Curious grade 12 students from St. Elizabeth Catholic High School in Thornhill, Ont., had the opportunity to experience a real lecture in cognitive psychology at the University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH) alongside current students – a preview of a potential future at the University.
Ashley Acacio’s grade 12 psychology class is currently in the midst of deciding which post-secondary school to attend after graduation, with some interested in pursuing a degree in psychology (a position some U of GH students were in not too long ago!). So, she contacted Dr. Alice Kim, Chair of Psychology and Cognitive Psychology instructor at U of GH, to arrange for an experiential field trip touring campus and sitting in on a lecture.
“They were definitely well prepared, and then when I started giving my lecture, I could see that everyone was so attentive,” Dr. Kim said, adding that she was impressed by the high school students because they participated in her lecture, raising their hands to answer questions. She added that the students were excited to be there and were highly engaged, including on the topic of cognitive perception (how people process information).
Dr. Kim said that by sitting in on her lecture, she wanted the high school students to understand there’s more to the field of psychology than just clinical practices, mental illness and the book of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). “They were exposed to many different concepts, really cool stuff, including the highlights of attention, perception, working memory,” she shared.
Furthermore, Dr. Kim said that she hoped the St. Elizabeth students’ visit to U of GH gave them a taste of university because it’s not necessarily what you see in the movies. Specifically, she wanted them to feel seen at U of GH.
“It's different here because we have this community feel,” she said of the University, due to the tight-knit community and small class sizes – a unique aspect of Guelph-Humber. “At this stage of a course, I always know all my students’ names, like 99 per cent of them. I hope that they saw that. It's not an anonymous space.”
And her advice to grade 12 students thinking about their future? Let your passions lead you. She personally learned this when she nearly pursued being a medical doctor, having started studying biology even as she was intrinsically interested in human behaviour, before making the switch and following her heart.
“You're going to be more motivated and more excited about following your passions. Spend less time thinking about the name of your [future] job title,” Dr. Kim said because jobs can come and go. “It means you work hard and be dedicated to your craft.”
