Division 15 invites submissions for the annual APA convention, to be held August 12-14 in San Francisco, California. Division proposals are due no later than January 13, 2027, at 5 p.m. ET.
The presidential theme for Division 15 this year, Educational Psychology Without Boundaries: The Science of Learning Processes Wherever Learning Occurs, invites us to expand the reach and impact of our field across diverse learning settings. As we navigate a rapidly changing world shaped by emerging technologies with transformative and disruptive potential, the theme calls on us to look outward and keep human agency at the center of our work. Drawing on our collective expertise in learning, motivation, cognition, assessment, and self-regulation, we can foster interdisciplinary collaborations that address pressing societal challenges and advance learning, well-being, and human thriving across the lifespan.
We welcome proposals that address any aspect of educational psychology and encourage submissions that illuminate the core psychological processes that shape how people learn, grow, and understand their role in the world. Proposals that align with the division’s Presidential Theme are particularly encouraged.
APA and Division 15 members and non-members are invited to submit their work for presentation in the Division 15 Program for the APA Convention.
Submissions may fall under the following formats:
- Individual Presentations: These submissions should reflect a single project, study, or paper with one or more authors. All individual presentations will be submitted as posters into the system. Once the conference platform is finalized, we will work to allocate accepted proposals into appropriate formats that are still to be determined (e.g., structured poster sessions, paper sessions). Student-led posters at both undergraduate and graduate levels are welcome.
- Symposia 2.0: (50 minutes) Symposia 2.0 are focused sessions in which multiple speakers present information related to a unifying topic that is viewed to be a significant common theme, issue, or question. The presentations generally include a review of data but may also include discussions of contrasting viewpoints or other innovative strategies for engaging the audience. The Symposia 2.0 session format should include an introduction to the topic by an expert, someone who can set context and offer background for why the session topic is important. This can be the chairperson. Speakers then give their presentations, which are followed by an exchange of ideas and discussion between the audience and speakers.
- Critical Conversations: (50 minutes) Proposals for critical conversations (formerly called Discussions) should include 1 or more brief presentations designed to provide the information needed for the audience to effectively participate in the discussion. The session should include a chair who will moderate the discussion and ensure that the bulk of the time is spent in conversation with the audience.
All proposals must be submitted through APA’s convention proposal portal at https://convention.apa.org/proposals .We strongly encourage authors to refer to the updated (2023) APA Style Journal Article Reporting Standards when addressing race, ethnicity, and culture as they prepare their submissions.
Please note, authors of submitted proposals will be contacted to review at least one proposal.
Those with questions about proposal formats or who have novel ideas about presentation formats should contact Division 15 Program Co-Chairs, Divya Varier (dvarier@gmu.edu) and Alexandra Patzak (apatzak@gmu.edu).