Dr. Jane S Halonen

In this article, we explore how the APA Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major 3.0 can facilitate department efforts to use the academic program evaluation process to provide the best possible educational experience. We discuss the purpose and nature of academic program reviews in higher education. We explain how the use of Guidelines 3.0 can promote appropriate scrutiny of departmental strengths and weaknesses in psychology. Guidelines 3.0 “calls to action” offer specific discussion targets to assist program enhancement. We offer specific strategies departments can deploy to achieve the best outcomes from an academic program review. In conclusion, we make some suggestions to help academic program reviewers support programs in their quest to improve. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

In this introduction to the special issue, Moving Forward With APA Guidelines 3.0, we provide an overview of the genesis of previous versions of APA’s Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major, including its roots in the assessment movement and the process of developing and obtaining approval of the first two versions of the document. We then comment on the development of the latest version of the Guidelines and provide an overview of contributions to the special issue. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Greater attention to active and collaborative learning makes inclusion of all students worth examining in the changing higher education landscape. The overarching goal of the present study was to identify specific sensory stimulation patterns in the college classroom that may present obstacles for students with sensory processing challenges, particularly when students are faced with taxing sensory environments. We explored the links between sensory processing thresholds in a sample of college students enrolled in General Psychology courses and the number of reported classroom challenges related to their sensory thresholds and executive functioning. In classroom contexts, students who were very sensitive to environmental stimuli were most negatively influenced by participation in small group discussions, listening to side chatter in the classroom that distracted from the main discussion, and speaking in front of others when unprepared. This was also accompanied by decreases in attention and emotional regulation. In light of these findings, we recommend using principles of universal design to create a more inclusive and supportive atmosphere. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Clearly this lopsided power relationship entails plenty of potential quagmires for your career. A short-sighted leader can eject the bearer of bad news without making any fundamental changes that would benefit the institution and make the campus a more pleasant place to work. An injured animal may experience mobbing, a collective effort to drive the maimed creature away from the herd or flock. What if your boss has taken management advice from Lewis Carroll’s Queen of Hearts?

A visiting professorship is the go-to Plan B for many a job candidate whose hopes are dashed on the tough tenure-track market. With this year’s faculty-hiring cycle underway, candidates will know in a few months if they should start seeking a visiting post. No, it’s not your dream job, but it is a reasonable way to keep building your CV until the next hiring cycle. This article offers some advice from senior professors on how to thrive, even in temporary positions.

This article addresses the myriad challenges that teachers of introductory psychology face regardless of the context in which they teach. We specifically explore the many variables that may make introductory psychology so challenging, including delivering a comparable course experience across different contexts. We discuss the recommendations made by the American Psychological Association Introductory Psychology Initiative (APA-IPI) regarding student learning outcomes that can be adopted for any course design. The article concludes with a review of some thematic approaches that can build upon APA-IPI recommendations and also enhance student engagement and performance metrics in measuring the quality of introductory psychology courses.

Goal 3 of theAPA Goals for Undergraduate Major in Psychologyspecifies three dimensions of character development deemed central to the major. The purpose of this article is to review the current state of practice that addresses how we measure student learning in ethical reasoning, interpersonal relationship-building, and diversity-related skills, including globally. Deemed the most difficult goal to measure by the organizers of the Summit on National Assessment in Psychology, Goal 3 still generated a variety of strategies to assist in teaching and assessing aspects of the major dedicated to character development; however, this category remains one of significant untapped potential. We conclude by evaluating what gaps in assessing these goals exist and still need to be addressed.

Psychology educators should have some advantages when it comes to responding to assessment planning and accountability mandates by virtue of their expertise in describing and measuring behavior. However, at this juncture, psychologists often show little enthusiasm for embracing assessment as part of their obligation in the teaching role. In this article, we offer some history regarding how assessment became such a dominating but unpopular force in higher education. We explore the lost promise of assessment from multiple perspectives, including the public, accrediting agents, administrators, faculty, and students. We argue for steps psychology programs can take to develop a true assessment culture and meaningful improvement.

This article showcases the case histories of 3 former higher education administrators who stepped down from their responsibilities to rejoin the faculty. From their collective experiences, they extracted the variables that tend to influence the change in professional trajectory. The authors explain how an assortment of cognitive biases can influence the success or failure of downward transitions. We conclude the article with suggestions regarding how to make a successful transition from academic administration back to faculty status.