This book presents recommendations for teaching the introductory psychology course, developed by the Introductory Psychology Initiative (IPI) task force appointed by APA's Board of Educational Affairs (BEA). Case studies illustrate the application of recommendations to learning goals and outcomes, course design, teacher training, and student transformation.

The editor's goal in compiling this book was to invite authors to articulate their philosophies, course designs, and teaching techniques for the introductory psychology course. The authors were told to write a chapter for all introductory psychology teachers and to address how the teaching of introductory psychology could be made more rewarding to students and teachers alike. A few authors comment specifically on the writing process of introductory textbooks, and the parallels they have found between the classes they teach and the material they write. It is hoped that these chapters help to shed light on any introductory textbook's underlying purpose, goals, and organization and thus enable teachers to use these essential texts more effectively.

This book is designed to help students organize their thinking about psychology at a conceptual level. The focus on behaviour and empiricism has produced a text that is better organized, has fewer chapters, and is somewhat shorter than many of the leading books. The beginning of each section includes learning objectives; throughout the body of each section are key terms in bold followed by their definitions in italics; key takeaways, and exercises and critical thinking activities end each section.

A Guide to Teaching Introductory Psychology focuses on the critical aspects of teaching introductory psychology to undergraduate students. It includes ideas, tips, and strategies for effectively teaching this course and provides useful answers to commonly asked questions. A concise and accessible guide to teaching introductory courses in Psychology Begins with an orienting history of the course· Evaluates current trends in teaching and offers suggestions for developing personal techniques Addresses a number of relevant issues, including how to teach difficult topics; linking course content to everyday experience; developing and using class presentations, lectures, and active learning ideas; and increasing interest in course topics Supported by a website that provides links to useful websites and handouts that instructors can use in their classes (http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/teachpsychscience/lucas/)

This new book provides a scholarly, yet practical approach to the challenges found in teaching introductory psychology. Best Practices for Teaching Introduction to Psychology addresses: • developing the course and assessing student performance • selecting which topics to cover and in how much depth • the effective use of teaching assistants (TAs) and efficient and fair ways to construct and grade exams • choosing the best textbook • assessment advice on how to demonstrate students are learning; • using on-line instruction, writing exercises, and class demonstrations • teaching majors and non-majors in the same classroom. This book will appeal to veteran and novice educators who teach introductory psychology as well as graduate students teaching the course for the first time. It will also serve as an excellent resource in faculty workshops on teaching introductory psychology.

The International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching is a reference work for psychology learning and teaching worldwide that takes a multi-faceted approach and includes national, international, and intercultural perspectives. Whether readers are interested in the basics of how and what to teach, in training psychology teachers, in taking steps to improve their own teaching, or in planning or implementing research on psychology learning and teaching, this handbook will provide an excellent place to start. Chapters address ideas, issues, and innovations in the teaching of all psychology courses, whether offered in psychology programs or as part of curricula in other disciplines. The book also presents reviews of relevant literature and best practices related to everything from the basics of course organization to the use of teaching technology. Three major sections consisting of several chapters each address “Teaching Psychology in Tertiary (Higher) Education”, “Psychology Learning and Teaching for All Audiences”, and “General Educational and Instructional Approaches to Psychology Learning and Teaching”.

An innovative guide to living gamefully, based on the program that has already helped nearly half a million people achieve remarkable personal growth In 2009, internationally renowned game designer Jane McGonigal suffered a severe concussion. Unable to think clearly or work or even get out of bed, she became anxious and depressed, even suicidal. But rather than let herself sink further, she decided to get better by doing what she does best: she turned her recovery process into a resilience-building game. What started as a simple motivational exercise quickly became a set of rules for “post-traumatic growth” that she shared on her blog. These rules led to a digital game and a major research study with the National Institutes of Health. Today nearly half a million people have played SuperBetter to get stronger, happier, and healthier. But the life-changing ideas behind SuperBetter are much bigger than just one game. In this book, McGonigal reveals a decade’s worth of scientific research into the ways all games—including videogames, sports, and puzzles—change how we respond to stress, challenge, and pain. She explains how we can cultivate new powers of recovery and resilience in everyday life simply by adopting a more “gameful” mind-set. Being gameful means bringing the same psychological strengths we naturally display when we play games—such as optimism, creativity, courage, and determination—to real-world goals. Drawing on hundreds of studies, McGonigal shows that getting superbetter is as simple as tapping into the three core psychological strengths that games help you build: • Your ability to control your attention, and therefore your thoughts and feelings • Your power to turn anyone into a potential ally, and to strengthen your existing relationships • Your natural capacity to motivate yourself and super-charge your heroic qualities, like willpower, compassion, and determination SuperBetter contains nearly 100 playful challenges anyone can undertake in order to build these gameful strengths. It includes stories and data from people who have used the SuperBetter method to get stronger in the face of illness, injury, and other major setbacks, as well as to achieve goals like losing weight, running a marathon, and finding a new job. As inspiring as it is down to earth, and grounded in rigorous research, SuperBetter is a proven game plan for a better life. You’ll never say that something is “just a game” again.