Teaching Psychology Online Advantages and Disadvantages: A Case Study Ken Stange, Professor Emeritus at Nipissing University.

Teaching Psychology Teaching Psychology OnlineOnline

Advantages and Disadvantages: A Case Advantages and Disadvantages: A Case StudyStudy

Ken Stange, Professor Emeritus at Nipissing UniversityKen Stange, Professor Emeritus at Nipissing University

IntroductionIntroductionCaveats (Personal disclosure)Caveats (Personal disclosure)

My teaching experienceMy teaching experience40 years of teaching ‘live’40 years of teaching ‘live’ButBut only 2 years of teaching online only 2 years of teaching onlineand just one specific course: and just one specific course: Psychology of ArtPsychology of Art

My biasesMy biasesI’m a computer geek and love the digital I’m a computer geek and love the digital revolutionrevolutionI’m obsessed with bridging the Two Cultures I’m obsessed with bridging the Two Cultures dividedivideI’m not fond of the current educational systemI’m not fond of the current educational system

Once Upon A TimeOnce Upon A TimeLectures were the Lectures were the only option.only option.

There were few There were few supplementary supplementary resources, even resources, even texts.texts.

And it wasn’t the And it wasn’t the Golden Age some Golden Age some imagine it to have imagine it to have been.been.

University of Paris (1160)

Lectures In The Lectures In The Early DaysEarly Days

Advantages

Intimacy

Interactivity

Relative ease of preparation

Disadvantages

Limitation of access

Dependency on performance skills

Transitory nature of information imparted

Lectures NowLectures Now

Lectures NowLectures Now

Advantages

Relative ease of preparation

Disadvantages

Loss of intimacy

Loss of interactivity

Limitation of access

Dependency on performance skills

Transitory nature of information imparted

The Digital The Digital AlternativeAlternative

The Digital The Digital AlternativeAlternative

Advantages

Increased accessibility

Less dependency on teacher’s performance skills

Less transitory nature of imparted information

Disadvantages

Loss of intimacy

Loss of interactivity

Difficulty of preparation

There are tools to minimize some of the disadvantages!

CaveatsCaveatsSome Some courses courses can’t be can’t be taught taught effectively effectively online. E.g., online. E.g., ‘Hands on’ ‘Hands on’ studies studies involving lab involving lab work.work.

Personal Personal face-to-face face-to-face mentoring is mentoring is still not still not entirely entirely possible on possible on the Internet.the Internet.

A Course That A Course That SeemedSeemed To Work To Work

Psychology of ArtPsychology of Art

Nature of The Nature of The CourseCourse

Psychology of Art IPsychology of Art I

This course is a general survey of This course is a general survey of psychological approaches to the creative psychological approaches to the creative arts (music, the performing arts, the visual arts (music, the performing arts, the visual arts, literature, film and science). It reviews arts, literature, film and science). It reviews what all branches of psychology have what all branches of psychology have contributed to an understanding of this contributed to an understanding of this topic, including the relationship of topic, including the relationship of theoretical aesthetics to empirical theoretical aesthetics to empirical aesthetics. The concept of creativity is aesthetics. The concept of creativity is examined, including its defining examined, including its defining characteristics in art and science, the characteristics in art and science, the characteristics of the creative individual, characteristics of the creative individual, and the possibility of fostering it.and the possibility of fostering it.

Nature of The Nature of The CourseCourse

Psychology of Art IIPsychology of Art II

This course examines each of the major This course examines each of the major creative arts in terms of the psychology of creative arts in terms of the psychology of perception, cognition, and emotion, as perception, cognition, and emotion, as well as the biological and evolutionary well as the biological and evolutionary bases for some aspects of the aesthetic bases for some aspects of the aesthetic experience and art appreciation. Specific, experience and art appreciation. Specific, exemplary artworks are presented and exemplary artworks are presented and discussed. The relationship of the sciences discussed. The relationship of the sciences to the traditional arts is also investigated.to the traditional arts is also investigated.

Nature of The Nature of The CourseCourse

Specific Requirements For The CourseSpecific Requirements For The Course

Exemplary materials (“Aesthetic Exemplary materials (“Aesthetic Experiences”)Experiences”)

Visual artVisual artMusicMusicVideoVideo

Textual material from eclectic sources Textual material from eclectic sources (no possibility of a textbook summary)(no possibility of a textbook summary)

Scientific journal articlesScientific journal articlesNews articlesNews articlesCritical reviews and commentary.Critical reviews and commentary.

Evolution Of The Evolution Of The CourseCourse

Evolution Of The Evolution Of The CourseCourse

Evolution Of The Evolution Of The CourseCourse

Evolution Of The Evolution Of The CourseCourse

The Dealing With The Dealing With Inherent Inherent

DisadvantagesDisadvantages Solutions

Email accessibility

Discussion Forums

Sorry, no solution!

Disadvantages

Loss of intimacy

Loss of interactivity

Difficulty of preparation

There are tools to minimize some of the disadvantages.

Revised Digital Revised Digital Balance SheetBalance Sheet

Advantages

Increased accessibility

Less dependency on teacher’s performance skills

Less transitory nature of imparted information

Disadvantages

Difficulty of preparation

Course Course PreparationPreparation

Get departmental and senate approval Get departmental and senate approval to offer the course and sign contractto offer the course and sign contract

Caveats of copyright and paymentCaveats of copyright and payment

Write course modules (using e.g., Word)Write course modules (using e.g., Word)

Submit modules for approval by…Submit modules for approval by…Distance learning department (have silly Distance learning department (have silly format rules)format rules)

DepartmentalDepartmental

External refereesExternal referees

Review online versionReview online version

Four Transition Four Transition IssuesIssues

1.1. Skill set required (e.g., computer skills)Skill set required (e.g., computer skills)

2.2. Imperfect tools (e.g., Blackboard)Imperfect tools (e.g., Blackboard)

3.3. Potential administrative hasslesPotential administrative hassles1.1. InfrastructureInfrastructure

2.2. CensorshipCensorship

4.4. Dependency on current technologyDependency on current technology

Psychology of ArtPsychology of Art Course Structure Course Structure

Module StructureModule Structure

Text (note: copyright issues)Text (note: copyright issues)

Links within text (“Readings”)Links within text (“Readings”)

AssignmentsAssignments

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

Psychology of ArtPsychology of ArtEvaluationEvaluation

Assignments for each module (24%)Assignments for each module (24%)

Discussion forums (24%)Discussion forums (24%)

Reflective journals (20%)Reflective journals (20%)

Final exam (32%)Final exam (32%)

N of One ResultsN of One ResultsPsychology Of ArtPsychology Of Art

Practical Ongoing Practical Ongoing ProblemsProblems

Student IssuesStudent IssuesGetting students to keep upGetting students to keep upDealing with student excusesDealing with student excusesDealing with students’ technical problemsDealing with students’ technical problemsEmail overloadEmail overload

Upkeep IssuesUpkeep IssuesDead linksDead linksGradingGrading

Administrative IssuesAdministrative IssuesBureaucracyBureaucracyEmpire buildingEmpire buildingServer downtime and technical problems Server downtime and technical problems

Online TeachingOnline TeachingReport CardReport Card

Potential A+Potential A+

Effectiveness A-Effectiveness A-

Works to full potential B-Works to full potential B-

Works and plays well with others CWorks and plays well with others C

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention.attention.

Questi0ns?Questi0ns?Comments?Comments?

Contact: Ken@Stange.com