Teaching Psychology
A Step-By-Step Guide, Second Edition
📘 About This Book
This volume provides thoroughly updated guidelines for preparing and teaching an entire course in psychology. Based on best principles and effective psychological and pedagogical research, it offers practical suggestions for planning a course, choosing teaching methods, integrating technology appropriately and effectively, developing student evaluation instruments and programs, and ideas for evaluation of your own teaching effectiveness. While research-based, this book was developed to be a basic outline of "what to do" when you teach. It is intended as a self-help guide for relatively inexperienced psychology teachers, whether graduate students or new faculty, but also as a core reading assignment for those who train psychology instructors. Experienced faculty who wish to hone their teaching skills will find the book useful, too.
📖 Summary
Teaching Psychology by Douglas A. Bernstein, published in 2014 across 264 pages, serves as a comprehensive and thoroughly updated guide for educators preparing and delivering psychology courses at the post-secondary level. Grounded heavily in established psychological and pedagogical research, the volume aims to translate abstract educational theories into concrete, actionable strategies for the classroom. Rather than lingering exclusively in academic philosophy, the book functions as a practical outline that tells instructors precisely what to do when they face the complex task of designing and managing a curriculum. The core of the book addresses the foundational stages of course planning, guiding readers through the deliberate choices required to construct an entire psychology syllabus from scratch. Instructors learn how to select appropriate teaching methods that engage modern students, moving beyond passive lecturing to foster active learning environments. Furthermore, the text addresses the integration of technology, offering insights on how digital tools can be used appropriately and effectively to enhance rather than distract from the learning process. Assessment is another major pillar of the volume, providing guidance on how to develop fair and accurate student evaluation instruments and programs. Beyond measuring student progress, the book also turns a reflective lens toward the educators themselves, supplying valuable ideas and techniques for the ongoing evaluation of individual teaching effectiveness. Although the material is deeply rooted in empirical research, its primary purpose is to act as a accessible self-help companion. It is specifically tailored for relatively inexperienced psychology instructors, such as graduate students stepping into teaching assistant roles or brand new faculty members launching their academic careers. Simultaneously, the book is structured well enough to serve as a core reading assignment in training programs designed to prepare future psychology professors. Even seasoned faculty members seeking to revitalize their pedagogy, update their methods, or hone their overall teaching skills will find useful perspectives within its pages.
🎯 Key Lessons
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Rooted in solid psychological and pedagogical research
Provides practical, actionable steps on what to do in the classroom
Covers both student assessment and instructor self-evaluation
Useful for both brand new instructors and experienced faculty seeking improvement
⚠️ Cons
Focused heavily on psychology specifically, limiting broad interdisciplinary application
May require supplementary reading for rapidly evolving digital teaching tools
❓ FAQ
Who is the author of Teaching Psychology? +
The book was written by Douglas A. Bernstein.
When was Teaching Psychology published? +
It was published in the year 2014.
How many pages does the book contain? +
The volume spans 264 pages.
Who is the primary audience for this book? +
It is primarily intended as a self-help guide for relatively inexperienced psychology teachers, graduate students, and new faculty.
What core topics does the book cover? +
It covers course planning, teaching methods, technology integration, student evaluation, and self-evaluation of teaching effectiveness.
