Becky Benjamin
I am interested in reading fluency as a holistic construct, particularly focusing on the role that prosody plays in reading development. I am also interested in the validation and development of reading assessments, and have also focused some of my research on the role that text difficulty plays in assessing and developing reading skills.
Beryl Bray
My overarching research interest is the study of mathematical thinking. My primary focus is development of geometric and spatial reasoning in students specifically school age. Another area of research that I’m examining is effective instructional strategies for teaching geometry and spatial reasoning, i.e. how can spatial abilities be enhanced with instruction and training. Furthermore, I’m interested in evaluating teacher’s knowledge of student’s cognition and its impact on instruction. Through my research, I hope to evaluate the extent to which teacher’s instruction takes advantage of spatial processing. Finally, I’m also interested in what type of methodologies can be used to develop effective curriculums to teach or improve spatial and geometric reasoning for teachers and students in middle school.
Shawn Fowler
My primary research interest is motivation in online educational environments. As cost-cutting measures and advances in technology increase adoption of online classes, we need to attain a greater understanding of how motivational factors differ in this educational context. Additionally, I am interested in the way that culture influences the motivation to learn; specifically the ways in which educational motivation differs from culture to culture.
Ji Su Han
I am originally from Seoul, Korea. I am currently a doctoral student in the Applied Cognition and Development Program, and I earned my master’s degree in the same program at the University of Georgia. With the guidance of Dr. Neuharth-Pritchett, my thesis examined the influence of the home literacy environment on pre-kindergarten children’s emergent literacy skills. My research interests include early educational intervention and early literacy development.
Christopher Johnson
I am from Altamonte Springs, Florida and received my master’s degree in educational psychology from UGA and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Florida A&M University. My major professor is Louis Castenell. My research interests are in motivating African American males through racial identity. The primary goal of this study seeks to examine how racial identity plays a part in motivating African Americans towards academic success. Learing about racial identity allows students to learn about themselves and have pride in their culture.
Nichole Murray
I am a native of Stone Mountain, GA. I attended Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, AL and graduated in 2005 with a degree in psychology and biology. After taking time to work in the medical field, I felt my talents and passion were with children and education and I decided to pursue a MA/PhD in Educational Psychology at the University of Georgia. My research interests are motivation, minorities and academic achievement, and the impact of homelessness on achievement. In my spare time I enjoy listening to music, watching sports, reading, and going out to eat.
Lisa Rohde
I am in my third year as a graduate student at UGA. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Elon University in 2008 and my Masters degree in Educational Psychology from UGA in 2010. My master thesis focused on the motivations, beliefs and program needs of alternative certification candidates. I am currently working towards completing my doctorate in Educational Psychology in 2013. My research interests include alternative teacher certification, teacher beliefs, motivation, and teacher education.
Sarah Whitaker
I am in my fourth year in the ACD program. I completed my M.A. in the program two years ago. My research interests are in self-regulation, social-emotional learning, mindfulness, engagement, and elementary-aged students. I am committed to cultivating healthy, holistic learning environments through research, undergraduate teaching, and community activism with the Whatever It Takes Initiative. Outside of school, I love to ride my bike, read, garden, craft, and volunteer as a yoga teacher at Rubber Soul Yoga Revolution
Marisa Schlieber
I am a second year doctoral student in the Educational Psychology program with an emphasis in Applied Cognition and Development. Before arriving in Georgia, I received my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Gettysburg College. My experiences as an undergrad working with children and my passion for psychology influenced my decision to apply to graduate school. I am working under the direction of Dr. Neuharth-Pritchett examining the risk factors associated with low-socioeconomic students, early intervention, and how health issues impact school achievement. In my spare time I enjoy yoga, running, traveling, engaging in retail therapy, and spending time with family and friends.