At the beginning of their two-year academic journey, students in the Master of Educational Psychology programme are introduced to the fundamentals of psychopathology, including assessments, diagnosis, and case management. Traditionally, psychopathology is taught in a theoretical, formal, and overly rigid manner due to its content, which requires adherence to an inflexible, step-by-step instructional process. Even though case studies are selected to help students conceptualise this often complex field of psychology, we noted that it remained abstract and unrelatable; thus, we introduced creative strategies designed to balance rigorous theoretical foundations with experiential and reflective practices. Central to this approach was the introduction of a multi-day psychopathology symposium in 2022 as a follow-up to the step-by-step instructional processes. The annual symposia have become a cornerstone in the curriculum with the purpose of bridging a gap between theory and practice in the South African context. This has become a platform to share facts about a range of psychological disorders and evidence-based interventions. These were complemented by talks by experts from diverse disciplines, such as neurology, pharmaceutical sciences, neurodevelopmental paediatrics, neuropsychology, and gynaecology. In addition, we also afforded students an opportunity to conceptualise the lived experiences of those living with psychopathology during the symposium. Therefore, we invited a parent of a child with a complex case of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Students were expected to theoretically conceptualise this complex real-life case as a group and suggest interventions. This collaborative case study prepares students for the world of work in the field of psychopathology due to its complexity in the South African diverse context. Importantly, the format of the symposia, which often included the presenters sharing their personal experiences working with psychopathology, has been seen to provide student educational psychologists with a holding space to speak about their experiences of psychopathology within their own contexts, even within their own families. Pictures from symposia Students provided feedback after the symposia, noting that they had learned that development is layered and multifaceted. Some of the students’ reflections are noted below: Having the professionals there provided extremely valuable information for further development and better practice as an educational psychologist. These are topics crucial to our field, and I feel [that] without the symposium, we would be lacking in essential knowledge to best help our clients. Absolutely loved the information and stories the guest lecturers told us. I cannot wait for the next one next year. The fact that the presenters came from different fields of study or professions, but we can still talk with each other in the same academic language, as well as learn so much. In designing the symposia, a key feature has been groupwork. Students have been strategically placed into groups that ensure diversity of background, culture, experience, and perspective. This mirrors the professional reality of psychology, where practitioners 34 A Journey of Innovation
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