final portfolio) and the first part of the portfolio (for example, a critique of one of the topics covered during the semester and a reflection on their learning and experiences of studying psychology).  This will combine the subject-specific learning with the academic skills covered in semester 1. 

In semester 2 the formative assessment takes the form of a reflection which is peer assessed. Examples of the topic of the reflection are: a reflection of a debate within psychology or a reflection of a controversial topic, and others.  This reflection will form part of the ePortfolio.

 

Summative assessment

The students will complete a reflective ePortfolio based around specially designed learning events that are developed over the 2 semesters and will demonstrate the imbedding of key psychological, analytical, and academic skills.  The formative assessments will feed into the portfolio and will make up part of the final portfolio.

Examples of the indicative content of the ePortfolio include: from semester 1: the formative short essay (a critique of one of the topics covered during the semester); a reflection on their learning and experiences of studying psychology (from semester 1); from semester 2: the peer-assessed reflection; a critique of one of the topics covered during the semester; further reflections on learning and developing.

Feedback

Continuous feedback strategies are built into the module to capture the students experiences and development of their:

• Peer and tutor facilitated


• Ability to articulate reflective practice through their writing


• Reflect and discuss learning


• Develop their interpersonal skills


• Encourage engagement and communication skills

 

Module aims

• Introduce students to a range of psychological topics and professional skills to prepare students for access into a psychology degree programme
• Develop key and transferable skills that will help in the assimilation of knowledge and develop autonomy in learning
• Develop cognitive skills that allow for critical thinking, problem solving and analysis of data and information

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

Please note that this module has been formulated by default using the traditional Fac-to-Face model of teaching but a hybrid model of teaching and delivering the content will be explored given the current context. 

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• Enhance the students learning experience


• Encourage active student engagement


• Adopt innovative approaches to learning and teaching


• Offer high quality educational delivery


• Create the ability to study independently with support

During the course a number of learning and teaching methods may be used, including:

• Lectures and interactive seminars


• Flipped learning


• Discussion groups and problem solving classes


• Revision and feedback tutorials


• Independent study and self-directed learning


• Guided group/team work


• Laboratory practical sessions (including virtual reality and online tasks)


• Experiential learning


• Blended learning


• Reflective learning


• ePortfolio building


• Peer evaluation

2-3 hours of contact time will be delivered per week during teaching weeks 1-11 per semester (66 total)

An indicative week might involve 1 hour of lectures and 2 hours of tutorials

18 hours per week of independent study across weeks 1-15 per semester (534 total)

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: PSY0003

Other information

This module has a capped number and may not be available to ERASMUS and other international exchange students. Please check with the International Engagement Office email: ieo.incoming@surrey.ac.uk

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.