Speaker: A/P Stuart Derbyshire

Title: A Rapid Update on the HBRA and a Discussion of Blended Learning For NUS Psychology

Date: Friday 2 September, 1-2 pm 

Venue: AS4/02-08 (Psychology Department Meeting Room) 

Abstract:

Research and education at NUS both face new challenges. In July 2015, the Human Biomedical Research Act (HBRA) became law and entered a “sunrise period,” which will soon end. The progress of the Act and its implications will be briefly presented before the more substantial discussion of blended learning. Following encouragement from the provost, last year the Psychology Blended Learning Taskforce (PBLT) began overseeing the introduction of blended learning in our department. The first year is now complete and we can report on the 31 modules that were blended during 2015/2016. Our preliminary findings indicate lukewarm support for blended learning with both faculty and students seeing value in the exercise but both expressing concern about the extra time investment. In this talk I will specifically explore the “active learning” component of blended learning and suggest that we are yet to implement active learning and so we are still to effectively test blended learning. Blended learning is not simply a typical lecture supported by online lectures and in-class quizzes and discussion. Blended learning has the potential to eradicate lectures entirely, and transform the way we evaluate and teach our students.

About the Speaker:

 Stuart is an Associate Professor in Psychology at NUS and a member of the Psychology Blended Learning Taskforce. He has taught psychology in the USA and Britain and has been at NUS since 2013. He has a joint appointment with the A*STAR/NUS Clinical Imaging Research Centre.