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See video interviews with 2012 Distinguished Research Mentors

Three University of Georgia faculty members—Michael Hannafin, Deborah Tippins and Leslie Steffe—have been named College of Education Distinguished Research Mentors for the 2012-13 academic year.

“A crucial aspect of doctoral education and research is the mentor relationship developed between faculty and student.  This research apprenticeship provides the students the framework to explore the intricacies of the research process with experienced faculty,” said Michael Ferrara, Associate Dean for Research.  “Drs. Hannafin, Tippins and Steffe have been pioneers in their field but more importantly they have shared their knowledge and experience with their students in developing the next generation of scholars.”

In recognition of faculty members’ involvement in the preparation of the next generation of education researchers, the COE Research Office is awarding $4,000 to three faculty mentors this academic year to help support their ongoing research activities. The 2012-13 Distinguished Research Mentors were recognized at the College’s recent Fall Faculty Meeting at Joe Frank Harris Commons.

Hannafin

Michael Hannafin is the Charles H. Wheatley-Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar of Technology-Enhanced Learning, professor of learning, design, and technology in the department of educational psychology and instructional technology, and director of the Learning and Performance Support Laboratory (LPSL), teaches graduate seminars, advises graduate students, serves on department, college and university committees, and mentors graduate students through LPSL’s research and development initiatives. He has published research in a variety of journals and textbooks, and has presented work both within the U.S. and internationally. His research focuses on developing and testing frameworks for the design of student-centered learning environments, especially those that are open-ended in nature. He came to UGA in 1995.

“My experiences as a protégé were career-defining and transformative. As a result, I determined to collaborate with my students and involve them beyond academic courses and degree requirements,” said Hannafin. “Ideally, relationships extend beyond graduation and evolve throughout one’s career. I remain the grateful protégé to my doctoral advisor and indebted for supporting my (and others’) graduate education, career, professional and personal development. I valued and tried to sustain a similar relationship with my students who have since mentored, and continue to mentor, future researchers while I have maintained my commitments to them. I believe I have gained far more from these ongoing relationships than have my graduates. I have great pride in their accomplishments, and most heartened by the commitment to mentoring and supporting their students.”

Tippins

Deborah Tippins is a full professor and member of the graduate faculty in the department of mathematics and science education. She has served as director of research for the National Science Teachers Association, as a member of the Board of Directors for the Association of Educators of Teachers of Science, and is past-president of the Southeastern division of this same organization.

In 2011, she received the first Mentor Award ever given by the Southeastern Association of Science Teacher Education and then was doubly honored when board members voted to name it the Deborah Tippins Mentor Award for future winners.

Tippins is co-author /editor of six books, has written multiple research publications, presented research, served as principal investigator or Co-PI on many grant-funded projects; advises doctoral and master’s level students;  mentors undergraduate students in the Honor’s Program; and has participated in research apprenticeships with numerous local, national and international organizations. Her research interests include teacher belief, science teacher education, sociocultural dimensions of science teaching and learning, international science education, case-based pedagogy, environmental education, citizen science, culturally relevant pedagogy, place-based science education, and the public understanding of science, particularly global climate change, qualitative research methods, and teacher reflection. She came to UGA in 1991.

“What I have learned from these mentoring relationships is that while no one type of mentoring can fit all people and all needs, a culture of mentoring can strengthen the college’s ability to recruit and retain diverse students and faculty,” said Tippins.

Steffe

Leslie Steffe is a Distinguished Research Professor of Mathematics Education in the department of mathematics and science education. He was a Fellow in the Institute for Behavioral Research from 1984-95. He received the Creative Research Medal from the UGA Research Foundation in 1983 and was named the Inaugural Senior Scholar Award, Special Interest Group for Research in Mathematics Education in 2007. He was appointed Fellow of the American Educational Research Association in 2010. Steffe has written numerous scholarly articles, book chapters, and reports; directed multiple grant awards; organized and presented at national and international conferences; served as an editor, consultant, and panel member for varied organizations; and mentored many doctoral students. He came to UGA in 1967.

“My research program involves constructing explanatory models of children’s construction of mathematics from five years of age on through 14+ years of age. So, I engage participating doctoral students in teaching experiments that last as long as three years in duration as well as in conceptual analysis of the video-recorded teaching episodes that constitute the experiments,” said Steffe. “The overriding goal of my research program is to constitute mathematics education as an academic field separate from, but related to, mathematics and psychology.
“My mentoring of doctoral students has always been in the context of my research program not because I want to produce students in my own image, but because I consider it essential that young researchers be deeply involved in a research program early on in their education in order to develop as productive researchers,” he said.

See video interviews with 2012 Distinguished Research Mentors