Introduction to Psychology

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Course options: Live or Asynchronous

Grades: 9th-12th (14+)

Course dates: August 17, 2026 to May 7, 2027

Course length: Traditional, full year

Live Sessions - attendance required: Mondays | 12-1 p.m. Eastern

Course size:

Live: 15 students
Asynchronous: 15 students

Instructor: Emily Hinman

Cost: Live: $725 | Asynchronous: $700

Emily Hinman - AP Precalculus, Introduction to Psychology, AP Psychology ehinman.bluetent[at]gmail.com

More about Emily Hinman

Emily Hinman brings nearly 20 years of international experience in education to Blue Tent. After graduating from Cleveland State University with an MA in Clinical Counseling Psychology and a School Psychologist license, she and her husband moved to Tbilisi, Georgia, where she taught Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Precalculus, and AP Calculus.

Moving then to Vilnius, Lithuania, she taught AP Psychology and worked as a Guidance Counselor at the American International School of Vilnius. Along this journey, she obtained a teaching certification in Special Education and Mathematics from the University of Missouri and a Graduate Certificate in Mind, Brain, and Learning from Johns Hopkins University.

In Skopje, Northern Macedonia, she began teaching online, and she has worked online with students from all over the world over the last seven years, teaching Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Precalculus, AP Statistics, and AP Psychology.

Currently, Emily lives on a small farm in Ispank, Hungary, with her husband, four children, four dogs, five chickens, and two rabbits. Her children all attend a local Hungarian school, learning Hungarian as a native language. Emily and her husband take full responsibility for teaching them to read and write in English as well as to become productive members of the household. The Hinman family loves reading, cooking, hiking, gardening, and running together.

Emily understands the importance of technology in our lives. She believes that to work effectively with young learners, she needs to incorporate new educational resources that capture their attention. At the same time, she has a deep desire to maintain strong personal relationships in her classes. Her goal is for students to feel they are working with a caring person who can be trusted to help them learn from both their successes and failures.

Feedback on Emily Hinman

Course Details

This online, live Introduction to Psychology course for high school homeschoolers will provide students with an introduction to the field of psychology. We will explore the past, present, and future of this ever-expanding discipline. Key areas of study include: the history of the development of psychology, research method, biological and neurological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, states of consciousness, cognition, memory, learning, motivation, emotion, development across the lifespan, personality, abnormal psychology, treatment of psychological disorders and social psychology. The course meets the US National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula as written by the American Psychological Association (http://www.apa.org/education/k12/national-standards.aspx).

This course can also be taken an asynchronous manner. Students will register for one mode (live or async) and stay in that mode during the year.

Format

Students share an interactive online classroom
Live option:
- Students attend and actively participate in live classes weekly with cameras on.
Asynchronous option:
- Students use weekly videos and online discussion forums
- The asynchronous option is NOT a self-paced class. Students must complete assignments on a weekly basis.
- The instructional content, assignments, and deadlines are the same for live and asynchronous.
- Students will register for one mode (live or async) and stay in that mode during the year.
- If students cannot consistently attend the live class, they will be asked to move to the asynchronous class.
Individual Meeting Bookings offered throughout each week
Average weekly time estimate: 4-6 hours a week
All Blue Tent natural and social science courses are NCAA-approved.
See our FAQs for:
- age/grade guidelines, prerequisites, and class fit recommendations
- a complete list of days, times, and breaks
- a list of CA charter schools where this course is a-g approved

Foundational Elements

Students in this course use teacher-provided resources and video resources to complete lesson concept maps and work on projects. There are no unit assessments in this course.

Multiple short videos, PowerPoint presentations, and text links are provided to help students fill out lesson concept maps
Online Discussion to assess for understanding of terms and concepts
Unit application projects so students can apply psychology in their daily lives. Most students come to know themselves and others more consciously through these projects. They are the real joy of the course.
Assignments are teacher-graded within 24 hours of submission.

Course Goals

Understand the Foundations of Psychology - Learn about the history, major perspectives, and key figures in the development of psychology as a scientific discipline.
Explore Human Behavior and Mental Processes - Examine how people think, feel, and act, and what influences those behaviors and thoughts.
Develop Critical Thinking Skills - Analyze psychological concepts and research with a questioning mindset, learning to evaluate evidence and arguments.
Learn About Brain and Nervous System Functions - Understand how the brain and nervous system influence behavior, emotions, and cognition.
Examine Development Across the Lifespan - Study how people grow and change from infancy through old age, including physical, cognitive, and social development.
Understand Emotions, Motivation, and Personality - Explore what drives human behavior, how emotions work, and how personality is formed and expressed.
Gain Insight into Psychological Disorders and Treatments - Learn about common mental health conditions and the various approaches to therapy and treatment.
Apply Psychological Concepts to Everyday Life - Use psychological knowledge to better understand yourself, improve relationships, and make informed decisions.
Conduct and Interpret Basic Psychological Research - Learn how psychologists study behavior through experiments, observations, and surveys, and how to interpret data.
Foster Empathy and Respect for Human Diversity - Appreciate the role of culture, environment, and individual differences in shaping behavior and mental processes.