Research

Happy Teacher Project

• Kwon, K. A., Jang, W., Ford, T. G., Horm, D., Yazejian, N., & Bryant, D. (2025). A longitudinal study of Head Start teacher turnover trends and factors. Teaching and Teacher Education, 156, 104916.
• Kwon, K., Puma, J., Oh, Y., Jeon, L., Hatton, H. Ford, T. G., Farewell, C…& the Early Head Start/Head Start Workforce Well-Being Consortium (2024), Nurturing the nurturer: elevating educator well-being and competencies through comprehensive wellness programs, Zero To Three.  
• Randall, K., Kwon, K. A., Ford, T. G., & Malek-Lasater, A. (2023). Physical Well-being in Early Childhood Teachers: Correlates of Work-related Musculoskeletal Issues and Fitness among these “Educational Athletes”. Early Education and Development, 34(2), 551-571.
• Sisson, S., Malek-Lasater, A.*, Ford, T., Horm, D., & Kwon, K. (2023). Predictors of early childhood teachers’ obesity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Kwon, K. A., Ford, T. G., Tsotsoros, J., Randall, K., Malek-Lasater, A., & Kim, S. G. (2022). Challenges in working conditions and well-being of early childhood teachers by teaching modality during the COVID-19 pandemic. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(8), 4919
• Kwon, K., Ford, T. G., Tsotsoros, J., & Randall, K., & Malek-Lasater, A., Kim, S-G. (2022). Challenges and needs for work and well-being of early childhood teachers by teaching modality during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, Article No. 4919, 1-21. (Impact Factor=4.61)
• Ford, T., G., Kwon, K., & Tsortsoros, J. (2021). Early childhood distance learning during the COVID pandemic: challenges and opportunities, Children and Youth Services Review (Impact Factor=2.39).
• Randall, K., Ford, T., Kwon, K., Sisson, S., Bice, M., Dinkel, D., & Tsotsoros, J. (2021). Physical activity, physical well-being, and psychological well-being: predictors of life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic among early childhood educators. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Impact Factor=4.61).
• Kwon, K., Horm, D., & Amirault, C. (2021). Early childhood teachers’ well-being: what we know and why we should care. Zero To Three & National Association for the Education of Young Children Joint Journal (Featured in 40 years of the ZERO TO THREE Journal in 2024)
• Kwon, K., Jeon, S., Castle, S., & Ford, T. G. (2021). Children’s behavioral problems in Head Start programs: their link to teacher well-being and intent to leave. Early Childhood Education Journal
• Malek-Lasater, A., Kwon, K., Sisson, S., Horm, D., Dipti, D., & Castle, S. (2021). Supporting children’s healthy development during mealtime in early childhood settings, Early Childhood Education Journal (Impact Factor=2.7).                                                                                
• Kwon, K., Malek, A.*, Horm, D., & Castle, S. (2020). Turnover and retention of infant-toddler teachers: Reasons, consequences, and implications for practice and policy. Children and Youth Services Review, 115 (C)

Happy Leader Project

• Ford, T. G., Kwon, K., Lavigne, A. L., & McHugh, T. (2024). The Working Conditions and Well-being of Early Childhood Leaders in the United States, Early Childhood Research Journal
• Ford, T. G., Kwon, K., Lavigne, A. & Tom McHugh (2024). Testing a Holistic Framework of Early Care and Education and K–12 Leaders’ Working Conditions and Well-Being, AERA Open

Other Well-Being Related Publications with External Collaborators

• Park, Y., Duhon, M., Kwon, K., Beisley, A., Walker, M., & Miguel, E. (2025). Parent psychological well-being, home learning environment, and child development among families in Kenya, Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.      
• Jeon, H., Kwon, K., McCartney, C., & Diamond, L. (2024). Early childhood education and early childhood special education teachers’ perceived stress, burnout, and depressive symptoms, Children and Youth Services Review
• Lipscomb, S. T., Kwon, K., Jefferies, P., & Giordano, F. (2024). Resilience processes and children’s development within socio-ecological contexts. Frontiers in Psychology.  
• Garcia, A. Jeon, S., Kwon, K., & Horm, D. (2024). Examining the interplay of teacher well-being, executive function, and adaptability in virtual instruction During COVID-19 disruptions, Frontiers in Education (Impact Factor=2.3).

Happy Teacher Global Project

Coming Soon!

Happy Teacher Meta-Analysis Study

Coming Soon!

Happy OU Project

Coming Soon!

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Invited Research Seminar and Presentations

International and National Level

• Kwon, K., Ford, T. G., Cheema, C., Kile, M., Wang, H., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2024, October). Happy Teacher Wellness Intervention: Holistic and human-centered approach to Head Start educator well-being. Symposium presented at the National Institute of Early Childhood Conference, Singapore.
• Kwon, K., Ford, T. G., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2024, June). Happy Teacher Wellness Intervention: Holistic and human-centered approach to Head Start educator well-being. Research seminar for faculty and graduate students at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
• Kwon, K., Jang, W., Ford, T. G., Horm, D., & Yazejian, N. (2024, May). Unpacking the complex story of Educare teacher turnover: Patterns, factors, mechanisms, and outcomes. Educare Learning Network Annual Meeting, Sioux City, IA.
• Kwon, K., Jeon, L., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2023, April). The conceptual framework for early childhood staff well-being. Webinar presented at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (virtual).
• Kwon, K., Galto, C., & Zeanah, P. L. (2022, December). Tolerating a stressful and uncertain world: Remembering our passions to support professional resilience. Zero To Three LEARN Institute, San Diego, CA.
• Lessard, L., & Kwon, K. (2022, November). Early childhood teacher well-being and working conditions. Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research & Evaluation Network (National Interdisciplinary Researcher Group), virtual webinar.
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., Ford, T., Castle, S., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, March). Head Start teacher paradox: Challenges and opportunities for staff well-being. National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Conference (virtual).
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., Ford, T., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, January). Head Start teacher paradox: Challenges and opportunities for staff well-being. Leadership Institute, National Association for Head Start, Washington, DC (virtual).
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., Malek-Lasater, A., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2021, October). The price of happiness: The importance of investing in teacher well-being. Buffett Early Childhood Institute, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (virtual).
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2021, July). Understanding and supporting Head Start teacher well-being and working conditions. Leadership meeting at the Office of Head Start (virtual).
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2020, November). Understanding and supporting early childhood teacher well-being and working conditions. Open Plenary Panel on Trauma-Informed Practices at National Research Conference on Early Childhood (virtual).
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2019, August). Early childhood teachers’ physical, psychological, and professional well-being. Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2019, July). Happy Teacher, Happy Children. Keynote speech at the Annual Conference of the Korean Association of Child and Parent Studies, Pohang, Korea.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2019, June). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Korea National University of Education, Cheongju, Korea.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2019, March). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Annual Meeting of the Network of Infant Toddler Researchers, Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD.

State and Local Level

• Kwon, K., Ford, T. G., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2024, December). Happy Teacher Project: Preliminary findings of the intervention. Board Meeting for Sunbeam Family Services, Oklahoma City, OK.
• Kwon, K., Kile, M., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2024, September). Findings of Happy Teacher Wellness Intervention. Sunbeam Family Services Board Meeting & Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness, Oklahoma City, OK.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2023, October). Happy Teacher Project: Preliminary findings of the intervention. Oklahoma Head Start Steering Committee Meeting, Oklahoma Head Start Collaboration Office, Oklahoma City, OK.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, February). Happy Teacher Project: Lessons learned from an innovative and interdisciplinary approach. University of Nebraska Webinar (virtual).
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, June). Happy Teacher Project: Holistic and humanistic approach to educators’ well-being. University of Colorado-Denver (invited by Dr. Elizabeth Steed).
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, September). Happy Teacher Project: Holistic and humanistic approach to educators’ well-being. College Faculty Meeting at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center (virtual), Tulsa, OK.
• Kwon, K., Ford, T. G., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, June). Early childhood teachers’ physical activity, well-being, and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness (virtual).
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, June). Happy Teacher Project: Holistic and humanistic approach to educators’ well-being. MACIE Seminar at Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, April). Happy Teacher Project: Holistic and humanistic approach to educators’ well-being. University of Nebraska, Omaha and Lincoln, NE.
• Kwon, K., Malek-Lasater, A., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2021, November). The price of happiness: The importance of investing in teacher well-being. Scholars for Excellence in Child Care at Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (virtual).
• Kwon, K., Kile, M., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2021, March). Happy Teacher Project—Interdisciplinary collaboration across colleges. Faculty meeting of the Department of Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum, University of Oklahoma.
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2021, January). The price of happiness: The importance of investing in teacher well-being. Building Equitable Futures Webinar Series, Early Childhood Education Institute & Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2020, November). Happy Teacher Project: Head Start teachers’ well-being and working conditions. CAP Tulsa Leadership Meeting (virtual).
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., & Malek-Lasater, A. (2020, November). Supporting infant-toddler teacher well-being and working conditions. Infant-Toddler Workforce Task Force Meeting, Colorado Office of Early Childhood, Department of Human Services (virtual).
• Kwon, K., Ford, T., Randall, K., & Malek, A. (2020, March). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Research Thursday session at the Early Childhood Education Institute, University of Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK.
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., & Malek, A. (2020, February). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women, Tulsa, OK.

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International and National Level

• Kwon, K., Ford, T., G., Cheema, C., Kile, M., Wang, H., & the Happy Teacher Project team. (2024, September). Happy Teacher Wellness Intervention: Supporting whole well-being of early childhood educators. Paper symposium to be presented at the European Early Childhood Education Research Association Conference, Brighton, UK.
• Kwon, K., Jang, W., Horm, D., Ford, T. G., Yazejian, N., & Malek-Lasater, A. (2024, June). Infant toddler teacher workforce stability–patterns, factors, and outcomes. Paper to be presented at the National Research Conference on Early Childhood (NRCEC), Arlington, VA.
• Min, J., Cheng, W., Kim, S., Kwon, K., Ford, T. G., & Jang, W. (2024, June). Association between early childhood teachers’ job demands and relationship with children: The moderating role of work climate. Poster to be presented at NRCEC, Arlington, VA.
• Wang, H., Ford, T. G., Kwon, K., Li, Y., & the Happy Teacher Project team. (2024, June). Exploring the use of wearable technology for measuring the physical activity, well-being, and health behaviors of Head Start teachers. Poster to be presented at NRCEC, Arlington, VA.
• Kwon, K., Ford, T. G., Cheema, C., Kile, M., Wang, H., Tsotsoros, J., Randall, K., Lloyd-Jones, B., et al. (2024, June). Head Start staff well-being: Early impact results from a cluster randomized control trial (RCT) of a Holistic Wellness Intervention. Poster symposium to be presented at NRCEC, Arlington, VA.
• Kwon, K., Jang, W., Ford, T. G., & Castle, S. (2024, June). The Head Start teacher paradox: Working conditions, well-being, and classroom quality. Paper to be presented at NRCEC, Arlington, VA.
• Kim, S., & Kwon, K. (2024, June). Understanding teachers’ experiences working with Afghan refugee children in Oklahoma. Poster to be presented at NRCEC, Arlington, VA.
• Kwon, K., Jang, S., Ford, T. G., & Chappell, J. (2024, June). Validating a comprehensive measure of early care and education (ECE) teacher working conditions. Poster to be presented at NRCEC, Arlington, VA.
• Wang, H., Li, Y., Kwon, K.-A., Ford, T., & Happy Teacher Project Team. (2024 June 24). Exploring the use of wearable technology for measuring the physical activity, well-being, and health behaviors of Head Start teachers [Poster presentation]. National Research Conference on Early Childhood (NRCEC) 2024.Arlington, VA, USA.
• Li, Y., Vera, D., Wang, H., Kwon, K. A., & Ford, T. (2024 April 23). Beyond average nights: Dive into longitudinal sleep patterns—A secondary analysis of a wellness interventions trial using wearable technology [Poster presentation]. AI4Health Conference 2024.Orlando, Florida, USA.
• Ford, T., Kwon, K., McHugh, T. F., & Lavigne, A. (2023, April). Working conditions and well-being of early childhood and K-12 leaders: Differences and similarities. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Chicago, IL.
• Ford, T., McHugh, T. F., Kwon, K., & Lavigne, A. (2023, April). Testing a holistic framework of working conditions and well-being for early childhood and K-12 educational leaders. Paper presented at AERA, Chicago, IL.
• Kwon, K., Ford, T., & McHugh, T. (2023, March). Unequal pay for equal qualifications and work: Working conditions for early childhood and K-12 leaders. Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), Salt Lake City, UT.
• Kwon, K., Castle, S., & Ford, T. (2022, June). A conceptual model for Happy Teacher Wellness Intervention for Head Start workforce well-being and competence. Poster symposium presented at NRCEC (virtual).
• Kim, S., Kwon, K., & Jensen, F. (2022, June). The association between early childhood teachers’ school operation during the COVID-19 pandemic and depression: Mediation of secondary traumatic stress. Poster symposium presented at NRCEC (virtual).
• Ford, T. G., Kwon, K., Randall, K., & Tsotsoros, J. (2022, April). Early childhood teachers’ physical activity, well-being, and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Paper presented at AERA, San Diego, CA.
• Kwon, K., Castle, S., & Ford, T. (2021, March). Head Start teacher paradox: Working conditions, well-being, and classroom quality. Paper symposium presentation at SRCD (virtual).
• Kwon, K., Ford, T., Tsotsoros, J., & Randall, K. (2021, March). Challenges related to the work and well-being of early childhood teachers by teaching modality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Paper symposium presentation at SRCD (virtual).
• Kwon, K., Ford, T. G., Jeon, L., Ellis, N., Randall, K., Kile, M., Salvatore, A., & Malek, A. (2020, April). Testing a holistic conceptual framework for early childhood teacher well-being. Paper accepted for AERA, San Francisco, CA (conference canceled).
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., Ellis, N., Kile, M., Malek, A., Amirault, C., & Williams, B. (2019, November). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Presentation at the OK Moving Forward Conference, Norman, OK.
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., Ellis, N., Kile, M., & Malek, A. (2019, October). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Presentation at the Tulsa Educare Leadership Team Meeting, Tulsa, OK.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2019, August). Early childhood teachers’ physical, psychological, and professional well-being. Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2019, July). Happy Teacher, Happy Children. Keynote speech at the Annual Conference of the Korean Association of Child and Parent Studies, Pohang, Korea.

State and Local Level

• Kwon, K., Tim Ford, & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2024, December). Happy Teacher Project: The preliminary findings of the intervention. Board Meeting for Sunbeam Family Services.
• Kwon, K., Mia Kile, & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2024, September). The findings of Happy Teacher Wellness Intervention. Board Meeting, Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2023, October). Happy Teacher Project: The preliminary findings of the intervention. Oklahoma Head Start Steering Committee Meeting, Oklahoma Head Start Collaboration Office.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, February). Happy Teacher Project: Lessons learned from an innovative and interdisciplinary approach. Webinar, University of Nebraska (virtual).
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, June). Happy Teacher Project: Holistic and humanistic approach to educators’ well-being. University of Colorado-Denver (Invited by Dr. Elizabeth Steed).
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, September). Happy Teacher Project: Holistic and humanistic approach to educators’ well-being. College Faculty Meeting at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center (virtual), Tulsa, OK.
• Kwon, K., Tim Ford, & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, June). Early childhood teachers’ physical activity, well-being, and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual presentation, Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, June). Happy Teacher Project: Holistic and humanistic approach to educators’ well-being. Keynote speech, MACIE Seminar at Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2022, April). Happy Teacher Project: Holistic and humanistic approach to educators’ well-being. University of Nebraska, Omaha and Lincoln, NE.
• Kwon, K., Adrien Malek-Lasater, & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2021, November). The price for happiness: The importance of investing in teacher well-being. Virtual presentation, Scholars for Excellence in Child Care at Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
• Kwon, K., Kile, M., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2021, March). Happy Teacher Project—Interdisciplinary collaboration across colleges. Faculty meeting of the Department of Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum at the University of Oklahoma.
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2021, January). The price for happiness: The importance of investing in teacher well-being. Building Equitable Futures webinar series, The Early Childhood Education Institute & Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness.
• Kwon, K., & the Happy Teacher Project Team. (2020, November). Happy Teacher Project: Head Start teachers’ well-being and working conditions. CAP Tulsa Leadership Meeting (Virtual).
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., & Malek-Laster, A. (2020, November). Supporting infant toddler teacher well-being and working conditions. Presentation at the Infant Toddler Workforce Task Force Meeting, Colorado Office of Early Childhood, Department of Human Services (Virtual).
• Kwon, K., Ford, T., Randall, K., & Malek, A. (2020, March). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Presentation at Research Thursday session, Early Childhood Education Institute, University of Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK.
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., & Malek, A. (2020, February). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Presentation at the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women, Tulsa, OK.
• Kwon, K., Ford, T., Randall, K., & Malek, A. (2019, December). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Presentation at the Professional Development Leadership Academy (Meeting for district superintendents and school leaders), Tulsa, OK.
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., Ellis, N., Kile, M., Malek, A., Amirault, C., & Williams, B. (2019, November). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Presentation at OK Moving Forward Conference, Norman, OK.
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., Ellis, N., Kile, M., & Malek, A. (2019, October). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Presentation at Tulsa Educare Leadership Team Meeting, Tulsa, OK.
• Kwon, K., Randall, K., & Ellis, N. (2019, May). Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers’ well-being. Presentation at the Advisory Board Meeting of the Early Childhood Education Institute, University of Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK.
• Kwon, K., & Malek, A. (2018, September). The high quality of the early childhood education workforce. Community Action Project (CAP) Tulsa, Tulsa, OK.

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