Michigan State University scholar Kui Xie was named a Fellow of the American Psychological Association. The designation recognizes Xie for his contributions to the field of psychology. He is one of three scholars named to APA’s Division 15: Educational Psychology in 2024. 

Xie, a Red Cedar Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education, is one of three current MSU College of Education faculty members to have earned this honor. Professor Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia and Professor Connie Sung are also APA Fellows.   

“Congratulations to Professor Kui Xie on receiving Fellow status from the American Psychological Association,” said Jerlando F. L. Jackson, dean and MSU Research Foundation Professor of Education. “This notable recognition from peers within the organization emphasizes his consistent, considerable contributions to the field. His commitment to forward-thinking research while also being a leader within our college is notable. We are proud of and grateful for his efforts.” 

Xie’s career, so far

Xie joined MSU in 2023, and was one of the first two scholars in the college to be named a Red Cedar Distinguished Professor. He is the leader of the MSU Research Laboratory for Digital Learning and an associate editor of The Internet and Higher Education.  

Xie continues his research and thought leadership as a recognized scholar of educational psychology and educational technology. Xie’s research focuses on students’ motivation and engagement in diverse learning contexts, K-12 technology integration and teacher professional development and emerging learning technologies and their impact on student learning. He also focuses on building translational research in partnership with K-12 schools. Xie’s research has been supported by external grants through federal and state agencies. 

What’s next

“Professor Kui Xie’s drive to improve the motivation of children to learn through research makes him an exceptional individual to receive this prestigious recognition,” said University Distinguished Professor Joseph Krajcik. “Since arriving at MSU in the fall of 2023, he has pushed cutting-edge research on improving students’ motivation through carefully designed research. In particular, he is exploring various ways artificial intelligence can support learners during instruction. Professor Xie deserves this recognition as an APA Fellow.”  

In August 2024, Xie and Krajcik became co-principal investigators for a nearly $1.7 million Institute for Education Sciences grant to create equitable science discourse in urban middle school environments. 

While Xie has published extensively in flagship academic journals, he also connects with media outlets to share his expertise. For example, just before joining MSU, Xie co-published an article in The Conversation discussing how to use the ChatGPT artificial intelligence tool to help students learn and not cheat. Xie recently talked about cell phone usage in classrooms with WLNS, a local TV station. 

College of Education faculty named APA Fellows before their retirements include Joe L. Byers, Henry Clarizio, Robert E. Floden and Deborah Feltz.

This story originally appeared on the College of Education website.