Faculty Profiles

Callender previously served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Auburn University. There, she maintained an active research laboratory with approximately five undergraduate students each semester. Callender also served as a faculty mentor, co-authored papers with students for various publications, and taught both undergraduate and graduate courses. She received the Auburn University College of Liberal Arts Professional Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award and the Psi Chi Award for Excellence in Teaching and Research. Her primary research area involves investigating individual differences in reading comprehension and developing interventions to improve comprehension and memory of text.

Her research in reading and cognition is interdisciplinary and includes projects with researchers in second language acquisition, teaching college physics, and safety engineering. “As a cognitive psychologist, I will be able to bring current research about teaching and learning into the classroom to promote student learning,” said Callender. Callender’s scholarly work includes numerous papers and presentations. A recent paper, “Improving metacognition in the classroom through instruction, training, and feedback,” (with A.S. Roberts and A.M. Franco-Watkins) was published in Metacognition and Learning. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from Wheaton and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis.

Washington University
Ph.D., Psychology

Washington University
M.A., Psychology

Wheaton College
B.A., Psychology

• Memory
• Disorganized Prior Knowledge
• Text Comprehension

Women exiting prostitution: Reports of coercive control in intimate relationships, Dignity, 5(3), Schultz, T., Callender, A. A., Canning, S. S., and Collins, J. 2020 (in press)

Improving metacognition in the classroom through instruction, training, and feedback, Metacognition and Learning
Callender, A. A., Roberts, A. S., Franco-Watkins, A. M., 2016

Textual enhancements or interference?: Inserted adjuncts and L2 reading with intermediate language learners, System
Callender, A. A., Medina, A., & Brantmeier, C., 2013

The role of gender, embedded questions, and domain specific readings with learners of Spanish, Hispania
Brantmeier, C., Callender, A. A., & McDaniel, M.A., 2013

Textual enhancements and comprehension with adult readers of English in China, Reading in a Foreign Language
Brantmeier, C., Callender, A. A., Yu, 0., & McDaniel, M.A., 2012

Dr. Callender conducts research that investigates how cognitive psychology can be applied to real-world situations, typically in the areas of education and second language learning.  Research focuses on individual differences in reading comprehension (in both first and 2nd languages), metacognition, and memory for classroom based materials.  The goal of the research is to inform educational practice in both first and second language settings.