Higher Education Academy Psychology Network

http://www.psychology.heacademy.ac.uk

One of 24 discipline-based centres within the Higher Education Academy, the Psychology Network supports the teaching and learning of psychology across the UK. A core team, based at the University of York, with a partner site at the University of Strathclyde, works with staff, departments, professional bodies and overseas organisations to develop supportive networks and to improve the learning experience of psychology students in Higher Education.

The Psychology Network has an Advisory Board that includes representatives from PsyPAG, the BPS and the Association of Heads of Psychology Departments. The Network is supported by special coordinators (experts in particular areas who will take a lead in discussions and activities relating to teaching in that area) and special interest groups (for example in qualitative methods, clinical psychology, the teaching of mental health, developmental psychology, postgraduates who teach, educational psychology and social psychology). In addition, every psychology department has a nominated contact who acts as a channel of communication between the Network and their department.

Our website http://www.psychology.heacademy.ac.uk provides detailed information on learning and teaching resources, as well as tips for good teaching practice. We produce a bi-monthly newsletter and a journal, Psychology Learning and Teaching. We also periodically produce reports, including Postgraduate Supervision and Support in Psychology: A review of good practice. Copies of reports may be accessed at http://www.psychology.heacademy.ac.uk/html/reports.asp and hard copies may be ordered (contact details below). A number of workshops and other events are planned over the course of a year, and these are detailed on the website. We run a biennial Psychology Learning and Teaching (PLAT) conference which provides a forum for the dissemination of research findings related to practice within Psychology undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, learning and assessment.

The Psychology Network funds a programme of mini-projects (to bring into wider use innovations which have been developed locally in departments), and a departmental teaching enhancement scheme (for teams working within or across departments). See the Psychology Network web site for details of completed and current projects as well as for funding opportunities. The Network also works in collaboration with other organisations and funding bodies, for example we host the Improving Provision for Disabled Psychology Students project, see http://www.psychology.heacademy.ac.uk/ipdps/ipdps.asp

The Psychology Network and Postgraduates who Teach

The Postgraduates who Teach (PGwT) Network is made of up postgraduate students in psychology who teach, tutor, demonstrate or are otherwise involved or will be involved in teaching psychology. Regional groups operate in eight parts of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. The PGwT Network offers support to postgraduates through:

• Workshops: A variety of notable psychology academics lead sessions on teaching topics at the 16 workshops that take place in a variety of institutions across the UK each year. These workshops provide postgraduates with excellent opportunities to build their teaching skills, network, and possibly earn credit towards their required training new teachers. Workshop topics like as Working with Difficult Students, Getting Students to Participate, and Making Statistics Interesting are decided upon by regional members.
• Email Discussion List: This list helps to support postgraduates with teaching related responsibilities in psychology by providing an online venue by which to pose questions related to teaching, share ideas, and to network.
• Web Resources: Through the development of online resources, the Psychology Network strives to serve as a source of quality information for postgraduates teaching or tutoring in psychology as well as their students.

Join the PGwT Network and email list, by completing our online membership form!

The PGwT Network is sponsored by the Higher Education Academy Psychology Network which is committed to providing support to the next generation of psychology academics in coordination with the BPS and PsyPAG.