Melissa Rogers
, MS, has taught advanced placement psychology, introduction to psychology, and concurrent developmental psychology at Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for 12 years. This fall, she will be teaching a course on exploring behavioral studies for the first time. She has a bachelor of science in psychology and a master of science in curriculum and instruction, and has been an AP psychology reader since 2018, and will be a table leader starting this year. In 2021, she received an APA Teachers of Psychology of Secondary Schools (TOPSS) Charles T. Blair-Broeker Excellence in Teaching Award. She was a copresenter for the APA TOPSS Virtual Workshop for High School Psychology Teachers: Teaching Psychological Science in July 2021 and was elected to serve as an APA TOPSS Committee member-at-large (2023–25). Melissa lives in Iowa with her husband and bulldog, often with a foster dog as well. In addition to dogs, she loves food, crafting, and the rain.
Holly E. Tatum
, PhD, is the director of teaching and learning on the psychology team at APA. In her role she uses psychological science and the scholarship of teaching and learning to create educational resources to support the teaching of psychology as well as inform pedagogical strategies for educators from preschool through graduate school. Before joining APA, she was a psychology professor and spent over 25 years teaching and mentoring undergraduate students in research. She served as the director of the center for student research and has written about high impact practices such as capstone courses and summer research programs in psychology. She coauthored
Ethics in Psychological Research: A Practical Guide for the Student Scientist
. Tatum conducts basic and applied research on cheating and academic integrity. Her work has been published in
Ethics & Behavior, International Journal of Educational Integrity, Journal of College & Character, Theory into Practice, and The Journal of Higher Education
. Recently she has conducted experiments on risk-taking and cheating among high school students using a virtual reality paradigm and the effect of moral story exposure on cheating behavior in young children using a peeking paradigm. Tatum earned her PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Tennessee.
Chris
Hakala
, PhD, has over 30 years of experience as a professor and center director in higher education. Over the years, his research has focused on reading comprehension, teaching and learning, faculty development, and assessment. In addition, Chris has been invited to present at many conferences around the country, as well as at dozens of colleges and universities on topics ranging from reading narrative text to how to effectively manage large classes, or how to engage students in ways that maximize student learning, as well as how to navigate difficult conversations with students or with colleagues. Recently, Chris has developed a strong interest in the implications of new technologies, including AI, on student learning. This year, Chris is one of approximately 30 faculty members from around the country serving as a faculty mentor on AI for institutions of higher education through the American Association of Colleges and Universities.
Beth M. Schwartz
, PhD, is the senior director of teaching and learning at APA, supporting quality teaching and learning of psychology from high school through the undergraduate curriculum, fostering a community that exchanges pedagogical best practices, supports the needs of students and educators, and advocates for the importance of education in psychology. Beth came to APA after over 30 years of experience in higher education as a professor of psychology and a chief academic officer. Drawing on her expertise in cognitive and behavioral science, her current work focuses on advancing education through evidence-based teaching, with expertise that helps educators understand the connection of learning science principles to pedagogical strategies, including how AI impacts student learning. Through workshops, presentations, and publications, Beth collaborates with educators and disciplinary leaders to translate research into practical strategies that improve learning, equity, and well-being. This year, Beth is leading efforts at APA to provide educators with guidance on how to conduct scholarship that addresses the impact of AI on student learning to help develop sound research that fills this gap in the literature, and to help educators use learning science findings when deciding when and how AI can be used in their classrooms.
