Abstract
In this editorial, we look back at the European Society of Psychology Learning and Teaching (ESPLAT) 2025 conference, highlighting key themes and discussions. Looking ahead, PLAT readers can anticipate a special issue featuring selected conference contributions of ESPLAT 2025. We also introduce the new executive committee of ESPLAT and the future directions of the community. Finally, we share updates from our editorial team and welcome new associate editors to our team.
A Brief Review of the European Society of Psychology Learning and Teaching 2025 Conference in Münster
From September 1 to 3, 2025, the biennial conference of the European Society of Psychology Learning and Teaching (ESPLAT) took place in Münster, Germany. The guiding theme of this year's conference was “Psychology Learning and Teaching – Scientific Thinking in Challenging Times.” Around 100 participants from 18 countries came together to exchange ideas on how psychology teaching can be further developed in response to current societal and political challenges.
The paper presentations and posters addressed a wide range of topics relevant to contemporary psychology education. Contributions focused, among other things, on fostering critical thinking and self-regulated learning, supporting reflective skills, and examining new approaches to asynchronous learning and digital teaching formats. Ethical questions, often in the context of clinical psychology training, were also widely discussed. In addition, several contributions highlighted the importance of psychological literacy and science communication, emphasizing the role of psychology in the broader public sphere.
Overall, the conference program offered numerous opportunities for international exchange and collaboration. Alongside presentations and discussions, several workshops were organized, including four preconference workshops that took place before the official opening. These workshops addressed topics such as the evaluation of student research projects, scientific thinking in the context of global health, the analysis of scientific communication in psychology, and the development of freely available teaching materials.
A particular highlight of the conference was the keynote lectures by Andrew Butler (Washington University in St. Louis, USA), Helen Fischer (Leibniz Institute for Knowledge Media, Tübingen, Germany), and Nicolas Sommet (University of Lausanne, Switzerland), who provided inspiring perspectives on applying the science of learning in psychology education, the role of metacognition in communicating contested topics, and the impact of economic inequality on student outcomes.
Beyond the scientific program, the conference once again provided valuable opportunities for personal exchange within the community. The international participation fostered lively discussions and offered insights into the diverse social, economic, and cultural contexts in which psychology is taught and studied. For a more detailed report and further information, please visit the conference website (https://www.esplat.org/esplat-2025). Thank you to our host, Stephan Dutke and the whole team of Münster University!
Looking Ahead: Upcoming Special Issue of PLAT
We would also like to take this opportunity to highlight an exciting format that readers can look forward to in upcoming issues of PLAT. One of the two forthcoming issues will be a special issue dedicated to the ESPLAT 2025 conference on “Psychology Learning and Teaching – Scientific Thinking in Challenging Times” in Münster, Germany. The special issue, guest-edited by the conference hosts Stephan Dutke and Lena Kegel, will feature selected contributions from the conference and further extend the discussions initiated there. By the way, PLAT is always open for proposals for special issues (see instructions on website).
New Executive Committee and Future Directions of ESPLAT
Another important highlight of the ESPLAT 2025 conference was the General Assembly, where the new executive committee officially took office. We warmly thank the outgoing committee for their dedication and the many contributions they made to advancing the ESPLAT community.
We are excited to welcome the new leadership team. Iva Stuchlíková (University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic) assumes the role of President, bringing extensive expertise in educational psychology, teacher development, and psychology education. Michael Gruber (Umeå University, Sweden) joins as President-Elect, contributing decades of experience in teaching and educational leadership. Completing the Committee are Robert Gaschler (FernUniversität in Hagen, Germany) as Treasurer, Lenka Sokolová (Comenius University Bratislava, Slovakia) as Secretary General, and Patricia Schimm (FernUniversität in Hagen, Germany) as Student Representative.
Looking ahead, the executive committee aims to strengthen the international reach of ESPLAT, promote diversity and cultural sensitivity, and further develop sustainable and inclusive teaching practices. The ESPLAT will continue to provide platforms for engagement, including webinars, workshops, and its biennial conferences. We encourage interested educators, researchers, and students to join the community and contribute actively. Further membership information is available at https://www.esplat.org/membership.
Finally, we are pleased to share that the next ESPLAT conference will be held in České Budějovice, Czech Republic, offering another opportunity for inspiring discussions, networking, and sharing innovative ideas in psychology teaching and learning.
Changes in our Editorial Team
Finally, we are pleased to announce that our team of associate editors has been strengthened by the addition of Linda Wirthwein from TU Dortmund University, Germany, and Tessa Flack from the University of Leeds, UK. We warmly welcome both of them to PLAT and look forward to collaborating with them. We are excited about the expertise and fresh perspectives they bring to the journal, and we wish them a successful and inspiring start in their new roles.
The Current Issue
The current issue of PLAT contains two reviews and three research articles.
In the review, Delvenne sheds light on the implications of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for assessment validity, academic integrity, and organizational learning. Based on empirical research, sector reports, survey findings, and the author's experience as academic integrity lead, the review identifies five interconnected challenges: unreliable detection technologies, ambiguity in marking and feedback, threats to the validity of psychology-specific assessments, increasingly complex integrity casework, and limited institutional support.
The second review by Ross, Eschman, and Claxton focuses on the opportunities and challenges of undergraduate psychology journals. All nine identified journals are open-access and accept empirical work and operate without author fees. The authors analyze challenges undergraduate students face in publishing, highlight journals supportive of student authorship, and offer actionable recommendations to enhance journal visibility, sustainability, and educational value.
In the first article, Jones, Wood, McDonald, and Abbott examined how feedback timing (each question, blocks, or score-only) affected statistics anxiety, self-efficacy, and feedback perceptions. Comparisons of subjects showed pre- to posttest reductions in test and class anxiety as well as help-seeking anxiety, but increased interpretation anxiety. Block feedback was associated with the highest performance, offering practical insights for reducing anxiety and improving digital tools.
Bailey, Parylo, Tremayne, O'Gorman, and Watson investigated predictors of psychology students’ GenAI use and corresponding grades on AI secure and insecure assessments. More positive attitudes toward technology, greater perceived ease of use, greater workload, and less time pressure predicted greater use of GenAI. Additionally, greater use of GenAI was associated with greater procrastination and memory difficulties, but did not correlate with assessment grades. No differences between grades in AI secure and insecure assessments were found.
Rieder and Bosch analyzed volitional competences as potential reasons for the gap between intentions and behavior during one semester in an educational psychology lecture course. Although higher volitional competencies predicted greater use of learning activities, they did not predict the magnitude of the intention–behavior gap. The findings highlight the relevance of instructors supporting students’ engagement, especially during the early stages of the academic term.
We hope you enjoy reading this issue of PLAT!