Martha M. Carr, Aderhold Distinguished Professor of Educational Psychology, and Research Fellow, UGA Institute of Behavioral Research, studies the factors that promote or inhibit mathematics in elementary school. Her first work focused on the application of self-regulating theory to mathematics. This work showed the importance of declarative knowledge about mathematics for mathematics achievement. Her current research examines how factors, including spatial skills, metacognition, beliefs about effort and ability, self-confidence, and gender, combine to influence the development (or not) of more advanced mathematical skills. Her longitudinal studies follow children over the course of many years and emphasize the interplay of psychological factors over time.
Shawn Glynn (see http://www.coe.uga.edu/vita/sglynn_vita.pdf) is a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Dept of Educational Psychology and Instructional Technology; he also holds a joint appointment in the Dept of Mathematics and Science Education. He teaches courses in the psychology of learning and motivation, and he supervises the research of graduate students. His current research (see http://www.coe.uga.edu/smq/) focuses on the role of motivation in learning science, and the assessment of motivation by means of questionnaires and interviews. His research appears in the Journal of Educational Psychology, Contemporary Educational Psychology, the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, and publications of the National Science Teachers Association such as Journal of College Science Teaching and The Science Teacher. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association.
Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett is Professor of Educational Psychology with research interests that center on the contexts of early educational intervention, kindergarten retention, economically disadvantaged children’s transition to school (particularly the Head Start population), and intervention for children with chronic health problems. She has served as the principal investigator, co-investigator on a number of externally-funded research projects on Head Start, early literacy, and teacher quality. Dr. Neuharth-Pritchett teaches courses in educational research methodology, applied educational measurement, and seminars on psychological issues for young children placed at risk. She is a Fellow in the Institute for Behavioral Research at The University of Georgia.
Dr. Paula Schwanenflugel’s research focuses on the development of emergent and early reading skills; vocabulary and oral language development; and instructional practices designed to promote the development of these in preschool and early elementary school classrooms. Her work (http://www.coe.uga.edu/epit/academic-programs/educational-psychology/applied-cognition-and-development/m-a/prospective-graduate-students/recent/schwanenflugel/) concentrates on the psycholinguistic underpinnings of early literacy and language skills as well their measurement. She is interested in classroom practices related to promoting the development of skills associated with good early reading. Most recently, she has carried out research on the development of reading fluency and on classroom practices that enhance the development of preschool vocabulary and oral language skills. She takes a theory-to-practice orientation to these topics.
Louis A. Castenell has a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. His research and teaching interest are the study of motivation and its cross-cultural implications as well as the study of higher education leadership. He is especially interested in African Americans. He is an invited speaker who does workshops in identifying and supporting success for African American students, teachers, faculty and administration.