Subject: Computers in the Curriculum Project Proposal
From: George-Harold Jennings
Date: June 20, 2003
Class - The course that I have decided to work on for this project is Psyc 107 Theories of
Personality. In the fall of 2003, I will teach two sections of this course.
Technology - The following technology will be used from the workshop:
1)Microsoft PowerPoint,Video Capturing, and Image Inserting
For years I have used a “questionnaire” by Potkay and Allen (1986)* that was designed to help students identify their “Personal Personality Theory.” The questionnaire consists of 10 items that tap into some of the most important themes we will study in the course. The following is a sample item:
Human behavior results primarily from heredity, what has been genetically transmitted by parents, or from environment, the external circumstances and experiences that shape a person after conception has occurred.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
heredity ______environment
So what is the correct answer? Actually, this and the other items in the
questionnaire point to controversies in personality theorizing. All of the answers
are open to debate. Students are expected to circle the number per item that best
captures their thinking at the time.
My goal is to add “dynamic life” to the questionnaire, by turning it into a
PowerPoint presentation. Students will have a chance to ponder their answer to a
question. In subsequent slides, they will be able to see evidence gathered by me in
support of the two major competing perspectives on the question. My evidence
will include sources such as websites, and key writings by proponents of the
various positions. In some cases I will include video clips of the proponents
themselves addressing the issue or video clips of information that supports a
viewpoint.
2)Macromedia Flash
I expect to create a flash animation of the Jungian Cross. Given my theoretical
orientation, the Jungian Cross is an important concept, and it is one that I base my
course on. In the past I have always depended on the overhead projector and
transparencies to present the cross which depicts the four psychological functions
identified by Jung. The functions are: thinking, feeling, sensing, and intuiting.
The images that I needed to manipulate when I taught the course in the past looked
something like the following.
The thinking and feeling are always opposite each other, and sensing (sensation)
and intuiting (intuition) are always opposite each other. A key point to be made in
discussing this concept is the belief that the functions are not organized the same
way in everyone. In some people thinking is dominant, but in others feeling or
intuiting may be dominant. Of course using transparencies, I would have to rotate
the transparencies as well as do overlays. The use of Macromedia Flash would
make those actions unnecessary.
3)Blackboard
My goal is to make the PowerPoint and Flash presentations a part of Blackboard.
The dynamic questionnaire will be an important tool for my students, especially
early in the course. The Flash presentation will give them a better sense of how
Jung intended the psychological functions to be understood.
Finally, following your suggestion, I called the publisher of the text I intend to use
in the theories course to ask if a course cartridge was available. Although the
answer was no, Houghton Mifflin Company has a series of recommended website
and links to information germane to the class. Once I receive the email from the
publisher with the links, I will review them, and if they work well with my course,
as I assume they will, I will add them to Blackboard.
Objectives – Blackboard will be the center piece of my project. Blackboard will be the place to go to for all types of information in this course designed to promote deeper and more immediate understanding of key concepts. In the end, this will also enhance the organization of the course, which is always a plus for teacher and students.
Timeframes – I want this all in place and ready to go by August 31, 2003 (my target date).
*Potkay, C.R., and Allen, B.P., Personality: Theory, research and application. Wadsworth,
Inc., 1986