P&N Hosts Psychology One Conference

Psychology One conference

Duke’s Department of Psychology and Neuroscience hosted the Psychology One Conference this week in partnership with Stanford University. The Psychology One Conference is an intimate event dedicated to the teaching of introductory psychology. The conference was directed by P&N faculty member, Bridgette Martin Hard, who founded the conference and has organized it for the last seven years. 

“Introductory psychology acts as the spokesperson of psychology to millions of undergraduates every year," Hard said. "The course recruits talented students to our field, but is also the only point of contact that many students have with psychology. Not only is the course highly significant, but it is also daunting to teach because of its breadth of content, high enrollment, and diverse students. This conference brings together instructors all over the country who teach introductory psychology. It offers them fresh ideas and strategies, a sense of community, and a reminder of what an incredible opportunity it is to teach introductory psychology.”

This year’s conference was held in Penn Pavilion and attended by about 75 instructors representing private and public universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, and high schools. Featured speakers included Elizabeth Yost Hammer of Xavier University in Louisiana, who provided practical tips for developing students’ critical thinking skills in introductory psychology. The conference also featured Duke’s own Professor Michael Tomasello, who shared his expertise on what makes humans distinct from other species.