Okay, so I’ve been digging into InThinking for IB Psychology lately, and let me tell you, it’s been a bit of a journey. I wanted to share my experience, from the initial “what is this?” to actually using it effectively.
First, I heard about InThinking from some other IB teachers. They were raving about it, so I figured I’d check it out. I went to the website, and honestly, at first, I was a little overwhelmed. There’s SO much stuff there.
Getting Started
I started by poking around the free resources. They have some decent introductory materials, which gave me a general feel for the platform’s layout. I browsed through the topics, seeing how things were organized. It’s broken down by the core approaches (biological, cognitive, sociocultural) and then the options (abnormal, developmental, health, relationships). Pretty standard IB stuff.
Diving into the Subscription
After playing with the free stuff, I decided to bite the bullet and get a subscription. It’s not cheap, but I figured if it saved me time and helped my students, it would be worth it. Once I had access to everything, I really started exploring.
- I began with the “Getting Started” section – super helpful for understanding how InThinking structures its content and suggests using it.
- Then, I moved onto the specific units I was teaching. I checked out the “Student Activities.”
- I printed out a few activities, and I really like some of the critical thinking questions.
Practical in class
I tested some of the InThinking activities in my classroom.
I used some of the activities in class, and they actually sparked some good discussions.
My students also used the website for some independent research.
Some of students found it a bit confusing at first, just like me, but they got the hang of it.
My Overall Impression (So Far!)
I’m still fairly new to using InThinking regularly, it’s definitely a powerful resource.
The sheer volume of content can be a bit much to handle, but it’s also a strength.
I’m finding new things to use all the time.
It’s made my planning easier, and I think it’s helping my students learn more effectively.
I’m going to keep using it and see how it goes throughout the year!
