WELCOME STATEMENT

Welcome to  Introductory Psychology Weekly Updates

Every Monday you will find wonderful resources to enhance your teaching and to engage your students in discussions.   With each “published” edition, you will discover two or three interesting provocative articles to use as “triggers” to discuss important issues that relate to your teaching content, subject matter, and/or important issues.  The choice of the articles is such that students can find these on popular sites such as the New York Times, Time Magazine, Huffington Post, and read them without the pressure of going to the library or poring through their textbook.  The popular media choices are easy to find without the need for subscription services; these are often articles that you might have read and brought up in your class.   Further, the update will include a few questions that can be used to get a discussion started.

In addition to a listing of the articles, you will also be presented with a few websites for use in your teaching.  The websites can be useful informative resources for both your teaching preparation and for  student use.  Lastly, every week, you will find either an App Of The Week listing, occasionally YouTube video, or a Podcast that will both enhance your teaching and presentations.   If you have any suggestions please contact me.

Thank you,

David Berg
[email protected]

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These 3 articles are for you, the Professor, to learn about a simple behavioral intervention technique that may improve student outcomes:  THE NUDGE

ARTICLE #1

Helping the Poor in Education: The Power of a Simple Nudge
DESCRIPTION

Given the problems in K-12 education and college retention/graduation rates, several researchers have studied a variety of means to improve these situations.
“… researchers have been quietly finding small, effective ways to improve education. They have identified behavioral “nudges” that prod students and their families to take small steps that can make big differences in learning. These measures are cheap, so schools or nonprofits could use them immediately.”  Many excellent well done studies have demonstrated that “nudges” actually make a difference to college enrollment application/financial form completion, retention, and for younger students “nudging” the parents improves homework and other skills.  “Nudges” are completed through institutional services rather than the individual professor and are financially feasible ($5/student).

Please read the next two articles covering updates at the college level.

SOURCE

New York Times, January 17, 2015, By Susan Dynarski

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/18/upshot/helping-the-poor-in-higher-education-the-power-of-a-simple-nudge.html?emc=eta1

(Tiny URL)  http://tinyurl.com/z54lmsh

ARTICLE #2

Why ‘Nudges’ to Help Students Succeed Are Catching On

DESCRIPTION

Behavioral Economics, Behavior Interventions, Behavioral Solutions are the buzz word to help and improve students with college applications, FAFSA/financial aide, and retention issues.  The article discusses newer simpler interventions in the form of “nudges” or simple messaging to students as they navigate the process.   As it turns out, the simplest interventions have shown significant positive behavioral outcomes for students who may have no formal home structure to get them through the process.  The article describes a number recent studies that have shown success.   As a professor of Psychology it is worth noting that the focus is on facilitating BEHAVIORS that lead to positive outcomes.  “Testing behavioral interventions is a small but growing part of higher-education research — and one that’s getting lots of attention.”

This article (as well as the preceding and following) are presented to provide information on behavioral solutions which are for your information or perhaps to be discussed as part of the chapter on Learning and Conditioning.

SOURCE

Chronicle of Higher Education, January 29, 2016, by Beckie Supine

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Nudges-to-Help/235101?cid=rclink

(Tiny URL)  http://tinyurl.com/zz49dmn

ARTICLE #3

Fine-Tuning the ‘Nudges’ That Help Students Get to and Through College

DESCRIPTION

The article is actually an excerpted interview Alissa Fishbane, a managing director at ideas42.org.  The organization studies behavioral interventions for a variety of problems in the education area.  (See this week’s website of the week — the site is worth a tour.)   “Behavioral interventions are a growing — and attention-grabbing — piece of higher-education research. They locate and tackle the cognitive, emotional, and social factors behind why people don’t follow through on their intentions.”  This is the third in this week’s series of articles that aim to demonstrate how understanding and using behavioral interventions can improve how students navigate the college system for admission, financial aid, and retention.

SOURCE

Chronicle Of Higher Education, June 22, 2016, by Beckie Supine

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://chronicle.com/article/Fine-Tuning-the-Nudges-That/236880

(Tiny URL)  http://tinyurl.com/gvtpsdt

FOR THE PROFESSOR

•These three articles on the use of “NUDGES” focus on behavioral interventions to help students more successfully navigate college.
•The articles make use of studies that apply simple cueing strategies.  It is pointed out that the studies cited are all well done randomized trials that show that “nudging” can be effective.
•The articles (and links to the studies cited in the articles) can themselves be used as part of the course in teaching the application of behavioral interventions.