Professor Jessica McLaughlin participated in the Montgomery College Smithsonian Faculty Fellowship Program in 2017. Dr. McLaughlin incorporated the theme of mental illness stigma in her Introduction to Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 221) course. As one component of addressing this theme, students completed a semester project that involved visiting the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum for a guided tour and scavenger hunt. Based on these visits, students then were to “create” art exhibitions – described in individual papers and group presentations – that conveyed an important message about psychological disorders with the purpose of educating the public about mental illness. Through their projects, students demonstrated empathy and critical thinking about an important and often overlooked topic. Dr. McLaughlin earned her Ph.D. in Psychology at Wayne State University where she received clinical training in therapy and assessment with an emphasis on childhood disorders. She put that training to work with low-income children and families in the Detroit area. At Montgomery College, she is leading the development of an Open Educational Resource (OER) for the General Psychology course. The Montgomery College-Smithsonian Faculty Fellowship is the signature program of the Paul Peck Humanities Institute at Montgomery College, a community college located in suburban Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Since 1998, more than 180 faculty have completed the fellowship—integrating theme-based learning and museum visits into their courses. The program has spurred more than 20,000 visits to the Smithsonian as MC students and their guests travel to various Smithsonian museums, programs and events. Learn more at www.montgomerycollege. edu/humanities.
Broadcast In: English Duration: 0:11:48