Social and Behavioral Contexts of Learning
In my first strand of research, I am broadly interested in the social and behavioral dynamics within educational settings, focusing particularly on the social-emotional competencies of teachers and their impact on student outcomes, classroom climate, and overall school functioning. My research explores how teachers integrate social and emotional learning (SEL) into their instruction and how they adapt SEL programs to meet their students' needs.
Intersection of Psychology and Pedagogy
In my second research strand, I explore the intersection between psychology and pedagogy, focusing on how psychological science can inform and enhance teaching practices. I am particularly interested in developing and evaluating teaching strategies grounded in psychological principles to foster more effective learning environments. This includes investigating the impact of active and collaborative learning techniques, studying student attitudes toward learning, and identifying ways to make learning relevant and meaningful through real-world applications.
You can learn more about this project here: https://osf.io/hzb4a/
This project aims to understand the effectiveness of both the MindUP Program for Teachers and Students in promoting a variety of positive outcomes.
Building on research on the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI), this project aims to develop a comprehensive tool to assess adult well-being and mental health in Colombia.
During my final two years, I will engage in dissertation work centered around the experiences of rural educators in implementing SEL into their practice.
Lovett J. M., Schonert-Reichl K. A., Zinsser K. M., & Lawlor M. S. (2024). Beyond fidelity: Unveiling the landscape of teacher adaptation in social and emotional learning programs. Frontiers in Education, 9, Article 1444588. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1444588
What do students remember about introductory psychology, years later? (2019)
Hard, B. M., Lovett, J. M., & Brady, S. T. (2019). What do students remember about introductory psychology, years later? Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 5(1), 61–74. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000136
This two-phase project involved:
Conducting a scoping review on the link between educator well-being and student well-being/learning
Interviewing teachers and students from six different countries to understand their perceptions on this link
My thesis work examined how teachers make adaptations to SEL programs and the reasons they do this by qualitatively analyzing data from teacher diaries and interviews.
In 2021-2022, I helped to collect and analyze data related to two social-emotional learning programs: WE Well-Being and MindUP. I also interviewed teachers on their experiences with these programs.
Senior Honors Thesis (Duke University) | Recipient of the Winfred Quinton Holton Prize for Educational Research