Course Design Resources
Plan your year to maxmise engagement and achievement.
Here in the orange sections are links to free resources to help you with developing your course.
Below that you can find snapshot advice for each standard, prepared by our resource development and moderation team.
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Help for Starting, Rebooting or Troubleshooting
2.1 Approaches
The most popular standard
6 credits
Internal
Explain a behaviour
2.2 Debates
Dont be scared of this one
3 credits
Internal
Change over time
2.3 Research
Human data collection
4 credits
Internal
Use scientific research methods ethically
2.4 Fields
Real life psychology careers
5 credits
Internal
Careers in Psych include; forensics, environmental, developmental, intelligence
2.5 Ethics
No harm done
3 credits
Internal
Codes of ethics exist to ensure safety for participants.
A common misconception is that a full Human Ethics approval process is needed before undertaking teaching and learning activities in high school level Psychology. It is not. What is essential is that ethical practice is held in the highest regard and best practice followed: compliance is essential. Informed consent must be gained! The rule of thumb is to first consider if the experience deviates from what a student would encounter in daily life. If it does, there are support materials to assist teachers and students such as https://new.censusatschool.org.nz/resource/student-projects-and-ethical-practice/ and these align with the NZPS Code of Ethics that is linked in the Explantory notes in AS 91848.
NB - ethics must also be followed in all settings, and especially in the 2.3 and 3.3 research standards
3.1 Approaches
Emphasis on the interactions
6 credits
Internal
2 approaches compared: theory, methodology and interactions
Top tip from the NZAPT team
Ensure students are familiar with TWO approaches that clearly INTERACT with each other. It is recommended this is based on a theory/model/paradigm which shows how the two approaches interact. For example, the diathesis-stress model is a paradigm that involves biological (diathesis) and environmental (stress) components; this demonstrates how the biological and behavioural approaches interact.
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An example context, behaviour or case study may be provided or chosen by students to assist with their response. For example, OCD.
3.2 Key Research
Significance and impact on society
3 credits
Internal
Analyse significant research and the impact on society
3.3 Conduct Research
Independent with consultation
6 credits
Internal
Test a psychological concept by collecting data
3.4 Fields
One area of real life psychology
4 credits
Internal
Analyse how theories are applied in real-life