Online Newsletter

End of Fall Semester 2025

2025-26 Scholarship Banquet

The University Club's Grand Ballroom was alive with the chatter and laughter of guests on Sept. 19. The College of Education's 2025-26 Scholarship Banquet was underway, and warm smiles filling the room as generous donors, scholarship recipients and other guests greeted one another.

Students were seated with their respective donors during the luncheon, allowing them to extend their gratitude while also sharing about their studies and campus activities. Before lunch was served, all listened intently as Dean Joyce Alexander spoke on the importance of scholarships as they are investments in students — in their potential, their dreams and their futures.

"Thanks to generous donors like you, we’ve been able to award near $1.1 million in scholarships to 300 students — and that’s worth celebrating," she said. "Together, we are building a legacy of support, encouragement, and impact."

Scholarship recipients continued conversations following lunch, posing for photos with donors, friends and family to commemorate the event.

McDaniel contributes chapter to new edition of 'Handbook of Positive Behavior Support,' which helped shape her career

When the first edition of the “Handbook of Positive Behavior Support” was released in 2009, Sara McDaniel was a doctoral student at Georgia State University, deep into research on students with challenging behaviors.

She remembers the book serving as not only a guide to the current research in the field of positive behavior support, but as a roadmap that would essentially show McDaniel where her career would lead.

“Every chapter was a different component of what we were doing in the field, and all were written by intelligent authors I admired,” said Dr. McDaniel, professor of collaborative special education and director of the Center for Interconnected Behavioral and Mental Health Systems. “I used the book in my classes, in comprehensive exams and then again in my dissertation in 2011. It sat on my shelf, but I’ve used it time and time again throughout my career.”

McDaniel’s focus on Tier 2 interventions was even inspired by the book and a chapter written by Leanne Hawking detailing more systematic Tier 2 frameworks.

Seventeen years later, McDaniel’s relationship with the “Handbook of Positive Behavior Support” has come full circle. The newly published second edition features a chapter she authored on promoting student voice within positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS).

“I was excited to hear they were going to write a new handbook, and then I got an invitation to write one of the chapters,” she said.

Over time, the PBIS field has evolved from focusing on visible and measurable behaviors to including social, emotional and behavioral well-being for students and for educators.

“To have gone from reading this book, studying it and using it as my compass to now being an author in it ... is so special.”

“The field has shifted quite nicely, I think, and moved to a much more comprehensive and holistic look at what we call student behavior and what could be underlying,” she said.

Much of McDaniel’s work is focused on culturally responsive and student-centered approaches – she believes this is why she was asked to contribute this chapter on promoting student voice to the new edition.

“We as adults often think we know what is best for students and what will influence behavior, but we rarely ask students about their needs and preferences,” she said.

McDaniel's chapter “Promoting Student Voice in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports” emphasizes the importance of these student-focused approaches as well as why intervention should be done with students and not to them. It also discusses how student voice has become more important across all three PBIS tiers and how it is crucial to utilize student input during planning and implementation.

It was important to all leading chapter authors to collaborate with newer contributors and scholars and to make sure all perspectives were represented, McDaniel said. She brought both practitioner and student voices to the table in this chapter with co-authors Erika McDowell from Wildfower Schools Minneapolis, Alejandra Gallego from Southside ISD in San Antonio, and Brayden Harris, a student at Hoover High School, who is now a first-time author.

For McDaniel to be featured in the latest edition of the handbook that had such an impact on her 15-year career is a heartwarming and tremendous milestone.

“To have gone from reading this book, studying it and using it as my compass to now being an author in it alongside writers I admire as well as these new and diverse voices is so special,” she said.

For more information or to order the book, visit link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-96102-1_25.

Dr. Joy Burnham recognized with Ala. Counseling Assoc. President's Award

Associate Dean Joy Burnham recently received the Alabama Counseling Association (ACA) President's Award during the ACA's 59th annual conference at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel in Birmingham Nov. 19-21.

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Dr. Burnham!

Dr. Kagendo Mutua receives Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award

Professor of Special Education Dr. Kagendo Mutua was honored by the University of Alabama National Alumni Association with an Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award (OCTA) at an awards reception at the University Club on Nov. 4.

This award is the Capstone's highest honor for excellence in teaching, and they award it annually to four faculty members — nominated by their peers, alumni and students — who are chosen by a selection committee based on their commitment and the impact they've made on their students.

Dr. Mutua is co-founder and executive director of the nationally accredited CrossingPoints Program as well as director of the Office of International Programs. Her contributions and service have been recognized through honors including the E. Rogers Sayers Distinguished Service Award and the McCrory Faculty Excellence Award for Service. Her work embodies the University's enduring commitment to transforming lives through education. Mutua earned her PhD in special education from Kent State University, an MS in special education from Clarion University and a BEd in secondary education from Kenyatta University. Since joining UA in 2001, she has led transformative efforts to strengthen teacher preparation for serving youth with significant disabilities.

"Receiving the Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award (OCTA) from our National Alumni Association was one of those rare moments that made me pause and reflect on what a life in teaching really means," Mutua posted on her LinkedIn page after winning the award. "Teaching has never been a job description for me; it is the rhythm beneath everything I do, the quiet pulse that keeps curiosity alive. To be nominated and then selected was both humbling and surprising."

She ended her post thanking the NAA and her mentees and peers who nominated her with this sentiment: "Awards are lovely, but the real gift is this: being part of a community that believes teaching still matters, that ideas still matter, and that students are still worth our best attention."

Program thoroughly prepares pre-service teachers to enter Special Education field

With numerous pathways and degree offerings, the Department of Special Education provides undergraduate students a variety of hands-on learning opportunities that prepare them to enter the field of special education.

Students have close access to Special Education faculty who are passionate about their profession, eager to build relationships and to work with students one on one. Our faculty members are experts in their fields with high publication rates and impressive grant-earning records.

“Our professors are in the field completing applied hands-on research as well as providing professional development and additional teacher training and supports across the state,” said Dr. Nicole Swoszowski, professor of multiple abilities and new associate dean for undergraduate education. Swoszowski is also the former department head of special education.

The Special Education program offers the following undergraduate degrees for undergraduate students to choose from: Multiple Abilities, Early Childhood Special Education and Collaborative Education.

“One thing that I do believe sets our department apart from the rest of the College is that every undergraduate degree that we offer in Special Education gives students at least two and up to four certifications,” said Dr. Amy Williamson, clinical associate professor of special education and program coordinator of collaborative special education for undergraduates.

The Multiple Abilities Program (MAP) leads to certification in four areas: early childhood special education, early childhood general education, K-6 special education, and K-6 childhood special education and early childhood general education. (Note: The photos at the top of the article feature MAP students and their various learning experiences from this semester.)

The other two programs, meanwhile, each lead to two certification areas. The Early Childhood Special Education Program includes early childhood special education and early childhood general education while the Collaborative Education Program includes K-6 and 6-12 or just K-6.

The collaborative program gives students the most options as far as age range, classroom setup and practicum, Williamson said. Students work with elementary and high school students while getting experience in general and resource classrooms as well as self-contained classrooms.

“The idea is our students leave with experiences across all areas so they know exactly what type of classroom and what age group they want to go into,” she said.

Williamson recommended the collaborative program for individuals interested in teaching a wide range of ages and disabilities and the early childhood or MAP routes for those set on working with younger children and babies.

“We put a lot of emphasis on making sure our students have ample and valuable field experience placements throughout their program,” Swoszowski said. “When we hear former students express how well prepared they felt, they often cite their placements and internship experiences as giving them the knowledge that really solidified their classroom skillsets.”

Teacher placements are coordinated by the Office of Clinical Experiences, which for special education students typically means practicum experiences their junior year and early in their senior year. However, MAP students must complete a yearlong internship during their senior year. Faculty continue to support undergraduates during these field placements, meeting with them for debriefings, which serve as additional learning opportunities.

With placements and internship experiences varying by program, this ensures students receive the in-depth training and exposure necessary for their areas of certification. Our pre-service teachers work with classes in both the Tuscaloosa City Schools (TCS) and Tuscaloosa County School (TCSS) systems, including both rural and urban environments, to guarantee they get experience in a variety of school settings.

Special Education students’ access to CrossingPoints helps our program to stand out above others in the state.

The CrossingPoints Program, a partnership between the Department of Special Education, MAP, TCS and TCSS, gives our pre-service teachers the chance to work with older students with disabilities or to take advantage of mentorship opportunities, lending a hand to a student population that may sometimes need extra support.

“It provides an opportunity for students to have these hands-on learning experiences, and I think that’s unique,” said Williamson, who is also the CrossingPoints Program coordinator. “It’s a lot of fun to get to go to football games with the CrossingPoints students while knowing they are still connecting with their ultimate career goals.”

CrossingPoints received full accreditation from the Inclusive Higher Education Accreditation Council (IHEAC) this semester, making it the first accredited in Alabama and the Southeastern Conference as well as a gold standard for other inclusive postsecondary education institutions across the U.S. The program provides transition services for students with disabilities, which includes learning employment aspects of transition in specially selected or assigned UA job sites.

“I've often said that our university misses opportunities to brag about its disability community as a whole, not just special education,” Williamson said. “UA provides opportunities for people with disabilities that most higher education institutions do not.”

These organizations include CrossingPoints, the RISE Program at the RISE Center, the Alabama Adapted Athletics program, the UA-ACTS (Autism Spectrum Disorder College Transition and Support) Program as well as the Office of Disability Services.

“They give students real and personal experience in the field and can help them see other ways to use special education in the future,” she added. “I don’t know of any other university in our country with that many campus opportunities for people with disabilities.”

With the country facing a dire special education teacher shortage and more and more children being diagnosed with various disabilities, it is incredibly important that all educators, not just those with degrees in special education, be able to teach students with disabilities, Swoszowski said.

“Whether you want to teach special education or general education, the fact is you are going to have children with disabilities in your classroom,” she said. “Having that toolkit kit, having the skills and abilities to teach individuals with disabilities is more valuable and more applicable now than ever been before.”

Williamson agreed, adding that experience in special education gives you strategies that you will apply with all students in a classroom.

“Good teaching is good teaching regardless of whether you're teaching students with disabilities or students without,” she said.

One of the primary reasons teachers are leaving the field is because of high rates of burnout.

“They often leave because they struggle with behavior management or don’t feel adequately prepared to provide differentiation in the classroom,” Swoszowski said. “But that is something our department prides itself on: A big contribution we make to the field is having strengths in the areas of differentiated instruction and classroom behavior management. We have numerous faculty members who are experts in those areas.”

The number of students who return to earn graduate degrees in special education speaks volumes on how confident and prepared they felt to teach and manage their own classrooms upon earning their undergraduate degrees, Williamson said.

“We hear all the time from alumni who look back on their experience in the program and are doing exactly what they love to do in the field,” she said. “That is always exciting to hear, because the burnout is so high for educators, especially right now. It’s exciting when students can finish their degree, find a job they feel is rewarding and stick with it.”

Rewarding is exactly how Swoszowski describes working in the field as well.

“Special education is about helping students meet their full and maximum potential, and I don’t know of a greater gift than that,” she said. “What is more rewarding than seeing someone reach all those small milestones that may come naturally for others? We often take those moments for granted, but having the skills and abilities to scaffold a student learner through that, to help them meet their goals and watch that growth? There are no words for it. You can't put a price tag on that – it's incredibly rewarding.”

For more information about the Special Education program, visit the department website, education.ua.edu/departments/special-education, or reach out to Dr. Swoszowski, nswosz@ua.edu, or Dr. Williamson, amwilliamson@ua.edu.

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GRADUATE DEGREE OFFERINGS

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Certifications in Collaborative Special Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Gifted Education, and Severe Disabilities; plus a specialization for Autism

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EdS (online) Collaborative Special Education , Early Childhood Special Education and Gifted Education

DOCTORAL
EdD (online) Special Education
PhD Special Education

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Brandon Glander, Kinesiology alumnus and P.E. Teacher at Huntington Place Elementary

On any other weekday, seeing a group of elementary school students walking around with drawn-on beards, wearing polarized sports sunglasses and coach whistles around their necks might make you do a double take.

This morning, however, in celebration of Swap Day during Red Ribbon Week at Huntington Place Elementary, numerous kids filed into the school dressed as their favorite teacher, P.E. Coach Brandon Glander.

There was no mistaking who they were supposed to be. Some wore baseball caps, others had on floppy-brimmed sun hats and there were plenty of blue Wildcats T-shirts. But one thing they all had in common as they took pictures with Coach Glander was a joyous smile.

“It gives you a reminder as to why teachers do this, you know?” said Glander, who is also an assistant football coach at Echols Middle School. “We do it for the kids, to make a difference in their lives. We didn’t count (them), but to see so many kids dressed up as me… wow. I was honored. It was awesome.”

This is Glander’s fourth year at Huntington Place teaching physical education, and he wouldn’t have it any other way, he said. He still wakes up every morning excited to go to work.

His passion shines through in his work. Earlier this year, Glander was recognized as Tuscaloosa County School System’s 2025 Teacher of the Year after being voted Huntington Place’s nominee by his fellow faculty members. He received the honor on Jan. 27 during the TCSS Educator Recognition Awards Ceremony.

“To have my coworkers vote for me and to win this award was an honor,” he said. “There are some people out there who may think that P.E. is just an extra recess. So, it is heartwarming to know my coworkers see the hard work I put in and appreciate the things I do at the school. They are amazing people.”

In his role as P.E. coach, Glander works with the kids, guiding them through different exercises and sports skill stations and coaching them as they compete in a variety of group games. His students also learn about health-related fitness, including the different muscle groups of the body, and the importance of staying physical active. On track days, they run and make sure they get in their miles, he said.

“People tell you when you’re going through school that if you enjoy what you do, you will never work a day in your life. ... I’m living that now.”
— Brandon Glander, P.E. coach at Huntington Place Elementary

A Kinesiology alumnus, Glander earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 2022; however, teaching was not the career path he first considered when attending the University. His original plan was to take the criminal justice route and do something in public service.

But when he met his now wife, whose family is full of teachers, he said, they encouraged him to consider a career in teaching. This led Glander to channel his love for sports into physical education.

“I realized (I loved it) the first time we got into the schools (during our placements) and were working with the kids,” he said. “I taught a student at one of the elementary schools how to do a forward roll. He struggled with it, but when he finally got it, his face lit up, and that is such a good feeling. I thought, wow, I want to feel that every time I step foot in a classroom.”

He was hooked after that.

While in the Physical Education program, Glander was mentored by Drs. Libba Woodruff and Oleg Sinelnikov.

“They are amazing professors. I think I’ve pulled from every single placement experience I had and applied it to my job now,” he said. “Our cohort was close, and we still keep in touch. (Being in the program) was a great experience. I loved every second of it.”

Once he graduated from UA, Glander began teaching at Huntington Place in the same role he is in today. He is also an assistant football coach at Echols Middle School.

Huntington Place Elementary was his first teaching job, and “hopefully, it’s my last,” he said. “I love it here.”

“The kids, the community, the faculty, the administration – they mean everything,” Glander said. “People tell you when you’re going through school that if you enjoy what you do, you will never work a day in your life. It sounds cheesy, but it’s the truth. I’m living that now.”

Inaugural Read Like a Legend event a successful community celebration of literacy

Last month, the College of Education welcomed families, UA groups and community partners to the Bryant Conference Center for the inaugural Read Like a Legend literacy night.

The event, designed to celebrate and promote literacy in West Alabama, brought the community together for an evening of exciting hands-on activities and a variety of creative stations.

As children and their families walked from table to table, they explored literacy through storytelling, innovative technology, coding, crafts and other interactive experiences. Community and campus organizations shared resources and even some fun take-home materials with eventgoers, and UA students even had the chance to gain valuable field experience as they engaged with families.

More than a dozen West Alabama organizations participated in the literacy night, including United Way of West Alabama Success by Six, Tuscaloosa Public Library, The House Tuscaloosa, the Alabama Reading Initiative, the Children’s Program, Tuscaloosa City Schools and the Tuscaloosa County School System.

The event also had strong support from UA groups such as Pi Beta Phi, Roll Tide for Reading, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology/Educational Neuroscience Dr. Lisa Hsin’s team, Clinical Assistant Professor of Elementary Literacy Dr. Cortney Dilgard’s and Clinical Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education Dr. Amanda Cramer’s classes, Clinical Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education Dr. Cailin Kerch’s CEE 491 group, Professor of Literacy Education and Multiple Abilities Dr. Carol Donovan and the Multiple Abilities Program, Fayard Endowed Chair in Literacy Education Dr. Amy Hutchison and the Digital, Computational and Data Literacies Lab (D.CoaD), Clinical Associate Professor of Technology Applications & Assessment Systems Dr. James Hardin and the Laboratory for Innovative Technology in Education (LITE), the Bryant Conference Center as well as Big Al for making a special appearance!

This evening would not have been possible without the support of the Fayard family gift provided by Dr. Hutchison as well as the involvement and planning of Drs. Hutchison, Kerch, Dilgard, Donovan and Assistant Professor of Elementary Literacy Brittany Adams.

We want to extend a sincere thank you to all of our partners and collaborators who helped make this first Read Like a Legend night memorable and exciting and look forward to next year's event!

Study shows connected ranking system for music performances more accurate and fair

A study by Dr. Stefanie Wind and colleagues Brian C. Wesolowski and Eli Jones titled "Rater Connectedness Affects Student Achievement Estimates and Ordered Rankings in Formal Music Performance Assessments" was recently published by the National Association for Music Education's Journal of Research in Music Education.

The study details how student music performances should be scored fairly and consistently, but that is not always the case. Often, instead of all individual performances being judged by the same raters, some are judged by different raters who never evaluate the same performances.

"We used data from a formal solo music performance assessment to demonstrate and explore the impact of different data collection designs and a statistical adjustment procedure on the estimates and rank-ordering of student performances," the study abstract says. "Our results indicated notable discrepancies in conclusions about individual student performances between conditions where all raters scored all students, designs with no common performances between raters, designs that included overlapping performances between raters, and the results from a post hoc adjustment procedure for disconnected designs."

Essentially, the study shows that judging formal individual music performances through a connected ranking system is far more accurate and fair than using one that is disconnected.

To read more about the study, visit journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00224294251363327.

Updated survey in spatial activities by Lakin, Wind, alumna and others highlighted by Forbes

Drs. Joni Lakin and Stefanie Wind; Qingzhou Shi, an educational research alumna and postdoctoral scholar at the Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center at Northwestern University, as well as colleagues from the University of Arkansas, and Northwestern University, were featured in a recent Forbes article that highlights their new spatial activities survey published by Education Sciences.

Research now suggests "that spatial reasoning matters for many long-term outcomes in STEM occupations and the visual arts, and that early development through spatial activities may be an important developmental pathway through which these types of skills can come to full fruition," according to the article titled "The Importance of Spatial Activities for Children's Development."

“Developmental research relies heavily on surveys of kids' extracurricular activities. The top survey used in spatial research was over 40 years old! We have updated the survey to reflect modern activities," Dr. Lakin says in the piece.

To read the full article, visit www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanwai/2025/09/25/the-importance-of-spatial-activities-for-childrens-development. You can read the spatial activities survey and conclusion at www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/10/1285.

$3.5M NSF project aims to expand AI education to rural areas across three states

A 4-year, $3.5 million project funded by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Innovative Technology Experiences for Teachers and Students (ITEST) program and housed at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation is set to allow researchers to expand the program PrimaryAI, which will foster an interest in STEM learning for rural students.

Fayard Endowed Chair in Literacy Education Dr. Amy Hutchison is one of the key researchers involved in the project that aims to equip students with the basic knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) they will need to prepare them for the future.

“This award complements some of the exciting AI education work already happening in Alabama, represents a concrete investment in Alabama’s future and ensures that students in rural communities have access to AI education,” Hutchison said. “We aim to provide educators with the resources they need to build local capacity for AI education and prepare students for the high-demand skills that they will increasingly need in the future.”

The project is led by Friday Institute Executive Director and Primary Investigator (PI) Krista Glazewski with NC State co-PIs James Lester, Bradford Mott and Jessica Vandenberg from the Department of Computer Science in the NC State College of Engineering as well as researchers from Indiana University.

"With this new award, more than 5,000 upper elementary students and 60 partner teachers across rural areas of Alabama, Indiana and North Carolina will participate in the program," NC State University said. "Research supported through this work will advance foundational knowledge in K-12 AI education by integrating immersive inquiry-based learning pedagogies."

To read the full article, visit fi.ncsu.edu/news/friday-institute-executive-director-krista-glazewski-to-partner-with-rural-communities-on-3-5m-nsf-award-expanding-ai-education-across-three-states.

The 2025 Alabama Adapted Athletics wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis National Championship teams and Para track & field Individual National Champions were recognized by Alabama Athletics on Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Oct. 4 during the Alabama vs. Vanderbilt football game.

Legendary Leaders event brings College and elementary school administration, leaders together

Drs. Brittany Adams, Cortney Dilgard and Amanda Cramer hosted a Legendary Leaders event Nov. 11 at the University Club as part of a Rising Tide-funded initiative aimed at improving the undergraduate experience for elementary education students as well as the partnerships between the College of Education and schools in West Alabama.

This event brought together more than 25 elementary school administration and educational leaders from both Tuscaloosa City and County school systems and surrounding counties, as well as Dean Joyce Alexander and other faculty and staff from Student Services and the Elementary Education Program.

Faculty detailed upcoming changes, largely prompted by the statewide Literacy and Numeracy acts, that will affect the Elementary Education Program and stressed the importance of having pre-service teachers in West Alabama classrooms.

Adams highlighted several of those benefits: added instructional support, fresh ideas and energy, professional growth for mentors and pipeline development ("We want our graduate students to stay here," she said. "We want to reinforce that and give our students such positive experiences that they want to stick around.").

"As we are making these changes, we're being very intentional with how we partner and align our faculty and supervisors who are going out to your wonderful schools and the mentor teachers in your classrooms," Dilgard said. "We are really considering the state coaching frameworks that students will be exposed to once they get to your schools and thinking about those models as we plan this between faculty, supervisors and mentor teachers. What we're working toward, supervision, mentorship and co-teaching strategies — these are some things we're excited to start even as early as next semester."

Student representatives for each semester were there to answer questions and share their own field experiences and insights while part of the room was set up to give guests the opportunity to provide feedback regarding classroom and school needs. The night as a whole helped to emphasize the College's goal to foster important conversations and deepen the relationships we have with our local schools.

"We are very invested, not just in our students, but in you and making sure everyone benefits from this," Adams said. "We want to hear from you tonight. We want this to be a time where you can have some conversations and learn about our students. They are excited to share what they have learned through the program and what they feel most benefited them as they moved into their own classrooms as education professionals."

IT doctoral students hit landmarks in research and careers this semester

Three of Clinical Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology (IT) Dr. Laura McNeill’s IT doctoral students have had an exceptional fall semester. Mohi Uddin, Stephen Abu, and David Awoyemi have each earned significant honors and reached major milestones in their research.

Mohi Uddin

Uddin’s article “A philosophical inquiry into knowledge and originality to investigate the prevailing criticism of ChatGPT et al..,” published Oct. 14 in the journal Discover Education, received a full APC waiver of $1,390 for open-access publication. The article’s abstract was also recognized as one of the best in IAFOR Journal of Education’s University London Conference, earning Uddin a full registration fee scholarship of $750.

He had three other journal articles accepted this year: “AI Empire: The Rise of Technocolonialism” by The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History as well as the Taylor & Francis group journal, “An Ethical Framework for Conversational AI in Higher Education: Toward an Evidence-Based Ethical Governance” by Springer’s Journal of Academic Ethics (Abu was a collaborating author as well) and position article “Rethinking Patient Consent in AI-Enhanced Healthcare: A Teleological and Consequential Ethical Framework” by the Journal of Bioethical Inquiry. Uddin received four more conference acceptance letters in addition to these this year.

Stephen Abu

Five of Abu’s presentation proposals for the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) 2026 conference were accepted, two of which he is the lead author and three that he is a collaborator on: “Modeling Behavioral Dynamics and Cognitive States in VR Safety Training: A Learning Analytics Approach” (Lead Author), “Embodied Arts-Integrated AI Literacy: A Nested Mixed-Methods Preliminary Study With K-12 Educators” (Lead Author), “Unpacking In-VR Learning Dynamics for Heat Stress Training: A Microgenetic and Sequential Behavior Analysis” (Collaborator), “Feedback-Driven Strategic Shifts in Immersive Virtual Reality Training: A Multi-Phase Behavioral-Mining Study” (Collaborator) and “Regulating Learning Through ChatGPT: Reflections From International Graduate Students” (Collaborator).

At the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) 2025 Conference in October, Abu and Awoyemi presented three research projects – “The AI-WISE Project: Bridging the AI Skills Gap Through Industry-Informed Curriculum Design,” “Exploring Fidelity Dimensions in Extended Reality Technologies for Mechanical Engineering Education: A Systematic Review as well as Preliminary Design” and “Development of three AI-integrated Virtual Reality Simulations for STEM undergrad students” – then at the Mid-South Educational Research Association’s 2025 meeting in November, he discussed his ongoing design and research project “Exploring AI-Enhanced VR Spring Dynamics Simulations to Foster Metacognitive Regulation in Engineering Education.”

David Awoyemi

Awoyemi received two awards this semester, the 2025 McJulien Graduate Scholar Award from the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) and the Distinguished Addie Kinsinger Leadership Development Internship Award (AECT) upon completion of the one-year national leadership program. He was also selected as the chair for two sessions of next year’s AERA conference.

In October, Awoyemi and Abu presented multiple research projects at this year’s AECT Conference, including “The AI-WISE Project: Bridging the AI Skills Gap Through Industry-Informed Curriculum Design,” “Exploring Fidelity Dimensions in Extended Reality Technologies for Mechanical Engineering Education: A Systematic Review as well as Preliminary Design” and “Development of three AI-integrated Virtual Reality Simulations for STEM undergrad students.”

Additionally, seven of Awoyemi’s AERA proposals for next year’s conference were accepted, two of which he leads: “Feedback‐Driven Strategic Shifts in Immersive Virtual Reality Training: A Multi-Phase Behavioral-Mining Study,” “Unpacking In-VR Learning Dynamics for Heat Stress Training: A Microgenetic and Sequential Behavior Analysis,” “Revisiting the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality for Construction Safety Training: A Bayesian Meta-Analysis,” “Designing a Responsible AI Literacy Framework for Education: Integrating Ethics, Equity, and Empowerment,” “Embodied Arts-Integrated AI Literacy: A Nested Mixed-Methods Preliminary Study With K-12 Educators,” “Modeling Behavioral Dynamics and Cognitive States in VR Safety Training: A Learning Analytics Approach” and “A Mixed Methods Case Study on Enhancing CS Knowledge and Coding Skills in Elementary Students.”

Honors & Achievements

Adams receives James R. Linton Research Award

Assistant Professor of Elementary Literacy Education Dr. Brittany Adams recently received the James R. Linton Research Award from the Alabama Literacy Association.

This award recognizes an individual whose research has made a significant contribution to the field of reading and literacy education in Alabama and beyond. The award celebrates work that has advanced knowledge, informed practice, and shaped the future of reading education.

Aguiar named co-editor of special edition of health journal

Associate Professor of Exercise Science Dr. Elroy Aguiar was named guest co-editor of a special issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health that was published in October.

Aguiar also co-authored an editorial, "Leveraging Technology to Revolutionize Physical Activity Measurement, Surveillance, and Interventions," with colleague Dr. Jacqueline Mair from Singapore-ETH Centre and National University of Singapore that was featured in the same issue.

Auslander, others collaborate to implement post-secondary requirements

Professor of Elementary Math Education Dr. Susan Auslander was among a group of mathematics teacher educators featured in a Connections article for their work implementing the post-secondary requirements detailed in Alabama's Numeracy Act.

Auslander, Angela T. Barlow (Univ. of South Ala.), Megan Burton (Auburn Univ.), Kelly O. Byrd (Univ. of South Ala.), Sarah Roller Dyess (UA-Huntsville) and Taajah Witherspoon (UAB) led the collaborative effort to support mathematics teacher educators and improve elementary teacher preparation.

Boudreaux qualifies for marathon, receives fellowship status and FACSM credentials

Clinical Assistant Professor of Exercise Science Dr. Benjamin Boudreaux qualified for and will run in the 130th Boston Marathon in 2026.

He was also recently made a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and launched an ACSM accessibility working group. Receiving the ACSM fellowship is considered one of the most prestigious credentials (FACSM) within the organization as its purpose is to “recognize members who have demonstrated high standards of professional development, significant contributions to their discipline, and ACSM, and commitment to the goals and long-range activities within the college.”

Crombie appointed associate editor of journal

Assistant Professor of Exercise Science Dr. Kevin Crombie was appointed as Associate Editor of the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity.

Culver invited to give presentation at TIAA Institute symposium

Assistant Professor of Higher Education Administration Dr. KC Culver was recently invited to lead a presentation at the TIAA Institute’s Fellow’s Symposium (Leading through an era of change: Higher Education's path forward) in New York City on Nov. 21. Her presentation was titled "The future faculty: Considerations for effective evolution."

MacDonald selected for inaugural Emerging Leaders Program

Associate Professor of Exercise Science Dr. Hayley MacDonald was selected for the inaugural Emerging Leaders Program, a yearlong initiative by the Office for Academic Affairs to develop early-career faculty leadership. She was also appointed Chair of the Evidence-Based Practice Committee for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), serving through May 2028. In this role, she oversees evidence-based policies, manages ACSM’s research library and ensures official pronouncements follow ACSM methodology.

Rausch invited as keynote speaker of LSU Mental Health, Substance Abuse Conference

Associate Professor of Counselor Education Dr. Meredith Rausch was invited as the keynote speaker of the Louisiana State University Mental Health and Substance Abuse Conference in Shreveport, La., in November. Her presentation was titled "Increasing safety and support: From substance abuse to suicide."

AMSTI director Skipwith nearing end of successful first year in role

AMSTI Director Rachel Skipwith is approaching the completion of her first year in the role, fostering a positive and safe environment for staff. She fulfills her responsibilities while providing professional development for math coaches and educators. Her leadership reflects the broad scope of the director’s role, exemplifying effectiveness and support for colleagues.

Guyotte, Wind and former COE faculty launching new, one-of-a-kind interdisciplinary journal

Professor of Measurement and Evaluation Dr. Stefanie Wind and Associate Professor of Qualitative Research Dr. Kelly Guyotte, along with former College of Education faculty Stephanie Anne Shelton (UNC-Chapel Hill) and Wenchao Ma (University of Minnesota), are founding editors of a new scholarly publication titled Teaching Educational Research Methods (TERM). TERM is an interdisciplinary journal focused on the importance of quality teaching, teaching preparation and teaching practices in equipping ethical and effective educational researchers across mixed methods, qualitative, quantitative, measurement, and evaluation classrooms. TERM publishes scholarship from a variety of research paradigms and designs that elevate curricular and pedagogical practices, issues and innovations to teach students and researchers about research methods and methodologies. TERM is a no-fee open-access journal that is supported by the UNC Libraries’ Partnership for Open Publishing (POP) program and is housed at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. With an international Editorial Board, it is the first journal of its kind and will officially launch in late 2025. A College of Education Rising Tide Grant was instrumental in helping this journal get off the ground.

Faculty Success

Grants Awarded

Advancing Professional Development of Transformative Elementary Mathematics Specialists. (2025-2029). NSF DRK-12 Program. Amount = $2,132,239. Principal Investigator (PI): Susan Auslander; Co-principal Investigators (Co-PIs): Cailin Kerch, Mandy Cramer, and Andrew Jaciw.
Cultivating Elementary Mathematics Specialists: Noyce Track 3 Project at The University of Alabama. (2025-2030). NSF Noyce Track 3 Program. Amount = $1,750,000. PI: Susan Auslander; Co-PIs: Mandy Cramer, Cailin Kerch, Martha Makowski, and Laura Watley.
EducateAI: EDU RURAL: Integrating AI Concepts and Literacy for Rural Upper Elementary Students: A Curriculum Initiative and Teacher Professional Development (2025-2028). NSF ($901,611). PI: Amy Hutchison. Co-PIs: Brittany Adams, Erdogan Kaya, Kristie Gutierrez.
Primary AI: Scaling up AI education for rural upper elementary students with immersive problem-based learning (2025-2029). NSF (~$3,500,000; UA portion $759,516), UA PI: Amy Hutchison, NC State PI: Krista Glazewski, Indiana University PI: Anne Ottenbreit-Leftwich.
NSF, EDU Core Research, “Spatial Assessment OSTAR”, 2025-2028. Subaward to Northwestern University. PI: David Uttal. Co-PIs: Lakin, J.M. and Wind, S.A. Subaward $122,000.
National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, Gulf Research Program, “Citizen Science Water Data,” 2025-2028. Subaward to Auburn University, PI: Mona Dominguez. External Evaluator: Joni Lakin, UA. Subaward $113,574.

Publications

Antonella Schwarz, Anna Oelmann, & Alyssa Parten. Resistance Training vs. Hormone Replacement Therapy: Can Training Offset Perimenopausal Hormonal Shifts? Commentary. (2025). Research in Strength and Performance, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.53520/rdsp2025.105160
Ducharme, S. W., Pleuss, J. D., Turner, D. S., Zheng, P., Adandom, I. I., & Aguiar, E. J.* (2025). Normative Peak Physical Activity Values for Monitor-Independent Movement Summary Units: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2014. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 22(10), 1297-1306. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2025-0182
Mair, J. L., & Aguiar, E. J. (2025). Leveraging Technology to Revolutionize Physical Activity Measurement, Surveillance, and Interventions. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 22(10), 1201-1203. Retrieved Nov 7, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2025-0664
Boudreaux, B. D., Xu, C., Serafini, M., Dooley, E. E., Hornikel, B., Munson, A., Shechter, A., St-Onge, M. P., Palta, P., Gabriel, K. K. P., & Diaz, K. M. (in press). Achieving guidelines within a 24-hour movement paradigm and risk of mortality in United States adults. Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Li, Jujia, Man, K., Rajeb, M., Krist, A., Lakin, J.M. (2025). Assessing comprehensive spatial ability and specific attributes through higher-order LLM. Journal of Intelligence,13(10), 127. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13100127
Beck, P. (2025). Tenure-Track or Mommy Track? The Untold Stories of Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Mothers. Innovative Higher Education, 1-16.
Culver, K. C., & González Canché, M. (2025). We sit side by side: How course peers shape the achievement and success of at-promise students. The Review of Higher Education. Online first. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.0.a974222
Han, H. (in press). Directed network structure of moral and positive psychological indicators. Personality and Individual Differences.
Chen, Y., Walker, D. I., Lu, J., Ma, W., Glenn, A. L., & Han, H. (in press). Bridging the CNI model and neo-Kohlbergian approach to moral judgment. Ethics & Behavior.
Hu, C. (2025). Color-evasion and the production of individualist deficit accounts of educational inequality: The case of parental discourse on selective schools. Discourse & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/09579265251381840
Katsinas, S. G., Bray, N. J., Till, G. A., & Keeney, N. E. (2025). Uncertain recovery for community colleges: Findings from the 2024 National Survey of Finance and Access. Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, 32(2), 37–53 https://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/montezuma/jarcc/2025/00000032/00000002/art00004
McWilliam, R. A. (2025). Aphorisms for early childhood interventionists to live by. Innovative Ink Publishing.
Lieu, V. N., & Rausch, M. A. (2025). Fetishization of Asian women in the United
States: Empowering Asian counseling clients. Journal of Asia Pacific Counseling, 15(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.18401/2025.15.2.1
Boudreaux BD, Xu C, Serafini M, Dooley EE, Hornikel B, Munson A, Shechter A, St Onge MP, Palta P, Gabriel KKP, Diaz KM. Achieving Guidelines within a 24-Hour Movement Paradigm and Risk of Mortality in United States Adults. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, In Press .
L, Morgan K, Blauwet C, Boudreaux BD, Fernall B, Hauck J, Legg D, Tow S, Martin-Ginis K. ACSM Expert Consensus Statement: Considerations and Recommendations for Prescribing Exercise and Designing Physical Activity Programs for Adults with Physical or Developmental Disabilities. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 57(11), 2588-2598, 2025.

Alumni News

L.B. Burbage is pictured, third from left, holding flowers.

L.B. Burbage is pictured, third from left, holding flowers.

Burbage recognized as Teacher of Year by U.S. Jones

L.B. Burbage, an alumna of the College and elementary school teacher in the Demopolis City Schools district, was recognized in October as U.S. Jones Elementary's Teacher of the Year. We are so proud to see her, along with other alumni, leaving a positive impact on the lives of so many students.

Hamlyn joins UT Martin faculty, new director of marching band

Emily A. Hamlyn, who earned her bachelor's degree in music education in 2021, recently joined the faculty at the University of Tennessee at Martin as a professor of the music department and director of the Aviators Marching Band. She previously served as assistant director of athletic bands at Clemson University.

Price is named new principal of Boaz Elementary School

Leslie P. Price, who earned her master’s in elementary education and an educational specialist degree in teacher leadership, was named principal of Boaz Elementary School in September.

Price brings more than 25 years of Boaz school community service experience and knowledge to this position.

Vilardi named a Troy University Provost Teaching Fellow

Dr. Robert P. Vilardi, an alumnus who earned his Ph.D in instructional leadership with an emphasis in instructional technology in 2013, has been named a Provost Teaching Fellow at Troy University.

“Being able to impact not just the students but also the faculty to remember that we owe it to our students to give them the best learning environment possible is an exciting opportunity,” said Vilardi, campus coordinator for the College of Science and Engineering and director of the Bachelor of Applied Science in Resource and Technology Management.

UAPD Inv. Wilson honored for leadership and service

UAPD Investigator Jessica M. Wilson, a 2020 alumna of the College, was recently honored with a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of her leadership and service at the Britto Foundation’s Women’s Leadership Luncheon.

As an investigator in the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force, Wilson has led or actively participated in more than 50 investigations, many resulting in arrests and convictions.

"Her tireless efforts continue to make a meaningful impact across West Alabama every day," said a post congratulating Wilson on the UA Safety Facebook page.

If you need assistance from the COE Student Food Pantry, please apply 👉 here 👈 for support.

Pick-up days for Fall 2025 will be on the first Wednesday of each month!

Have questions?
Interested in volunteering?
Email edupantry@ua.edu ✉️