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Student News 2010

Fall 2010

  • Ph.D. student Sonja Lind will be presenting at the Ubiquitous Learning Conference (ULC) at the University of British Columbia, December 10-11. Ms. Lind's presentation is entitled Displaced Identities: Transcultural Learners in Social Media Communities. The ULC is an interdisciplinary forum that investigates the uses of technologies in learning, including devices with sophisticated computing and networking capabilities that are now pervasively part of our everyday lives - from laptops to mobile phones, games, digital music players, personal digital assistants, and cameras. Ms. Lind is a  third year doctoral student in the Language, Literacy, and Technology specialization. Her research interests include qualitative research, international education, new literacies, social media, and writing and identity.   Abstract

  • Ph.D. student Tran Dang presented at the 32nd annual fall research conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) in Boston on November 4-6. The 2010 conference theme was "Making Fair and Effective Policy in Difficult Times". This year the conference attracted over 1,000 participants engaged in issues and methodologies of applied public policy and management research. Ms. Dang's presentation was entitled: "Preschool Center Quality and School Readiness: Quality Main Effects and Variation by Demographic and Child Characteristics". Ms. Dang is a fourth year doctoral student specializing in Learning, Cognition, and Development and Educational Policy and Social Context. Her research interests include education policy, program evaluation, and the achievement gap. Presentation Abstract

  • Ph.D. student Teya Rutherford is presenting at the Fifth Annual Research Gala  of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) in Atlanta on November 13: "Great Minds Leading the Way". The NAGC is an organization of parents, teachers, educators, other professionals, and community leaders who support and develop policies that encourage and respond to the diverse expressions of gifts and talents in children and youth from all cultures, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and socioeonomic groups. Ms. Rutherford's poster presentation is entitled "Motivation and Achievement Among Gifted and Propensity Score Matched Comparison Group". Ms. Rutherford is a second year doctoral student specializing in Learning, Cognition, and Development. Her research interests include motivation, intelligence, and law and education. Presentation Abstract

  • Ph.D. student Femi Vance delivered a workshop to the UCI Cal Teach program on October 28th entitled "Effective Communication with Young Children". Ms. Vance, a fourth year doctoral student specializing in Learning, Cognition, and Development, is a trainer for the California School Age Consortium (CalSAC), a state-wide organization that provides training and advocacy for afterschool and out-of-school time professionals throughout California. Representing ~137,000 workers, CalSAC's mission is to advance high-quality, low cost afterschool programs for all children. UCI's Cal Teach program provides the option for undergraduates majoring in science and mathematics to obtain their B.S. degree and their teaching credential in four years. Ms. Vance's research interests include professional development, youth development program policy, and equity in school financing.

  • Ph.D. student James Leak delivered a Department of Education brownbag lecture with doctoral student Weilin Li in advance of his presentation to the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) in Boston on November 4-6. Their presentation was titled "Is Timing Everything? How Early Childhood Education Program Impacts Vary by Starting Age, Program Duration, and Time Since the End of the Program". Mr. Leak is a fourth year doctoral student specializing in Educational Policy and Social Context. His research interests include educational policy, diversity and equity, and school reform. Ms. Li is a third year doctoral student, also specializing in Educational Policy and Social Context. Her research interests include educational finance and educational inequality.
    Paper

  • Ph.D. student Erik Ruzek presented his research to members attending the fall meeting of the Chair's Advisory Board on October 15. The Chair's Advisory Board is composed of community leaders who gather twice yearly to support the Department of Education in its three-fold mission of research, teaching, and community service. The Fall 2010 meeting addressed the topic: "Assessing Teacher Quality". Mr Ruzek's presentation was titled: "Assessing Teachers with Value-Added Models". Presenting with Mr. Ruzek on the 15th were Assistant Professor Elizabeth van Es ("Using Video to Develop Teachers' Professional Vision of Ambitious Teaching") and Director of Teacher Education and Student Affairs Judi Conroy ("Performance Assessment for California Teachers: Assessing Teacher Performance at the Pre-Service Level"). PowerPoints and Presentation Summaries

  • The Department of Education initiated its Fall 2010 Professional Development Seminars for Ph.D. students with a presentation by Professors Greg Duncan and George Farkas on "Writing Successful Grants". This year the seminars are coordinated by second year doctoral students Huy Chung and Anamarie Auger. Past topics have included professional networking, reviewing for journals, preparing a conference submission, strategies for attending AERA, writing for publication, fellowship and grant opportunities, and other topics. The November 15, 2010 Professional Development Seminar will feature Christine Kelly of the UC Irvine Career Center: "Creating a Useful CV". Professional Development Seminars for doctoral students are offered monthly during the academic year.

  • Thirteen new Ph.D. in Education students arrived at Irvine mid-September. Following their Grad Division Orientation on the 17th, they received their DoE technology training in a personalized session with Computer Resource Manager Rock Hunter. The agenda for their official DoE Welcome/Orientation (Monday, September 20) included faculty introductions, Professor Michael E. Martinez's address: "The Nature of Doctoral Work," review of program requirements, a students-only luncheon, specialization and advisor meetings, and a department tour. Tuesday and Wednesday were Teaching Assistant training, hosted by DoE's 2010-2011 Pedagogical Fellows Alejandra Albarran and Sonja Lind. More about the students 

  • On September 24, doctoral students entering their second year of study showcased their first year research findings during the 2010 Poster Presentation. Working closely with their advisor over the summer, the students studied their data, refined their findings, and created a 4x6 poster. During the session, open to the public, students summarized their work for faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students, and guests. Poster themes represented research in the three specializations offered by the department: Learning, Cognition, and Development; Educational Policy and Social Context; and Language, Literacy, and Technology. Students are encouraged to enter their posters for presentations at national-level conferences.
    Abstracts of Poster Presentations

  • The Teacher Credential Programs hosted their annual Welcome Barbecue for new students on September 22. Coordinating the event were Judi Conroy, Director of Teacher Education and Student Affairs; Christina Giguiere, Multiple Subject Coordinator; and Virginia Panish, Single Subject Coordinator. Karol Gottfredson, Intern Coordinator, represented the Intern program, and Counselor Gisela Verduzco represented the Undergraduate Minor in Education. Assisting were Marie Nubia-Feliciano, Admissions Officer; Susan Meyers, Academic Consultant; Maria Takacs, Administrative Assistant; and Luz Sanchez, Student Support. Facilities Manager Darryl Brown served as chef. The UC Irvine Teacher Credential programs have admitted 118 new students to the Single Subject program and 81 students to the Multiple Subject program. Photographs 

  • The Teachers of Tomorrow Club inaugurated the 2010-2011 year with a welcome mixer for new and returning members on September 28. Meeting every other week in Room 2024 of the Education Building from 6:30 to 7:30, the club welcomes all undergraduates interested in learning more about the teaching profession, completing a Minor in Educational Studies, or volunteering at local school and after-school locations. For the 40 young men and women attending the first meeting, club officers explained the social and community service functions of club membership. For additional information, contact Club President Kaitie Zusy. PowerPoint from September 28 Meeting

  • Ph.D. student Tara Barnhart's 2010 poster presentation has been accepted by the California Council on Teacher Education (CCTE) for their Fall 2010 Conference, October 14-16, at Shelter Island. The conference theme this year is "Teacher Education in Challenging Times: Initiating Leadership to Inform Policy and Create Opportunities." Ms. Barnhart's poster is entitled "Learning to Learn from Teaching: Promoting Student-Centered Instruction in a Pre-Service Education Program." Her study examined the influence of a new course in a teacher preparation program on the way participants enacted and reflected on their own teaching. Analysis of videos and written reflections from the PACT teaching event revealed shifts toward student-centered instruction. Ms. Barnhart is specializing in Learning, Cognition, and Development. Her advisor is Assistant Professor Elizabeth van Es.

  • Multiple Subject Cohort A September Newsletter, Issue #1

Summer 2010

  • Two recent poems by Ph.D. student Andrea Cons have been published by Eber & Wein Publishing. "Opal-glazed Skies," published in the 2010 anthology Times Like These, was written for Ms. Cons' brother David, who passed away in October 2007. "Reflections of my Father," published in the 2009 anthology The Wishing Well, was composed "as a father's day gift for my dad." Ms. Cons is a fourth year doctoral student in the Language, Literacy, and Technology specialization, with research interests in academic literacy and writing, multiliteracies, twenty-first century literacy skills, the achievement gap between English language learners and native speakers of English, discourse analysis, and teacher education. Prior to entering the Ph.D. in Education program, Ms. Cons taught high school Language Arts and served as Chairperson of the English Department in Long Beach, California.

  • Ph.D. student James Leak participated in the Workshop on Quasi-Experimental Design and Analysis in Education, held August 9-13, at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The workshop was sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University. Professors Thomas Cook (Northwestern University) and William Shadish (University of California, Merced) led the workshop sessions, which were designed to help researchers improve the quality of quasi-experiments, needed when random assignment is not feasible or breaks down. Mr. Leak is a fourth year doctoral student specializing in Educational Policy and Social Context. His research areas of interest include education policy, diversity and equity, and school reform.

  • Ph.D. students Ana Marie Auger and James Leak (see above) participated in the Data User Training for the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, held August 4-6 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The workshop was designed to train researchers to access, analyze, and use the datasets of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) - a longitudinal, comprehensive study of the development of children in the context of their families and out-of-home environments - which collected data from 1991 to 2007. Ms. Auger is a second year doctoral student specializing in Educational Policy and Social Context. Her research interests include the effects of educational policies on low-income and minority students, educational inequality, and out-of-school programs and activities.

  • Ph.D. student  Sonja Lind has published a book review of Barbara Hanna and Juliana de Noov's (2009) book Learning Language and Culture via Public Internet Discussion Forums - Lind, S. (2010). Learning language and culture via public Internet discussion forums [Review of the book]. Language Learning and Technology, 14(2), 17-21. Earlier this year, she co-published an article in the Brazilian journal Letras e Letras about technology and English language teaching in Brazil - Ren, Y., Warschauer, M., Lind, S., & Jennewine, L. (2009). Technology and English language teaching in Brazil. Letras e Letras, 25(2), 235-254. Ms. Lind is a third year doctoral student specializing in Language, Literacy, and Technology. Her research interests include English language and international education equity, new literacies, service-learning, instructional technology, and online communities.

  • The Department of Education hosted orientation sessions for Multiple Subject, Intern, and Single Subject Teacher Credential Candidates on August 24-26. Each day participating candidates were greeted by Department Chair Deborah Lowe Vandell and then attended sessions tailored to their specific program of study. The Multiple Subject orientation included a program overview; presentations on professionalism, responsibilities, and placement; and rotating mini-panel discussions by faculty and alumni. The Intern orientation included an overview of schedules, lesson plans, online reporting, PACT teaching event, and team approach to mentoring. The Single Subject orientation included "Perspectives on Early Practice," "Building School Relationships," and "Getting Organized for Fieldwork." 
    Orientation Flyers:  Single Subject Flyer    Intern Flyer    Multiple Subject Flyer
  • Ph.D. student Tara Barnhart has been awarded the John M. Skalski Scholarship from Phi Delta Kappan Professional Education Association. Phi Delta Kappa is an international organization for teachers, principals, superintendents, and higher education faculty and administrators. The organization is dedicated to promoting high-quality education, in particular publicly-supported education, as essential to the development and maintenance of a democratic way of life. The PDK mission focuses on leadership, research, and service. Ms. Barnhart is a second year student in the Learning, Cognition, and Development (LCD) specialization, with research interests in science education, inquiry learning, teacher preparation, and assessment. She will receive $1,000 in support of her doctoral studies.

  • Ph.D. student Nayssan Safavian has been selected for the 13th Annual American Psychological Association (APA) Division 15 (Educational Psychology) Doctoral Student Research Seminar. Ms. Safavian's application required her dissertation timeline, statement of career goals and job search timeline, research proposal, and abstract of her dissertation proposal. The APA award comes with a $505 stipend and includes a pre-conference workshop, meals, and lodging for the duration of the conference. The goal of the APA seminar is to provide support for students entering the dissertation phase of their doctoral studies, as well as match outstanding graduate students with experienced members of Division 15 who have similar research interests and could act as mentors. Ms. Safavian is in her 4th year of doctoral study in the LCD specialization.

  • Ph.D. student Chin Hsi Lin presented at the Research in Reading Chinese Conference in Ontario Canada, July 2-3. His presentation, “The Effects of L1, Orthographic Regularity and Consistency in Naming Chinese Characters,” was based on a publication of the same name on which he is the first author. Mr. Lin is a fourth-year student in the Language, Literacy, and Technology specialization. His research interests include computer-mediated communication, Chinese learning, and reading development of Chinese Language Learners. During his doctoral studies, Mr. Lin has authored several articles and three books and presented at numerous conferences. He advanced to candidacy in winter 2010 and earned his M.A. in Education (as part of his doctoral studies) in spring of this year.  Abstract of Presentation

  • Ph.D. students Melissa Kibrick (first author) and Teya Rutherford, along with Professors Michael Martinez, Lindsey Richland, and Margaret Burchinal, participated in the poster presentation session at the Fifth Annual IES (Institute of Education Sciences) Conference, held in National Harbor, Maryland. Over 1300 researchers, policy makers, and practitioners attended the conference, which offered 33 concurrent panel sessions and open forums in the broad topical tracks of Methodology, Teaching and Learning, Social and Behavioral, and Policy. Ms. Kibrick is a third year student specializing in Learning, Cognition, and Development with research interests in technology in the classroom, classroom culture, and student motivation.  Abstract   Conference Handout

  • Ph.D. student Teya Rutherford presented at the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement Wave III and Transition into Adulthood Study New Results Workshop, June 3-4. The title of her presentation was: “Emotional Well-Being and Matches between Child and Parent Educational Aspirations and Expectations.” Ms. Rutherford is a second year doctoral student in the Learning, Cognition, and Development specialization. Her academic background includes a B.A. in elementary education with a concentration in computers and a law degree from Boston University School of Law. Prior to joining the doctoral program, Ms. Rutherford served as a public school liaison for the Massachusetts Department of Education. Her research interests include motivation, intelligence, and law and education. Abstract of Presentation 

  • Ph.D. student Femi Vance has an article accepted for publication in Child and Youth Care Forum: “A Comparative Analysis of Competency Frameworks for Youth Workers in the Out-Of-School Time Field.” Ms. Vance is a fourth year doctoral student in the Learning, Cognition, and Development specialization. Her background includes a BA in Psychology, a MA in Public Policy, and experience as a youth program specialist with the U.S. Air Force. Her research interests include youth development program policy, out-of-school time professional development, and equity in school financing. In conjunction with her doctoral program Ms. Vance currently is conducting research at the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim.  Abstract of Article

  • Ph.D. Student Sonja Lind has been appointed Graduate Resource Center Peer Tutor for Fall 2010. Peer tutors function as part of the staff for the Center and as such are on-site in the GRC. Ms. Lind’s responsibilities will include: drop-in writing clinic assistance, planning and executing graduate writing workshops, forming and leading peer writing groups, exploring possible funding opportunities for grad students, assisting grad students with grant application writing and assembly, developing possible programming for the Center centered around writing skills, and hosting grad school application seminars for undergrads. Ms. Lind is a third year doctoral student specializing in Language, Literacy, and Technology. Her research interests include new literacies, rhetoroic, instructional technology, service learning, and English language and international education equity.

  • UCI Master of Arts in Teaching students demonstrated their research skills during the Summer 2010 MAT Poster Session: “Teachers’ Lives and the Policy Environment of Teaching.” Held in the Education Building, the poster session highlighted students’ analyses of current research and provided them with a public forum to explain and discuss their findings. The poster session represented the culminating project for students enrolled in Education 201: Teachers’ Lives and the Policy Environment of Teaching, taught this summer by Multiple Subject Coordinator Christina Giguiere, Single Subject Coordinator Virginia Panish, and Lecturer Satinder Hawkins. MAT faculty critiqued the presentations. The UC MAT offers students the opportunity to complete teacher credential requirements and a master’s degree in teaching during one academic year and two summers. More information

  • Ph.D. student Chin-Hsi Lin has been awarded a Phi Beta Kappa Alumni International Scholarship. The scholarships are awarded to students in their final year of doctoral study. Mr. Lin, a student in the Language, Literacy, and Technology specialization, advanced to candidacy in winter 2010. He earned a M.A. in Education with his comprehensive paper: Integrative versus Instrumental Orientation Among Online Language Learners. During his doctoral studies, Mr. Lin has published three books related to Chinese language learning and presented at several conferences. During summer 2009 he conducted workshops in seven cities as part of an annual conference sponsored by the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission. His research interests encompass computer-mediated communication, Chinese language learning, and reading development of Chinese Language Learners.

  • Ph.D. student Tran Dang presented at the 2010 IES (Institute of Education Sciences) Research Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, June 28-30. Her poster presentation, entitled "Childcare Quality and School Readiness: A Meta-analysis of Variation by Family and Child Characteristics," was based upon a paper co-authored with Professors George Farkas, Greg Duncan, Margaret Burchinal, and Deborah Lowe Vandell; Ph.D. students Weilin Li and Erik Ruzek; and Carollee Howes. Ms. Dang is a fourth year doctoral student with dual specializations in Educational Policy and Social Context and Learning, Cognition, and Development. Her research interests include educational policy, program evaluation, and the achievement gap.  Abstract of Poster Presentation

  • Teacher Credential Candidates Matt Ankeny and Mike Echaves were the student speakers for the first-ever Department of Education Commencement for Master of Arts in Teaching and Teacher Credential Programs Candidates. Addressing the 214 graduates and families, friends, university administrators, faculty members, and staff, Mr. Ankeny and Mr. Echaves offered reminiscences, perspectives, and encouragement before concluding with the following "benediction for graduates:" May we forge ourselves with, not simply for, our students as we unveil the world and work alongside them to name it, to claim it, and to change it for the improvement of all people. May we partner with our students in dialogue, teaching them to communicate with their reality, to find themselves within that reality, and to find creative solutions to the problems of that reality. Text of Speech

  • Cal Teach graduate Amanda Terry, Class of 2010, was the student keynote speaker at the Cal Teach Science and Math Program End-of-Year Reception for Cal Teach students, mentor teachers, faculty, and staff. Cal Teach at UCI was launched in 2006 in response to the critical shortage of qualified middle school and high school math and science teachers throughout the state. The program, a collaborative initiative sponsored by the School of Biological Science, School of Physical Sciences, and Department of Education, offers opportunities for undergraduates to explore sciences and math teaching as a career option and to earn both a BA and a teacher credential in four years. The End-of Year Celebration honored the mentor teachers and their students. More about Cal Teach students who completed the Cal Teach course series.

  • Iris Wang (Psychology), K. Leigh Ray (Criminology, Law, and Society and Psychology and Social Behavior), and Amanda Zia (Sociology) are three of the inaugural group of eight students who earned their Certificate in After School Education (CASE) in June of this year. To earn their certificate, the eight students completed a minimum of five courses totaling 20 quarter hours and a minimum of 70 fieldwork hours. The CASE program, the first of its kind in the country, was introduced in Fall 2008. Fieldwork opportunities are provided by selected after-school programs that have partnered with DoE. Also earning certificates this year were  True Chen (Sociology), Kathleen Crawford (Political Science), Tony Jiang (Psychology), Traci Otsuki (Sociology), and Michelle Palaganas (Sociology).

  • Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Announces DoE-mentored Undergraduate Award Recipients.

Spring 2010

  • Ph.D. student Nayssan Safavian received two honors at the recent American Association of Educational Researcher (AERA) Annual Conference in Denver. She was selected for a Graduate Student Mentoring Fellowship for Division E. This competitive award included a pre-conference workshop, meals, and lodging for the beginning of the conference. Ms. Safavian also received the Motivation in Education Special Interest Group (SIG) Graduate Student Travel Award. This award is given to student members of the SIG who have a paper (as first author) accepted for presentation in one of the SIG sessions. This award comes with a $100 cash prize. Ms. Safavian is a third year doctoral student in the Learning, Cognition, and Development specialization. Her research interests include motivation, adolescent identity development and mental health, student self-efficacy beliefs.

  • Ph.D. student Tina Matuchniak and Professor Mark Warschauer have co-published a chapter, "Equity in Technology Access and Opportunities," in the International Encyclopedia of Education (3rd ed. [2010], E. Baker, P. Peterson, & B. McGaw [Eds.], London: Elsevier). Abstract: Access to information and communication technology (ICT) varies considerably across the globe. Although efforts have been made to close this digital divide, there remain substantial inequities in access to and use of ICT in the United States and elsewhere. This article (a) examines the issue of equity as it relates to access, use, and outcomes in home and school environments; (b) surveys the landscape within the United States and internationally, examining the divide both within and across countries; and (c) analyzes current approaches and efforts to promote equitable access to and use of technologies.

  • Ph.D. student Lauren Shea was one of two Public Impact Distinguished Fellows from UC Irvine presenting research findings in Sacramento during Graduate Researcher Day on May 12. The event was organized by Governor Schwartznegger's office for state legislators to showcase the importance of graduate education and research. Ms. Shea had the opportunity to talk about her research with legislators and policy makers throughout the day and during the evening reception. Her poster, Students Talk, Teachers Learn: A Study of a Professional Development Model for Teaching Science to English Language Learners, was displayed outside the governor's office for a week following the event. Ms. Shea is a second year doctoral student specializing in Language, Literacy, and Technology, with research interests in teacher professional development, language learning, and technology implementation. 

  • Ph.D. student Teya Rutherford has been named Campus Liaison for the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division C Graduate Student Council. The mission of the Graduate Student Council (GSC) is to facilitate and promote the transition from graduate student to professional researchers and/or practitioner by providing opportunities within AERA for growth, development, and advancement. Council members have five major responsibilities: annual meeting planning, student advocacy, information dissemination, community building, and self-governance. Ms. Rutherford is a first year doctoral student in the Learning, Cognition, and Development specialization. Her research interests include motivation, intelligence, and law and education. Read more about Teya Rutherford.

  • Ph.D. student Adam Sheppard was recognized as a Pedagogical Fellow Honoree during UC Irvine's 17th Annual Celebration of Teaching Awards. The event, sponsored by the Division of Undergraduate Education, was held at the University Club on May 27. Mr. Sheppard had been chosen to be a 2009-2010 Pedagogical Fellow following a competitive selection process that considered an applicant's academic achievement, level of personal responsibility, and performance as a UC Irvine Teaching Assistant (TA). Pedagogical Fellows guide TAs during their university level training and coordinate specific department level training and support throughout the academic year. Mr. Sheppard is a third year doctoral student specializing in Educational Policy and Social Context. His research interests include physical activity and social development of youth. Read more about Adam Sheppard.

  • Teachers of Tomorrow Club ended the 2009-2010 academic year with a Staff Appreciation dinner. Meeting in the DoE Student Resource Center, club officers thanked members for a productive and enjoyable year. Outgoing club president Tera Perry (center) and Vice-President Katie Zusy (right) presented DoE club advisor Gisela Verduzco (Student Affairs Counselor for the Minor in Educational Studies) with an orchid and a small gift in appreciation of her guidance and support throughout the year. Each club member and guest received a picture frame and a recyclable water bottle - both with the club logo (apple). The Teachers of Tomorrow Club is open to all undergraduates interested in exploring the field of education. The club meets every other week during the academic year. For additional information, please contact teachersoftomorrow@uci.edu.    More.

  • UCI Cal TEACH Club celebrated election of their 2010-2011 officers with dinner at the beach. New officers for the coming academic year include President Michelle Allen, Vice President Maddie McKittrick, Activities Chair Marina Calderon, Treasurer Kim Lee, Historian Grace Kwon, Publicity Lyndsey Haapala, and Secretary Bri Hazlewood. The Cal TEACH Club is a student-run support organization for undergraduates interested in exploring and promoting issues pertaining to the field of teaching, specifically with the fields of math and science. The club meets throughout the year every two weeks. Additional information about Cal TEACH.
  • Ph.D. student Tara Barnhart has been awarded Honorable Mention in the 2010 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program for her submission focused on studying teacher reflection among science teacher candidates. NSF is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..." The Graduate Research Fellowship provides three years of support for graduate study leading to research-based master's or doctoral degrees and is intended for students who are in the early stages of their graduate study. Ms. Barnhart is a first year doctoral student specializing in Learning, Cognition and Development.  Additional Information.

  • Ph.D. student James Leak presented at the Third Annual Teacher Education Sympoisum hosted by the Consortium for Research in Teacher Education and the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin on April 3, 2010.  The title of his presentation was "Effects of Teacher Credentials, Coursework, and Certification on Student Achievement in Math and Reading in Kindergarten: An ECLS-K Study." Mr. Leak is a third year doctoral student, specializing in Educational Policy and Social Context, with particular interests in diversity and equity and school reform. Abstract of presentation.

  • Ph.D. student Lauren Shea presented with Terry Shanahan (UC Irvine Center for Educational Partnerships) at the National Association of Research in Science Teaching Conference in Philadelphia in March. The title of the presentation was: "What Student Talk Teaches Us: Findings from a Study of a Science Professional Development Model Incorporating Student Interaction Strategies." This month, Ms. Shea will be presenting her research findings in Sacramento during Graduate Researcher Day, an event organized by Governor Schwartznegger's office for state legislators. Ms. Shea is a third year doctoral student specializing in Language, Literacy, and Technology, with research interests in teacher professional development, language learning, and technology implementation.

  • Ph.D. student Jill Endres is the new Director of Surgical Education for the Department of Surgery and the new Co-Director for the Surgical Simulation Center at UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange. Dr. Endres received her M.D. from the University of Vermont in 1991. Her medical interests encompass resident education, surgical simulation, laparoscopic surgery, and bariatric surgery. In the Ph.D. in Education program, Dr. Endres is in her first year of study, specializing in Language, Literacy, and Technology. Her research interests include surgical education, metrics for assessment, and ex-vivo teaching methods.  Read more about Jill Endres, M.D.

  • Ph.D. student Adam Sheppard presented information about UC Irvine's Certificate in After School Education (CASE) at the UC Links Annual Conference in Berkeley on April 16. During his presentation, Mr. Sheppard explained how UCI is using UC Links funding to provide support to local after-school programs through training and undergraduate support. UC Links is a network of university and community partners working together to bring underserved K-12 youth togther with university students in guided activities that engage their minds and connect them to each other, their communities, and the world around them.

  • Ph.D. students Alejandra Albarran and Sonja Lind have been selected Pedagogical Fellows for the 2010-2011 academic year. Both will work with the Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center (TLTC) to enhance undergraduate teaching and will train new Teaching Assistants in Fall 2010. Ms. Albarran will work directly with Ph.D. students in the Department of Education, and Ms. Lind will work with students in the Paul Merage School of Business. Both Ms. Albarran and Ms. Lind are in their second year of doctoral work. Ms. Albarran is specializing in Learning, Cognition, and Development. Ms. Lind is majoring in Language, Literacy, and Technology.

  • Ph.D. student Chin-Hsi Lin has published his third book on topics related to Chinese.language and linguistics: Huayuwen Shuwei Jiaoxue Lilun Yu Shiwu (Technology and Chinese Language Teaching: Theory and Practice). In this 356-page publication for Chinese language educators, readers will find examples related to multimedia, computer-mediated communication, computer-assisted language learning software, and distance education. Mr. Lin is the first author together with Lian Yujen, a doctoral student in Computers and Education in Taiwan. Mr. Lin also maintains a Chinese language blog called Researcher 2.0 that provides guidance and suggestions for graduate students around the world. The blog receives 700 daily visits and has 2,600 subscribers. His complementary Facebook fan club has 4,362 fans.

  • Katherine Stewart, undergraduate researcher on Assistant Professor Stephanie Reich's Baby Books Project, has been awarded 1st place in the 21st Annual Graduate Women in Science Conference: Undergraduate Division for her project: "The Impact of Reading on Infant Language Development." The Conference was held at Chapman University on March 6, 2010. Ms. Stewart based her independent research on her work with the Baby Books Project, which examines the efficacy of embedding educational information into baby books that first-time mothers read to their infants. The Project is testing whether embedding pediatric anticipatory guidance in picture books is an effective method for increasing maternal knowledge of child development and parenting strategies and if so, whether increases in this knowledge lead to changes in parenting behavior. The study also assesses whether benefits of reading coupled with increased knowledge result in higher quality mother-child interactions and if so, whether increased knowledge and improved maternal-child interactions result in less maternal stress, increased maternal self-efficacy, increased breastfeeding, and better child outcomes (physical, linguistic, and cognitive). Read more about Ms. Stewart, a senior majoring in Psychology and Social Behavior.

Winter 2010

    Abstract
    The advent of an information economy and network society fueled by recent advances in communication technology has challenged schools to help students develop the knowledge and skills required for 21st century life. This study examines how one school sought to implement a curricular and pedagogical framework to support 21st century learning. Participant interviews and observations of teaching and professional development sessions were used to create individual cognitive models of teachers' and school leaders' perceptions of the initiative. Data analysis revealed that teachers framed their knowledge of 21st century learning through their previous experiences and pedagogical expertise. Additionally, teachers' and school leaders' views of the initiative often conflicted, challenging the success of the implementation of the reform.

  • Ph.D. student Femi Vance presented at the 33rd Annual Southwest Educational Research Association Conference in New Orleans, February 17-20, 2010. The title of her presentation was "Participation Patterns of Adolescents in High Quality Youth Programs."

    Abstract
    Participation in youth development programs is associated with positive academic, social, and behavioral outcomes. Middle and high school youth participate in these programs at lower rates than elementary students but the reason for this decline is unclear. It may be that lifestyle changes in adolescence prevent youth from participating more often. Alternatively, youth development programs may fail to meet the developmental needs of older youth. This research project will use a case study approach to provide and in-depth examination of the participation patterns of adolescents and explore how older youth's experiences in a youth development program relate to their participation. 

  • The Misty Mountain Education Theme Home ("Changing the Future Through  Education") hosted "Monday Marinara Madness" on February 22. Following an Italian-themed meal, residents participated in a discussion of undergraduate research opportunities with Ph.D. students Nayssan Safavian and Femi Vance and Cal TEACH Manager of Student Services Jose Luis Ramirez. Guests Safavian, Vance, and Ramirez shared their experiences as undergraduate researchers, the benefits they believed they accrued, and ways that their early experiences have helped them in their graduate level work. All three encouraged residents to get involved early in undergraduate research opportunities (UROP) and use subsequent years to expand their undergraduate research agenda.

  • Ph.D. student Lauren Shea is one of four UC Irvine recipients of a 2010 Public Impact Fellowship to support her research. Fellows for this program are selected on the basis of academic excellence, accomplishments, and the potential of their research to have a substantial impact in the public sphere. The UC Irvine Public Impact Fellowship, first introducted in 2008-2009, is intended to recognize and facilitate the research of students whose work demonstrates the potential of graduate education to have substantial societal value. Ms. Shea's research will be addressing the critical need to train teachers of English Language Learners to adapt their instruction for second language learners. She  will be examining how teacher participation in a face-to-face professional development program that integrates language strategies and content blended with collaboration in a facilitated online blogging and discussion forum can impact teachers' learning and classroom practice and produce greater student outcomes.

  • Ph.D. student Shelly VanAmburg is heading up an innovative music-and-literacy program in an English Language Development "Newcomers'" classroom at University Park Elementary in Irvine. Shelly and a team of three undergraduate assistants, Jessica Haugen, Jackie Wang, and Rebecca Wang, are utilizing the Reading in Motion (RIM) program to help children who speak a language other than English at home learn literacy skills. Reading in Motion, based upon well-documented research about how children learn, uses music to teach initial sound fluency, phoneme segmentation, and nonsense word decoding. The UCI team utilizes music to provide a rich, engaging environment for the children to explore these skills through rhythm, tempo, and call-and-response lyrics. Shelly is a second year doctoral student specializing in Learning, Cognition, and Development. Read More.

  • Department of Education Multiple Subject Teacher Credential Program holds Winter Quarter 2010 Student Teaching Orientation on January 6 at Alderwood Elementary.

Past Years

 2009 | 2008 |

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