Introducing a novel research based tool in teaching psychology in the A levels

PsyToolkit is a professional software package used in psychological research. The software is used for designing, programming, and running psychological experiments typical in experimental cognitive psychology (e.g., the study of memory, perception, attention). The main applicant has designed and developed this software as part of a research project which received funding from various organisations (e.g., from the Experimental Psychology Society). Now, we aim to use this software in teaching psychology at A-level. Currently, A-level teachers have little access to software with the functionality of PsyToolkit, so there is a real gap in the market. We aim to reach the potential audience of about 150,000 post-16 psychology students in the UK alone, as well as their teachers, and this project is likely to have international appeal as well. We will set up a web server providing an on-line version of the software PsyToolkit which students and teachers will be able to use free of cost, as well as an on-line forum and help desk, workshops, booklets, and on-line video documentation ("vodcasts"). After the grant is over, the service will continue (likely for many years to come) on-line with the support of the University of Leeds and the National Science Learning Centre. As part of this, we will also explore user feedback to improve the service over time.

The current project will have a very direct impact on the 150,000 psychology students in the UK A-levels, their teachers, and in the medium to longer term on the quality of cognitive psychological research in the UK.

Impact on A-level psychology students:

In any given year, there are around 150,000 psychology students in the UK A-levels. It is generally quite difficult to demonstrate cognitive psychological experiments to these students for a number of reasons (explained in the case for support). The current project can really change this, and this project can really change the way cognitive psychology is being demonstrated to A-level students.

We will offer a web based service in which students can design and run simple (but also complex) psychological experiments. The students will profit from the various types of course material we will be able to distribute with this grant. Altogether, this project will make cognitive psychology a far more exciting and therefore interesting topic for A-level students. Students will profit from this project for many years to come. Once the web server is up and running, it is a sustainable resource. Also, the video documentation will be provided for free on the web, and will be available for years to come.

Given that the service will be entirely free to the end users (both to students, teachers, and schools), there is no reason not to give this project a try. And with the help of the workshops, the video and other online documentation, and the free booklets, this project will be greatly supported by the necessary documentation for both students and teachers.

Impact of A-level psychology teachers:

This grant proposal will strongly engage with A-level psychology teachers. We will provide a number of workshops, papers, and presentations specially for these teachers. Without doubt, this will be in the advantage of those who teach A-level psychology.

Impact on the field of cognitive psychology in the UK:

In the longer run, we believe that this project will have a positive effect on the standing of cognitive psychology in the world. Cognitive psychology is an important domain in psychology, and it is fair to say that researchers in the USA are dominating the field. We believe that our tool will make many more students interested and prepared for academic research in cognitive psychology, which ultimately will benefit the quality of cognitive psychological research in the UK.

Dissemination plan

Apart from the strong internet presence this project will have, we also plan to disseminate it by more traditional means. Not only will we have the workshops, but we also plan to write at least 3 publications for professional magazines/journals about this project.