New resource: Psychlotron.org.uk

This week I stumbled upon a terrific site and wanted to share it with you all. Psychlotron.org.uk provides some excellent resources created by and for British teachers who are preparing their students for A levels.  In the past few days I've just clicked on a few links and already discovered the following tons of handouts, activities and demonstrations that could be used as they are or modified slightly for US psychology classes of all kinds. Here are some of the best sections I've found so far:

• Research methods: Research design, Experimental research, Ethics, Data analysis
• Perspectives: Biological, Evolutionary, Learning Theory, Cognitive, Psychodynamic, Humanistic
• Core areas: Biological, Cognitive, Developmental, Individual Differences, Social

The site is a labor of love by a teacher, Aidan Sammons, who told me that the site was an offshoot of an online site for UK psych teachers. Most of the resources were created by Aidan and some other teachers, but there were far fewer contributors than he expected: "The anticipated (by me) flood of contributors never really materialised, hence the existence on the site of empty categories.  These are areas that are covered by the syllabi of the major UK pre-degree examination boards but for which I have no materials written and have never been sent any.  I suppose they're the website equivalent of those motorway off-ramps that stop in mid-air."

Aidan also noted that the materials have changed over the years as his teaching has, something we can all relate to. As he put it, "the earliest indicate a very didactic approach, the latest one that is far more epistemically-oriented and question-driven and the ones in the middle an unhealthy interest in animating things and in boxes with rounded corners."  :-)

Check it out! If you find some amazing things (like my P.S. below) be sure to post them in the comments!    --posted by Steve



P. S. If you have not seen this ESP test before you MUST use it as soon as possible. The PDF explaining it can be found here - I converted the original file from Psychlotron and changed the URL - but the video link is here. I'm trying this Monday in class and I know it'll blow their critical thinking minds.