The American Psychological Association (APA) is pleased to announce the first-ever APA Summit on High School Psychology Education, which will take place July 9-14, 2017, at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. The goal of the summit is to strengthen the value, delivery, assessment, and reach of psychological science through the teaching of high school psychology. In a high school psychology course, students gain an understanding of the complexities and diversity of human thought and behavior. Enrollment numbers in high school psychology courses are strong and growing. APA has supported the teaching of high school psychology for decades, particularly through the APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools. The summit will be a landmark event that APA believes will have a positive impact on the field for years to come.
The APA Steering Committee charged with planning for the summit intends to bring together approximately sixty teachers and faculty members to Weber State next summer to discuss a number of topics around psychology education at the high school level. Working groups will address the following topics: psychology as a science, skills that promote flourishing, APA’s National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula, assessing student knowledge and skills in psychology, credentialing high school psychology teachers, ongoing professional development, diversity and access, and online learning and technology.
All interested high school psychology teachers, and those interested in high school psychology education, are encouraged to apply to participate in the summit. An application form is available through the APA Summit website.
Questions can be sent to Steering Committee co-chairs Randy Ernst, EdD (randalme@gmail.com) or Amy Fineburg, PhD (fineburg@hotmail.com). Early applications by October 15 are encouraged.The application deadline is December 5, 2016.