workshop a: getting your head around teaching unit...
TRANSCRIPT
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Workshop A:
Getting Your Head
Around Teaching Unit 1
Nicole Haythorpe
Caulfield Grammar School
+ Outline of Presentation
Area of studies & outcomes
Unit 1 content
What’s still in?
What’s been recycled?
What’s brand new?
Timing of Unit 1 Course
Assessment options
Sample planner
Ideas for activities
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Unit 1: How are behaviour
and mental processes
shaped?
+ Area of Studies
Area of Study 1: How does the brain function?
Role of the brain in mental processes & behaviour
Brain plasticity and brain damage
Area of Study 2: What influences psychological
development?
The complexity of psychological development
Atypical psychological development
Area of Study 3: Student Directed research investigation
+ Key outcomes
Outcome 1: describe how understanding of brain structure and function
has changed over time, explain how different areas of the brain
coordinate different functions, and explain how brain plasticity and
brain damage can change psychological functioning.
Outcome 2: identify the varying influences of nature and nurture on a
person’s psychological development, and explain different factors that
may lead to typical or atypical psychological development
Outcome 3: investigate and communicate a substantiated response to a
question related to brain function and/or development, including
reference to at least two contemporary psychological studies and/or
research techniques.
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Unit 1 Content… • What is still in?
• What has been recycled?
• What is brand new?
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What is still in?
+ What remains from the old study
design?
The interactive nature of
hereditary and environmental
factors…
The importance of attachment
The development of cognitive
abilities
Psychosocial development
across the lifespan
AoS #1: How does the brain
function?
AoS #2: What influences
psychological development?
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What has been recycled? Ghosts from VCAA study designs past or current Unit 3 & 4 Psych
+ What has been recycled?
Ghosts of VCAA study designs of the past…
The influence of different approaches over time to understanding the role of the brain….Neuroimaging techniques
The basic structure & function of CNS & PNS
The role of the neuron
The basic structure & function of the hindbrain, midbrain & forebrain
The role of the cerebral cortex in the processing…
Plasticity… adaptive
The role of critical and sensitive
periods in a person’s psychological
development.
The conceptualisation of normality
including typical and atypical
behaviours; adaptive and
maladaptive behaviours; and mental
health & mental disorder as a
continuum
AoS #1: How does the brain
function?
AoS #2: What influences
psychological development?
+ What is brand new to VCE
Psych?
+ What is brand new?
Influence of diff approaches over time to understand role of the brain (Mind versus heart debate, phrenology, ablation,)
Inc the role of glial cells in supporting neuronal function
Infancy & adolescence as periods of rapid dev & changes in brain structure & function, inc dev of myelin, synaptic pruning & frontal lobe dev.
New focus – impact of injury to CC on a person’s bio, psych & social functioning & the ability of the brain to undergo adaptive plasticity, illustrated by rehab of people with brain injuries.
The use of animal studies & neuroimaging techniques to develop understanding of human neurological disorders including Parkinson’s disease.
Mental health as a product of internal & external factors which assist individuals to cope with change and challenge.
Major categories of psychological disorder: addiction disorders; anxiety disorders; mood disorders; personality disorders; and psychotic disorders.
The ‘two-hit’ hypothesis as an explanation for the development of particular psychological disorders, illustrated by schizophrenia.
AoS #1: How does the brain
function?
AoS #2: What influences
Psychological development?
AoS #3: Student directed
investigation
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Timing of Unit 1 course
+ Points to consider when working out
your timeline… Do you want to complete an Intro to Psych unit?
If yes, how many lessons/weeks?
When are you going to teach research methodology aka Key Science Skills (p11-12 of SD)?
In one chunk? Integrated into the content? Before Unit 2 begins?
How do you want to implement AoS #3 – Student directed research investigation?
In one chunk? Across term 3? Individually or Pairs?
How are you going to implement the logbook (refer to p9 Advice for teachers)?
What types of assessment am I going to complete & when/how?
When is your examination period?
Major school events?
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Assessment options
Remember to keep in mind what types of assessment you would like
to complete when planning Unit 1.
+ Assessment
Suitable tasks for assessment may be selected from the following:
For Outcomes 1 and 2
a report of a practical activity involving the collection of primary data
a research investigation involving the collection of secondary data
a brain structure modelling activity
a logbook of practical activities
analysis of data/results including generalisations/conclusions
media analysis/response
problem solving involving psychological concepts, skills and/or issues
a test comprising multiple choice and/or short answer and/or extended response
a reflective learning journal/blog related to selected activities or in response to an issue
For Outcome 3
a report of an investigation into brain function and/or development that can be presented in various formats, for example digital presentation, oral presentation, or written report.
+ Factors that impact on Unit 1
timing: Note info from p18-19 of Study design:
Where teachers allow students to choose between tasks they must
ensure that the tasks they set are of comparable scope and
demand.
Practical work is a central component of learning and assessment.
As a guide, between 3½ and 5 hours of class time should be
devoted to student practical work and investigations for each of
Areas of Study 1 and 2.
For Area of Study 3, between 6 and 8 hours of class time should be
devoted to undertaking the investigation and communicating
findings.
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Sample Planner Example planner with integrated Science Key Skills
Example planner with AoS #3 integrated into Term 2
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Ideas for activities
+ Ideas for Activities…AoS #1
Different approaches over time to understanding the role of the brain:
Timeline
Learning stations
You Robot? Practical Activity
Concept Mapping the Nervous System Worksheet
Neuroscience basics through puzzles and dance
Neuroglial Cell Advertisement
Brain Structures – Naming, match-up, scenarios
Cerebral cortex true/false & brain labelling
The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain
Plasticity – Case study Cameron Mott & Jodie
Research Task: Parkinson’s disease
Application task – Brain injury case studies (R.H)
+ Ideas for Activities…AoS #2
The Secret Life of Twins
Piaget question work
Activity Ideas for Erikson
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Challenge - Network!
As everyone in the state of Victoria is in the same boat
with designing new courses – find two people today
from two different schools and make a connection
(exchange details) to share some resources next year!
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Remember… - Refer to the Study Design (green cover)
- Utilise the advice for teachers
- Get a copy of all the different textbooks
- Current 3/4 Psych has resources for AoS #1 &
Atypical development in AoS #2.