The faculty and staff of our Department of Educational Leadership Studies are constantly engaged in various research activities on the education system seeking to advance our knowledge and practice. From action research in local classrooms to policy research in Frankfort to parent relations research in China, our endeavors are many, frequently complex, and ever-changing.
However, some long-term research strands permeiate our endeavors. Those include:
Measuring Quality in Pre-Kindergarten Classrooms
Dr. Beth Rous
Dr. Rous is working with colleagues at the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers and University of Delaware to develop and validate a teacher survey that can be used as a proxy for observational measures of quality in preschool environments.
Increasing the Use of Evidence-Based Practice
Dr. Beth Rous
Through funding from the U.S. Department of Education, Dr. Rous and colleagues from the University of North Carolina are developing practice-focused instructional resources for faculty and other professional development providers, to support the use of a 5-Step Learning Cycle TM, as an approach for making evidence-based decisions about practice dilemmas in early childhood classrooms. Information can be found at: http://community.fpg.unc.edu/
Educational Technology Law & Policy
Dr. Justin Bathon
From student expression on social media to searches of cellphones, the technology and behavior of students and teachers is changing fast. The law is not. Therein lies much conflict and thus a constant stream of research to help fill the gap.
Prevalence of Literature Related to Technology Leadership
Dr. Jayson W. Richardson
Along with Drs. Justin Bathon and Wayne Lewis, Jayson is locating and categorizing all peer-reviewed publications since 1997 that focus on some element of the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A). This project is coordinated by Kevin Flora, PhD student in Educational Leadership Studies.
Increasing Research Capacity in Cambodia
Drs. Jayson W. Richardson & John Nash
As part of a larger USAID project, Jayson and John work with local NGOs on relevant research projects. For example, they are working with a team from the Royal University of Phnom Penh on a national survey of teachers and students about their use and perceptions of digital technologies.
