Research & Grants

Primary Investigator for Pre-Service Literacy Teachers’ Reflective Practices Prior to Student Teaching (active): A study to investigate how preservice elementary literacy teachers reflect on their own instructional practices using video-enhanced and time-stamp feedback digital tools.  This qualitative study includes coding students’ written reflections and time-stamped comments for common themes related to self-efficacy, metacognition, professional learning, and reflective practices.

Co-Investigator for Preservice Teachers’ Use of AI for Lesson Planning and Evaluation (active): This study examines how preservice teachers use, evaluate, and revise generative AI-generated lesson plans in literacy coursework. The study uses a cross-institutional study design to examine how preservice teachers use, evaluate, and revise AI-generated lesson plans in an undergraduate literacy methods course focused on writing instruction and a middle-grade media literacy course. 

Co-Investigator for an Analysis of 2nd Grade Reading Curricula:  This qualitative study replicates the Durkin (1981) study to analyze the extent to which Science of Reading (SoR) aligned core reading curricula teach comprehension strategies in 2nd grade.  All curricula included in this study are listed on widely accepted, state-approved curriculum lists. This qualitative study is a replication of Durkin's 1980 study.  

(2025) North Carolina Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation Learning/Literacy Project Grant, “HERstory: A Read Aloud Library Highlighting Women’s Contributions in History,” $494.77, funded

(2024) University Academic Assessment Council Assessment Grant (with Beth Buchholtz, Devery Ward, Ashley Pennell, Kindal Turner Nash, Peijuan Cao, Rong Zhang, Robin Groce, Kristen Evans, Woodrow Trathen), Literacy Education Graduate Program Re-Mapping Project, $4,000, funded

(2024) ExP=O Educational Pitch Competition, Public School Partnership Mini-Grant, Co-Applicant (with Susan Trew), “Indigenous Innovation: A Multimodal Unit that Celebrates Native Americans’ Resilience and Ingenuity, $1,000, funded

(2024) University Research Council Grant, Co-Applicant (with Jenny Arcila, Peijuan Cao, and Rong Zhang), “Examining the Effect of a Literacy Method Course Integrated with a Practicum Experience on Preservice Literacy Teachers' Self-Efficacy,” $5,000.00, not funded

(2024) Elva Knight Research Grant, Co-Applicant (with Jenny Arcila, Peijuan Cao, and Rong Zhang), “Investigating the Impact of a Literacy Methods Course with an Integrated Practicum Experience on Preservice Teachers' Self-Efficacy,” $5,000.00, not funded

(2024) Public School Partnership Mini-Grant, Co-Applicant (with Jenny Arcila, Peijuan Cao, and Rong Zhang), “Children’s Literature for Literacy Collaboration: Showing Gratitude to Block 2 Clinical Educators,” $922.60, funded

(2023) Partnership Mini-Grant, Co-Applicant (with Hope Combs), “Teaching Personal Finance through a Multi-Genre Text Set,” $972 requested, funded

(2022) Partnership Mini-Grant, Co-Recipient (with Damiana Pyles), “Teaching Climate Change through Picturebooks (A Summer Exploration for 4th-6th grade teachers),” $963, funded

(2021) Partnership Mini-Grant, Co-Recipient (with Jason DeHart and Shuai Zhang), “Investigating the Qualitative and Quantitative Factors of Text Complexity in Graphic Novels,” $976.80, funded

(2018) Partnership Mini-Grant, Co-Recipient (with Aftynne Cheek and Elizabeth Bellows), “Just in Time! Bringing Immediate Feedback to Pre-Service Teachers through Real-Time eCoaching,” $504.98, funded

(2016) North Carolina School Improvement Project (NCSIP) Best Practice Site Grant, Co-Coordinator (with Yonna Acuff), 2016-2020, $40,000 per year for five years, funded