Welcome to AERA Division C: Learning & Instruction, a community of scholars who care deeply about understanding how people learn and how teaching and assessment can better support that learning. Division C brings together researchers who study learning processes across disciplines, contexts, and populations, from classrooms to informal environments. Whether your work focuses on cognition, motivation, disciplinary learning, technology, or assessment, you are joining colleagues committed to rigorous inquiry and meaningful educational impact.
As graduate students in Division C, you are part of a vibrant network that values scholarly inquiry, collaboration, and professional growth. Through division-sponsored events, mentoring opportunities, and the Annual Meeting, we aim to support your development as an academic contributor to the field.
We encourage you to engage actively in division activities, connect with peers across content areas, share your work, and explore emerging methodologies. Division C seeks to foster an inclusive and dynamic space where graduate student voices contribute to substantive dialogue and the advancement of educational research.
We are delighted to have you with us and look forward to your contributions to the future of learning and instruction research.
AERA 2026 Program
Graduate Student Housing: To support your planning, AERA has secured a special Graduate Student Housing Block with discounted rates exclusively for graduate student registrants. We encourage you to make your hotel reservation as soon as possible, as availability is limited and rooms will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis for those who have registered for the meeting. To book your accommodations using the dedicated graduate student housing click here.
Webinar: Join Division C scholars and the SSRL Sig to learn more about how to navigate the AERA Conference!
Leadership PositionsGraduate Student Council leadership applications are typically sent out annually in the spring. We communicate the positions through the AERA grad student listserv as well as on our social media accounts.
VolunteerIf you’re looking for additional ways to get engaged with the Div C Graduate Student Council, follow us on social media or email us at divcgrad@gmail.com to get in touch!
WhatsAppJoin our WhatsApp group in the AERA Graduate Students Community at "Division C: Learning and Instruction" here!
The Division C Graduate Student Council seeks to support graduate students in their academic journey. The following resources are available for members:
Looking to create community and accountability? Join one of our weekly writing groups to meet other graduate students and hold some dedicated time for writing!
Click HERE or go to bit.ly/aeragradwriting for the schedule and Zoom links.
Pro tip: Create a recurring calendar invite with the Zoom link and join us weekly! Let’s get our writing, reading, interview prep, etc. done together!
The Graduate Student Representatives are elected graduate students who serve as liaisons between Division C and its graduate student members, advocating for your needs, sharing opportunities, and helping to build community and professional development within the division.
Rebecca Myers (she/her) Montclair State UniversitySenior Graduate Student Representative
Rebecca (Becky) Myers is a doctoral candidate in the Teacher Education and Teacher Development program at Montclair State University. A former teacher, her research interests include community-engaged pedagogy and teacher motivation. Becky teaches undergraduate courses in educational psychology and enjoys drawing connections between theory and practice and engaging students in critical conversations.
Micaha Dean Hughes (she/her) North Carolina State UniversitySenior Graduate Student Representative
Micaha Dean Hughes is a doctoral candidate in the department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. Her research centers organizational opportunities for fostering learning environments that support the development of student mattering and social responsibility toward a flourishing, resilient youth populace. On campus, she has served as the President of the Student Parent Association and, as a mother of two daughters, is passionate about helping other parents succeed in their academic and professional endeavors.
divcgrad@gmail.com