All AS/A-levels are co-teachable: The tables also show how standalone AS exams fit with the full A-level.

Transcription

1 March 2015 a briefing nte frm PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW magazine A-level psychlgy New specificatins Cara Flanagan The new A-levels: the headlines All AS/A-levels are c-teachable: The tables als shw hw standalne AS exams fit with the full A-level. Mst specificatins cntain much that is familiar: This dcument fcuses n the key tpics in each f the specificatins, indicating the key differences between the fur specificatins. AS versus A-level standard: what the ntinal 17 year ld can d vs the ntinal 18 year ld. The assessment bjectives AO1: Descriptin, knwledge and understanding f scientific ideas, prcesses, techniques and prcedures. AO2: Apply knwledge and understanding f scientific ideas, prcesses, techniques and prcedures. AO3: Analyse, interpret and evaluate scientific infrmatin, ideas and evidence, including in relatin t issues, t: (1) make judgements and reach cnclusins (2) develp and refine practical design and prcedures. Research methds Each qualificatin has a minimum 25% research methds marks including a minimum 10% maths skills. (NB previus specificatins had abut 25% research methds s there is really little change). Maths skills include, fr example, interpreting graphs, selecting sample, calculating mean, chsing inferential test. Research methds questins may be AO1, AO2, AO3. Students are allwed calculatrs in the exam. The fllwing calculatins may be required: Mean, median, mde, range and percentages, fractins, decimals, ratis. Sme bards may als require the calculatin f variance and standard deviatin. The sign test (add up pluses and minus and S = smallest value). Inferential statistics: insert crrect values int a frmula (supplied) as part f a calculatin. Calculate degrees f freedm 1

2 The new specificatins: cntent and skills The tables are intended t give a fairly brief summary f each specificatin and exam AQA Standalne AS Paper 1 (1½ hurs, 50%) Scial influence Cnfrmity, bedience, minrity influence Memry Mdels, frgetting, EWT Attachment Stages, theries, deprivatin Paper 2 (1½ hurs, 50%) Appraches and bipsychlgy Wundt, behaviurist, SLT, cgnitive, bilgical (nervus and endcrine systems) Psychpathlgy Definitins, treatments and therapies: behaviurist apprach fr phbias, cgnitive apprach fr depressin, bilgical apprach fr OCD Research methds N inferential statistics except sign test A-level Paper 1 (2 hurs, 33.3%) Tpics same as fr AS: Scial influence Memry Attachment Psychpathlgy Paper 2 (2 hurs, 33.3%) Tpics same t AS with sme additins: Appraches: AS cntent plus psychdynamic and humanistic Bipsychlgy: AS cntent plus mre tpics (e.g. bilgical rhythms) Research methds: AS cntent plus inferential statistics Paper 3 (2 hurs, 33.3%) Cmpulsry: Issues and debates (24 marks, shrt questins and may be ne extended writing) Chse ne frm each grup (24 marks each): Relatinships OR Gender OR Cgnitin & develpment Schizphrenia OR Eating behaviur OR Stress Aggressin OR Frensic psychlgy OR Addictin Brief ntes n exam style Exam questins n AS and A-level similar (descriptin, evaluatin, applicatin, research methds) Extended writing questins: AS: 12 marks (6 AO1 and 6 AO3), A-level: 16 marks (6 AO1 and 10 AO3), questins may be mre challenging May include AO2 cntext 2

3 Edexcel Standalne AS Paper 1 (1½ hurs, 50%) Scial psychlgy, includes Obedience (explanatins, study: Milgram) Prejudice (explanatins, study: Sherif) Individual differences, develpmental psychlgy One ther study: Burger OR Reicher & Haslam OR Chrs et al. Self-reprt methds, ethics, data types + practical research exercise Key questin, e.g. reduce prejudice Cgnitive psychlgy Memry (mdels/types, studies: Bartlett + Baddeley) Individual differences, develpmental psychlgy in memry One ther study: Schmlck et al. OR Steyvers and Hemmer OR Sebastián and Hernández-Gil Experiments + Mann-Whitney + practical research exercise Case study (HM) Key questin, e.g. dementia Paper 2 (1½ hurs, 50%) Bilgical psychlgy Central nervus system, drugs, brain, evlutin, hrmnes Aggressin (bilgical vs Freud s explanatin) Individual differences, develpmental psychlgy One study: Raine et al. + ne ther: Li et al. OR Brendgen et al. OR Van den Oever et al. Crrelatin + bilgical methds (e.g. fmri) + ne twin study + ne adptin study + practical research exercise Key questin, e.g. drug therapy Learning thery Classical cnditining (Pavlv) + perant cnditining (shaping) + scial learning (Bandura et al.) Applied t phbias (systematic desensitisatin + ne ther treatment) Individual differences, develpmental psychlgy One study: Watsn and Rayner + ne ther: Becker et al. OR Brck Bastian et al. OR Capafns et al. Observatin, animal research + practical research exercise Key questin, e.g. anrexia A-level Paper 1 (2 hurs, 35%) Sectins A D As fr AS papers 1 and 2, plus sme further research methds tpics = 70 ut f ttal 90 marks Sectin E Issues and debates applied t scial, cgnitive and bilgical psychlgy and learning theries = 20 marks (tw extended respnse questins) Paper 2 (2 hurs, 35%) Cmpulsry: Clinical psychlgy (54 marks) Chse ne (45 marks): Criminlgical psychlgy Child psychlgy (attachment and day care, autism) Health psychlgy (drug addictin) Paper 3 (2 hurs, 30%) Research methds (24 marks) Synptic review (24 marks, tw extended respnse questins n psychlgical studies in Paper 1) Issues and debates (32 marks, tw extended respnse questins) Brief ntes n exam style Research methds integrated thrughut. AS: cntextualised questins, maximum 8 marks. 3

4 AL: cntextualised questins, maximum 8 marks. Extended writing maximum 20 marks. Extended writing questins fr AS and A level are maximum f 20 marks. OCR Standalne AS Paper 1 (1½ hurs, 50%) Research methds All tpics cvered at AS including inferential statistics. Paper 2 (1 ½ hurs, 50%) Sectin A: Cre studies: 5 classic + 5 cntemprary studies + 5 key themes Scial: Milgram, Bcchiar et al. Cgnitive: Lftus and Palmer, Grant et al. Develpmental: Bandura et al., Chaney et al. Bilgical: Sperry, Casey et al. Individual differences: Freud, Barn-Chen et al. Sectin B: Areas, perspectives and debates Sectin C: Practical applicatins (apply cntent t a nvel surce). This sectin is wrth 1/3 f the marks fr the ttal paper it is very imprtant! A-level Paper 1 (2 hurs, 30%) Research methds (as fr AS) Paper 2 (2 hurs, 35%) Sectin A: Cre studies: as fr AS plus 10 new studies and themes Scial: Piliavin et al., Levine et al. Cgnitive: Mray, Simn and Chabris Develpmental: Khlberg, Lee et al. Bilgical: Blakemre and Cper, Maguire et al. Individual differences: Guld, Hancck et al. Sectin B: Areas, perspectives and debates (as fr AS) Sectin C: Practical applicatins (as fr AS) Paper 3 (2 hurs, 35%) Cmpulsry: Issues in mental health: explanatins and 3 key studies (Rsenhan, Gttesman et al., Szasz) Chse tw frm (rr each there are 6 tpics each with backgrund, key study, applicatin): Child psychlgy Criminal Envirnmental Sprt and exercise Brief ntes n exam style Paper 1: Research methds nly, with sme multiple chice questins. A-level paper mre challenging. Paper 2: Extended writing questins lnger fr A-level. All 3 sectins 33% f ttal mark. Sectin 3 invlves applicatin f knwledge t an unfamiliar scenari. Paper 3 (A level nly): All questins extended writing (e.g. 10 r 15 marks). 4

5 WJEC/Eduqas All Welsh centres required t d WJEC. WJEC is nt available t English centres fllws current 4- unit scheme. Standalne AS Paper 1 (1¾ hurs, 50%) Past t present. Fr each apprach: assumptins applied t explaining relatinships, ne therapy, named classic study, named cntemprary debate Bilgical apprach: assumptins, drug therapy OR psychsurgery; Raine et al., debate: ethics f neurscience Psychdynamic apprach: assumptins, dream analysis OR psychdrama; Bwlby, debate: mther as primary care-giver Behaviurist apprach: assumptins, aversin therapy OR systematic desensitisatin, Watsn and Rayner; debate: cnditining as behaviur cntrl Cgnitive apprach: assumptins, CBT OR REBT; Lftus and Palmer; debate: reliability f EWT Psitive psychlgy: assumptins, mindfulness OR quality f life therapy; Myers and Diener; debate: relevance t tday s sciety Paper 2 (1¾ hurs, 50%) Research methds, including Milgram and Khlberg A-level Paper 1 (2¼ hurs, 33.3%) Past t present: AS cntent plus, fr each apprach: Assumptins applied t mre than ne behaviur Classic research evaluated in terms f ethical issues. Paper 2 (2¼ hurs, 33.3%) Research methds: AS cntent plus sme mre tpics Persnal investigatin: tw identified each year and questins asked in exam. Paper 3 (2¼ hurs, 33.3%) Applicatins, chse 3 frm 6. Fr each: bilgical, individual differences and scial explanatins (at least 2 f each); methds f mdifying the behaviurs Addictive behaviurs Autistic spectrum behaviurs Bullying behaviurs Criminal behaviurs Schizphrenia Stress Cntrversies: Cultural bias, ethical csts f cnducting research, nn-human animals, scientific status, sexism 5

6 Brief ntes n exam style Questins much mre unpredictable than previusly. Aside frm research methds, mst questins are extended writing, 6 25 marks. AO2 (applicatin) marks in research methds questins and essays (qutes, cmpare and cntrast, applying assumptins t named behaviurs). N questins where knwledge has t be applied t unfamiliar scenari. 6

7 What the REVIEW prvides fr the new specificatins Cntent Articles in Vlume 21 include: Fathers and attachment A barrister n eyewitness testimny Develpment f cgnitive neurscience Fina Gabbert n cgnitive interviews Assessment Tips fr AS AQA, OCR and Wjec Hw t answer Edexcel bedience questins Why I did the EPQ Regular Exam fcus clumn lking at sample questins Quantitative skills New regular clumn Matt s maths, by Matt Jarvis Regular research methds articles, starting with a lk at prblematic variables Stretch and challenge Richard Grss revisits classic studies, ffering new analysis New regular Sapbx clumn taking a stand n an issue Independent learning Hundreds f past articles n key A-level tpics fr students t develp their research skills. Recent back issues include extra resurces such as pdcasts, teaching activities and e- reviews Excitement Experts in the field write specifically fr A- level students Interviews with key figures in psychlgy Life after A-levels: lking frward t university and careers PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW is a magazine written fr A-level students by leading experts, academics, teachers and examiners. There are fur issues per year, published in September, Nvember, February and April, as well as regular e-review updates and additinal nline resurces including teacher and revisin supprt. Fr mre infrmatin n hw PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW will engage, mtivate and challenge students thrugh the new specs, visit: 7

8 Meet the demands f the new A-level specificatins with Hdder Educatin PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW magazine Celebrating its 20th year, PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW is written specifically fr A-level students, with articles that braden their understanding f psychlgical cncepts and research. Fur print issues per year, as well as regular e-review updates and additinal nline resurces including teacher and revisin supprt. Visit fr mre infrmatin n hw PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW will engage, mtivate and challenge students thrugh the new specificatins Authritative textbks, digital teaching slutins and tp selling revisin guides Equip yur students with the knwledge and skills that they need fr the new AS and A-level specificatins with textbks fr AQA (selected fr the fficial apprval prcess) OCR (publishing partner) and Edexcel (endrsed). Dynamic Learning is the cmplete nline subscriptin slutin that supprts teachers and students with high quality cntent and unique tls t make teaching and learning easier Our study skills (Student Wrkbks) and revisin resurces (Student Guides and My Revisin Ntes) will help yur students prgress with cnfidence thrugh the specificatins. Visit fr all the latest infrmatin n ur print and digital resurces fr AQA, OCR and Edexcel. Philip Allan CPD events and nline seminars t prepare fr the new specificatins AQA Psychlgy: The New Specificatin fr Teaching frm 2015 with Cara Flanagan and Jean- Marc Lawtn Lndn: 9 March 2015 Manchester: 10 March 2015 Preparing fr the New OCR Psychlgy A-Level Specificatin with Sandy Latham Lndn: 20 March 2015 Manchester: 24 April 2015 Psychlgy A-level: Research Methds and Mathematical Skills with Hugh Clican and Cara Flanagan Lndn: 2 July 2015 Visit t bk yur place tday 8