The specificity of skill acquisition: Is it task related?

The plethora of research into the area of skill acquisition and transfer has resulted in conflicting conclusions regarding the nature of transfer. Some researchers have found skill transfer to be specific to the items experienced during training (Logan, I 988, alphabet-arithmetic task; Masson, 1986, reverse reading task). Others have found transfer to be general (Speelman & Kirsner, I 997, syllogism task) or both general and specific in the same task (Greig & Speelman, 1999, algebra task). This study investigated the assumption that the task involved dictates the specific nature of skill acquisition and transfer. Sixty participants drawn from the Edith Cowan School of Psychology volunteer register were randomly assigned to four groups, with each group performing one of the afore mentioned tasks. In phase 1, learning was determined by the decreased Reaction Time (RT) for each participant from block 1 to block 8. Phase 2 involved participants being trained on a different task using one set of items and then in the transfer phase (3) participants performed the same task but with new items. Comparing RT data from block 1 phase 2 and block 1 phase 3 and from block 1 phase 3 to block 10 phase 2 assessed transfer. The syllogism task resulted in the most skill transfer due to the generalisability of the strategy employed in solving the syllogisms. This was followed by the algebra task, the alphabet-arithmetic task, and the reversed reading task. The results confirmed the a priori predictions that the nature of transfer is a function of the task involved

Psychology and the research enterprise: Moving beyond the enduring hegemony of positivism

Almost since its inception, psychology has embraced the positivist orientation of the natural sciences. The research enterprise in psychology has reinforced this through its insistence that psychological science is objective, generalisable, and value free (or neutral). Consequently, experimental designs are privileged over other forms of enquiry and alternate epistemologies, methodologies, and methods remain marginalised within the discipline. We argue that alternate methodologies, and the philosophies that underpin the research endeavour, should be included in mainstream psychology programmes so that the existing imbalance is rectified. Achieving this balance will mean that psychology will be better positioned to address applied research problems and students will graduate with the skills and knowledge that they will need in the multidisciplinary workforce they will enter. We discuss recommendations for how psychology in Australia can move towards embracing methodological and epistemological pluralism. Breen, L. & Darlaston-Jones, D. (2008). Psychology and the research enterprise: Moving beyond the enduring hegemony of positivism. Australian Journal of Psychology, 60 (S1), 107-208. doi:10.1080/0004953080238555

Transforming Higher Education through Transformative Practice

Critical community psychology is characterised by a set of principles which guide practice. These include the deconstruction of assumptions that reinforce marginalisation and discrimination through critical consciousness, respect for diversity, an emphasis on equity and liberation. While these principles can be included in the content of courses and taught as guiding frameworks for future practitioners, to what extent do these principles guide educators in their practice? In this session we unpack the realities of the contemporary higher education sector and discuss the challenges associated with ensuring that students have voice and are active participants in their education. Using Tanaka’s framework of voice, power, authenticity, self-reflexivity, and reconstruction we analyse the development of the Behavioural Science programme at the University of Notre Dame to identify successes and opportunities for improvement that promote inclusion while educating for social change

From \u3cem\u3eAvatar\u3c/em\u3e to \u3cem\u3eLiyarn Ngarn\u3c/em\u3e: Utilising film as a device in anti-racism education

Teaching within an anti-racism framework presents many obstacles to even the most skilled educator. Overcoming resistance from students and helping them to deal with the emotional consequences associated with such content as well as the journey of understanding (for both student and educator) can be difficult. Often it is the anxiety associated with managing these responses and reactions from students as well as their own lack of knowledge and skill that inhibits educators from attempting to teach such content. In this presentation, I will discuss the development of a second year unit, Culture & Society, including the theoretical foundations and pedagogical structure of the lectures, tutorials and assessments. Specifically, I will outline the strategy of employing contemporary films such as Avatar, and Freedom Writers alongside the documentaries Australian Eye, Why Me? and Liyarn Ngarn as a device to illustrate concepts that often invoke resistance and to promote empathy as a means of facilitating understanding. I have taught the unit for three years and have achieved satisfaction ratings of 97.6% with students indicating that while it is the most difficult unit they have undertaken it has also been the most rewarding

Striving for excellence: Challenges and tensions of teaching behavioural science to a large class of diverse disciplines

Teaching a large class is challenging in any situation, but the complexity is increased exponentially when trying to make the content relevant to students from a diverse range of disciplines. Up to 480 students enrol in a Behavioural Science unit (PS100 Developmental Psychology) in first semester. Students are enrolled in a diverse range of disciplines including nursing, education, counselling, physiotherapy and biomedicine. Each of these discipline areas require a broad understanding of human development to be an integral component of their degree structure but the application of this knowledge post-graduation might take many different forms. Managing a cohort of this size and achieving relevance for the students requires innovation and creativity to balance the tension between academic rigour and student satisfaction. This presentation discusses the ways in which this unit has been developed in trying to achieve these aims, the ongoing challenges to be overcome and the logistics involved in achieving positive outcomes for the students

Making connections: The relationship between epistemology and research methods

The ability to identify the relationship between the epistemological foundation of research and the methods employed in conducting it is critical in order for research to be truly meaningful. Unfortunately this connection is often not taught in the research methods classes that most psychology students experience. Indeed the very names of these units emphasises the focus on methods and consequently the epistemology, theoretical frameworks and methodologies that influence the choice of methods remain ‘hidden’ from view. This paper brings into focus these hidden (or often overlooked and ignored) elements of research and illustrates the importance and relevance by drawing on example from the author’s research into the student experience of higher education

Support for mum when dad works away (Book Review)

I was pleased to receive the invitation to review this booklet because it is a topic I am personally interested in and affected by. My partner is currently part of the FIFO workforce based on a mine site in the North West. His current work context involves a regular roster of 2 weeks on and 1 week off which allows the opportunity for greater structure and planning of family functions and events. However, in the past he has also spent much of his working life in construction in South East Asia, resulting in long irregular periods of time away from the family. Both formats present opportunities and challenges for the FIFO worker and his or her family. Throughout this review I use the term FIFO to represent any form of working away from home – the more commonly understood form of ‘fly-in-fly-out’ in the mining sector; defence force personnel; truck drivers; and others whose occupations take them away from home on a regular or irregular basis for short or extended periods. Support for Mum When Dad Works Away, Department for Communities, Perth, Western Australia. Available from: http://www.community.wa.gov.au/DFC/Resources/ Parenting

Using a student centred learning approach in a large class context

Teaching in large classes traditionally involves a formal lecture setting following a \u27sage on stage\u27 format. This is often dissatisfying for staff and students alike and results in surface rather than deep learning. Recent developments in teaching has seen a shift away from this traditional approach with lecturers adopting a more flexible style of teaching that incorporates multimedia and discussion as part of the learning experience. However, adopting this practice in large classes is often problematic. In second semester 2002 I coordinated a first year psychology unit. The unit is designed and taught by the School of Psychology for Bachelor of Social Science students. The unit traditionally attracts approximately 80-100 students from a range of areas within the School of International, Cultural, and Community Studies, and this semester 85 students enrolled. This presentation describes my decision to use a student centred discussion format to teach a large class. It evaluates the methods I used and the success or otherwise of the unit from the perception of both my students and myself