NEWS
Julianna Lopez Kershen, an assistant professor in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, is one of six researchers nationwide named to the American Educational Research Association’s Fellowship Program on the Study of Deeper Learning.
Kershen will conduct research using the Deeper Learning dataset from the American Institutes for Research for her project titled “Articulating Apprenticeship Learning in the SDL Classroom Products Dataset.” The data she will analyze contains national high school student performance data, student interview data and teacher feedback data dating to 2012.
“I'll be analyzing student work products, which are assignments that students have created, as well as teacher data that is either linked to the assignment or teacher feedback to the student products,” Kershen said. “By triangulating student products with what students say about their learning and what teachers say about learning decisions, we can improve how we talk about core practices in classrooms.”
This fellowship will support these six early career recipients by providing opportunities to collaborate and build networks, hone their methodological skills, and aid efforts to garner future funding. The researchers will present their findings at the 2025 American Educational Research Association’s annual conference and submit manuscripts for publication.
“The ultimate goal of this research is to improve classroom pedagogy and educational outcomes for all youth,” Kershen said. “By analyzing what students say about high school experiences that set them up to be successful academically and that honor who they are culturally and linguistically, we’re contributing to the conversations of continuous improvement in American high schools. Because of that, I’m very honored to be part of this project.”
Learn more about the Deeper Learning Fellows and the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education’s Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum.
Talayeh Razzaghi, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, has won a National Science Foundation award to develop a machine learning-based system for early preeclampsia detection in underserved populations. Preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication, affects 8-10% of U.S. pregnancies annually.
Diabetes and heart disease often go hand in hand. People with diabetes face a much greater risk for heart attack and stroke than those without diabetes, and an estimated two-thirds of people with diabetes eventually die because of heart disease. To better understand that risk, University of Oklahoma researchers are studying the role of platelets, tiny blood cells that help the body form clots to stop a wound from bleeding.
Arif Sadri, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, has received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation to study how communities communicate during disasters like storms, floods, tornadoes and earthquakes. His project, funded by multiple NSF programs, seeks to improve disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
