SCHOOL OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE. A-Level Psychology: Exploring the Views of Pre-Tertiary Psychology Teachers

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1 SCHOOL OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE A-Level Psychology: Exploring the Views of Pre-Tertiary Psychology Teachers

2 A-Level Psychology: Exploring the Views of Pre-Tertiary Psychology Teachers Pam Maras Vicki Bradshaw Published June 2007 University of Greenwich School of Health & Social Care Avery Hill Campus London SE9 2UG University of Greenwich 2007

3 Acknowledgements Psychology is a science. It is one of the most popular subjects at school and university and is recognised by the Science Council (from which Chartered Psychologists can apply for Chartered Scientist Status) and has been re-designated as a science subject at A-level. Psychology allows students to acquire transferable knowledge and skills, including scientific enquiry, critical review and the ability to undertake, apply and disseminate research. In this document we report findings of a survey of pre-university psychology teaching carried out as part of a development project funded by an HEFCE Emerald Fund enterprise grant. Vicki Bradshaw carried out the empirical work efficiently and thoughtfully. I would like to thank the A-level and GCSE psychology teachers who took part in this survey; they made valuable contributions, which give those involved in both the fields of psychology and teaching a great deal to think about. I would also like to thank Dr Richard Latto, Chair of the Psychology Education Board of the British Psychological Society, and Dr Jeremy Airey, Professional Development Leader at the National Science Learning Centre, for their useful and informative comments and feedback on this survey. New undergraduate students with A-level psychology appear to have very mixed levels of knowledge and skills to those of us teaching psychology in higher education and findings from this study show that pre-university teachers have varied backgrounds and training. I have no doubt at all that the teachers in our survey, like most teachers, are committed to teaching and learning. There is an urgent need therefore for members of the psychology community to look at means to offer support to further equip these committed professionals with the skills and knowledge base to better allow them to provide pre-degree students with the very best introduction to psychology that they are able to. Professor Pam Maras June 2007 Summary With psychology s recent reclassification as a science subject there has been renewed interest in the way it is taught at pre-degree level. this study presents the findings from a survey into the views of those who are teaching psychology at GCSE and AS/A-level and provides evidence of some of their frustrations in their present roles and in their journeys to become teachers. Respondents expressed their dissatisfaction with the teacher training opportunities available for psychology graduates and the employment of non-specialist teachers in pre-tertiary level psychology. Many expressed their irritations with current AS/A-level specifications and the apparent focus on rote learning in order for students to pass the exams. Despite their dissatisfaction, most teachers felt confident in their roles and assured that they were adequately qualified to teach psychology. The findings promote the need for a distinct route into teaching psychology and improved links between AS/A-level providers and higher education institutions. Introduction The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) recently made the decision to formally classify psychology as a science. This means that the subject will be reviewed in line with other science subjects to meet the new programme of study for science and the new common core criteria for science subjects at A-level from 2008 (Trapp, 2005). This decision has been strongly welcomed by the Psychology Education Board (PEB) of the British Psychological Society (BPS). Similarly, the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) has reclassified psychology so that it is now subject to inspection as a science. However, there are concerns about the reclassification in terms of psychology teachers integration into and progression within the science faculties of their schools (Latto, 2006). There may be a genuine difficulty for those who teach psychology to gain any status within the science department and they may be unlikely to be awarded positions of authority within the faculty. This may be especially true for those psychology teachers with an arts background. The move into science has important effects on students also, such as a possible lack of provision of lab spaces and resources where, for some schools, psychology has not been fully accepted into mainstream science. 2

4 Psychology teachers Psychology has grown quickly to become one of the most popular choices at A-level (Trapp, 2005) and degree (HESA), and it attracts those who may not otherwise have been drawn to science. However, it is often regarded as soft and therefore schools and sixth form colleges employ staff without a psychology background to teach it (Latto, 2006). This situation may also be apparent in other subjects. It is cheaper to employ less qualified staff, and it gives schools the opportunity to employ a specialist in another subject to teach across two disciplines. However, schools and colleges are by no means wholly responsible for this problem. The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) does not currently provide funding for a psychology specialism in postgraduate certificates of education because the subject is not usually taught across two key stages. This means that psychology graduates experience great difficulty in finding a teacher training course suited to the subject, and many currently have to undertake training in social science instead. It is also difficult to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) because psychology is not a currently a National Curriculum subject. This is unfortunate because it means that teacher training providers are foregoing capable graduates who really want to teach. Recognising the suitably qualified It would seem that with the ever increasing popularity of psychology in subject choice, there should be some way to ensure that students are taught by those who are most fit for the job, i.e. those with the necessary subject knowledge. Although the BPS provides support and training to non-qualified psychology teachers, there is currently no means by which to recognise those who are suitably qualified. Conversely, other learned societies offer chartered status to subject teachers, e.g. Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, and the Royal Geographical Society. No such accreditation exists specifically for psychology teachers. However, the Association for Science Education (ASE) has recently begun recognising those who have made significant contributions in science education by offering Chartered Science Teacher Status (Bell and Lawrence, 2006). It is not yet clear how psychology teachers will fit into this, but it is hoped that they will be suitably recognised also. A-level specifications A related issue is that of A-level specifications for psychology. There is great variability in the specifications from different exam boards and this can mean that different teachers may be more or less able to teach a particular syllabus. Furthermore, the wide-ranging content of A-level syllabuses could result in students learning only scratching the surface of psychology. Indeed, the current structure of school examinations encourages what is effectively rote learning without an in-depth understanding of the subject, and means that students can complete A-levels in psychology without necessarily needing to acquire a true knowledge foundation in the subject (Mansell, 2007a). A recent article in the Times Educational Supplement alludes to this idea by revealing how students are encouraged to conform to strict mark schemes where creativity is reprimanded, not only in psychology but other subjects also (Mansell, 2007b). In its present form, therefore, psychology A-level cannot be a pre-requisite to a psychology degree. A more tightly specified A-level curriculum would make it easier to design a level one programme which builds on what students have learnt at A-level and consequently, higher education institutions could pay more attention to prior psychology qualifications. However, this is not the current situation. Views of the teachers With a focus on learning to pass the exam it may be the case that some teachers feel less than satisfied with teaching psychology, especially those who may have overcome substantial barriers to get to a position where they are able to teach the subject, for example, difficulties obtaining a place on teacher training and battling others perceptions of psychology. Furthermore, with the apparent lack of focus on empirical research in A-level specifications, qualified psychology teachers may feel that their scientific knowledge and skills are wasted. This survey aimed to discover whether psychology teachers feel suitably qualified and trained to teach psychology and also asked about the qualifications they hold and the qualifications that they feel a psychology teacher should possess. It enquired into whether they feel satisfied with their role and whether they feel adequately resourced at their school or college. Additionally, the survey asked whether teachers agree with the classification of psychology as a science, whether they feel up to date with research in the field and whether their own research plays a role in their teaching. 3

5 The survey Design and data A questionnaire was designed to look into the standards and methods of teaching psychology at pre-degree levels. Respondents were asked for information about the school itself, including whether or not the school had a sixth form (or whether it was solely a sixth form college), whether or not the school taught psychology and at to what level, e.g. GCSE, AS/A-level. The respondent was asked to return the questionnaire in the envelope provided even if psychology was not taught at the school. If psychology was taught further details were requested from the psychology teacher, such as their specific role at the school and their qualifications. The responding psychology teachers were presented with a list of 12 questionnaire items to be rated on a 5-point Likert scale ( Totally disagree, Disagree, Neither agree nor disagree, Agree and Totally agree ). These items can be seen in Table 1 below. Table 1 Questionnaire items responded to by psychology teachers Item no. Item 1 I am happy with how psychology is taught at my school/college 2 I am confident in my role as a teacher 3 I feel that I am sufficiently up to date with current research in psychology 4 I feel that I am fully qualified to teach the students that I teach 5 I feel that I am sufficiently trained to teach the students that I teach 6 I am always looking to update course content with new research 7 I feel that the curriculum taught makes the best use of the capabilities and interests of staff 8 I feel that there are sufficient opportunities for my personal professional development at my school/college 9 Psychology is a science subject 10 I try to keep my students up to date with current research in psychology 11 Topical events and local issues should be explored when teaching psychology 12 My own research plays a role in how I teach psychology Finally, the teachers were asked open-ended questions about the qualifications perceived to be necessary to teach psychology, resources and methods that teachers use and would like to use, and desired changes to courses. This was followed by some space for respondents to write additional comments if they wished. Sample and procedure 1,136 questionnaires were mailed to schools and sixth form colleges around the south-east of England, and a total of 160 completed and returned the questionnaires (response rate 14%). Of these, 21.9% were secondary schools without a sixth form, 61.3% were schools with a sixth form and 15% were sixth form colleges. Specific data on school type was missing for 1.9% of respondents. 4

6 Table 2 Percentages of schools teaching pre-degree psychology and the level at which it is taught (of all those surveyed) Does not teach psychology 40% GCSE level only 0.6% AS/A-level only 50.6% GCSE and AS/A-level 5% AS/A-level and another level, e.g. 1.9% Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education Did not respond 1.9% Of all the returned questionnaires, 40% (64 respondents) stated that their school or college did not teach psychology at all. Of the other 60% (96 respondents), the majority taught the subject at AS/A-level only (see Table 2). Figure 1 below shows the reported highest qualification levels of the sample of psychology teachers and whether the teachers had qualifications related to psychology or not (where subject of study was given). It transpired that the majority had studied psychology at some point, e.g. at degree level, as a postgraduate course or a conversion course in psychology. % respondents Degree Teacher training (TT) Postgraduate Diploma Master s PhD/Doctorate Master s and TT PhD/Doctorate and TT Missing data in relation to psychology Qualifications not related to psychology Qualifications related to psychology Qualifications in psychology Highest qualification level Fig. 1 Reported highest qualifications of the sample of psychology teachers 5

7 The survey After some time had passed since the last questionnaires were returned, a sample of institutions from the original 1,136 schools and colleges were telephoned and asked whether psychology was taught there. Responses were obtained from 485 institutions. Of these, 203 indicated that they did not teach psychology at their school/college and 282 stated that they did. Of those that taught the subject, the majority (237) taught it at AS/A-level only with a few teaching at either AS (5) or A2 (1) level, i.e. not the whole course. Two schools taught psychology at GCSE only, whilst 21 schools taught it at both GCSE and AS/A-level. Six schools/colleges taught the subject at a different level altogether, for example, within the International Baccalaureate or as a day course. There was one college that taught both AS/A-level and foundation degree psychology. Some institutions were not aware of what levels psychology was taught at, although they were aware that psychology was taught there. It is necessary to bear in mind that as a minority of respondents were unsure about the level at which psychology was taught at their school or college and did not endeavour to find out more about it, it is therefore plausible to assume that some of the schools who indicated that they did not teach the subject may have given inaccurate information.

8 Findings The closed response questions of the questionnaire were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and the open-ended questions responses were analysed using thematic analysis techniques. Closed questions The responses to the items in Table 1 were scored so that low scores indicate disagreement with an item and high scores indicate agreement. Mid-range scores (scores of 3) indicate neutrality. Figure 2 below shows the mean responses to the 12 items. Mean scores Happy Confident Up to date Qualified Trained New research Curriculum Development Science subject Students up to date Topical events Own research Questionnaire items Fig. 2 Mean responses of psychology teachers to questionnaire items 1 12 (with standard error bars) As can be seen by Figure 2, there was no overall disagreement with any of the items and all mean responses indicate agreement or neutrality with the statements. The mean responses provide an interesting insight into the opinions of teachers regarding the items. However, a more detailed analysis showed that for item 12 specifically, responses were quite varied for this question. Whilst 33.4% of respondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed that their own research plays a role in their teaching, 37.7% agreed (or strongly agreed) with it, and a further 23.7% neither agreed nor disagreed. This may be related to the variability in qualifications held by respondents, i.e. only some had completed research-focused courses. Furthermore, responses to this question may depend on the interpretation of it; own research can be construed as empirical psychological research or as the process of looking for resources to aid teaching and to add to teaching content. The answers supplied to item 3 also proved to be quite varied when looked at in more detail. Although the majority perceived themselves to be sufficiently up to date with current research in psychology (64.6%), over 30% did not agree with this statement. This may be expected for those who do not have prior qualifications in psychology. Subsequent further analysis of the data showed that the highest levels of agreement with item 3 came from those with psychology qualifications (74.5%), followed by those with related qualifications (60.9%), and finally those with non-related qualifications (55.6%). 7

9 Findings Interestingly, there was also some variability with regards to item 9 ( Psychology is a science subject ). Although 62.3% agreed or strongly agreed with this statement, 28% remained neutral on the matter and a further 3.3% disagreed (or strongly disagreed). This is interesting given the recent QCA decision to reclassify the subject as a science. It would appear that not all those who teach it regard it to be so. The possibility of this attitude impacting on the teaching of psychology may warrant further research. Mean responses to items 2, 4 and 5 are encouraging as they suggest teachers have overall confidence teaching psychology at the level at which they teach it (mostly AS/A-level) and feel adequately qualified and trained, despite the lack of a distinct route into teaching psychology at pre-tertiary level. Open-ended questions Necessary qualifications to teach pre-degree psychology Respondents were asked What qualifications do you feel are necessary in order to teach psychology at pre-degree level? Responses given here were grouped into seven categories of qualification. Please see Table 3 below for percentages of those stating each qualification level as the lowest necessary to teach psychology. Table 3 Qualifications viewed as necessary to teach pre-degree psychology by psychology teachers surveyed Level of qualification Total (%) No formal qualification 4.3 Degree or equivalent* 48.4 PGCE (or other teacher training) 4.3 Teaching qualification and psychology degree 24.7 Foundation knowledge of psychology, 3.2 e.g. first year degree Master s (psychology) 1.1 Teacher training and some psychology knowledge 2.2 Missing data 11.8 Total *Please note that most stated that the degree should be in psychology or a closely related subject but not all respondents specified the subject. As shown in the table, most respondents felt that a degree would be sufficient in order to teach pre-degree psychology, followed by those who felt that the degree should be supplemented by a teaching qualification. The findings here may be related to the general difficulty with becoming a psychology teacher, or the frequency at which psychology is taught by someone without psychology qualifications or without a teaching qualification. Although the ideal candidate for a psychology teaching post may be someone with a degree and teaching qualification directly related to psychology, it may be highly unlikely that such a candidate will be found, and therefore the responses to this question may reflect current trends. However, it may also be the case that respondents (particularly those that teach psychology without prior subject knowledge) may feel that high-level qualifications are not necessary. 8

10 As responses to this question were open-ended, respondents had the opportunity to expand on why they had stated a particular level of qualification, or to add any further comments about the qualifications of teachers. Some respondents were not very specific when answering this question and therefore their responses are reflected in the missing data row in Table 3. This is because they did not explicitly state levels of qualifications (see below). A good knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject. Knowledge of how to teach. Respondent 145 Many respondents, rather than list any specific qualifications, focused on transferable or life skills. Some stated that scientific/research skills were necessary in order to be a psychology teacher, whilst others stated the relevance of interpersonal/communicative skills. More important to be a good communicator with ability to make a safe learning environment where students will take risks and be independent learners. Respondent 129 Some experience of research and statistical analysis. Respondent 152 These comments show the perception of psychology as a soft subject, even by those who teach it. Other respondents explicitly stated that they did not feel that prior psychology qualifications were necessary. There were some respondents who took this opportunity to comment on the current situation for teachers of pre-tertiary psychology, for example, by talking about the difficulty in hiring a properly qualified psychology teacher or the difficulties faced by psychology graduates who want to be teachers. Unfortunately, those without degrees do end up teaching [psychology] due to a lack of staff with a degree in psychology. Respondent 130 In an ideal world all should have completed a teaching qualification in Psychology, e.g. PGCE Psychology. Respondent 135 The responses to this question about required qualifications suggest a general lack of clarity with regards to what is necessary to teach psychology. Resources and teaching methods Respondents were asked about the resources and teaching methods that teachers use to teach psychology, and whether there are any resources that they would like more access to. In terms of resources currently used, the most commonly mentioned were textbooks and websites. Journal articles and films/television programmes were less often mentioned but still popular. Teachers also mentioned specific magazines or journals that they found to be useful, e.g. Psychology Review. Newspapers were also quite frequently mentioned as a resource. When asked what resources they would like more access to, many stated that they would like to use web-based resources more often and would appreciate access to journals or some resources that could make psychology research accessible to AS/A-level students. Most often, teachers mentioned that they would like to be able to take part in training courses to learn good practice in teaching generally and/or be kept up to date with current developments in psychology. Regular training courses in practical examples and ideas of good practice/innovative ways to teach. Respondent 135 More subject-based training courses (rather than how to teach courses) to keep me updated. Respondent 86 9

11 Findings The frequent requests for regular training courses are noteworthy. They imply that although the majority of teachers perceived themselves to be confident and sufficiently qualified and trained in the role, they also felt an underlying need for more training. This may be reflective of psychology s changing focus as a science generally or the insufficient opportunities for training in the teaching of the subject prior to starting work. The need for training may also be symptomatic of teachers discontentment with professional development opportunities. Mean responses to item 8 of section three (see Table 1) showed that responses were, on average, indicative of neutrality. If it is the case that psychology teachers are dissatisfied with opportunities for professional development, this may be related to the poor integration of psychology into mainstream science departments in schools and colleges and the perception of psychology as a soft subject. Other resources that teachers wanted were newer books, access to other professionals in psychology, links with higher education institutions, videos or DVDs for the class and more time (both allocated teaching time and time to research for the course). When asked about the different methods or strategies that they use when teaching their students, a variety of methods were stated (such as group discussion, class presentations, practicals/experiments and role play) but, as might be expected, responses to this question suggested great similarity in the methods and strategies used by different teachers. This is probably due to the majority of respondents having completed some type of teacher training course. Changing the course Respondents were asked If you could change the running of the course, what would you do and why? The most popular suggestions from teachers were: to be allocated more contact teaching time, to reduce the content of the syllabus, to allow a longer teaching period and to make the course less assessment focused. The responses mainly concentrated on allowing teachers more time to enjoy teaching psychology so that students had a better understanding of the subject on completion of the course rather than simply learning facts so that the exam could be passed. I would like more teaching time. I find the AS and A2 syllabuses are very content heavy and require more teaching time, especially time for more interesting activities, which I sometimes sacrifice particularly at the end of the course to finish on time. Respondent 139 Make it less assessment focused we end up teaching to pass an exam, not to develop their skills of evaluation and analysis, or for the love of learning itself. Respondent 85 Another commonly mentioned suggestion was to emphasise the research and practical nature of psychology. Many wanted more provision for students to do their own research. More practicals to develop students research skills and engage them in what psychology is about rather than heavy focus on theory/research. Respondent 59 However, given that QCA has stipulated that coursework is to be removed from A-level psychology and OCR has responded by doing so, it remains to be seen how much emphasis will be placed on psychology s practical nature. Indeed, the OCR specification will still include Psychological Investigations on a small scale (OCR, 2007). 10

12 Further comments At the end of the questionnaire, respondents were given the opportunity to add any comments that they felt relevant. Of these comments, the most frequently occurring themes were those which centred on the training of psychology teachers. It is extremely difficult for psychology teachers to get the necessary qualifications. The Teacher Training Agency refused my application twice. Respondent 147 I believe strongly that psychology needs to be taught by someone with a depth of knowledge in the area (degree). Often psychology is not taught by someone with depth to their knowledge which is detrimental to students learning. Respondent 54 Other issues which teachers commented on further were concerns with syllabuses and the differences between AS and A2 specifications, the perceived softness of psychology, the importance of research and the notion of rote learning for the exam. Conclusions and recommendations It would be interesting to explore further the views of teachers of other subjects to provide a comparison with psychology teachers. This would help determine which concerns and issues are related to teaching generally and which are specifically related to the teaching of psychology. It may also be interesting to investigate the views of pre-tertiary psychology students, especially to gain a wider understanding of the issues related to non-specialist teachers of psychology. Through the questionnaire, respondents expressed their dissatisfaction at the training and employment of pre-tertiary psychology teachers. They remarked on the issues related to routes into teaching for psychology graduates, and the employment of teachers without specialist knowledge in the subject. They also showed unease about AS/A-level specifications and rote learning to pass exams. Overall, however, the teachers who responded felt confident in their teaching and were happy with how psychology was taught at their school or college. A major issue that teachers commented on and that clearly needs to be addressed is the route into teaching for psychology graduates, and especially routes into teaching psychology. Psychology graduates leave university with valuable skills, and it is unfortunate that it is perceived as being so difficult for them to enter secondary teaching. The teachers questioned in this survey noted their own difficulties in becoming a teacher, and in becoming a teacher of psychology. Another issue that emerged from this survey was on-the-job training for psychology teachers. Many respondents stated their need for professional training, both for improving teaching and for improving subject knowledge. Provision for regular training would be beneficial for teachers knowledge and competence, and therefore for students learning, particularly in the cases where teachers have no previous training in the subject. These opportunities exist, for example, the National Science Learning Centre offers opportunities for professional development for pre-degree psychology teachers. However, many teachers may not be aware of such possibilities. There seems to be a great need for revision of AS/A-level specifications. Many teachers commented on the heavy content, short teaching period and focus on exams at AS/A-level. More time for teachers to teach and research the course would be appreciated, although it is likely that this is a view shared by teachers of other subjects. A more scientific focus would also be valued where more time is spent on research activities and learning scientific method. By having AS/A-level specifications that are clearer and consistent throughout, it could increase the likelihood of making A-level psychology a pre-requisite for a psychology degree. However, a more tightly specified AS/A-level may also result in a need for pre-degree psychology teachers with the relevant subject knowledge and skills, i.e. trained in psychology. This may in turn, further intensify the need for teacher training in psychology and the employment of fully qualified specialist psychology teachers. 11

13 References Bell, D., & Lawrence, J. (2006). Recognising professional expertise: an invitation to apply to become a Chartered Science Teacher. Education in Science, April 2006, Retrieved from on 28 February HESA Subject of Study 2005/2006. Retrieved from on 13 April Latto, R. (personal communication, 16 October 2006). OCR (2007). AS/A-level GCE (for first teaching 2008). Psychology H168 H568. Retrieved from on 11 April Mansell, W. (2007a). Exams hold up under scrutiny. Times Educational Supplement, 16 March Retrieved from on 12 April Mansell, W. (2007b). A-levels get tougher at the top. Times Educational Supplement, 30 March Retrieved from on 12 April Trapp, A. (2005). Future directions in psychology teaching. The Higher Education Academy Psychology Network Newsletter, Issue 35, March Retrieved from on 26 October

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