Raina Isaacs, Ph.D.

Education

• Ph.D. 2025 – University of Louisville, Louisville, KY

Experimental Psychology

• M.S. 2021 – Illinois State University, Normal, IL

Cognitive and Brain Sciences

• B.A. 2019 – McKendree University, Lebanon, IL

Psychology

• A.A. 2017 – SouthWestern Illinois College, Belleville, IL

Psychology                                    

Biography

Raina recently graduated with her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology where she specialized in exploratory learning, an active, inclusive teaching strategy where students engage in novel problems before receiving the procedures and underlying concepts. In this role, she worked one-on-one with STEM (i.e., chemistry, physics, engineering, biology) and psychology faculty to implement exploratory learning in their classrooms.

Raina began working at McKendree University as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology in 2024 where she teaches the online sections of Research Methods and Psychology Cornerstone. 

Her goals at Valparaiso University are to assist faculty with inclusive course design, collaborative group work, and active learning. 

Selected Publications

DeCaro, M.S., Isaacs, R. A., Bego, C. R., & Chastain, R. J. (2023). Bringing exploratory learning online: Problem-solving before instruction improves remote undergraduate physics learning. Frontiers in Education, 8. 

Boysen, G. A., Isaacs, R. A., Chickosky, R. L., & Delmore. E. E. (2023). Intense dislike of students: Frequency, causes, effects, and management among college teachers. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 9(2), 133-149.

Boysen, G. A., Isaacs, R. A., Tretter, L., & Markowski, S. (2021). Trigger warning efficacy: The impact of warnings on affect, attitudes, and learning. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 7(1), 39-52.

Selected Presentations

Isaacs, R. A., & DeCaro, M. S. (2024, October). Exploring before instruction: Motivational benefits of exploring together versus alone. [Poster Presentation]. ACT 2024, Louisville, KY.

Isaacs, R. A., & DeCaro, M. S. (2024, April). Pretests or problem-solving: Which prepares students to learn from instruction? [Oral Presentation]. MPA 2024, Chicago, IL.

Isaacs, R. A., Christian, N., Hopp, R., Masters. J., Fuselier, L., Velic, L., Hieb, J., Chastain, R. J., & DeCaro, M. S. (2024, March). Exploring before instruction to improve conceptual understanding in biology. [Oral Presentation]. NARST 2024, Denver, CO.

Isaacs, R. A., Chastain, R. J., Davis, C., Fuselier, L., & DeCaro, M. S. (2023, April). Moving a homework problem before lecture, rather than after, improves undergraduate physics students’ conceptual understanding. [Poster Presentation]. AERA 2023, Chicago, IL.