Veteran instructors often list introductory psychology as the most difficult course to teach, and often grapple with the challenges of this course throughout their career. Ironically, introductory psychology is typically the first course new professors and graduate students teach, and with little to no teacher training. This new book provides a single resource for both novice and veteran teachers to improve their effectiveness in teaching this challenging course. It provides a scholarly, yet pedagogically practical approach to the many challenges found in teaching the course. Where feasible, the book supports the effectiveness of a teaching technique with empirical evidence and provides a showcase for best practices in teaching the introductory course in two- and four-year colleges, universities, and high schools. Best Practices in Teaching Introductory Psychology addresses: Developing the course and assessing student performance. Selecting which topics to cover and in how much depth. The effective use of teaching assistants (TAs), efficient and fair ways to construct and grade exams, and useful advice on coordinating students' required research participation. students' abilities. Assessment advice on how to demonstrate students are learning. Using alternative approaches such as on-line instruction, writing exercises, and in-class demonstrations. Teaching majors and non-majors in the same classroom. Choosing pedagogies that work and how to involve students in meaningful discussions on psychological research with personal stories and interdisciplinary issues. Distinguishing between scientific psychology and popular, pseudoscientific views. This book will appeal to veteran and novice secondary and postsecondary educators who teach introductory psychology as well as graduate students teaching the course for the first time. It will also serve as an excellent resource in faculty workshops on teaching introductory psychology.

Veteran instructors often list introductory psychology as the most difficult course to teach, and often grapple with the challenges of this course throughout their career. Ironically, introductory psychology is typically the first course new professors and graduate students teach, and with little to no teacher training. This new book provides a single resource for both novice and veteran teachers to improve their effectiveness in teaching this challenging course. It provides a scholarly, yet pedagogically practical approach to the many challenges found in teaching the course. Where feasible, the book supports the effectiveness of a teaching technique with empirical evidence and provides a showcase for best practices in teaching the introductory course in two- and four-year colleges, universities, and high schools. Best Practices in Teaching Introductory Psychology addresses: Developing the course and assessing student performance. Selecting which topics to cover and in how much depth. The effective use of teaching assistants (TAs), efficient and fair ways to construct and grade exams, and useful advice on coordinating students' required research participation. students' abilities. Assessment advice on how to demonstrate students are learning. Using alternative approaches such as on-line instruction, writing exercises, and in-class demonstrations. Teaching majors and non-majors in the same classroom. Choosing pedagogies that work and how to involve students in meaningful discussions on psychological research with personal stories and interdisciplinary issues. Distinguishing between scientific psychology and popular, pseudoscientific views. This book will appeal to veteran and novice secondary and postsecondary educators who teach introductory psychology as well as graduate students teaching the course for the first time. It will also serve as an excellent resource in faculty workshops on teaching introductory psychology.