Ask The Expert

Dec 17, 2021

How Can I Get Comfortable With Integrating Technology in My Classroom? ‘Practice the Tool Before You Have the Students Use It. Go Through the Tasks and Assess the Purpose for Why You’re Using the Tool,’ Says Assistant Professor Ruby Ellis

Technological tools often let students investigate mathematical concepts more deeply, but many teachers struggle to find the time or support to implement these technologies in the classroom, says Ruby Ellis, assistant professor of mathematics education in the NC State College of Education. 

Nov 22, 2021

How Can School Principals Provide Effective Leadership During Difficult Times? By Practicing the ‘Three C’s,’ Says Professor Lance Fusarelli

NC State College of Education Professor Lance Fusarelli likens school principals to captains of a ship: responsible for everything that occurs under their watch. This responsibility comes with unique challenges that have been exacerbated by issues like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

Oct 21, 2021

Why is it Important for Students to Feel a Sense of Belonging at School? ‘Students Choose to be in Environments That Make Them Feel a Sense of Fit,’ Says Associate Professor DeLeon Gray

When students feel a sense of belonging in the classroom, it can increase their educational success and motivational outcomes in multiple ways, and teachers can help create this feeling of belonging by building connections between classroom and community, according to Associate Professor DeLeon Gray, Ph.D. 

Sep 21, 2021

Why is it Important for K-12 Students to Understand Data and Statistics? ‘Understanding How Data is Used, How It’s Collected and Why It’s Collected Helps You Understand That You Can Be Empowered By It or You Can Be Manipulated By It,’ Says Professor Hollylynne Lee

Students and teachers are surrounded by data every day and often use it to inform their decisions without fully understanding where it came from or how it was compiled. This is one of many reasons Hollylynne Lee, Ph.D., professor of mathematics and statistics education, believes that statistics education is so important for both students and their teachers. 

Aug 23, 2021

Why is it Important to Have a Diverse Educator Workforce? ‘Positions of Influence, Power and Authority in Our Educational System Should Reflect the Multicultural Society in Which We Live,’ Says Associate Professor Anna Egalite

The population of students in U.S. schools has been steadily diversifying over the past two decades, but many students of color will go through their entire K-12 career without ever encountering a teacher or school leader who shares their racial or ethnic background, said Associate Professor Anna Egalite, Ph.D. 

Jul 22, 2021

Ask the Expert: How Can Teachers Address Climate Change in the Classroom? ‘I Believe That Explicit Discussion About Why There are Differences in How We View Climate Change Would Do Well in a Classroom,’ Says Assistant Professor K.C. Busch

Addressing the topic of climate change in the classroom involves more than just teaching about science and data, says Assistant Professor K.C. Busch, Ph.D. There is the scientific side -- where knowledge about how climate is created, how it has changed over time and the impact of those changes are shared -- but there is also a social side. 

Jun 17, 2021

Ask the Expert: How Can Teaching Math From a Strengths-based Perspective Help Students Succeed? ‘When Teachers Utilize a Student’s Strengths, They Position Them as Already Possessing a Way of Knowledge That They Use To Understand the World,’ Says Associate Professor Jessica Hunt

Students’ thinking is often evaluated from a deficit standpoint, focusing on what they don’t yet know, says Associate Professor Jessica Hunt, Ph.D. This is especially true when it comes to teaching mathematics to students with disabilities. Instead of focusing on what students don’t know, Hunt says it is best for teachers to approach lessons from a strengths-based perspective. 

May 21, 2021

Ask the Expert: Why is a Preschool Education Important? ‘When Children Attend High-quality Pre-K Programs, They Get a Really Great Boost in Early Skills That Set Them Up for Success in Elementary School,’ Says Assistant Professor Michael Little

Early childhood is a critical time when a kid’s brain is highly impacted by the environments that surround them. It is for that reason that NC State College of Education Assistant Professor Michael Little, Ph.D., says a preschool education is important for all students who are able to attend. 

Apr 26, 2021

Ask the Expert: What is Culturally Responsive Teaching? ‘Teaching That Acknowledges, Attends to and Leverages the Cultures, Values and Ways of Knowing of Young People,’ Say Assistant Professors Chandra Alston, Michelle Falter and Crystal Chen Lee

To help students become more fully motivated and engaged in the classroom, and to help them better develop their identities, NC State College of Education Assistant Professors Chandra Alston, Ph.D., Michelle Falter, Ph.D., and Crystal Chen Lee, Ed.D., said that engaging in culturally responsive teaching practices is crucial for educators. 

Apr 1, 2021

Ask the Expert: How Can Educators Help Develop Student Interest in STEM Careers? ‘Students Need to Have Direct Experiences with Science and Other STEM Disciplines to Find Out What They Are Passionate About,’ Says Professor Meg Blanchard

There is a growing demand for qualified graduates to fill STEM positions as well as for a diversification of the field, but NC State College of Education Professor Meg Blanchard, Ph.D., said many students who are historically underrepresented, living in poverty or first-generation college students struggle to see themselves pursuing a STEM career.