Our special guest speaker at the ATP 2012 conference is Deborah Wearing who will be presenting two workshops. Clive Wearing is the subject of psychological studies all over the world. Since 1985 he has the densest case of amnesia ever known. His wife, Deborah, started a charity to support people with memory and behavioural problems and later wrote a book about life without memory but with enduring love.
The workshop will include video clips, excerpts from Clive’s diary, scans of Clive’s brain, a discussion of neuroanatomy as well as an update on the latest research Clive and Deborah have been involved in. Deborah will offer an insight into his experience of consciousness and the importance of emphasising when teaching that Clive is a person, not just a set of norms and deficits. Copies of Deborah’s book ‘Forever Today: A Memoir of Love and Amnesia’ will be available to purchase at the conference.

The workshops have been kindly sponsored by WJEC

This year we have a full conference programme across the Friday, Saturday and Sunday with four keynote speakers, finishing at lunchtime on Sunday. All four speakers are well-known in their field of research and will offer our delegates an insight into the most up-to-date research. The topics that are being covered are of direct relevance to the Psychology A-Level specifications and comply with the New OFSTED criteria for outstanding teaching which includes: “excellent, and up to date, subject knowledge.”

Another key criterion from OFSTED is “awareness of current pedagogy and an understanding of child development and educational needs.” Across the three conference days, we have seven breakout event slots. Within each of those slots there will be a choice of up to nine different workshops/symposiums/round table discussions covering a wide variety of teaching and learning topics, including: writing A02 answers, The Teenage Brain, Transition from A-Level to University, Active Engagement/Differentiation and Consolidation, Explanation of Crime – Current Research and Thinking, Using Hot Potatoes, Statistics workshops, to name but a few. All of the examining bodies will also be presenting breakout events.

The exhibition hall will contain stands from all the major psychology publishers and resource providers so that you will be able to see the latest resources for yourselves. The examining bodies will also have stands, allowing you to go and chat on a one-to-one basis with key people involved with your specification.
You will also have excellent networking opportunities, allowing you to meet with other teachers who are doing the same specification as you and share good ideas and practice – essential support if you are the only psychology teacher within a school.

You will also have the opportunity to meet with the Psychology Faculty Staff from Aston University.

The conference is great value for money. The full residential three-day package costs the same (or less) than many one-day events. We offer both residential and non-residential packages as well as one-day inset events.

We are delighted to announce that our conference programme will host four exciting keynote speakers this year. In addition to Professor Robert Plomin, we are also fortunate to welcome Professor Gina Rippon, Aston University, Dr Fay Short, Bangor University and Professor Susan Michie.

Professor Gina Rippon, Aston University

Professor Rippon will be presenting her keynote lecture on: Say ‘No’ to Neurotrash: how to tell Neuronews from Neurononsense.

Advances in brain imaging techniques have led to some astonishing insights into the workings of the human brain. There has been an explosion of interest in the media and a genuine effort by the brain imaging community to make their findings as accessible as possible, particularly via beautiful colour coded brain ‘maps’. However, the downside of this is that some worrying illusions/ delusions about what brain imagers can and can’t do are emerging. This talk will address this issue and try to provide some tips to use when reading the next over-enthusiastic article about ‘brain findings’, via considering questions such as: “Are brain imagers really mind readers?” “Is there a chocolate spot in the human brain?” “Can brain imagers identify terrorists?”

To find out more about Professor Gina Rippon and her research follow the links: http://www1.aston.ac.uk/lhs/staff/az-index/rippong/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/8207106/What-patronising-nonsense-Gina-Rippon-Interview.html

Dr Fay Short, Bangor University

Dr Short is a leading member of the Bangor Teaching Team and has previously had experience as an A Level Psychology teacher giving her an excellent insight into both pre-tertiary and HE. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Chartered Psychologist in the British Psychological Society Division of Academics, Researchers and Teachers in Psychology. This year she was invited to join the Academy of Teaching Fellows at Bangor University in recognition of her excellence in teaching. Her primary research interest is in the field of body representation and she was recently awarded the Young Investigator Award by the American Psychological Association in honour of her research in this area. She also conducts research in the field of education and is currently collaborating with tutors in a local college of further education to develop effective feedback methods for A Level students. She has also recently been awarded a grant to pilot a Learning Advisor program for International Students within the School of Psychology.

Dr Short’s keynote will explore a method of enhancing the student experience. Modern institutes are expected to raise grades yet maintain academic standards, ensure discipline yet foster a positive student experience. This talk is designed to explore one method of enhancing the student experience using the skills developed in the counselling sector. Dr Short will actively demonstrate counselling skills during the talk and explain how these skills can be used in the classroom to support learning.

This keynote lecture will be followed by workshop which will give delegates the opportunity to practice using the ideas presented in the lecture in a practical way within the classroom.

Professor Susan Michie, UCL

Professor Michie’s research is in the area of health psychology and health services, focusing on the design, delivery, uptake and impact of behaviour change interventions related to health. Her research investigating innovative methods for developing and evaluating behavioural interventions is conducted in two health domains: professional practice (e.g., the implementation of evidence-based guidelines, such as hand-hygiene amongst hospital staff), and risk factors amongst the general population (e.g., smoking, physical activity, preparing for pandemic flu).
Professor Michie’s keynote speech will focus on the following points:

• Behaviour is central to health.

• Managing our behaviour effectively is key to keeping ourselves healthy, managing illness and, in the case of health professionals, delivering high quality health care.

• Changing behaviour is not easy and interventions to change health-related behaviours (amongst the general population, patients and health professionals) have had variable success.

• Evidence shows us that behaviour is not just the result of “choices” but of a host of more automatic processes such as emotion, cued responses and habit.

• Developing more effective interventions depends on understanding the nature of the target behaviour in context and designing interventions using evidence-based theories and techniques of behaviour change.

• These points will be illustrated in relation to two serious health problems: pandemic flu and obesity.

• Key behaviours in pandemic flu include those that reduce transmission such as respiratory and hand hygiene and prevent illness, such as vaccination uptake. Key behaviours in obesity are physical activity and healthy eating but also behaviours that undermine people’s attempts at self-regulation, such as in the minimally regulated food industry and in retail strategies.

For more information, including how to book visit www.atpconference.org.uk

Below is an invite from the National Science Learning Centre to apply for a role of consulant to assist with the development and delivery of psychology related CPD courses.

The National Science Learning Centre (NSLC) and the regional network of Science Learning Centres provide inspirational and innovative professional development for science teachers, technicians, lecturers and teaching assistants from across the UK. All learners deserve an engaging and motivational science education. We are passionate about helping schools and colleges to achieve this and believe that it can be brought about through high quality and relevant subject-specific professional development.

To enable us to fulfil our vision we aim to recruit the highest calibre of contributors. If you feel you can help us achieve this vision please see below for more information.

We are currently looking for experienced and knowledgeable Psychology Consultants, who can contribute to all aspects of course delivery, including:

• Design and preparation
• Delivery
• Leadership

We currently run three courses at the National Science Learning Centre in York, and we are looking to further develop our offer for the future.  Our current courses are:

• Psychology Research Conference: www.slcs.ac.uk/national/nac11246
• Success for New Psychology Teachers: www.slcs.ac.uk/national/nac11134
• Going Further with Post-16 Psychology: www.slcs.ac.uk/national/nac11139

Through these courses, we are looking to expand our engagement with, and reach to, teachers of psychology in UK schools and colleges.

The consultants we are looking for must meet the following criteria:

• Well qualified
• Experienced in aspects relevant to teaching and learning of psychology in schools and colleges
• Align with our aspiration for improving learner outcomes through teachers’ CPD
• Ability to engage teachers of psychology with on-going subject specific professional development, including subject knowledge and cutting edge science

In return for your expertise and enthusiasm, we can offer:

• Generous fees and expenses
• On site accommodation during course delivery
• Appropriate support for course delivery
• Contribution to an exciting and prestigious programme and workplace

An Initial expression of interest should be sent via completion of the following:

• Professional Profile – contact Eleanor at e.malcolmson@slcs.ac.uk to request a template
• Covering Letter – including  any accompanying evidence as appropriate

All expressions of interest should be sent to Eleanor Malcolmson at e.malcolmson@slcs.ac.uk no later than 5pm on Friday 16^th March.

Upon receipt of expressions of interest, you will be contacted within 1 week if we wish to invite you to the centre to discuss the opportunities available.  At this stage there will also be a requirement for you to deliver a short presentation.

For more information please don’t hesitate to contact Eleanor on 01904 328304.

With the support of JISC (part of the Higher Education Funding Council of England) www.theFaculties.org has made approximately 300 films of lecturers speaking on themes and topics from the A-level curriculum.

More than 30 of those themes are in Psychology  – see www.thepsychologyfaculty.org  More will follow in the coming weeks. The videos also offer advice to A-level students about where they might study Psychology at University, and about the careers that can follow their degree. .

Although this resource has only just been launched it is promised that in time it will cover the entire UK A-level curriculum. It is possible on the site for Psychology teachers and students to suggest further topics and ways in which the expertise of academic Psychologists can be employed in the secondary school classroom.

www.thepsychologyfaculty.org

Dear Secretary of State,

Initial Teacher Training and Psychology

We are writing to you today to express our concern about some aspects of your plans for Initial Teacher Training. The recent announcement by the TDA shows that the government is committed to investing in the best quality graduates as trainee teachers. We support this approach but we are extremely disappointed to see that this commitment does not appear to extend to psychology graduates.

According to the information in the ITT plan, psychology is ‘a non-priority’ subject and therefore trainees would not be eligible for a bursary. Future trainees will in effect be penalised for choosing psychology, as they will need to find up to £9000 for fees on top of living expenses in order to train.

Psychology is the only science subject not to have been designated a priority subject, and therefore not to attract a bursary. We are unclear as to why this is the case, especially at a time when the uptake of science subjects by young people in the UK is a concern. It is now the fourth most popular A-level subject with over 56,000 sitting the psychology exam in 2011 (JCQ, Joint Council for Qualifications,www.jcq.org.uk. 2011), compared to just 275 candidates when the exam was first set in 1972.

The European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA), to which the European Federation of Psychology Teachers’ Associations (EFPTA) is affiliated, recently hosted a conference at the European Parliament in Brussels. The aim of this event was to demonstrate the importance of the role of psychology in promoting the health and well-being of European citizens, and Professor Robert Roe (President of EFPA) made it absolutely clear to the Members of the European Parliament that psychology teachers make a significant contribution by encouraging young people to explore issues such as understanding how they learn, the importance of healthy life-styles and how to achieve self-regulation. There are clearly significant economic benefits attached to any improvements that can be made in relation to these issues. It is indeed interesting that Finland is referred to in the White Paper as a nation of educational excellence and in that country psychology is a compulsory subject for students aged 16-19.

Despite the small numbers of available places, the role of the PGCE in psychology has been crucial to improving the quality teaching in many schools across the country. It is therefore essential that PGCE courses are able to attract high calibre trainees to ensure that improvements in the subject continue.

We are also puzzled why some other non-National Curriculum subjects, including Classics and Economics, have been designated ‘priority’ subjects when psychology, has not. There is a danger that this “down-grading” combined with a lack of a bursary for those looking to train, may be interpreted in some quarters as a lack of Government understanding of psychology, ahead of the publication of the National Curriculum review proposals.

Your neglect of psychology education in schools is particularly hard to understand, in view of your Government’s own initiative in setting up the Behavioural Insight Team (BIT), whose aim is to find ‘intelligent ways to encourage, support and enable people to make better choices for themselves’. That is precisely one of the aims that psychology teachers in schools and colleges have been quietly pursuing for years. Yet, whilst you invest financially in the application of psychological principles in the form of the BIT, you are withdrawing financial support for psychology education in schools. This makes no sense.

Through high quality psychology teaching students develop essential transferable skills which enhance learning and achievement in other subjects as well as those which can encourage them to make healthier choices of life-style and become critically confident citizens. This is particularly important at a time when the educational performance of our children appears to be falling in relation to those in other countries, and when the effects of health related illness is costing the taxpayer enormous amounts of money.

Children and young people in this country deserve the best quality psychology education and the best quality psychology teachers. We urge you to reconsider this policy and demonstrate that the government believes this too.

We look forward to hearing from you on this matter.

Yours sincerely,
Deb Gajic
Chair of the Association for the Teaching of Psychology

Follow the link below to book for the Psychology CPD event of the year! Join us  from 6th - 8th July 2012 at Aston University
http://www.bps.org.uk/events/association-teaching-psychology-annual-conference-2012

We are delighted to announce that Professor Robert Plomin has kindly agreed to be one of our keynote speakers for the 2012 ATP Conference at Aston University.

Robert Plomin is Professor of Behavioural Genetics at the MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London.

He is best known for his work on twin studies and his research into the nature-nurture debate. He launched the Twins Early Development Study (TEDs) of all twins born in England and Wales in 1994-96 which focuses on developmental problems in cognition and behaviour.

During the past decade his research has increasingly turned towards harnessing the power of molecular genetics, especially genome-wide association strategies, to identify genes for psychological traits in order to help understand the developmental interplay between genes and environment.

He is an international leader in behavioural genetics and was the youngest President of the Behavior Genetics Association. Professor Plomin has published more than 500 papers and is senior author of the major textbook in the field (’Behavioral Genetics,’ Worth Publishers, 5th edition, 2008) as well as author of a dozen other books including ‘Genetics and Experience: The Interplay between Nature and Nurture’ (Sage Publications, 1994).

(thanks to the Kings College London website for biographical information)

The ATP annual conference will be held on 6th-8th July 2012 at Aston University, Birmingham.

The ATP Conference 2012  has held prices fo members.

Offering fantastic networking opportunities, the chance to meet with your exam board representatives as well as providing inspiring CPD breakout events and keynote speakers, the ATP Conference offers great value for money.

If the full conference is beyond your budget, the ATP  also offer day rates.

As Aston University is close to Birmingham City Centre it has excellent road and rail links.

Your ATP Needs You

Can you offer a workshop or symposium at Aston ATP conference next July? Do you consistently get good AS results? Do you have lessons that inspire your students? Have you got great ways of teaching the more ‘dry’ topics? Or maybe there is something important that you feel needs airing? If so, then consider sharing your ideas with colleagues.

If you are interested and would like to discuss it further, then email: info@theatp.org. If you are new to presenting, we can offer support and guidance. Remember, you don’t have to go it alone – workshops are often very effective when presented by two or more colleagues.

Meeting your CPD needs

The ATP  want to continue to inspire you and provide you with the best CPD event possible. Is there a workshop that you would love to see on next year’s programme? A burning issue in psychology that you want to debate? Then contact us and we will do our very best to arrange it.

See more here www.atpconference.org.uk

Email: info@theatp.org

No, this is not a conference for students studying anomalistic psychology – it’s for all psychology students.

Aims to enthuse and educate them about the role of Science in Psychology.

BOOK NOW  full details here

Venues are Bristol (14 Nov), Nottingham (15, Nov), Edinburgh (24 Nov) and London (25 Nov)

Rave reviews from last year ‘Wow, wow and wow!!! What a fantastic day we all had. How to inspire and motivate. You absolutely blew their minds! We all loved it. It was worth the major hassle of trying to get them to stomp up the cash’. “It was a wonderful conference and my students and I are buzzing. It’s what education should be about – broadening horizons and motivating the desire to learn.’