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As a doctoral student, I plan to study issues related to accessibility and universal design as they relate to English Language Learners, and in-service teachers in Georgia K-12 schools. During the first year of the program, I have had the opportunity to review the literature and develop new research skills by taking graduate level courses and collaborating with faculty and other students. Here, I describe some of the professional and academic activities in which I have participated so far.

 

Professional Development Statement

Research
 

The goals that I expect to achieve by the end of the doctoral program in Learning, Design, and Technology program are:

 

  • Engage in rigorous scholarly research to advance the current understanding of accessibility for English Language Learners.
     

  • Review the literature and research methodologies in relation to my areas of interests.
     

  • Respond to emerging challenges and trends in the field of instructional design and technology.
     

  • Acquire new experiences and skills to pursue a career as a faculty member, instructional designer, and researcher.

Goals
 

As part of my course work,  I have reviewed the literature in topics such as Universal Design for Learning, inclusive education, reading disabilities, metacognitive strategies, and culturally responsive pedagogies. I have also increased my understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, and I have narrowed down the focus of my research.

 

In the Spring of 2014, I presented a poster entitled "Enhancing Metacognition for the Reading Comprehension of Students with Learning Disabilities in an Inclusive K-12 Setting" at the 2nd Fulbright Academic Symposium at Clemson University. I sought opportunities to network and collaborate with other Fulbright researchers in various education fields at U.S. Southeastern Universities.

Teaching
 

In addition to participating in the orientation and training for volunteer tutors/mentors at CLASE, I have also visited undergraduate classes such as "EDIT 4020: Technology in the Workplace" and "EDIT 5500: Assistive Technology." This experience has allowed me to interact with undergraduate students, speak with them about their projects, and observe how classes are structured and delivered.

 

I have more than 5 years of teaching experience in K-12 and higher education settings in Colombia. One of my goals is to gain some teaching exoerience in graduate and undergraduate level courses during my doctoral program.

  • I am a bilingual volunteer for Clarke County School District (CCSD) and HandsOn Northeast Georgia. Volunteers assist teachers by serving as interpreters during parent-teacher conferences and other school programs.
     

  • I volunteered as a “World Leader” for the orientation of incoming International students in the Fall of 2013. During the Summer, I helped to plan and coordinate the orientation week for international students. I was actively engaged in different activities and events. I gave a talk on banking services in the US and I shared my experiences as a graduate student with new master's and doctoral students.
     

  • I volunteered as a scribe for the AERA conference on Design Based research organized by Dr. Kopcha and his colleagues in the Fall of 2013. The conference brought together some of the top scholars in the field of Instructional Design who are interested in DBR.
     

  • I served as a volunteer in the 2013 AECT conference in Anaheim, CA.

Service
 

I have identified five main topics in my research agenda: Universal Design for Learning, accessibility, inclusive education, technology integration and teacher education. I am particularly interested in working with underserved populations and gaining more expertise on Design Based Research.

 

One of my future projects is the development of an online coaching model for K-12 teachers in Georgia. The purpose of this model would be to provide professional development for in-service teachers on culturally relevant education. Rapid demographic changes in Georgia have increased teachers' interest in how to best meet the needs of English Language Learners. As a matter of fact, the state of Georgia has experienced one of the fastest rates of growth from immigration in the United States for the past two decades (Hooker, Fix, & McHugh, 2014).

 

 

Reference

 

Hooker, S., Fix, M., McHugh, M. (2014). Education reform in a changing Georgia: promoting high school and college success for immigrant youth. Wahsington, DC: Migration Policy Institute.

Future Projects
 

As a graduate assistant, I have participated in various research projects at the Center for Latino Achievement and Success in Education (CLASE):

 

  • Instructional Conversation Study: This research is supported by a four-year, $2.9 million grant from the Institute for Education Statistics. CLASE is examining the effectiveness of the Instructional Conversational (IC) pedagogy for improving the academic development of English language learners (ELLs) elementary grades. The IC pedagogy is based on 5 standards for effective pedagogy and learning: joint productive activity, language development, contextualization, challenging activities and instructional conversation. In my role as a research assistant, I have helped to collect and analyze data, and I have assisted with professional development for in-service teachers. I started a digital video library for the Center and I provide technology support for teachers and their instructional coaches.
     

  • Cultural Youth Adaptation Study: This research examines the cultural adaptation and identity development of upper high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. I have collaborated with the design and execution of strategies for recruitment of participants. I have also engaged in discussions concerning research design, IRB amendments, and data analysis.
     

  • After School Tutoring Program: The CLASE tutoring and mentoring program is an after school enrichment program for English Learners at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary school. The program mobilizes volunteer tutors and mentors from The University of Georgia to work with children to build their motivation, academic achievement, and critical thinking skills. I have participated in the re-design of the tutoring/mentoring program, in which we are exploring the role of educational play and online communities of practice to support tutors.

2nd Fulbright Academic Symposium at Clemson University
March 7th, 2014

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