ABSTRACT
Based upon the previous six chapters, it is only natural to wonder, what does the future hold for online education in psychology? What other applications are there beyond traditional undergraduate modalities? This chapter seeks to address these questions and more by discussing the many extensions, applications, and future directions that are offered by the online teaching of psychology. First, the “Purpose” section discusses how the online teaching of psychology fits nicely with notions of “giving psychology away” by opening up access and opportunities for new and traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education. Applications of professional development to applied areas are also discussed. Next, the “Implementation” section deals with graduate education; specifically, how online education can enable the dream of a PhD, followed by a discussion of faculty acceptance and the job hunt for individuals with online PhDs, featuring a review of relevant research as well as anecdotal material. Finally, the “Troubleshooting” section helps to set a course for moving into the future by detailing theory and research surrounding online faculty development as well as future considerations of online psychology education, including K-12 online education, accreditation, and demographic and economic trends.
