CURRENT PROJECTS
CURRENT PROJECTS
This mixed methods study examined variability in early adolescents’ experiences with school context in key domains, such as perceptions of academic and ethnic-racial climate, sense of belonging, teacher support, and ethnic-racial identity (ERI) beliefs, and their relation to academic efficacy and socio-emotional well-being. We also explored the ways that school diversity was salient for students.
Research questions currently being answered:
What criteria do early adolescents in ethnically and racially diverse suburban middle schools define a “good teacher” and how can we interpret their perceptions with educational models?
How does the presence or absence of psychological safety shape middle school students’ experiences?
How, and in what ways, are school ethnic-racial climate and ERI salient for White students in two suburban middle schools that afford opportunities for cross-racial interactions?
In this mixed methods study, we seek to examine the interrelations of school and teacher diversity, ethnic-racial identity beliefs, teacher efficacy, and social-emotional and cultural competence in teaching among middle school teachers in several schools in the Boston community.
Research questions currently being answered:
What are teachers’ perspectives on the value of school ethnic-racial diversity, and do these vary regarding their own ethnic-racial identity beliefs?
How do teachers conceptualize and define social-emotional and cultural competency in their teaching at the middle school level?
How efficacious do teachers feel in guiding students in their learning about issues of identity, diversity, and equity at the middle school level?
This study examines how class year, first-generation status, and international student status shape college students’ career goals, confidence, and support needs. Drawing on a large university-wide career survey, we investigate how identity and academic progression intersect to influence career development. The findings highlight opportunities for more inclusive and equity-driven career services in higher education.
Research questions currently being answered:
How do students’ career goal clarity, career goal type, and self-reported career readiness vary by class year, first-generation status, and international status?
To what extent do anticipated career development support needs differ across these identities and stages of academic progression?
What factors most strongly influence students’ career decision-making, and how do these influences shift across class year and identity groups?
This qualitative study examines how Chinese secondary school students perceive “good teachers” within distinct educational contexts. Data were collected from a Chinese international school and a Chinese public school, each representing different educational paradigms.
Research questions currently being answered:
What criteria do students use to define a “good teacher”?
Do perceptions differ across school types?
How might these differences or similarities reflect broader cultural patterns?
This qualitative study employs a constructivist grounded theory approach to examine Chinese education migrant parents’ motivations for migration and reflections on adaptation, with emphasis on their children’s schooling.
Research questions currently being answered:
What parental educational expectations do Chinese education migrants hold, leading them to seek education in the U.S.?
What positive experiences and challenges do Chinese education migrants encounter in the American school context?
How do Chinese education migrants evaluate their decision to migrate?