Course Description
See Reviews of Instructor Bonnie Gonzalez
This live graded online psychology class for high school is aligned with the CLEP psychology exam. Students who do well on the exam earn college credit.
Have you ever awakened from a nightmare and wondered why you had such a frightening dream? Or have you ever become depressed or anxious and wondered whether you will ever feel normal? Ever thought about what triggers your bad moods? Or, have you considered why in some situations you have perfect self-control and at other times feel so out of control?
Our study in Intro to Psychology will answer questions like these about our behavior – how and why we think, feel, and act as we do. Through an investigation of the topics of neuroscience, the nature and nurture of development, sensation and perception, methods of learning, memory, intelligence, motivation, emotion, personality, and psychological disorders you will learn about both historical and contemporary perspectives in the field of psychology.
Our themes for the class this year will be Improving our Memory and Setting Realistic Goals. Using research on memory and cognition students will be encouraged to complete monthly exercises to enhance memory, set SMART goals and improve their growth mindset. Each month I will provide new exercises that touch on this theme as well as an additional lecture on the theme for the month.
Course Structure
This is a highly interactive class which includes participation in two live components per week. These live components include a one-hour live lecture where the instructor will present concepts which are covered in corresponding chapters, and a one-hour live chat time where students will see psychology in action through web presentations and videos of classic psychological studies. Students will have opportunity to ask questions and interact with the instructor during both live sessions. Discussion is encouraged. Although both of the live components will be available throughout the year for downloading, students are encouraged to participate in the live sessions.
Assignments for the class will include chapter tests and essays, completion of sample “psychological assessments”, performing classical and operant conditioning experiments, and building a virtual brain and nervous system. A final project of designing and implementing a mini-research study using class participants will further assist the student in learning about research into the field of psychology. Using the experimental method, the student will learn to develop a survey, to understand the basics of correlational research, to use simple descriptive statistics, and to complete an experimental write-up of their project.
Students can expect to spend about 4-6 hours per week on this course. This includes reading the assigned texts, answering multiple-choice questions, writing essays, discussing class work, and participating in the weekly online chats and live lectures.
Who should enroll?
This class is for high school students in grades 9-12 who are looking for an interactive class where they can learn about behavior.
Technology Requirements
- High speed, broadband Internet
- Sound card and microphone (for live sessions)
- Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures
Evaluation and Feedback
Students and parents will receive weekly email updates regarding topics covered, assignments, and readings due that week. Work will be graded within a week from the due date of the assignment. In addition to the regular work for the class, there are also several optional assignments where students can earn extra credit.
Bi-weekly tests and essays will be given to assess comprehension of the material. Three major projects will be required: group brain project, memory map, mini-research project. Weekly assignments related to the topics we are covering are required. Weekly optional assignments will also be posted for students who are interested in additional knowledge about the topics.
My grading policy is liberal. It is my goal to have the students learn the concepts and give them the opportunity to earn the grade that they would like. I respond to communication via email within 24 hours.
Communication
Parents are welcome to contact me via email with any questions about the class. Registration is open to all students in grades 9-12.
Chloe Johnson –
Bonnie Gonzalez’s class was challenging but obtainable. I liked all the written lectures and videos she gave on top of the textbook material live chats and lectures because it helped deepen my understanding of the material. She is a skilled public speaker and the chats and lectures were always well organized with her using the time well even if the internet was temperamental. It was easy and encouraged to communicate with her on the platform, and she always responded promptly. My favorite assignment was the mind map because it used what we had learned about memory strategies (hierarchies) and applied it to a different subject – effectively killing two birds with one stone.
Lydia R. –
I absolutely loved taking Mrs. Gonzalez’s psychology class! She presented the material in an understandable and fun way. Mrs. G is super knowledgeable and will timely answer any questions. Her excitement and passion for psychology was contagious!
J.C. –
The class was awesome. Mrs. G was so kind and presented the material in such an informative and interesting way with projects that reinforced the learning. It was challenging but so much fun and I looked forward to completing the assignments and projects!
A.C. –
The honors psychology course taught by Mrs. Gonzalez has been absolutely wonderful! J. learned so much as evidenced by talking about a lecture or video presented to him. It completely exceeded our expectations. My son loved the class. He was so engrossed with the lecture and material presented to him throughout the year. The class is presented by Mrs. Gonzalez in such a way that the student is eager to engage, inquire, and collaborate. Mrs. Gonzalez is clearly passionate about her work and her experience really translates into the projects and assignments given to the child. J. learned so much this year and wants to take more courses such as this. I thank Mrs. Gonzalez for her commitment and passion to teaching!
H. S. –
Mrs. G is a great teacher. I am enjoying the class.
Julie S. –
The course has increased my daughter’s interest in Psychology. It’s hard not to get caught up in Mrs. G. enthusiasm. I find myself listening to some of the lectures too.
Kenyon R. –
Mrs. Gonzales is an excellent psychology teacher. She clearly explains concepts in a way that makes intuitive sense. She is an engaging lecturer that compares approaches in psychology in a way that clearly shows the different ways in which the human mind is viewed. The format of the class worked well with my schedule while still being rigorous enough to make it possible for me get Intro to Psychology college credit through the CLEP psychology exam with very little extra study. Moreover, the CLEP exam proctor commented that my score was the highest CLEP psychology exam that she had ever seen–a testament to Mrs. Gonzales’ teaching skills.