Refining Educational Psychology: The Case of the Missing Links

The discipline of educational psychology approaches the new millennium with a distinguished history, a compelling mission, and a sense of anxiety: given the prevailing turmoil in both education and psychology, what should be the shape of our field in the decades to come? I argue for refinement rather than redefinition. Our foundations as an applied science are sound, in my opinion. The challenge ahead is to bring together the scattershot elements of our accomplishments to date. A cornerstone for coherence can be found in the object of our investigation: the institution of schooling. In an effort to satisfy diverse clientele, American schools have virtually "disintegrated" during the past 50 years. By focusing our efforts – theoretical, methodological, and empirical, – on the reintegration of schooling, we can both assist education and re-establish a sense of disciplinary integrity. Examples are presented in three domains of practical importance: (a) curriculum and the architecture of knowledge, (b) instruction and discourse, and (c) development and learning.