Educational psychology blends the study of how people learn with understanding how to apply practical teaching methods to enhance educational practices. Educational psychologists draw from a variety of theories and methods of research to apply psychological principles to create effective, inclusive learning environments.
In this Q&A, Distinguished University Professor Daphne Greenberg, who also serves as director of the College of Education & Human Development’s Adult Literacy Research Center, shares more about the adult literacy concentration for our college’s educational psychology master’s degree program, how the program prepares graduates for future career opportunities and what makes the program unique.
Q: What knowledge and skills do students learn in the adult literacy concentration in educational psychology?
A: “When people think about literacy, they often think about young children. But really, literacy is relevant across the lifespan. College students need to read a lot of dense textbooks for their degrees. Working adults need to read field-specific memos and draft reports. Even in everyday life, adults are constantly engaging with difficult reading tasks. For example, take a person trying to determine whether to sign a lease or to educate themselves about the risks of a new medical procedure they might undergo.
"Roughly half of U.S. adults struggle to read well enough to complete the tasks of daily living, and 20 percent of these adults perform at the lowest end of proficiency. Deficits in foundational academic skills can be a barrier to an individual’s educational, occupational and personal goals. Our concentration in adult literacy enables students to understand adult learners’ various needs and to be knowledgeable about programs that support them.
"Students learn about how researchers and practitioners approach adult learning, memory, cognition, the psychology of reading, instructional innovation for adults who have difficulty with functional academic skills and accommodations for adults who have low literacy.”
Q: What makes Georgia State University's educational psychology master’s program unique?
A: “Many members of the educational psychology faculty are active researchers in the field of adult literacy or highly related fields. Georgia State is home to an internationally recognized research center on adult literacy that includes individuals from across the university including our own educational psychology faculty members, staff, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students.”
Q: What are some of the career paths someone in the educational psychology master’s program (general concentration) can pursue? How do students with this degree go on to make an impact in their chosen career paths?
A: “A master’s degree with an adult literacy concentration opens a path to or advance current careers in education, corporate instructional design, workplace administration, health care and social work, among others.
"Few adult literacy programs emphasize a research-focused curriculum. Our graduates are uniquely positioned to address the lack of research in this area. Students who get their degree with us are among the few in the country to have a concentration in the growing area of adult literacy, and therefore will be very marketable.”
Q: What made you interested in joining the educational psychology program faculty at Georgia State? Why is this field so important to you?
A: “I joined Georgia State University in the mid-1990s because I was attracted to the university’s commitment to adult, family, health, work and community literacy. This field has always been important to me because I feel committed to the millions of adults in our country who want to improve their skills. As children, they were either failed by our school systems and/or as adults they are new to this country. I care about our country’s future, and our strength depends on the strength of all of our skills. As a group, adults who seek help with their academic skills are very driven, dedicated and hard-working. A quality education should be a human right for all – whether one is a child or an adult. I am proud to be part of a group who cares about contributing to the strength of our country by focusing on education for adults.”
Q: What are some of your specific research interests and projects?
A: “My research has focused on many topics including family, health and workplace literacy. Most recently, my work has included projects centered around word reading, reading comprehension, argumentative essay writing and civics. I also run the Adult Literacy Research Center, which includes affiliates interested in a wide arena of topics, populations and skill levels.”
Q: What do you hope students take away from their time in the educational psychology master’s program?
A: “We hope students can take their knowledge of theory and research into their fields and careers to guide changes in people’s lives and environments. Adult literacy concentration students also gain a love and passion for adults who have difficulty with fundamental academic skills and a desire to work in the adult education field as a practitioner, a policymaker or a researcher. Select graduates may also opt to continue their education with us by applying to our doctoral program to obtain advanced methodological skills for use in adult education research projects.”
Meet our educational psychology faculty.
Get all the details about our educational psychology master’s program.