research experience 

Method(s): Narrative inquiry

This work examines the intersectionality of gender and minoritized identities among women educational leaders, focusing on the contrasting experiences in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Despite federal policies aimed at preventing discrimination based on national origin, race, gender, and other factors, significant disparities persist in employment and pay across the U.S. Research highlights that regional social norms and systemic oppression shape these inequities, revealing stark differences in the quality of life for women across states. Key themes include the manifestation of racism, historical influences on belonging, the role of educational leaders as political agents, and the dynamics of collaboration versus competition within varying environments.

Collaborator(s): Escalante, K. A., Sterin, K., & Allen-Handy, A.
Method(s): Collective Autoethnography, Testimonios

This manuscript demonstrates how a group of multigenerational women leaders created, cultivated, and continue to sustain counterspaces rooted in radical love and ethics of care that fosters individual persistence, collective transformation, and cultural wealth necessary to mitigate persistent marginalization within the academy. Serving as both a point of critical reflection and inspiration, this manuscript aims to embody a reimagining of what leadership through counterspaces as embodied praxis in higher education can become even within the traditional patriarchal, hetero-normative, and white supremist spaces of the academy. 

Collaborator(s): Escalante, K. A., Sterin, K., & Allen-Handy, A.
Method(s): Collective Autoethnography, Testimonios

This study centers on the individual and collective experiences of multiple generations of women educational leaders. Specifically, this study employs the use of testimonios, as a tool of critical reflection and storying, this chapter provides novel insight into the formative and supportive relationships between multiple generations of marginalized women educational leaders in praxis. Four themes emerged from our shared testimonios: (1) The Evolution of Leadership and Self-Actualization; (2) Leadership is Time and Context Bound; (3) Compassionate Leaders Foster Community; and (4) Leadership is Rooted in Legacy. In the discussion of the storying of our leadership, we highlight lessons we have learned from Dean Penny’s legacy which amplify love and aspiration to live these virtues of our leadership out loud.

Method(s): Meta-analysis, argumentative literature reviews 

This work analyzes peer-reviewed publications that center the experiences of queer* women in educational leadership. A small sample of 7 publications were selected. Their purpose, participants, theoretical framework and findings are provided. Four themes emerged including: (1) negotiating personal identity while weighing risk and consequences; (2) the embedded power dynamics and tensions while working within a hetero-normative, homophobic, patriarchal, racism, ableist system; (3) the value of mentors, allies, and co-conspirators, with a side of tokenism; and (4) embodying resistance and joy as queer women in educational leadership.

Collaborator(s): Escalante, K.A.
Method(s): Case studies, cross-case analysis

This study investigated the efforts of four consequential German nonformal educational organizations serving youth to better understand how they designed transformative learning programs for democratic citizenship. This work expands work on transformative learning as a metatheory by operationalizing the programmatic design for transformative learning for democratic citizenship outcomes through Gee’s Good Games framework. Using semi-structured interviews with experts, organizational documents, and research reports, we examined and compared four case studies of programmatic design for transformative learning of democratic citizenship. 

Collaborator(s): Escalante, K.A., Flowers, A., & Banda, R.  
Method(s): Meta-analysis, systematic literature reviews 

Studies focused on Latinas at the intersection of education and leadership advocate for an effective inclusion of developing safe spaces that nurture and support culturally responsive leaders along the P-20 educational continuum. This study seeks to explore these gendered trends in traditional leadership roles by employing an argumentative literature review of 20 doctoral level dissertations published between 2013-2023 and present the findings inclusive of recommendations for educational stakeholders to expand the diversity of senior leaders.

Method(s): Narrative inquiry merged with an intrinsic case study design, critical discourse analysis 

To understand what career barriers, exist for women and how they are navigated, researchers must create spaces for hearing the voices of successful women in higher education administration.  This research provides a space for women in higher education administration to critically reflect on their career pathways and inform women, as well as their advocates/allies, on the systematic and societal barriers plaguing these pathways.  Additional related research focuses on these women's experiences as educational leaders during the COVID-19 crisis, economic downturn, and civil unrest of 2020. 

Collaborator(s): Escalante, K.A.
Method(s): Meta-analysis, systematic literature reviews 

While progress has been made over the last 30 years as women acquire leadership roles, there is still a disproportionate level of power between women in dominant groups versus those in racially minoritized groups. This research project is designed to amply the voices of Latina Leaders in their own words though qualitative meta-analysis of peer-reviewed articles. This research demonstrates the critical importance of increasing the presence of Latinas in educational leadership by providing recommendations for educational institutions and allies/champions to remove barriers while creating and holding space for the advancement and retention of Latinas in the field. 

Collaborator(s): Fornaro, C.J., Sterin, K., Flowers, A.M. & Gutierrez, J.
Method(s): Phenomenology, narrative  

To understand what career barriers, exist for women and how they are navigated, researchers must create spaces for hearing the voices of successful women in higher education administration.  This research provides a space for women in higher education administration to critically reflect on their career pathways and inform women, as well as their advocates/allies, on the systematic and societal barriers plaguing these pathways.  Additional related research focuses on these women's experiences as educational leaders during the COVID-19 crisis, economic downturn, and civil unrest of 2020. 

Method(s): Literature review, phenomenology, critical discourse analysis

This research explores of the pathways, motivation, and resilience of underrepresented women education policy makers, who have been elected state and federal government level roles through an intersectional feminist theoretical framework. Historically women of minoritized groups have long been underrepresented in elected educational policy leadership. Educational  policy analysis research demonstrates that the economic, political, racial, and gender factors of policy makers impact policy creation and specifically the intended and unintended consequences of policy on women.

Collaborator(s): Fornaro, C.J., Sterin, K., & Flowers, A.M.
Method(s): Case study, discourse analysis 

This research focused on one summer program’s transition from an in-person to a virtual setting due to COVID-19 by connecting support systems created by administrators to support systems that instructors found to be valuable.

Collaborator(s): Lee, V., Reinsburrow, A., Levine, B., & Saal, L.K.
Method(s): Case study, discourse analysis, policy analysis 

The purpose of this research project is to investigate the efforts underway in non-formal educational organizations in Germany which raise awareness of social issues (e.g., racism, xenophobia, misinformation) with youth and to learn how these organizations are engaging German youth in democratic education.  In our research, we present the findings of a research study that explored the perspectives and experiences of individuals who work with four exemplary youth serving organizations in Germany to promote democratic education.  

Collaborator(s): Sterin, K. & Fornaro, C. J.
Method(s): Autoethnography 

Three doctoral students detail their journey persevering through one of the most challenging hurdles of a doctoral program, the comprehensive exams. As an act of conscious resistance to the neoliberal higher education environment which promotes a culture of competition and isolation, the three doctoral students cultivate supportive relationships throughout the exam process. The doctoral students use collaborative authoethnographic methods to deeply understand their individual and collective experiences and as a tool of transcendence locating their lived experiences within the larger socio-cultural context. 

Collaborator(s): Sterin, K. & Fornaro, C. J.
Method(s): Autoethnography 

The purpose of this collaborative autoethnographic research is to share how the authors emerged as teacher leaders through being club sponsors as evidenced by their influences on student development and school-community relationships. Using collaborative autoethnographic methods, this research compiles the diverse experiences of three club sponsors who became teacher leaders in informal learning contexts (ILC). 

Collaborator(s):  Flowers, A., Cameron, T., & Escalante, K.
Method(s): Autoethnography 

This research employ autobiographical methods including personal narratives and informal conversations to engage in critical dialogue with collaborators. Each individual has completed or is currently working on their doctoral degree. It is the intersection of their past histories, racial, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnic identities and developing sense of self that has made for a dynamic set of experiences during their matriculation at a predominantly White Doctoral Research/ Extensive University.

Collaborator(s):  Sterin, K. & Fornaro, C. J.
Method(s): Critical discourse analysis 

The purpose of this research is to investigate stakeholder reactions to the passing of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future Act as expressed on the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA)’s Facebook page to better understand how stakeholders feel about the implications of the bill becoming law.

Collaborator(s):  Sterin, K., Fornaro, C. J., Elliott, K., Wright, C., Miller, M., Ophoven, P., & Sperling, A.
Method(s): Action research

This research centers on educational leaders who hold the power to foster meaningful and empathetic community spaces among their students and colleagues. While authentic community building is always essential, its importance is heightened in the context of the ongoing pandemic. It is critical for educational leaders to reflect, learn, and adapt new strategies as they apply pedagogies of care in virtual settings. With the increased use of technology in education, understanding how to foster community online through a social justice lens will be important now and into the future.

Collaborator(s): Sterin, K.
Method(s): Policy analysis 

This research addresses the current sex education policy for Louisiana outlined in LA RS 17:281, its brief historical timeline from 1993 to present, a discussion of the access and equity issues with the current policy through a social policy lens, and the attempts to revise sex education in Louisiana.  As traction is gained in some states for comprehensive sex education policies to ensure equity and inclusivity, this research also discusses broad impacts of sex education policy on student mental and physical health, bullying, and school climate. 

Collaborators: Fornaro, E. G., McCrossan, E., Servello, S., Hawes, P., & Erdem, E. 

Collaborators: McCrossan, E., Fornaro, E. G., Servello, S., Hawes, P., & Erdem, E.

Supervisor(s): Dr. Lannie & Dr. Sloand,
Co-Principal Investigators for Stay Safe Kids at Drexel University School of Education

Stay Safe Kids is a school violence prevention curriculum designed to meet the developmental needs of our youngest learners in grade pre-K through 5th grade. Utilizing age-appropriate language, customized lessons and interactive activities, the Stay Safe Kids curriculum recognizes that our youngest students need a different approach to understanding school violence and how to stay safe when danger is present. Just like when teaching reading, writing and math, the language we use, and the concepts being taught must align with the needs and abilities of the students. This is especially true when introducing complex concepts to our youngest learners and at-risk children and youth. We are interested in particular about the applicability of this program to urban schools and students. Your input tonight will be used to draft school safety curriculum that will be piloted in urban school settings. 

Project: The Development of Assessments of Problem-Solving in Computer Adaptive Testing Environments (DEAP-CAT)

This 5-year project aims to advance the use of CAT and assessment information in the mathematics classroom by applying an iterative and stakeholder-informed Design Science-Based Methodology to: (a) benchmark the previously established PSM6, PSM7, and PSM8 (Year 1); (b) develop, calibrate, and validate criterion-referenced CAT for each PSM (Years 1-5); (c) construct student- and class-level score reports for integration into the CAT system (Years 1-4); and (d) investigate teachers’ capacity for implementing, interpreting, and using the PSM-CAT assessments and results in STEM learning settings (Year 5).

Project: Annual Evaluation of EUREKA!

EUREKA! a 5-year STEM outreach initiative funded by the National Science Foundation targeted at building eighth-grade girls’ confidence and skills through hands-on opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Supervisor(s): Bruce Levine, J.D., Associate Clinical Professor, Program Director of Education Policy and Dr. Kathleen Provinzano, Assistant Professor at Drexel University School of Education

The Community School HUB is a curated platform for community school thought leaders, practitioners designed to provide a virtual space for researchers and those in the field to connect. The Community School HUB seeks to promote community school research and highlight community school practices from the perspective of scholars and practitioners engaged in the work. Community school initiatives over the past three decades have demonstrated that sustainable and scalable change begins organically within the community and that obstacles within and outside the schoolhouse gate are not mutually exclusive and should not be treated as such in education research, practice, and policy. The Community School HUB offers a live and active virtual space for stakeholders to engage in professional learning, share stories and successes, brainstorm challenges, and access research resources necessary to scale and sustain community school work. 

Supervisor: Bruce Levine, J.D., Associate Clinical Professor, Program Director of Education Policy at Drexel University School of Education

By engaging with vital stakeholders in education at multiple levels including families, teachers, school nurses, counselors, social workers, and administration, this study provided a space for gathering a variety of voices and amplifying concerns and providing best practices with a solution-based mindset. Though a series of focus groups with k-12 stakeholders across the country, this study explored the current state of education and stakeholders and their concerns for return to schools in the current national crisis of COVID-19. 

Supervisor: Dr. Alonzo Flowers, III, Associate Professor and Department Chair at The University of Texas at San Antonio Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Focusing on the unique experiences of African Americans males at a R1 institution who have participated in an engineering cooperative programs, this study informs stakeholders about how to increase the participation of African American males in STEM related career pathways, particularly in engineering. 

Supervisor: Dr. Kathleen Provinzano, Assistant Professor at Drexel University School of Education

This research aims to work with full service community schools (FSCS) to collaboratively examine existing STEM opportunities through needs assessment, co-develop more STEM opportunities for FSCS, and design and deploy professional development to support your STEM within FSCS.