The field of psychology is not only my career but also my passion. You might even call me a “psychology nerd.” Much of my free time is spent reading about new and interesting developments in the field. I have taught Introductory Psychology, Neuroscience, and the Science of Happiness classes to homeschool students and college students, and have taught AP Psychology for many years. My degrees include an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology and a B.A. in Psychology, both from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Contact: bgonzalez[at]aimacademy.online
Instructor Category: Bonnie Gonzalez
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Intro to Psychology
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Course Syllabus (coming)
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 topics such as neuroscience, the nature-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 that includes participation in two live components per week. These live components include a one-hour live lecture in which the instructor presents concepts covered in the corresponding chapters, and a one-hour live chat where students will see psychology in action through web presentations and videos of classic psychological studies. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the instructor during both live sessions. Discussion is encouraged. Although both live components will be available for download throughout the year, 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 in the field of psychology. Using the experimental method, the student will learn to develop a survey, understand the basics of correlational research, use simple descriptive statistics, and 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 classwork, and participating in 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 course on 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 of the assignment’s due date. In addition to the regular classwork, there are several optional assignments that allow students to earn extra credit.
Bi-weekly tests and essays will be given to assess comprehension of the material. Three major projects will be required: the group brain project, the memory map, and the mini-research project. Weekly assignments related to the topics we are covering are required. Weekly optional assignments will also be posted for students interested in further knowledge of the topics.
My grading policy is liberal. It is my goal to have students learn the concepts and give them the opportunity to earn the grade they want. I respond to communication via email within 24 hours.
Communication
Parents are welcome to email me with any questions about the class. Registration is open to all students in grades 9-12.
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Neuroscience
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This is a highly interactive class that includes participation in two live components per week. These live components include a one-hour live lecture in which the instructor will present concepts covered in the corresponding chapters of both the class textbook and other suggested books for the class, and a one-hour lab where students will explore the neuroanatomy of the brain and nervous system and survey many topics in neuroscience. During the labs, students will view videos and websites on neuroanatomy. We will also complete labs on topics in neuroscience, including learning, memory, artificial intelligence, morality, emotions, perception, sleep, addiction, and decision-making. Material in this class will also cover the neuroscience of psychological disorders and treatment. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the instructor during both live sessions. Discussion is encouraged. Although both live components will be available for download throughout the year, students are encouraged to participate in the live sessions.
Assignments for the class will include chapter tests and essays, in-class labs, 5 final lab reports per semester, and a final project per semester. This final project will incorporate many of the concepts we learned during the semester and teach the student to incorporate their knowledge into a working model of how neuroscience affects thinking and behavior. These projects may include, but are not limited to, studying artificial intelligence, measuring and regulating sleep, teaching yourself a new skill (studying brain plasticity), analyzing decision-making, and creating a virtual brain. Students will be required to present these projects to the class during the last week of each semester.
Students can expect to spend about 4-6 hours per week on this course. This includes reading the assigned texts, writing lab reports and essays, discussing classwork, and participating in the weekly online live lectures and labs.
First Semester:
The first semester class will focus on the anatomy and physiology of the brain and the nervous system. Students will be introduced to the various brain regions and their functions. We will explore the neurons (the basic building blocks of the nervous system) and the neurotransmitters that allow neurons to communicate and control our various behaviors and emotions. We will examine brain plasticity and artificial intelligence, and explore the neuroscience underlying many of our behaviors. Specific topics for this class will include, but not be limited to:
- Neurons: The Building Blocks of the Brain and Nervous System
- Neurotransmitters: Chemical Messengers in the Brain and Body
- Brain Anatomy: The hindbrain and cerebellum
- Brain Anatomy: The midbrain and the limbic system
- Brain Anatomy: Lobes and areas of importance in the cerebral cortex
- Measuring the Brain: EEG, MEG, CT scan, MRI, fMRI, PET Scan, DTI
- Artificial Intelligence: How to Build Your Own Robot
- Braining Wiring: The Outside Comes Inside
- Rewiring Your Brain: The Art of Working with Plastic
- How the Brain Remembers and Sometimes Forgets
- Ways to Improve Memory Using Neuroscience
- Attention, Awareness, and Multitasking
- How the Brain Learns: Conditioning and Modeling
Second Semester:
In the second-semester neuroscience course, we will spend the first week reviewing the building blocks of the nervous system by examining neurons and brain anatomy. During the remainder of the semester, we will dive into various topics related to how the brain influences ALL that we do. Topics will range from a study of how and why we sleep to how our brain makes decisions, to the neurological origins of psychological disorders. More specifically, the topics we will be covering each week include:
- Review of the Basics – Neurons and Brain Structures
- The Neuroscience of Decision-Making
- Biases and Heuristics – the Shortcuts
- The Moral Brain – How We Decide What is Right and Wrong
- Emotions: Brain Pathways of Fear, Anger, and Happiness
- Vision and Perception – What Are Brain Want to See
- Sleep – Why Sleep Matters to the Brain
- Exercise – How Exercise Changes the Brain
- Pleasure and Pain – How Our Brain Experiences Both
- Addiction and the Brain- How We Become Addicted to Everything From Caffeine to the Internet
- Hardwired for Social Behavior – Why Our Brain Needs Others
- Psychological Disorders and the Brain – Depression and Anxiety
- Psychological Disorders Part 2 – Schizophrenia, Dissociative Disorders, and Learning Disorders
- How Treatment for Psychological Disorders Affects the Brain
Course Structure
Students in Neuroscience will receive a weekly email on Monday morning with directions for the week’s readings, assignments, and any lab preparation. A complete list of lab materials will be sent before the start of class. Tuesday’s class will be a lecture, where we will explore the week’s topics. Videos and websites will be used to enhance learning. Our Thursday session will be a lab-style session with videos and virtual experiments, in collaboration with other students in the class. The first half of the year will feature more content in neuroanatomy: neurons, neurotransmitters, and brain structure and function. Topics in neuroscience, such as memory, sleep, decision-making, and the neuroscience of psychological disorders, will be presented in both the latter half of the first semester and throughout the second semester.
Students will be required to complete most assignments, tests, and essays within one week of the assignment being posted. Discussion boards will be used for class discussions of topics covered during a particular week, or for collaboration with other students on assignments and labs.Who should enroll?
This class is for high school students in grades 9-12 who are looking for an interactive course on neuroanatomy and neuroscience. A background in biology is suggested but not required. This class also has a lab requirement where we will work as a class to complete assignments. Students should be willing to work with others in a virtual environment.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. Semester grades will be sent to each student with comments on progress in the class. Work will be graded within a week of the assignment’s due date. In addition to the regular classwork, there are several optional assignments that allow students to earn extra credit. Since this class has a lab component, students will be required to complete a lab write-up for at least 5 labs each semester.Communication
- Communication with parents and students will occur via email. My virtual office door is always open. Students and parents are encouraged to email me with questions and requests at any time. I respond to email communication within 24 hours.