APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools - TOPSS

09/04/2026

This APA Expert Report on Children's and Adolescents' Learning with Educational Technology was released just yesterday. From APA's Executive Lead Psychologist, Education, Psychology Team, Nicole Barnes, PhD, to TOPSS members and friends:

"I'm pleased to share that APA's Expert Report on Children's and Adolescents' Learning with Educational Technology was released [yesterday]. The report examines what psychological science tells us about educational technology, learning, development, and student well-being, and offers 10 evidence-based recommendations for educators, families, policymakers, and developers. A central message of the report is that student engagement with technology is not the same as learning, and that educational technology should be judged by the knowledge and skills students retain, apply, and transfer beyond the technology itself.

As [TOPSS members and friends], I thought this work might be of particular interest because it reflects many of the values that guide our collective efforts: advancing the application of psychological science in educational settings, promoting evidence-based decision-making, supporting equitable and effective learning opportunities, and ensuring that innovations intended to benefit learners are grounded in research rather than assumptions or marketing claims. The report also highlights the importance of protecting student well-being, privacy, and developmental needs as technology becomes increasingly integrated into learning environments.

This report was developed through a multidisciplinary collaboration of APA members, and I am proud of the contribution psychology can make to this important national conversation. Thank you for all you do to advance psychology's impact in education. I welcome any thoughts or feedback you may have.

Nicole
Nicole Barnes, PhD
Executive Lead Psychologist, Education
Psychology Team
[email protected]

An APA expert report featuring 10 research-based recommendations for making educational technology decisions that protect and support children's learning, development, and well-being.

08/28/2026

Do you teach in any of these states?! If you do, we'd love it if you'd consider applying to receive $300 to hold an in-person event at your school on careers in psychology! APA's 2025 President Dr. Debra Kawahara started an "Engaging Psychology's Future" initiative last year with a goal of bringing psychology professionals to meet with high school and community college students to discuss career paths in psychology. Funding is available through this December to support these events - you can receive up to $300 to support food, drinks, and materials for your students. You can even request funds to hold an event next spring, although gift cards must be sent before December 31. We'd love to support events in these states so the initiative is truly national, but any teacher in any state can apply for funding. For details and to apply for funds, please visit https://www.apa.org/about/governance/president/engaging-psychologys-future.

To date, “Psyched for Success” events have been held in 32 states and the District of Columbia. Events have not yet been held in:

• Alaska
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Mississippi
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Utah
• Vermont
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

08/20/2026

We welcome all high school psychology teachers to join TOPSS as members! If you join now, your membership will last through December 2027. These are our top reasons why we hope you will consider joining us:

· Free webinars for educators!
· Support of in-person teaching workshops across the country, such as recent workshops in Alabama, Oregon, Washington, DC, and Washington state (supported by APF funding)
· Travel awards and grant opportunities from APF
· Subscription to APA’s Monitor on Psychology Magazine
· Discounted rates at the APA annual convention
· Book, journal, database, and merchandise discounts through APA
· Monthly emails from the TOPSS chair
· Academic Achievement in Psychology Recognition Certificates for your top students
· Unique, high-impact resources like unit lesson plans, pacing calendars, National Standards, a promotional video for future students, a guide for new teachers, and more
· Access to APA’s award-winning podcast (Speaking of Psychology), APA’s Instagram, X, and Facebook accounts, and the APA YouTube channel
· Demonstrates your commitment and to psychology and high-quality teaching and shows your support of APA, a leading organization in advocacy, funding, and support for psychological science.

By joining TOPSS, you are showing your support of psychology as a science and a profession and adding your voice in support of APA’s mission. We invite you to be a part of our worldwide community.

As a high school teacher affiliate of APA, you'll automatically become a member of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS.) TOPSS is the national organization representing the needs of psychology teachers at the high school level.

08/19/2026

We hope you are familiar with the "High school psychology: Better understand your world" video that has been posted online here for several years. This video is great to play for your students, students’ parents on back-to-school night, and your administrative team to highlight the value of the course. The website has great information for your students as well!

Discover how taking a psychology course in high school can teach you how to be a better student, prepare you for any career and help you better understand your world.

08/18/2026

AI isn't going away from your classroom — the question is whether it's helping students learn or just helping them get their work done.

In this new six-session APA webinar series, faculty will learn how to use AI in ways that are grounded in psychological science, aligned with the science of learning, and responsive to the realities of teaching today. Rather than treating AI as a shortcut or replacement for expertise, the series positions AI as a tool that can support sound pedagogy, thoughtful course design, and student learning when used with care.

What will you walk away with?
Across six sessions, participants will examine how AI intersects and can be guided through core principles from learning science including motivation, metacognition, memory, transfer, feedback, and disciplinary thinking. Faculty will leave with practical tools for teaching and a stronger framework for deciding when AI supports learning, when it undermines it, and how to help students engage with it critically and responsibly.

Register for the full series, a single session, or mix and match based on your needs and interests. Save when you bundle three or more workshops, and maximize your savings when you register for the full series.

Please see below or visit AI and Education for webinar details and dates and to register. The series homepage lists bundled payment options. All listed times are eastern.

In this series
AI and Education: AI, Learning, and the Psychology of Teaching
September 16, 2026 02:00 p.m.
This webinar will help faculty understand AI through the lens of cognitive science and the science of learning. Speakers: Chris Hakala, PhD, Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship, Springfield College; Beth Schwartz, PhD, Senior Director Teaching and Learning, American Psychological Association

AI and Education: Using AI to Design Learning Experiences that Promote Thinking
October 21, 2026 02:00 p.m.
This webinar will help psychology faculty and other educators apply the science of learning to lesson design, class activities, and instructional scaffolds. Speaker: JT Torres, PhD, Director, Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning, Washington and Lee

AI and Education: AI, Assessment, and Feedback in Teaching and Learning
November 18, 2026 02:00 p.m.
This webinar will teach faculty how to design assessments that preserve rigor, improve feedback, and support durable learning. Speaker: Laura Dorsey-Elson, PhD, Director, Center for Innovative Instruction & Scholarship, Morgan State University

AI and Education: Teaching Students to Use AI Critically Through Psychological Science
January 20, 2027 02:00 p.m.
This webinar will teach faculty how to help students understand AI through cognition, bias, motivation, and metacognition. Speaker: Beth Schwartz, PhD, Senior Director, Teaching and Learning, American Psychological Association

AI and Education: Creating AI Policies that Support Learning, Integrity, and Equity
February 17, 2027 02:00 p.m.
This webinar will teach faculty how to develop transparent expectations informed by how students learn. Speaker: Lance Eaton, Senior Associate Director of AI in Teaching and Learning, Northeastern University

AI and Education: Building a Psychology-Informed AI Teaching Practice
March 17, 2027 02:00 p.m.
This webinar will teach faculty how to create sustainable, evidence-informed approaches to teaching with AI. Speaker: Regan Gurung, PhD, Professor and Director, General Psychology Program, Oregon State University

In this six-session webinar series, faculty learn how to use AI in ways that are grounded in psychological science, aligned with the science of learning, and responsive to the realities of teaching today.

08/17/2026

As you return to the classroom, please be sure to review the top teaching resources from APA and TOPSS. These were developed for teachers, by teachers. Best of luck as the school year begins!

These resources were selected by the APA TOPSS Committee for their uniqueness and impact in the classroom.

08/15/2026

Early Bird Registration for the STP Annual Conference on Teaching ends today, August 15!

Register at www.teachpsych.org/ACT26

Join psychology educators from across the country for three days of evidence-based teaching, practical classroom ideas, meaningful conversations, and a welcoming community of colleagues who are passionate about student learning! Whether you're new to teaching or have decades of experience, you'll leave with ideas you can use immediately.

ACT keynote presenters are Jane Halonen, Christina Maslach, and STP President Drew Christopher.

The full conference program will be released in early September.

Don't miss the Early Bird deadline—register by August 15!

https://teachpsych.org/conferences/act

Refund Policy: Full refunds are available through September 15. While no refunds will be issued after that date, we may be able to offer you a credit toward next year's Annual Conference on Teaching. Please contact the Director for the Annual Conference on Teaching, Garth Neufeld, at annual-confere...

08/12/2026

Extreme heat doesn’t just make school uncomfortable. It interferes with how children’s brains develop, how well they learn, and how they feel.

But schools don’t have to face this alone.

A new report from APA and contributors examines the full scope of heat’s impact and outlines practical steps school districts can take to protect students and educators.

Learn more: https://at.apa.org/8cf7bf

Extreme heat shapes the conditions in which children learn and educators work

08/10/2026

Here's a great opportunity for psychology teachers - the the 4th annual Show-Me (Missouri) Teaching of Psychology Conference! The conference will be held at Drury University in Springfield, MO, on Saturday, September 12.

Registration is now open until August 29, but the sign up deadline to host a discussion table is August 14. The first 25 people to register from high schools or 2-year universities are free. After the first 25, registration is just $20 for everyone. Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmxOPsU4FUqhnwENsnkiHCr3cQjYq0SGl_ZnsUOOMVfP4y5A/viewform.

08/08/2026

Last TOPSS session of APA 2026 from earlier today, with Dr. Tania Thomas-Presswood of Gallaudet University on Teaching in the Age of Misinformation and Self-Diagnosis. Being introduced here by TOPSS past chair Natasha Alston.