Educators change lives for the better

Loretta N. McGregor,
STP President

November 11, 2024

We are entering the final stretch of the semester. Mid-term exams have been administered, and first-term grades and parent-teacher conferences have come and gone. We have survived the constant barrage of political ads and another national election. Amid all these things, it is easy to get lost in the minutia of life and lose sight of the big picture. We prepare the next generation of parents, leaders, professionals, and others daily through teaching. We teach them how human behavior and thoughts interact with our environment(s) to influence our quality of life and the lives of others. For many of our students, the introductory course is the only psychology class they will ever take. With that in mind, what do we want all students to know when they leave our classroom?

The APA Education Directorate, along with the APA Committee on Associate and Baccalaureate Education (CABE) and the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP), have worked diligently to provide answers to this question. In October 2021, The APA Council of Representatives approved the APA introductory psychology initiative (IPI) student learning outcomes for introductory psychology. A working group created the recommendations found in the document. The group proposes that, upon completing the introductory psychology course, students should be able to: a). “Identify basic concepts and research findings”; b). “Solve problems using psychological methods”; and c). “Provide examples of psychology’s integrative themes.”  The complete committee report and other recommendations can be read in the APA-sponsored book Transforming introductory psychology: Expert advice on teacher training, course design, written by Regan Gurung and Garth Neufeld (2021).

In 2023, a CABE working group created the APA Guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major, version 3.0. The group, comprised of experts in the discipline of the teaching of psychology, outlined the knowledge and skills all undergraduate psychology majors should possess after completing their baccalaureate degree. These guidelines are not just theoretical-they have practical value. In fact, CABE and STP collaborated to create the infographic The skillful psychology student: Prepared for success in the 21st century workplace. This document identifies a list of skills many students learn through completing various psychology courses, skills that employers highly value in the 21st-century workplace.

I am trying to make the point that, as a psychology educator, YOU have and continue to make a difference in the lives of your students. I know sometimes it is hard to accept that the things you do matter, but they do, and SO DO YOU! As this academic semester and calendar year draws to a close, so does my tenure as STP president. Thank you for reading my shared thoughts and ramblings. I hope my words have encouraged you to keep up the excellent work. I will post my final column in December. Until then, have a wonderful November.

To read past letters from the STP President, click here.