The Work of Educational Psychologists in a Digitally Networked World

Abstract

New digital technologies have had a dramatic effect on all arenas of human work, and the work of educational psychologists is no exception . There are many ways in which we can think about the role that technologies play in what we do as scholars and researchers of educational psychology. Technology, for instance, has changed how we think about teaching and learning in two key ways . First, it has intluenced the kinds of models and theories we have of the mind (from clay tablets to digital computers) . Second, technology has changed the ecology or contexts within which learning occurs to include several intersecting spaces (temporal, spatial, home, community, online, etc.). A close examination of the relationship between technology and the work of educational psychologists reveals changes in nearly every aspect of the work that educational psychologists do. Thus, we have organized this chapter according to the role that technology has played in the everyday activities of educational psychologists, grouped into eight general categories, briefly described below.