College of Education Launches Fourth Interdisciplinary Research Hub with Focus on Civic Engagement

In line with its Strategic Plan: 2023-2030, the NC State College of Education has launched a fourth Interdisciplinary Research Hub. 

This hub, entitled “North Carolina Advancing Civic Engagement (NC-ACE),” will join three other hubs announced earlier in finding innovative solutions to pressing educational problems by bringing together individuals from different units and disciplines.

NC-ACE aims to examine the intersections between different educational and social sectors and local stakeholders to facilitate cooperation between school districts and local communities to develop a civic engagement and education model that includes students, faculty, community members, community colleges, universities, local organizations, and public officials and offices. 

The ultimate goal of the project is to develop program initiatives that advance civic education in North Carolina while exploring opportunities for addressing questions related to improving civic capacities of participants. 

Initial hub members include: Associate Professor of Social Studies Education Paula McAvoy, Professor of Adult Education Chad Hoggan, Associate Professor of Education Psychology Christy Byrd, Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership Catherine Hartman, Friday Institute for Educational Innovation Director of Digital Learning Emma Braaten, Professor of Higher Education Paul Umbach and Associate Professor of Literacy Education Angela Wiseman.

“We don’t know of any other initiative in the U.S. that addresses civic education across the lifespan. We are excited to draw upon the unique set of experts in the college, NC State and across the state to think about novel approaches for engaging the public in civic learning,” the project team said. 

The three other initial Interdisciplinary Hubs, launched in December 2023, are:

• Fostering Learning, Identity, and Participation within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (FLIP-STEM), which is working with middle and high school students to design technologies that empower them to see themselves in STEM fields and engage in the challenges facing their communities.
• Systems for Un-correlating Poverty and Reading (SUPR) in North Carolina Schools, which is identifying elementary schools in North Carolina that have beaten the odds in terms of the relationship between poverty and reading and identifying practices that can be replicated in other schools.

Well-being and Equity in Rural Communities (WERC), which is working to uplift voices within rural communities and help them achieve their visions of wellness, well-being and educational equity.