By James Miller
When Dr. Ceema Samimi first came to the University of Minnesota during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were eager to better understand the landscape of people and organizations cultivating meaningful change in the Twin Cities.
As a researcher, social worker, and actively-engaged community member, they were no…
By Samuel David, Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the College of Education and Human Development, and Mabindra Regmi, graduate research assistant
People are on the move. The forces of global commerce and connectivity have conspired with the disruptions of conflict…
Nationwide, 1 in 44 people is identified as autistic[1] in Minnesota, where more evaluation services are available, the rate is 1 in 36.[2] Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, is a pervasive, neurological, and developmental disability that can include impairment in reciprocal social communication and social interaction, sensory intensity, and…
Researcher: Amanda L. Sullivan (Department of Educational Psychology, College of Education and Human Development)
Efficiently, effectively identifying and supporting multiply minoritized P12 students with educational difficulties is increasingly challenging for educational systems nationally, and in Minnesota in particular, given complex issues related to our racial and economic disparities. This project will explore the intersections of two especially vulnerable populations: students who experience housing insecurity and students with disabilities. Research underscores a number of challenges related to the identification of both groups, and these difficulties…
Researcher: Melissa A. Koenig (Institute of Child Development, College of Education and Human Development)
In our research, we investigate the nature of children’s trust in other people, and the role that trust plays in children’s learning and socio-emotional well-being. We study trust as an important mechanism of interpersonal connection and learning, one that varies from child to child, and from relationship to relationship. If successful, support from the Faculty Interactive Research Program would provide funding for the research support and the teacher, staff and parent compensation that is required to launch the project…
Researcher: Samuel S. David (Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education and Human Development)
Finding effective ways to teach reading comprehension to English learners (ELs) is a critical challenge for educational researchers nationally, and in Minnesota specifically. TRANSLATE is an instructional model designed for ELs performing below grade level, providing teachers with the means to access ELs’ myriad language resources. Qualitative analyses of the TRANSLATE approach have shown that students engaged in TRANSLATE lessons develop new comprehension strategies that capitalize on their home language resources, and an early mixed-…
Researcher: Lindsey Weiler (Family Social Science, College of Education and Human Development)
Representing one of the highest rates in the country, one in every 42 children in Minnesota is identified with autism spectrum disorder. Without intervention, adolescents risk a sharp decline in social support, stalled neurological progress, and a marked increase in depression and anxiety. Often shut off from educational and social supports that were available in childhood, adolescents experience significant roadblocks as they strive for independence. Similarly, young adults with autism can feel isolated and undervalued as members of our community. This project seeks…
School based mental health programs (SMHP) provide critical services to students in order to mitigate the myriad of negative outcomes associated with mental health problems. However, limited applied, evaluative research has been conducted examining the effects of such programs on student outcomes. In particular, problems exist regarding the measurement of student mental health (needs in school settings. The purpose of this project is to improve measurement of SMH needs by engaging in two related studies. The first study will investigate the psychometric properties of the Minneapolis Public Schools (Behavior Screener Checklist 3 (BSC), which holds promise as a critical indicator of SMH…