Developing students as researchers: the experience of

psychology students

Michelle LeeSenior Lecturer

Dept Psychology, School of Human Sciences

Overview

• Context – what is psychology?• QAA benchmarking and research oriented

teaching• Training students as researchers• Implications for the RLT approach• Future developments

Psychology as a discipline• The second largest discipline in UK HE• 2004-5: 70,000 psychology students in the UK!• BPS accredited programmes are a prerequisite

for professional training– 1 in 5 graduates become professional psychologists

• Psychology graduates prepared for many careers– 1/3 work in the public sector– 1/3 in business and commerce (marketing, HR,

accountancy)– 10% enter teaching professions

• Able to contribute to a knowledge society/economy

The nature and origins of psychology

Psychology as an empirical

science

Biology

Philosophy

Social Sciences

Natural Sciences

Analyse and explain

behaviour in a systematic way

Strong relationship between theory and empirical data

Rigorous research methodology

The nature of psychology• Neuroscience:

understanding brain function at a molecular level

• Brain systems and neural mechanisms underlying behaviour

• Individual differences• Attitudes and beliefs• Socio-cultural influences• Group processes• Populations

• Application of theory to – Education– Health and clinical– Criminal justice system,

policing– Industry and business– Organisations– Sustainable development

• Fast moving– Techniques and

methodology– Hot topics e.g. ageing,

obesity, binge drinking, gambling, autism, forensics

QAA benchmark statement – subject-specific skills

• On graduating students should be able to:– Generate and explore hypotheses and

research questions– Integrate ideas across multiple perspectives– Analyse data using sophisticated techniques– Present and evaluate research findings– Employ evidence-based reasoning – Examine practical, theoretical and ethical

issues associated with different methodologies

QAA benchmark statement• Carry out an extensive piece of independent

empirical research; including defining a research problem; formulating hypotheses; planning and carrying out a study efficiently; demonstrating awareness of ethical issues and codes of conduct; ability to reason about the data and present findings effectively; discuss findings in light of previous research; evaluating methodologies, analyses and implications for ethics; collaborate effectively with colleagues and participants…

How we develop students as researchers: training in L1 and L2

• Level 1: Begin training in statistics and research methods (30 credits)– Lectures– Workshops– Practical classes– Drop-in clinics for basic

maths help (peer-led)!• Complete 4 scientific

reports written according to American Psychologcial Association publication guidelines

• Level 2: Advanced methods (30 credits)– Lectures– SPSS workshops– Mini-projects– Drop-in clinics for SPSS

help• Complete 4 reports• Begin to explore ideas for

independent research in L3

• Centred around core curriculum domains and reflect staff research interests

• Test a hypothesis using a set methodology

• Discuss ethical issues• Collect data within the

class• Share data for select

appropriate analysis• Complete write-up

• Introduction to a research topic representative of staff interests

• Generate a testable hypothesis

• Work in a small group to design a study and select appropriate methodology

• Ethical considerations• Collect data outside of

class• Share data with group• Decide on analysis• Compile report

Level 1 Level 2

Research participation

• Students required to participate in research projects during L1 and L2 (approx 12 hours worth of ‘credits’)

• Web based participant pool using an experimental management system

• Staff, PhD, MSc and UG research advertised

• Earn the right to use EMS for their own independent research in L3

Final year project – 45 credits and a must for accreditation

• Staff publish list of research interests in TB2 for L2 students

• Students meet staff with overlapping interests to generate ideas

• Select supervisor by end of summer term• Develop ideas over summer; begin early

October, submit at Easter.• Ethical procedures identical for staff, post-grads

and UG research proposals• Risk assessment

Final year research project – related to staff research profile

Eating Behaviour and Nutrition Research Group (5 staff, 5PhDs)

Childhood eating patterns and overeating in adulthood

Water intake and attention in the primary classroom

Stress-induced eating

Cortical activity in response to food cues in lean and overweight adults

The role of pro-anorexia web communities in eating disorders

The media and male and female body image

The effect of breakfast on concentration in school children

Access to labs and latest technology and methods

EEG

Eye-tracking

Skin conductance

The benefits of developing students as researchers

• Fosters enquiry-based learning across the curriculum

• Develops critical thinking • Enhances student experience

– Understanding the role of academics– Understanding the role of research in society– Tackling the ‘them and us’ culture– Managing expectations!

• For staff - pilot new ideas and methods

Challenges and future developments

• Covering the core curriculum areas• Improving key skills further

– Critical review of primary source material– Search skills– Plagiarism

• Move away from traditional essay format– Nature News and Views style article– Critique or summary of new research papers

through posters– Interviewing staff about their own research