When the revised standards were released in February, you bet I dug right in, highlighter in hand, and zeroed in on what was added, what was removed, and what was moved around! Then in May I had the opportunity to attend an APA TOPSS webinar about the revisions and I was eager to hear more from the source, get some questions answered, and dig a little deeper.
Download and print this condensed version of the standards for reference and planning.
Here's a quick rundown of the shifts:
The Pillar Model
The graphic has changed from the bullseye to a pillar model to be more in-line with the college level psychology course. The 5 pillars (listed below) rest on the Scientific Inquiry and Research Methods foundation and all support the integrated themes.
Scientific Inquiry and Research Methods Foundation
Scientific Inquiry and Research Methods is now the foundation of the entire course, so research is highlighted throughout. Instead of thinking of these topics as ones we briefly cover at the beginning of the year, we should be integrating them throughout all the other topics, continually circling back to research and scientific inquiry and how they inform all aspects of psychology.
5 Pillars
The 7 domains have been replaced by 5 pillars. They are:
Biological Pillar
Cognition Pillar
Development and Learning Pillar
Social and Personality Pillar
Mental and Physical Health Pillar
Integrated Themes
The 11 overarching themes have been replaced with 7 integrated themes that are consistent with APA IPI student learning outcomes. They are:
Psychological science relies on empirical evidence and adapts as new data develop.
Psychology explains general principles that govern behavior while recognizing individual differences.
Psychological, biological, social, and cultural factors influence behavior and mental processes.
Psychology values diversity, promotes equity, and fosters inclusion in pursuit of a more just society.
Our perceptions and biases filter our experiences of the world through an imperfect personal lens.
Applying psychological principles can change our lives, organizations, and communities in positive ways.
Ethical principles guide psychology research and practice.
Recommended Units
Previously there weren't recommended units. Now 10 are recommended as priority units. They are:
Scientific Inquiry and Research Methods
Biological Bases of Behavior
Cognition
Memory
Lifespan Development
Learning
Social
Multiculturalism and Gender
Disorders
Health
So if you're short on time, prioritizing these units can help you cover less content in a meaningful way. Furthermore, if you're very short on time, it's recommended that you cover at least one of the recommended units from each pillar as well as the Scientific Inquiry and Research Methods foundation. For example, you could choose the following:
Scientific Inquiry and Research Methods
Biological Bases of Behavior (Biological Pillar)
Memory (Cognition Pillar)
Lifespan Development (Development and Learning Pillar)
Social (Social and Personality Pillar)
Health (Mental and Physical Health Pillar)
Learning Targets
In a simple terminology shift, “performance standards” have been replaced by “learning targets.”
Standard Areas
The amount of standard areas have decreased from 20 to 18. This along with the recommended units really decreases the pressure on us to cover all of the content that could make up a psychology class. These revised standards include permission to not do it all.
During the webinar, multiple teachers were requesting posters, and I thought that would be a great way to share these integrated themes with our students. So I've created a poster set and it's available as a free download! It includes the pillar model as well as individual posters for each theme.
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