In the Year 2020: Envisioning the Possibilities for Educational Psychology

Abstract

This article is a version of the American Psychological Association Division 15 Presidential Address presented at the 2001 annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. In this address, Alexander outlines four trends that influence postindustrial society in general and educational psychology in particular. Those trends are (a) information as commodity, (b) an orientation toward the here and now, (c) the growing acceptance of virtual for actual experiences, and (d) an aging and increasingly diverse population. Based on those trends, Alexander makes predictions about the state of educational psychology in the next generation. Specifically, she discusses changing sphere of influence of educational psychology, its temporal realignment, and its pursuit of rooted inquiry.