Ithaca College

Assistant professor Jeff Holmes and professor Barney Beins, both of the Department of Psychology, participated in a national conference sponsored by the American Psychological Association and each coauthored a chapter in a book resulting from that conference.

The American Psychological Association (APA) sponsored the National Conference on Undergraduate Education in Psychology and invited about 60 psychologists to participate in creating a blueprint for education in psychology for the next decade. Jeff Holmes and Barney Beins participated in the conference and helped to write chapters that appeared in the book resulting from the conference.

Jeff Holmes coauthored a chapter, entitled "Psychologically Literate Citizens," based on the weeklong discussion of the topic with eight colleagues from around the country. Barney Beins coauthored a chapter, entitled "Desired Outcomes of an Undergraduate Education in Psychology from Departmental, Student, and Society Perspective," with seven colleagues.

As the APA notes, "this book examines recent changes in our undergraduate students and faculty; in our knowledge about how people learn; in our understanding of diversity; and in our beliefs about what our students need to know to be psychologically literate citizens of the world, caring family members, and productive workers who can meet today's challenges." This book is designed to help teachers and administrators design the most effective undergraduate psychology programs using the best modes of teaching for the coming decades.

Book Citation: Halpern, D. F. (2009). Undergraduate Education in Psychology: A Blueprint for the Future of the Discipline. Washington: APA.