The ZAP project: designing interactive computer tools for learning psychology

Abstract

In the ZAP project, a set of interactive computer programs called ‘ZAPs’ was developed. The programs were designed in such a way that first‐year students experience psychological phenomena in a vivid and self‐explanatory way. Students can either take the role of participant in a psychological experiment, they can experience phenomena themselves, or they can take the role of researcher and learn by discovery. ZAPs provide added value to existing learning materials about psychological topics and can elicit experiential and discovery learning activities. This article discusses the practical and theoretical considerations that underlie the design and structure of ZAPs and provides guidelines for their practical application in different educational settings.