The purpose of this project is to incorporate laboratory equipment and technology necessary to 1) effectively teach empirically-based undergraduate psychology and sociology courses, 2) encourage undergraduate students to pursue research interests, and 3) increase psychology - sociology interdisciplinary projects.
The project establishes an undergraduate experimental psychology laboratory at the College, comprised of 12 PCs, Biopac student lab, Eprime, and SPSS. Adams State College is a small institution with a very diverse undergraduate population (28.8% Hispanic, 2.2% African American, 1.5% Native American, and 1.5% Asian American). The new equipment is being used to increase teaching effectiveness by allowing students to critically evaluate scientific findings by replicating and modifying classic experiments in the laboratory. This "hands-on" experience is providing elaboration of textbook material and making classic psychology experiments meaningful to the students. The laboratory is serving also to encourage undergraduate students to pursue research interests by exposing them to the research process.
At Adams State College, the psychology department is the second largest undergraduate department with 123 majors, including approximately 41 double majors in sociology. These double-majors are now learning to perform quantitative and qualitative research in field-based psychology and sociology research projects. Altogether, these changes are expected to enhance student learning, motivate undergraduates to pursue graduate studies in experimental psychology, and increase cross-disciplinary research between psychology and sociology faculty and students.
Effectiveness of this laboratory is being assessed using two separate measures. Results will be posted on the web and disseminated to other schools through regional meetings and conferences.
