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APA Goals and Objectives Approved by Council August 2009
GOAL OBJECTIVES
1. Maximize organizational effectiveness
The APA’s structures and systems support the organization’s strategic
direction, growth and success.
a. Enhance APA programs, services and communications to increase
member engagement and value;
b. Ensure the ongoing financial health of the organization;
c. Optimize APA’s governance structures and function.
2. Expand psychology’s role in advancing health
Key stakeholders realize the unique benefits psychology provides to health
and wellness and the discipline becomes more fully incorporated into health
research and delivery systems.
a. Advocate for the inclusion of access to psychological services in health
care reform policies
b. Create innovative tools to allow psychologists to enhance their
knowledge of health promotion, disease prevention, and management of
chronic disease;
c. Educate other health professionals and the public about psychology's
role in health
d. Advocate for funding and policies that support psychology's role in
health
e. Promote the application of psychological knowledge in diverse health
care settings;
f. Promote psychology's role in decreasing health disparities;
g. Promote the application of psychological knowledge for improving
overall health and wellness at the individual, organizational, and
community levels.
3. Increase recognition of psychology as a science
The APA’s central role in positioning psychology as the science of behavior
leads to increased public awareness of the benefits psychology brings to
daily living.
a. Enhance psychology’s prominence as a core STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) discipline;
b. Improve public understanding of the scientific basis for psychology;
c. Expand the translation of psychological science to evidence-based
practice;
d. Promote the applications of psychological science to daily living;
e. Expand educational resources and opportunities in psychological
science.
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EDUCATION DIRECTORATE CYNTHIA D. BELAR, PH.D. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AUGUST 2011 – JANUARY 2012
Education Directorate Mission
The APA Education Directorate advances education in psychology and psychology in
education for the benefit of the public. It seeks to enhance (1) the education and training
of psychologists across all levels, (2) the teaching of psychology, and (3) the application
of psychology to education. Staff of the Education Directorate work in direct support of
the Board of Educational Affairs (BEA), its reporting committees, and such other groups
as assigned in addressing goals related to this mission. The executive review that follows
highlights a sample of the achievements in different program areas of the Directorate
with detailed reports of program activities appended.
Executive Review
EDUCATION OUTREACH INITIATIVES The annual APA Education Leadership Conference (ELC) was held on
September 10-13, in Washington, DC, with the theme Interdisciplinary and
Interprofessional Teaching, Research and Practice. Issues addressed included
creating collaborative partnerships and projects, implications for our future as a
discipline, training students for interdisciplinary careers and psychology’s role in
interdisciplinary teaching and learning. Attendees also explored technologies for
increasing collaboration and identified core competencies for interprofessional
practice. As in years past, the ELC also provided an opportunity for advocacy training
and visits to Capitol Hill. (page 5)
The newest edition of the Educator was published in December 2011. This issue
highlighted the recent ELC; a review of 2012 developments from Executive Director,
Cynthia D. Belar, PhD; advancing psychology in the midst of difficult appropriations
battles; and news and announcements from the education and training community in
psychology. (page 5)
The Directorate sponsored APA’s joining the Patient-Centered Primary Care
Collaborative (www.pcpcc.net), a coalition of providers, payors, purchasers and
consumers of health care to promote health care reform. Cynthia Belar, PhD joined
the Executive Committee and will focus on areas related to workforce development.
(Other APA executives will be involved in the reimbursement and service delivery
design initiatives.). (page 5)
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GOVERNANCE COMMITTEES AND TASKFORCES In conjunction with the Science Directorate, APA staffed a BEA/BSA the Task Force
on Multi-Disciplinary Science Training designed to generate a list of initiatives for
APA to consider in light of the Strategic Plan. (page 6)
The APA worked with the BEA Panel on Precollege and Undergraduate Education
during the fall to continue development of a survey on Undergraduate Study in
Psychology (USP) with the goal to create a comprehensive database similar to the
APA’s Graduate Study in Psychology. (page 7)
EDUCATION ADVOCACY INITIATIVES Congress finalized action on the FY’12 appropriations by rolling together all
remaining spending bills into a larger “megabus” vehicle. This appropriations bill
included level funding of nearly $3 million for the Graduate Psychology Education
Program (GPE). In an extremely difficult budget climate, the inclusion of this vital
program represents an extraordinary feat for the psychology community. The success
for the GPE is due to psychologists and psychology students who made a record-
breaking 358 hill visits on behalf of GPE this year. It is the efforts of APA’s
psychologist-advocates that make this tremendous victory possible. (page 9)
Congress affirmed the importance of addressing mental and behavioral health on
college campuses by providing level funding for the program that supports the
prevention work of college counseling centers in the amount of $4.975 million. In
addition, for the second year, the program will receive another $10 million from the
Prevention and Public Health Fund, thanks to the leadership of Senator Jack Reed (D-
RI) who fought for those additional funds. (page 9)
DIRECTORATE PROGRAMS IN EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY IN EDUCATION Cynthia D. Belar, PhD; who served as a presenter, and Rena Subotnik, PhD, were
invited by the organizers of the National Research Council meeting on teaching social
and behavioral science in k-12 schools to participate in a small debriefing after the
meeting to discuss next steps on some of the topics addressed during the
meeting. Some of those steps may include a new collaboration among social and
behavioral science organizations to focus on k-12 frameworks and standards. (page
10)
Initiated and conceptualized by Division 27 (Society for Community Research and
Action: Division of Community Psychology) representative Isaac Prilleltensky, PhD,
and his team at the University of Miami, APA released the Teacher Stress Module.
This module is based on the psychological literature relating to both general and
teacher-specific stress. The module is composed of seven sections covering
definitions of stress and providing sources and survival strategies for different types
3
of stress. The module can be accessed on the CPSE website. (page 10)
The Center for Psychology in Schools and Education’s Coalition met in December in
Washington DC to discuss current and future projects aimed at translating
psychological science into resources for K-12 personnel. The Coalition also hosted a
visit from Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Assistant Director of the Education and Human
Resources Directorate at the National Science Foundation (NSF) to discuss ways in
which the Coalition and NSF can collaborate around psychology in education. (page
10)
Principal Investigator Rena Subotnik, PhD., provided an update on the NSF Study of
Specialized Science High Schools at the NSF Principal Investigator’s Meeting APA
has enrolled the graduates of 25 selective science high schools to complete a survey
on the variables associated with completion of a STEM discipline, including
behavioral science. Initial findings suggest that the opportunity to conduct an original
research project during high school (a signature component of selective STEM school
curriculum) is a powerful predictor of completing a STEM major in college. (page
11)
ENHANCEMENT OF EDUCATION IN PSYCHOLOGY Following approval of the National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula
(APA, 2011) by the Council of Representatives in August, Education Directorate staff
began the dissemination process for the National Standards. In December 2011 and
January 2012, staff worked to broadly disseminate the National Standards to a
number of organizations that included College Board, International Baccalaureate
Organization, Council of Chief State School Officers, and the US Department of
Education. A special mass mailing was sent in December to all of the APA TOPSS
members, including announcements from APA and a copy of the newly revised
National Standards. In January, copies of the National Standards were sent to all
state departments of education. (page 12)
The Education Directorate and the APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary
Schools (TOPSS) Committee published a new unit lesson plan on Sensation and
Perception for high school psychology teachers. The unit plan contains lessons in
Introduction to Sensation and Perception, Vision and Audition, Other Senses, and
Perception, and well as resources and activities. The unit plan is available online and
in limited hard. (page 13)
APA produced and distributed two issues of the Psychology Teacher Network (PTN)
newsletter available online at: http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/ptn. (page 13)
Cathi Grus, PhD., presented a paper and facilitated a discussion session titled,
“Interprofessional Professionalism Collaborative: Milestones in the Journey” at the
third meeting of Collaborating Across Boarders. Co-presenters at this session were
representatives from five other health profession associations. This meeting brings
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together individuals who are providing and have interest in interprofessional
education and practice. (page 16)
Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP) offered 70 workshops at the
Annual APA Convention and an additional 200 CE sessions. New this year the CEP
Office offered “Unlimited CE” for CE Sessions as well as a new RFID monitoring
system. Additionally, the CEP Office video recorded over 100 hours of CE sessions
at convention and re-purposed them as online CE programs after the convention.
Beyond convention programming, the CEP Office has added a number of new
programs to its online and Book-based programs in 2011. These include the
Clinician’s Corner webcasts; Interactive Classroom; The CE Corner; and the
Counseling Psychologist. In all, over 150 hours of new online CE programs have
been developed and implemented since the August. (pages 16-18)
QUALITY ASSURANCE IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING The Continuing Education Committee (CEC) approved 25 new organizations as
sponsors of continuing education at its October 2011 meeting. There are currently
780 APA-approved sponsors. The CEC has been reviewing and making
modifications to their policies, procedures, and technical assistance to enhance the
clarity of information available to existing and potential sponsors. The revised
Policies and Procedures Manual went out for public comment in March 2011. (page
19)
At the end of this reporting period, the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) reviewed
73 programs for initial and continued accreditation. Initial accreditation was granted
to four internship programs and three postdoctoral residency programs. (page 20)
The CoA published a summary report illustrating the trends and changes in accredited
programs during the past five years. The report also included a retrospective of all
major policy initiatives during this important five-year period as the Committee on
Accreditation transitioned into the Commission on Accreditation. All accredited
programs and active site visitors were mailed copies of the 5 Year Summary Report
early in 2012. (page 20)
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EDUCATION OUTREACH INITIATIVES
The 2011 Education Leadership Conference The annual APA Education Leadership Conference (ELC) was held on
September 10-13, in Washington, DC, with the theme “Interdisciplinary and
Interprofessional Teaching, Research and Practice.” In addition to APA governance
members and division representatives, participants included representatives from over
25 organizations external to APA that are concerned with education and training in
psychology.
The conference identified and discussed the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Issues addressed included creating collaborative partnerships and projects,
implications for our future as a discipline, training students for interdisciplinary
careers and psychology’s role in interdisciplinary teaching and learning. Attendees
also explored technologies for increasing collaboration and identified core
competencies for interprofessional practice. As in years past, the ELC also provided
an opportunity for advocacy training and visits to Capitol Hill.
The long-term goals of the ELC are to:
Provide a forum for groups and organizations across all levels of education and
training to address issues of mutual concern
Promote a shared disciplinary identity among education and training leaders in
psychology
Impact public policy regarding education in psychology and psychology in
education
The ELC is the major advocacy event for the psychology education community. (1a,
2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Educator December 2011
The newest edition of the Educator was published in December 2011. This issue
highlighted the recent ELC; a review of 2012 developments from Executive Director,
Cynthia D. Belar, PhD; advancing psychology in the midst of difficult appropriations
battles; and news and announcements from the education and training community in
psychology. The Educator can be viewed online at
http://www.apa.org/ed/educator_home.html (1a, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c,
3d, 3e)
Meetings and Outreach Initiatives
Cynthia D. Belar, PhD., chaired a panel on education and training at the Patient
Centered Primary Care Summit (PCPCC) on October 21, 2011. Dr. Belar co-
chairs the PCPCC Task Force on Education and Training along with Libby
Baxley, MD, a family practitioner. She also hosted a webinar on interdisciplinary
training for integrated care for the Collaborative in December. See: http://www.pcpcc.net/webinar/interdisciplinary-training-your-workforce-promote-
integrated-care. Subsequent developments have been a meeting hosted by the VA
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that convened the major health professions organizations and several federal
agencies to examine next steps in promoting interprofessional education, as well
as an invitation from the Institute of Medicine to co-sponsor a global forum on the
topic.
Cynthia D. Belar, PhD., was an invited presenter at the annual meetings of the
Collaborative Family Healthcare Association; the Council of University Directors
of Clinical Psychology; and the Council of Clinical Health Psychology Training
Programs
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEES AND TASKFORCES
Presidential Task Force on Educational Disparities
This task force, appointed by Melba Vasquez, PhD, was organized to examine
educational disparities and offer evidence-based recommendations across a variety of
focus areas - immigration, English language learning, school climate and talent
development. Task Force members met for the second time on Nov 2-3, 2011 to
further synthesize members’ contributions to the report, which they plan to submit to
Boards and Committees for review in February. (1a, 1b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c,
3d, 3e)
Task Force on Multi-Disciplinary Science Training
In conjunction with the Science Directorate, CPSE staffed a BEA/BSA task force
designed to generate a list of initiatives for APA to consider in light of the Strategic
Plan. (1a, 1c, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
BEA Task Force on Establishing an APA Award for Effective School
Environments
This task force is charged with establishing criteria and mechanisms based on
psychological science on which to base an annual award to a school in the vicinity of
APA’s Convention. The task force has developed a survey to help schools
demonstrate their effectiveness in the form of Academic Learning outcomes and
Social-Emotional Learning outcomes. BEA will review the award criteria at the
Spring Consolidated Board meeting. (1a, 1c, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d,
3e)
At the August meeting of the APA Council of Representatives, Council adopted the
revised National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula as APA Policy.
The National Standards, which outlines what students in an introductory high school
psychology course should learn, is available online at
http://www.apa.org/education/k12/national-standards.aspx and in hard copy. (1a, 1c,
2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
The BEA Working Group on the Certification and Training of High School
Psychology Teachers developed a draft policy document titled Guidelines for
Preparing High School Psychology Teachers: Course-Based and Standards-Based
7
Approaches. The draft policy statement outlines the recommended training for
secondary school psychology teachers. During the fall consolidated meetings, APA
Boards and Committees received an agenda item requesting that APA Governance
groups support a motion to recommend that the Board of Directors recommend that
the Council of Representatives approve the Guidelines as APA policy. An agenda
item will be forwarded to both the Board of Directors and the Council of
Representatives for action at the February 2012 meeting. (1c, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
The APA Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS)
and the APA Committee of Psychology Teachers at Community Colleges
(PT@CC) met during Round I of the fall consolidated meetings. Staff also prepared
two cross-cutting agenda items:
1. Guidelines for Preparing High School Psychology Teachers: Course-Based and
Standards-Based Approaches
2. Performance Indicators for the National Standards for High School Psychology
Curricula (APA, 2011)
APA Boards and Committees were invited to contribute suggestions for
Performance Indicators, to accompany the revised National Standards for High
School Psychology Curricula (APA, 2011). Performance Indicators are used for
the assessment of student learning, and should include examples of potential ways
that a student can demonstrate mastery of the material. (1a, 1b, 1c, 2c, 2g, 3a, 3b,
3c, 3d, 3e)
BEA Panel on Precollege and Undergraduate Education
The Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Education (PCUE) staff worked with the
BEA Panel on Precollege and Undergraduate Education during the fall to continue
development of a survey on Undergraduate Study in Psychology (USP) with the goal
to create a comprehensive database similar to the APA’s Graduate Study in
Psychology. The Panel will continue these discussions in 2012. (1a, 1b, 1c, 2c, 2g,
3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
BEA Task Force on Psychology Major Competencies
The Task Force held conference calls during the fall to begin the revision of the APA
Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major (APA, 2007). (1a, 1b, 1c, 2c,
2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
APA Designation Committee for Postdoctoral Education and Training Programs
in Psychopharmacology for Prescriptive Authority (“RxP Designation
Committee”), held their meeting on September 30-October 1, 2011. The group
reviewed and made changes to the application for designation. In addition, the
committee developed an interim report form for programs that have been designated.
(1a, 1c, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3c, 3d,)
Commission for the Recognition of Specialties and Proficiencies in Professional
Psychology (CRSPPP), held its meeting on November 10-11, 2011. CRSPPP
8
reviewed the comments received on the Education and Training Guidelines: A
Taxonomy for Education and Training in Professional Psychology and Revisions to
the CRSPPP Specialty Petition. As directed by Council in February, 2011, CRSPPP
approved final edits to the Policies and Procedures manual for the recognition of
credentialing organizations such that members with a credential from an approved
organization could list that credential in the APA membership directory. An
application, based on the criteria passed by council was also finalized. (1a, 1c, 3a, 3b,
3c, 3d, 3e)
The BEA Primary Care Training Task Force presented BEA a preliminary draft of
their report in November. The report was developed through a series of conference
calls and one face-to-face meeting in September. As part of their charge the group
conducted a survey of education and training programs to assess the nature and extent
of primary care training that is currently occurring, results of which are included in
the report. The report also includes a series of recommendations for APA to promote
education and training in primary care. An updated report will inform discussion and
planning at the March 2012 BEA meeting. (1a, 1c, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f. 2g, 3a, 3c, 3e)
The BEA working group on Education and Training for Health Service
Psychology is seeking comment on a document outlining competencies for health
service psychologists. This group represents an interorganizational collaborative with
representation from APA/BEA, the Council of Chairs of Training Councils (CCTC)
and the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDP). The document
can be viewed and comments submitted via this website:
http://apaoutside.apa.org/EducCSS/Public/. (1a, 1c, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f. 2g, 3a, 3c, 3e)
EDUCATION ADVOCACY INITIATIVES
Education Advocacy Trust www.apaedat.org
The Education Advocacy Trust (EdAT) is working to promote psychology’s full
engagement in the advocacy process. EdAT has been soliciting contributions through
the APA dues statement and direct communication with individuals with a stake in
psychology’s education advocacy agenda.
The EdAT, which is a legal structure within the American Psychological
Association’s companion organization, the American Psychological Association
Practice Organization (APAPO) -- a 501(c)(6) tax status organization, received
voluntary contributions from approximately 200 individuals so far this year.
The mission of the EdAT is to promote the mutual professional interests of
psychologists in advancing education in psychology and psychology’s role in other
areas of education through advocacy activities that cannot be conducted legally
within the APA, an organization that is tax exempt pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code.
9
Education Government Relations Office (Ed GRO) www.apa.org/about/gr/education
The Education Government Relations Office seeks to increase federal support for
psychology education and training and to promote the application of psychology to
education.
Congress finalized action on the FY’12 appropriations by rolling together all remaining
spending bills into a larger “megabus” vehicle. The U.S. House of Representatives
passed H.R. 2055, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 on December 16th and the
U.S. Senate passed the legislation the following day. Overall, federal spending in the
“megabus” legislation came in at $915 billion. Within this package, there are a number
of programs of great importance to psychology.
Graduate Psychology Education Program
This appropriations bill included level funding of nearly $3 million for the Graduate
Psychology Education Program (GPE). In an extremely difficult budget climate, the
inclusion of this vital program represents an extraordinary feat for the psychology
community. The overall budget for Health and Human Resources (HHS) was cut by
nearly $700 million from fiscal year 2011. Moreover, the Health Resources and
Services Administration (HRSA), which administers the GPE grant program,
received a $41 million reduction in funding. For context, funding for other HRSA
programs under the Interdisciplinary Community Linkages (ICL) category were cut
by over $7 million. These include cuts to Area Health Education Centers, Allied
Health and Other Disciplines (which no longer includes GPE) as well as Geriatric
Programs. Overall, Nursing Programs were cut by $10 million and Health
Professions suffered a cut of $28.9 million.
This great success for the GPE is due in large part to the psychologists and
psychology students who made a record-breaking 358 hill visits on behalf of GPE this
year. It is the efforts of APA’s psychologist-advocates that make this tremendous
victory possible. (1a, 1c, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Suicide Prevention on College Campuses
Congress affirmed the importance of addressing mental and behavioral health on
college campuses by providing level funding for the program that supports the
prevention work of college counseling centers. The Campus Suicide Prevention
program, authorized by the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, and administered by the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) received
$4.975 million. In addition, for the second year, the program will receive another $10
million from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, thanks to the leadership of
Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) who fought for those additional funds. The Suicide
Prevention Resource Center received $4.957 million. Finally, the Youth Suicide
Prevention Program for States and Tribes received $29.74 million. (1a, 1c, 2a, 2b, 2c,
2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
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ENHANCEMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY IN EDUCATION Center for Psychology in Schools & Education (CPSE) www.apa.org/ed/schools
The Center for Psychology in Schools and Education promotes the high quality
application of psychology to programs and policies for schools and education.
Participation in National Research Council meeting November 17-18 on teaching
social and behavioral science in k-12 schools.
Cynthia D. Belar, PhD; who served as a presenter, and Rena Subotnik, PhD, were
invited by the organizers to participate in a small debriefing after the meeting to talk
about next steps on some of the topics addressed during the meeting. Some of those
steps may include a new collaboration among social and behavioral science
organizations to focus on k-12 frameworks and standards. (1a, 2b, 2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c,
3d, 3e)
Coalition Activities
Teacher Stress Module
Initiated and conceptualized by Division 27 (Society for Community Research and
Action: Division of Community Psychology) representative Isaac Prilleltensky, PhD,
and his team at the University of Miami, this module is based on the psychological
literature relating to both general and teacher-specific stress. The module recognizes
that there are two types of stress, both positive and negative, and that it’s the balance
between the two that determines a person’s overall feelings of satisfaction and
security in his or her work. The module is composed of seven sections covering
definitions of stress and providing sources and survival strategies for different types
of stress. The module can be accessed on the CPSE website -
http://www.apa.org/ed/schools/cpse/activities/teacher-stress.aspx (1a, 2b, 2c, 2g, 3a,
3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
CPSE Coalition Meeting
The Center for Psychology in Schools and Education’s Coalition met from December
2-4, 2011 in Washington DC to discuss current and future projects aimed at
translating psychological science into resources for K-12 personnel. Projects currently
in development include:
1) A module to support the creation and use of school teams to function more
effectively by applying psychological knowledge and research to their practice;
2) An article that identifies a series of drop-dead psychological topics that should be
included in the teacher education curriculum;
3) A strategic marketing plan for disseminating projects and initiatives;
4) A module on the use of creativity in the classroom;
5) A module or white paper on social-emotional learning in the classroom, and
6) A proposal to National Science Foundation (NSF) on the creation of a series of
modules outlining the psychology of teaching elementary school science.
11
The Coalition also hosted a visit from Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Assistant Director of
the Education and Human Resources Directorate at the NSF to discuss ways in which
the Coalition and NSF can collaborate around psychology in education. (1a, 1c, 2b,
2c, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Grant Activities
National Science Foundation (NSF) Study on Specialized Science High Schools
CPSE, in collaboration with the University of Virginia, has been investigating
research that focuses on the effectiveness of specialized science high school graduates
from the last four-six years and comparing outcomes to similarly talented people who
participated in out-of-school science enrichment programs who graduated from
traditional high schools over the same period. Currently, graduates of 25 selective
science high schools have completed a survey on the variables associated with
completion of a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
discipline, including behavioral science. There is also a comparison group of equally
able and interested students who did not attend such high schools (but took summer
courses at universities). The survey closed at the end of 2011 and the winter and
spring of 2012 will be spent analyzing data and writing up the results.
So far, some STEM school models (residential schools and schools-within-schools)
appear to be better at maintaining initial interest in STEM subjects over time than
others. The opportunity to conduct an original research project during high school (a
signature component of selective STEM school curriculum) was a powerful predictor
of completing a STEM major in college. The goal of the study is to identify
instructional and motivational variables from the secondary school years that
contribute most to maintaining student commitment to a career in science, math and
technology. (1a, 2b, 2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Enhancement of Education in Psychology Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Education (PCUE) www.apa.org/ed/precollege The Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Education advances psychology in
secondary schools, community colleges, and undergraduate programs by providing
information, linkages, resources, funding, and professional development to faculty,
students, and the general public.
Enhancement of Education in Psychology
The APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) Committee
sponsored five hours of programming at the APA Convention in Washington, DC.
The TOPSS Invited Speakers and presentation titles were:
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Barney Beins, PhD, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, Psychology: Gateway to Critical
Thinking and Scientific Literacy;
Gil Einstein, PhD, Furman University, Greenville, SC, Remembering to Perform
Actions in the Future: Can Intentions Pop into Mind?;
April Bleske-Rechek, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI,
The Lee Gurel Lecture: A Primer on Evolutionary Psychology: Foundational
Ideas, Exemplary Research, and Criticisms;
and Jessica Henderson Daniel, PhD, Boston Children’s Hospital, Cambridge, MA,
Teaching Adolescents about Adolescents: Using Mirrors that Focus on Race,
Ethnicity and Gender.
Additionally, a panel discussion on Ethical Issues in the Introductory Psychology
Course was held; participants were: Maureen McCarthy, PhD, Kennesaw State
University, Kennesaw, GA, Lillian McMaster, PhD, Mohawk Valley Community
College, Utica, NY, Katherine Minter, Westwood High School, Austin, TX. Steve
Behnke, PhD, JD, of the APA Ethics Office served as the discussant. (1a, 1c, 2c, 2g,
3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
The APA of Psychology Teachers at Community Colleges (PT@CC) Committee also
sponsored several hours of convention programming. Sessions included the
following:
PT@CC/Psi Beta Symposium: Innovations in Teaching Psychology at the
Community College in which presenters discussed Teaching Study Skills through
the Introduction to Psychology Course;
PT@CC Symposium on Assessing the APA Learning Goals: Student- and
Course Level Challenges with presentations by Maureen McCarthy, PhD,
Kennesaw State University, and Eric Landrum, PhD, Boise State University; and
PT@CC Panel Discussion on Promoting Psychological Literacy through the
Introductory Psychology Course. PT@CC and Psi Beta co-sponsored an Awards
Ceremony and Reception in celebration of Psi Beta’s 30th anniversary. (1a, 1c,
2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
The BEA sponsored a one hour symposium on Designing and Implementing the
Principles for Quality Undergraduate Education in Psychology. Participants
included Charles L. Brewer, PhD, Furman University, Barry S. Anton, PhD,
University of Puget Sound, Dana S. Dunn, PhD, Moravian College, Mary E. Kite,
PhD, Ball State University, and Randolph A. Smith, PhD, Lamar University. (1a, 1c,
2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Precollege Initiatives
National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula
Following approval of the National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula
(APA, 2011) by the Council of Representatives in August, Education Directorate staff
began the dissemination process for the National Standards. In December 2011 and
January 2012, staff worked to broadly disseminate the National Standards to a
13
number of organizations that included College Board, International Baccalaureate
Organization, Council of Chief State School Officers, and the US Department of
Education. A special mass mailing was sent in December to all of the APA TOPSS
members, including announcements from APA and a copy of the newly revised
National Standards. In January, copies of the National Standards were sent to all
state departments of education. (1a, 1c, 2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
TOPSS Unit Lesson Plans
The Education Directorate and the APA TOPSS Committee published a new TOPSS
unit lesson plan on Sensation and Perception for high school psychology teachers.
The unit plan contains lessons in Introduction to Sensation and Perception, Vision
and Audition, Other Senses, and Perception, and well as resources and activities. The
unit plan is available at http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/topss/lessons/index.aspx
and limited hard copies are also available. Starting in 2011, funding is available
through the American Psychological Foundation to continue revisions to the unit
lesson plans. (1a, 1c, 2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
TOPSS Diversity Action Plan
During Round I of the fall consolidated meetings, the TOPSS Committee reviewed
and approved a revised TOPSS Diversity Statement and Action Plan, intended to
underscore the TOPSS commitment to inclusion and respect for all and outline a
series of action steps to take place in future years. (1a, 1c, 2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
In October 2011, APA member Stephen Chew, PhD, of Samford University, recorded
an hour-long presentation on Research Methods, Measurement, and Statistics, which
is being developed as an online module for high school psychology teachers. The
new online module, which was supported by a grant from the American
Psychological Foundation, will be posted on the TOPSS Web site in the first quarter
of 2012. (1a, 1c, 2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Staff produced and distributed two issues of the Psychology Teacher Network (PTN)
newsletter. (1a, 1c, 2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Four high school students were selected as winners of the 2011 APA TOPSS Poster
Competition for High School Students: Corie Schwabenland of Central West High
School (Fresno, CA), Zackery Perkins of Oscar F. Smith High School (Chesapeake,
VA), Andrew Branstetter of Solon High School (Solon, OH), and Laura Wetzel of
Stevens Point Area High School (Stevens Point, WI) each received $250 scholarships
for their submissions. The 2011 competition asked students to focus on the theme
“Psychology is a Science.” Students developed both a visual poster and a written
summary of their poster. (1a, 1c, 2c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
14
Two and Four-Year College Initiatives
Principles for Quality Undergraduate Education in Psychology
APA staff continued the dissemination process for the APA Principles for Quality
Undergraduate Education in Psychology (APA, 2011) (1a, 1c, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
APA Psychology Department Program (PDP)
APA’s Psychology Department Program provides access to the APA’s many teaching
and advising publications as well as subscriptions to APA magazines and newsletters
for departments at a price of $300.00 per year. The 2011-2012 program includes three
new APA books, including What Psychology Majors Could (and Should) Be Doing:
An Informal Guide to Research Experience and Professional Skills; Undergraduate
Writing in Psychology: Learning to Tell the Scientific Story, and the new edition of
Graduate Study in Psychology: 2012. Other resources include the APA Principles
for Quality Undergraduate Education in Psychology, APA Guidelines for the
Undergraduate Psychology Major, the Careers in Psychology video, and three
complimentary student affiliate memberships, as well as subscriptions to the
American Psychologist, Monitor, gradPSYCH, the Psychology Teacher Network, and
The Educator. APA also provides a link to participating psychology departments on
the APA Web site. (1a, 1b, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Meetings and Outreach Initiatives
The Director attended the second annual Community College Day program sponsored
by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Community college faculty and students
attended conference plenaries, panel discussions, and learned about NIH’s
Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) and NIH’s 2012 Community College
Summer Enrichment Program (CCSEP). (1a, 2c, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
PCUE staff joined other staff from the Education and Science Directorates in a two
day National Research Council (NRC) forum on the role of the social and behavioral
sciences in K-12 education. The meeting was held in response to the NRC
publication A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting
Concepts, and Core Ideas (NRC, 2011), which neglected to include the social and
behavioral sciences in the new standards framework. (1a, 2c, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d,
3e)
Robin Hailstorks, PhD., attended the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR)
briefing entitled Undergraduate Research at Community Colleges: A Path to
Workforce Development and Innovation. This briefing featured stories from
community college faculty who are facilitating undergraduate research experiences
for their students. The National Science Foundation has recently awarded a number of
grants to support this endeavor. (1a, 2c, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Robin Hailstorks, PhD., attended a teleconference meeting of the Committee on
Measures of Student Success. The Committee was established to advise the Secretary
15
of Education in assisting two-year degree-granting institutions of higher education in
meeting the completion or graduation rate disclosure requirements outlined in section
485 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. The agenda for the meeting
included a discussion among Committee members regarding the Committee’s final
report to the Secretary of Education. (1a, 2c, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Robin Hailstorks, PhD., attended the 34th
annual National Institute on the Teaching of
Psychology (NITOP) in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida. APA sponsored an exhibit of
publications and teaching resources. (1a, 2c, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Robin Hailstorks, PhD., attended the Association of American Colleges and
Universities (AAC&U) conference in Washington, DC. ). (1a, 2c, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c,
3d, 3e)
Office of Graduate & Postgraduate Education & Training (GPET) www.apa.org/ed/graduate
The mission of the Office of Graduate and Postgraduate Education and Training is to
advance the quality and public understanding of graduate and postdoctoral education and
training in preparation for careers in teaching, research, and applications of psychology as
a scientific discipline and profession.
Council of Chairs Training Councils (CCTC), held their meeting on November 3,
2011. The mission of CCTC is to provide a forum for communication among the
doctoral, internship and postdoctoral training associations in psychology. Principle
topics of the November meeting included the internship imbalance, the work of the
Education and Training for Health Service Psychology work group, and a report from
the CCTC work group on the topic of APA (or CPA) accreditation becoming the
standard for all education and training programs in health service psychology. (1a, 2a,
2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Council of Specialties (CoS), held their meeting on November 3, 2011, at the APA
building. The Council of Specialties is comprised of synarchy (specialty)
representatives from CRSPPP or ABPP recognized professional psychology
specialties. Meetings of the CoS provide an opportunity for the discussion of issues
common to the development, education, training, credentialing, and practice of the
specialties in professional psychology. Topics of discussion at the November meeting
centered on a review of the history of CoS and its current role in professional
psychology, an update on the committee structure for CoS, and a review of forms,
procedures, and new member orientation. The proposed taxonomy for professional
psychology developed by CRSPPP was also discussed. (1a, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a,
3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Cathi Grus, PhD., presented and attended the board of directors and annual
membership meeting of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards
that was held in Chicago in October. She was invited to present on the future of
16
competency assessment and implications for licensure and on the internship
imbalance. (1a, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Cathi Grus, PhD., presented a paper and facilitated a discussion session titled,
“Interprofessional Professionalism Collaborative: Milestones in the Journey” at the
third meeting of Collaborating Across Boarders. Co-presenters at this session were
representatives from five other health profession associations. This meeting brings
together individuals who are providing and have interest in interprofessional
education and practice. (1a, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP) www.apa.org/ed/ce
The Office of CEP continues to offer, expand, and initiate new programs and products to
support the professional development of psychologists. APA offers live workshops at its
annual convention, national webcasts, and independent study through online, DVD, CD,
book-based, and journal-based programs. In addition, the CEP Office sponsors
workshops offered by APA offices and divisions and external groups (e.g., regional
psychological associations).
2011 APA Annual Convention
CEP offered 70 workshops at convention in August, and an additional 200 CE sessions.
The office works with the Continuing Education Committee (CEC) which is responsible
for reviewing programs to assure their compliance with the APA guidelines for CE in
psychology.
Unlimited CE at Convention This year the CEP Office offered “Unlimited CE” for
CE Sessions at convention. Convention registrants paid a single flat fee ($50 for
members who registered in advance) to receive CE credits for as many of the
convention CE sessions as they attended. Response to this offer was very robust,
tripling the customary number of CE credits awarded to convention attendees. (1a,
1b, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
CE Session Recordings This year the CEP Office video recorded over 100 hours of
CE sessions at convention and re-purposed them as online CE programs after the
convention. These session recordings effectively double the number of online CE
programs available through APA. (1a, 1b, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
New Session Monitoring System This year the Office of CEP is introduced a new
monitoring system for the CE Sessions at convention. Based on Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) technology, the system “automatically scans” participants’
badges as then enter and exit the CE Session rooms. This automatic scanning replaced
the “swipe-in” and “swipe-out” scanning system that was used in the previous three
conventions and provides a more streamlined and cost-effective monitoring procedure
17
that was viewed very favorably by participants at the convention. (1a, 1b, 2b, 2c, 2e,
2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Clinician’s Corner Workshop Series and Webcast CEP offers a workshop series in
the APA headquarters titled, The Clinician’s Corner. Each month a recognized expert
in a targeted area of training provides a 3-hour CE workshop for members of the
psychological community, within, and outside, of APA. Beginning in October, these
workshops have also been webcast live across the nation. From August, 2011 through
January, 2012, these programs have included:
Contemporary Issues in Forensic Neuropsychology
Ethics and Self-Care: Balancing our Lives and Reducing Risk
Ethics of Trauma Treatment
Understanding Eating Disorders and DSM-V
(1a, 1b, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Independent Study Programs
The Office has added a number of new programs to its online and Book-based programs
in 2011. These include the 100+ hours of convention CE session recordings, in addition
to the archived Clinician’s Corner webcasts and a range of convention CE workshops, as
well. In all, over 150 hours of new online CE programs have been developed and
implemented since the convention in August.
New Initiatives The Office expanded its new online campus called Interactive
Classroom, which was recognized this year with a first-place APPEX award for
excellence in publication in the category of “Video and Online Education and
Training Media.” In addition, a new feature in the APA Monitor on Psychology
titled, the CE Corner, was launched and The Counseling Psychologist continued to
provide CE credits as part of the journal-based CE program. (1a, 1b, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f,
2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
CE Classroom CE Classroom provides an interactive and immersive online learning environment
that actively involves the user in a participatory approach to learning. The programs
in this series now include the following:
A Developmental Understanding for Assessment and Treatment of Violent
Individuals–Lisa Firestone, PhD
Aspects of an Effective Clinical Practice: Research Evidence–Bruce Wampold
The Biology and Pharmacology of Depression–James Kalat, PhD
Cultural Competence in Trauma Treatment–Laura Brown, PhD
Drug Use and HIV Disease–Perry Halkitis, PhD
Grief Therapy and Reconstruction of Meaning–Robert Neimeyer, PhD
Internet Addition–Greg Neimeyer, PhD
Making Professional Ethics Practical–Jeffrey Ashby, PhD
Overcoming the Fear of Intimacy–Lisa Firestone, PhD
18
Psychology in the Corporate World: Embracing the Challenge–Paul Banikiotes
and Florence Gorsky
Relational Self–Kenneth Gergen
Suicide: Understanding and Treating Self-Destructive Processes–Legal/Ethical
Considerations-–Lisa Firestone, PhD
Traumatic Stress Among Individuals Living with HIV/AIDS–Cheryl Gore-Felton
Twenty Principles of Success in Mental Health Practice–Steven Walfish, PhD
(1a, 1b, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
APA Monitor CE In Collaboration with the APA Monitor on Psychology, the Office of CEP has
launched a new CE initiative entitled, The CE Corner. Beginning in the July/August
issue of the Monitor, a 3,000-word CE articles appears on a selected topic, written by
recognized scholars in the field. Each article will have an associated CE Quiz posted
online, and a line to the Quiz will be provided for interested readers who can then
complete the Quiz online to receive their CE credit. The inaugural article was
dedicated to the Science of Learning (by Arthur Graesser, PhD), and followed by
articles on Aging Gracefully (Ken Laidlaw, PhD) and Record Keeping Guidelines
(Cindy Sturm, PhD). (1a, 1b, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
The Counseling Psychologist (TCP) The Society of Counseling Psychology (Division 17) and the Office of CEP have
partnered to offer an exciting benefit for readers of The Counseling Psychologist
(TCP), enabling them to earn CE credits for reading selected articles in each issue of
TCP. To date these include:
A Bioecological Model of Mass Trauma—Individuals, Community, and Societal
Effects
Beyond Microskills: Toward a Model of Counseling Competence
Contending with Stereotype Threat at Work: A Model of Long Term Responses
Motivation and Autonomy in Counseling, Psychotherapy, and Behavior Change:
A Look at Theory and Practice
Sexual Objectification of Women: Advances to Theory and Research
Supporting Special Needs Adoptive Couples: Assessing an Intervention to
Enhance Forgiveness, Increase Marital Satisfaction, and Prevent Depression
Supporting Special Needs Adoptive Couples: Assessing an Intervention to
Enhance Forgiveness, Increase Marital Satisfaction, and Prevent Depression
White Dialectics: A New Framework for Theory, Research, and Practice with
White Students
(1a, 1b, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e)
19
QUALITY ASSURANCE IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Continuing Education Sponsor Approval (CESA) www.apa.org/ed/sponsor The Office of CE Sponsor Approval was created by APA to facilitate psychologists’
access to CE programs. It is the function of this office to oversee the process of
organizations seeking to become APA-approved sponsors and offer CE to psychologists.
The CE Sponsor Approval System (CESAS), the online system for CE sponsors was
launched in January 2011. CESAS allows applicants and sponsors to complete both
their applications and annual reports online and includes the ability to attach
supporting materials electronically. The office of CESA and APA ITS have been
working closely on a number of improvements to the system (1a,1b, 2b, 2e, 2g, 3a,
3c, 3d, 3e)
The Continuing Education Committee (CEC) approved 25 new organizations as
sponsors of continuing education at its October 2010 meeting. There are currently
780 APA-approved sponsors.
The Committee has been reviewing and making modifications to their policies,
procedures, and technical assistance to enhance the clarity of information available to
existing and potential sponsors. The revised Policies and Procedures Manual went
out for public comment in March 2011. The revised document will be reviewed by
the BEA at the Spring 2012 Consolidated meeting. The Committee regularly devotes
time to discuss policy issues, including best practices in continuing education and the
implications of policies being considered by the association. (1a, 1b, 1c, 2b, 2e, 2g,
3a, 3c, 3d, 3e)
The CEC is working with staff to collect and disseminate data about continuing
education for psychologists. (1a, 1b, 1c, 2b, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Office of Program Consultation & Accreditation (OPCA) www.apa.org/ed/accreditation
The Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation assists the Commission on
Accreditation (CoA) in its activities related to the accreditation of doctoral programs,
internships, and postdoctoral residencies in professional psychology. This office
publishes lists of accredited programs; consults with programs considering application, as
well as those already accredited; conducts research to support accreditation; assists with
development of guidance documents to support the accreditation process; and represents
the CoA at national meetings on accreditation.
The 2011 CoA held one program review meeting during this reporting period
(October 20-23, 2011). The meeting also provided time for discussing current policy
issues and continuing projects in work groups. (1a, 1b, 1c, 2b, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3c, 3d, 3e)
20
At the program review meeting, the CoA reviewed 73 programs for initial and
continued accreditation. Initial accreditation was granted to four internship programs
and three postdoctoral residency programs. (1a, 1b, 1c, 2b, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3c, 3d, 3e)
The CoA also reviewed all accredited program’s annual report submissions that were
due in September. For doctoral programs, the review also included analysis of student
achievement outcomes described in Section D of the Implementing Regulations.
Outlier programs were asked to explain their data and articulate a plan to remedy the
difficulty. (1a, 1b, 1c, 2b, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Additionally, as part of the review of annual report submissions, the CoA contacted
all programs that did not fully complete the 2011 Accreditation Annual Report Online
(ARO) during the original 5-month period from April through September 2011.
Programs were provided an additional opportunity to complete the ARO and the
database was re-opened for accredited programs from November 28, 2011 through
January 8, 2012. This is an important annual compliance requirement for programs.
The office is entering the fifth year using the software and database system for reports
by programs. Currently, the accreditation staff, in collaboration with APA ITS
personnel, are conducting a careful assessment of the effectiveness of this database
system. (1a, 1b, 1c, 2b, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3c, 3d, 3e)
As a result of the compliance issues raised by the U.S. Department of Education
(USDE) during the CoA’s hearing in June of 2011, the CoA reviewed public
comments submitted pertaining to proposed changes to the program review and
decisions options outlined in sections 4.2 through 4.4 of the Accreditation Operating
Procedures (AOP). The comments expressed concern for the shortened timeframe to
a program’s revocation of accreditation. However, in order to maintain CoA’s
recognition by USDE, the proposed recommendations were approved by the CoA and
forwarded on to the APA Board of Directors. The Board approved these changes and
the new procedures became effective on January 1, 2012 for all programs except
those currently on “accredited, on probation” status or those deferred for cause prior
to January 2012. These programs will continue to be reviewed under the prior
procedures. (1a, 1b, 1c, 2b, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3c, 3d, 3e)
Staff attended the annual meeting of the Council on Higher Education Accreditation,
where the APA endorsed guidelines Committing to Quality were released to the
public, and Cynthia D. Belar, PhD., was invited to comment.
http://www.newleadershipalliance.org/what_we_do/committing_to_quality/
The CoA published a summary report illustrating the trends and changes in accredited
programs during the past five years. The report also included a retrospective of all
major policy initiatives during this important five-year period as the Committee on
Accreditation transitioned into the Commission on Accreditation. All accredited
programs and active site visitors were mailed copies of the 5 Year Summary Report
early in 2012. It is also available at
21
http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/about/research/2006-2010-report.pdf (1a, 1b, 1c,
2b, 2e, 2g, 3a, 3c, 3d, 3e)
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