Psychology of Education Section - Annual Review 2011

2011 was another extremely successful year for the Psychology of Education Section. The section currently has 422 members on roll, which is the same as in December 2010. Despite the challenges facing education in the current climate the membership has held up well. 

The annual conference was held at the Preston Marriott Hotel from the 18-20 November. The focus was ‘Motivation and Resilience in Education’. The opening keynote was given by Professor Neil Humphrey from the School of Education, University of Manchester entitled ‘Social and emotional learning: a critical approach’ and the Vernon Wall Lecture by Professor Julian (Joe) Elliott, Director of Research, School of Education, Durham University entitled  ‘Cross cultural factors in children’s achievement motivation and behaviour’. There were sessions on:

• Conceptual and measurement issues in applied motivation research;  
• Transitions and adjustment in Higher Education; 
• Resiliency in the classroom; 
• Beyond the lecture room; 
• Enhancing engagement; 
• Enabled learning;
• Approaches to learning in post-compulsory education. 

Overall, the conference was a resounding success. Thanks go to Debbie Pope and Jane Hutchinson for organising it so effectively. 

The 2012 conference will be held at Kents Hill Park Conference Centre, Milton Keynes from 9 to 11 November. The theme will be ‘Raising attainment in education: the role of psychology’.   

As usual there were two editions of the Psychology of Education Review. The February edition consisted of reports of doctoral students’ work, while the Autumn issue was an Open Dialogue with a controversial key paper by John Raven ‘Toward Professionalism in Psychology and Education setting out a far reaching agenda for those involved in psychology of education including addressing the barriers which deflect educational institutions from their goals, the arrangements required to run public sector activities, the dangers inherent in reductionist science, the socio-cybernetic processes which control the operation of well intentioned public policy and much more.

The Review's editors Debbie Pope and Debbie Mainwaring welcome responses to the article which will be published in future editions. There was also an open forum at the conference where the paper was discussed. The next edition of the journal will focus on motivation with guest editor David Putwain.

The committee was much saddened by the death of Dr Penny Munn this year who had served on previous committees in range of positions and the current committee as Membership Secretary. She is sadly missed. 

I would like to express my thanks to those committee members who are standing down this year. Thanks to the outgoing Chair, Karl Wall, the outgoing secretary Susan Atkinson and Justine Howard, Greta Defeyter, Katherine Kartmell and Keith Schofield. 

Susan Hallam, Chair

• Annual Review 2011
• More about the work of the Psychology of Education Section