March 10, 2008 (Vol. 7, No. 4)

Lehman Professor to Help Examine How U.S. Colleges Teach Psychology

Professor Vincent Prohaska (Psychology) has been selected by the American Psychological Association (APA) Board of Educational Affairs to help guide the organization's examination of undergraduate education in psychology. He will take part in the APA's national conference on this issue, which will be held in June at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.

The conference will recommend ways to enhance instruction based on contemporary research in education, the needs of both students and the workforce-at-large, new and emerging technologies, and the realities of today's academic life.

"Teaching about psychology has been a central element of my professional career," said Professor Prohaska. "Much has been learned, especially in the past decade, about how students learn and about effective teaching practices, and I am particularly interested in helping apply that knowledge to classroom practices.

"Psychology also must continue to be relevant," he added, "to the needs and career aspirations of students who are members of ethnic minorities, who are adult learners, who have work and family responsibilities, and who have 'real-world experiences' that influence their learning. This is a wonderful opportunity to influence the next ten years of teaching and learning in psychology."

Professor Prohaska joined the Lehman faculty in 1990, has served as chair of the Psychology Department, and currently chairs the College's Writing Across the Curriculum Advisory Committee. He has received numerous awards for his dedication to education, including the 1997 Lehman Teacher of the Year Award and the 2001 Florence L. Denmark National Faculty Advisor Award from Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology. He is currently the national president of Psi Chi.

The APA represents the largest national presence advocating for psychology at the Federal level. It works closely with those on Capitol Hill and in Federal agencies to formulate legislation and regulations that impact the field of psychology.

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