STP Essays from E-xcellence in Teaching 2005

Biographical Notes on Individual Contributors

Suzanne Baker received an AB in psychology from Davidson College and an MS and PhD in biological psychology from the University of Georgia. She is currently professor and assistant department head in the Department of Psychology at James Madison University, where she teaches Comparative Psychology, Primatology, and a course on companion animal behavior, among other courses. Her area of specialization includes comparative psychology, particularly social behavior and environmental effects on the behavior of laboratory animals. She is a member of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, served as Councilor and Division Secretary for the Psychology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research, and is a member of Project Kaleidoscope's Faculty for the 21^st Century. She is also a member of the Animal Behavior Society and the American Society of Primatologists.

C. James Goodwin is an emeritus professor at Wheeling Jesuit University, where he taught for 30 years before taking an early retirement. He is currently residing in the mountains of North Carolina and is Professor of Psychology at Western Carolina University. He earned a Bachelor's degree from the College of the Holy Cross and a Master's and PhD in experimental psychology from Florida State University, specializing in memory and cognition. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in Divisions 2 (teaching) and 26 (history). His research interests on the empirical side are in the area of cognitive mapping, wayfinding, and spatial cognition, but his prime interest is in the early history of experimental psychology in the United States. He is the author of two undergraduate textbooks, one in research methods (Research in Psychology: Methods and Design) and one in the history of psychology (A History of Modern Psychology).

Linda M. Woolf is a professor of psychology at Webster University where she teaches courses related to the Holocaust, genocide, terrorism, human rights, and peace psychology. She is also coordinator of the Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights. Additionally, she teaches within the International Human Rights and Multicultural Studies programs at Webster. Her research concerns the psychosocial roots of mass violence and genocide, and she is actively involved in the development of curriculum resources related to peace, mass violence, terrorism, torture, refugee studies, and international human rights. She is the 2005-2006 president of the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology Division (Division 48 of APA).

Dr. Aashir Nasim (formerly Charles Lockett) received his doctorate in developmental psychology from Howard University in 2001. He is currently an assistant professor of psychology at James Madison University (JMU), where his primary course is Developmental Psychology. Dr. Nasim has developed several courses for the psychology and honors curriculum at JMU, including Black Psychology, Psychology and Culture, The Psychology of Race and Racism, and The Impact of Culture and Race in America. Dr. Nasim also serves as an affiliate research professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, Center for Cultural Experiences in Prevention, where he conducts research on cultural protective factors against substance use among African American populations. He has been awarded numerous internal and external grants, and has published research articles relevant to race and context in the Journal of Black Psychology and the Journal of Negro Education. In 2003, he provided written commentary on "The changing view of culture and behavior: An interview with Robert Serpell" for The Generalist's Corner in Teaching of Psychology.

Dr. Cheryl Talley is an associate professor of psychology at James Madison University. She completed undergraduate coursework at Northwestern University and received her Bachelor's degree in psychology from JMU. She subsequently received her PhD from the University of Virginia. Dr. Talley teaches courses and conducts research in the area of behavioral pharmacology and memory. Her experience as a scientist and her interest in issues surrounding racial and cultural differences enable her to speak candidly and authentically about the impact of "otherness." She also conducts workshops on cultural diversity in academic, civic, and business settings.

Elliott Hammer is an Associate Professor of Psychology and the John LaFarge Professor in Social Justice at Xavier University of Louisiana. He earned his BA in Psychology at the University of Kansas and his MS and PhD in Experimental Social Psychology at Tulane University. Elliott taught for 4 years at Tennessee State University, where he won the university Teacher of the Year award in 2000. He teaches a number of research classes at Xavier, as well as Cognitive and Social Psychology, as well as a seminar in Stereotyping and Prejudice. He works extensively with students in research endeavors exploring issues of stereotyping and person perception. He also works extensively with the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and the Center for Undergraduate Research. Elliott reserves some time for his wife Elizabeth, their pets, traveling, and the music, food, and culture of New Orleans.

Dr. Tom McGovern is a professor of psychology and integrative studies at Arizona State University at the West campus in Phoenix, Arizona. He is currently working on a book titled: "Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Reading and Writing Memory's Stories", and designing a new degree program in Religious Studies and Applied Ethics. With Jim Korn, Barbara Nodine, and Cecilia Shore, he delivered the Preparing Future Faculty workshop at the 2005 American Psychological Association conference in Washington, DC.

Dana S. Dunn, a social psychologist, is professor of psychology and director of the Learning in Common Curriculum at Moravian College, in Bethlehem, PA. He received his PhD from the University of Virginia in 1987. A fellow of the American Psychological Association, his research and writing interests include social psychology, rehabilitation psychology, and the teaching of psychology. Dunn is the author or editor of six books: The Practical Researcher: A Student Guide to Conducting Psychological Research, Statistics and Data Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, A Short Guide to Writing about Psychology, Measuring Up: Educational Assessment Challenges and Practices for Psychology (edited with C. Mehrotra and J. Halonen), Best Practices for Teaching Introductory Psychology (edited with S. Chew), and the forthcoming Best Practices for Teaching Statistics and Research Methods in the Behavioral Sciences (edited with R. Smith and B. Beins).

Tracie L. Burke, an educational psychologist, is Department Chair and Professor of Behavioral Sciences, and Director of the Honors Program at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee. She received her EdD in educational psychology from the University of Memphis and has given numerous presentations on infusing humor and active learning into the psychology curriculum at regional and national conferences. She was nominated for CASE U.S. Professor of the Year in 2005 and 2006.

David B. Daniel is very involved with the development and evaluation of good teaching practices and pedagogy. In addition to his research in the field of teaching and learning, David is the coordinator of the Society for Research in Child Development's Teaching of Developmental Science Institute; chair of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology's Task Force on Pedagogical Innovations; and managing editor of the journal Mind, Brain, and Education. He also consults in the development of effective electronic pedagogy. David has been the recipient of the Teacher of the Year award for several consecutive years and is now "retired" from contention. His interest in the development of effective teaching has informed his current efforts to develop pedagogy and classroom techniques that positively impact both student learning and teacher performance.

George M. Slavich is originally from Santa Clara, CA. He completed undergraduate and graduate coursework at Stanford University, earning a bachelor's degree with honors in psychology, a master's degree in psychology, and a master's degree in communication. He earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Oregon, and he is currently a psychology intern at McLean Hospital and a clinical fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. In addition to his research, which examines how depression develops and is maintained in adulthood, Slavich has been a champion of student interests in the broadest sense. In 2001 he founded the Stanford Undergraduate Psychology Conference, in 2002 he founded the Western Psychological Association Student Council, and in 2006 he helped found the Society of Clinical Psychology's Section on Graduate Student and Early Career Psychologists (APA, Division 12, Section 10). For these and other contributions he was voted Graduate Teaching Fellow of the Year in 2003 by readers of the Oregon Daily Emerald, and in 2005 he received the Society for the Teaching of Psychology McKeachie Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award.

Lonnie Yandell is professor of psychology and former department chair at Belmont University. He received his PhD in 1982 from Texas Tech University and joined Belmont's faculty in 1985. He stays busy with student research, having sponsored over 200 undergraduate research presentations at campus, local, regional and national research conferences. His teaching responsibilities include cognitive psychology, perception, research methods, and general psychology. He enjoys developing computer-based and online teaching techniques. His most rewarding accomplishments are a wonderful 30-year marriage, two beautiful daughters, and a precious granddaughter. This paper was adapted from his 2005 W. Harold Moon Invited Address, presented at the 17th annual Southeastern Conference on the Teaching of Psychology.

Annette S. Kluck is a PhD candidate in counseling psychology at Texas Tech University and is currently completing her predoctoral internship at Eastern Virginia Medical School. She completed her undergraduate coursework at Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2001, earning a bachelor's degree in psychology and Spanish. Her research examines the influence of external factors on the development of disordered eating behavior. She is also extremely interested in the training of graduate student teaching assistants. This essay was adapted from presentations given at the Texas Tech University Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center; the 2004 APA conference; and the 2005 Midwest Institute for Teachers and Students of Psychology. The opportunity to develop this essay in its original form was made possible through the Texas Tech University TEACH program.

About the Editors

Bryan K. Saville is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he has been since the fall of 2004. Prior to joining the faculty at JMU, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He earned a BA in psychology from the University of Minnesota, a MS in applied psychology from St. Cloud State University, and a PhD in experimental psychology from Auburn University. In 2002, he received the McKeachie Early Career Award from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (Division 2 of APA). Although he has taught numerous courses over the past few years, he currently teaches General Psychology and Psychological Research Methods. His primary research interests are in the teaching of psychology; the experimental analysis of social behavior; and the application of psychological principles to sport, health, and exercise.

Tracy E. Zinn earned her PhD in industrial/organizational psychology with a minor in experimental psychology from Auburn University in 2002. After graduating from Auburn, she accepted a tenure-track position in the Department of Psychology at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, where she was nominated for the Faculty Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching. Currently, she is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she teaches, among others, courses in statistics and research methods, performance management, and industrial/organizational psychology. In addition, she conducts research on effective teaching practices, and faculty and student perceptions of students as customers in higher education.
John E. Williams is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Northern Iowa. He primarily teaches cognitive and intellectual assessment, personality assessment, and supervises graduate clinical practicum.

The individual essays and articles contained within this collection, Essays from E-xcellence in Teaching, 2006, are

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