A Re-View of How Educational Psychologists Use Learning as a Theoretical Core and Psychologize Education

• In Event: A 360 "Re-View" of Learning: Educational Psychologists Grapple With the Current Higher Education Landscape

Abstract

Educational psychologists are in unique positions to collaborate with stakeholders as they navigate uncharted, rocky and constantly changing waters within the landscapes of higher and PreK-12 education. As Alexander (2017) writes, “It seems essential for those identifying as educational psychologists and seeking to forge meaningful relationships with members of educational institutions to understand the culture of those institutions and the pressing concerns that school leadership and teachers face daily” (p.2). When the context of teaching changed dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic, more than ever did it become important to understand the context and culture in which learning occurred. Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological model may be a useful approach for understanding these contextual influences as we think about ways in which educators strive to place learning as a theoretical and empirical core and psychologize education. In this presentation, we draw on our experiences from two different events which highlight ways that we believe represent the legacies identified by Alexander (2017).

In the first part of our presentation, we describe a virtual conference organized by a team of teacher educators. This conference, which involved over 500 attendees via Zoom, involved presentations by higher education and PreK-12 faculty, staff and administrators regarding their current instructional practices during the shift to remote instruction. Within this conference, the psychologizing of education was modeled across several different topics: social-emotional learning in online instruction, supporting learning diversity and equity in remote teaching and learning, and thriving and surviving in online spaces.

In the second part of our presentation, we describe our experiences teaching an online course called “Responding to Individual Differences in Online Learning Environments” during the Covid-19 pandemic to a group of K-12 teachers. This course is part of an online graduate degree program at Millersville University and was one of the first programs in the state of Pennsylvania to deliver a concentration in online teaching. This program is intended to extend the knowledge of traditionally prepared teachers for new roles in online and hybrid teaching. This course provided a first-hand account of how teachers were navigating remote instruction during COVID-19 outbreak. Within this course, keeping learning as a theoretical and empirical core was modeled as an enduring understanding of the course.

Throughout our presentation, we reflect on our examples of the legacies outlined in Alexander’s 2017 article. We also consider several of the progenies that Alexander forecasted, specifically negotiating information management and knowledge building. These progenies are essential when learning is distanced from the reality of traditional classrooms which are frequently characterized by students’ interactions with peers and teachers in a physical space. We end by reflecting on key questions raised in both of our presentations: “What is the purpose of teaching and learning during remote instruction and how can educational psychologists and K-12 educators form a symbiotic relationships that centers around students and their learning?” We argue that there is little doubt that educational psychology provides a burgeoning amount of empirical instruction that should contribute to these educational policies.

Authors

• Sandra A. Deemer, Millersville University of Pennsylvania

• Laurie B. Hanich, Millersville University of Pennsylvania