Grad studies expert wins award from major ed research group

More than 50 scholars will represent USC Rossier at this year’s annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the largest professional group of its kind in the United States.

This year’s AERA meeting, held in New York City April 13-17, carries the theme of “The Dreams, Possibilities and Necessities of Public Education.”

And for the fourth time in the last five years, one of the organization’s top honors, the Early Career Award, will go to a USC Rossier professor: Julie Posselt, an assistant professor of higher education and expert on graduate education admissions.

“This is an incredible honor for me, and a real validation of graduate education as a worthy focus for educational researchers,” Posselt said.

Posselt also received the Early Career Award from the Association for the Study of Higher Education in November 2017.

Most recently, Posselt accepted a role as lead advisor for a major grant project helmed by UC Davis and UCLA that will look to cement holistic admissions—the process of considering applicants as “whole people”—in each university’s STEM graduate fields. She is also the author of Inside Graduate Admissions: Merit, Diversity, and Faculty Gatekeeping.

Posselt will join a growing line of recent Trojan professors to win the award: Associate Professor of Education Morgan Polikoff won the Early Career Award in 2017; Brendesha Tynes, an associate professor of education and psychology, won the award in 2015; and Professor of Education, Psychology & Neuroscience Mary Helen Immordino-Yang won it in 2014.

A platform for reform

As part of her award, Posselt will present a lecture at the 2019 annual meeting, to be held in Toronto. The 2017 winner, Polikoff, will deliver his award lecture at this year’s meeting.

Polikoff said his speech will offer lessons for the coming years pertaining to Common Core State Standards and implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.

“Standards-based reform has been a dominant policy in U.S. schools for the last quarter century,” Polikoff said. “While student outcomes have improved during this period, opportunity and outcome gaps have hardly budged. My talk is going to synthesize my own and others’ research to argue that our failures in policy design and implementation have doomed the reform from having its intended effects.”

Forty-six states and the District of Columbia adopted the Common Core State Standards after they debuted almost a decade ago; in the intervening years, several states have modified the standards. Others repealed the standards and adopted new ones, although they often bear deep similarities to the common core.

Previous research by Polikoff has suggested that views on common core are tied to political views about former president Barack Obama, whose administration supported adoption of the state standards.

Here’s the full schedule of AERA events that feature USC Rossier participants:

USC Rossier @ AERA 2018

The annual meeting for the American Educational Research Association is headed to New York City for April 13–17. More than 50 members of the USC Rossier community will represent the school at this year’s convening. 

 

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Friday, April 13, 2018

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SPECIAL EVENT

Town Hall Forum on Research on Gun Violence and Implications for Schools and Communities

4:30–6:15 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Sutton South

Participant: Ron Avi Astor

OPEN SESSIONS

Career Self-Efficacy: An Underexplored Research Area for First-Generation, Low-Income and Underrepresented College Students

Noon–1:30 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, Gilbert

Authors: Liane Hypolite, Adrianna Kezar, Joseph Kitchen

Examining Guided Pathways Implementation: Practitioner Facilitation of New Student Intake in an Urban Community College

Noon–1:30 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, Gilbert

Authors: Adrian Trinidad, David Velasquez

Social Emotional Learning Programs in Middle School: A Multidistrict Analysis of Implementation, Education, and Interpretation

Noon–1:30 p.m., Crown Plaza Times Square, Room 509/510

Authors: Taylor N. Allbright, Michelle Hall, Julie A. Marsh, Susan McKibben

Use of Self-Efficacy, Effort and Interest as Affect Metrics for Games and Simulations

Noon–1:30 p.m., Millennium Broadway New York Times Square, Seventh Floor, Room 7.01

Author: Harold F. O’Neil

The Process and Politics of Educational System Change in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Denver

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Gibson Suite

Chair: Julie A. Marsh

Authors: Taylor N. Allbright, Julie A. Marsh

Scholars in the Making: Using Validation to Foster Positive College Identities Among Traditionally Underrepresented Students

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Westside Ballroom Salon 1

Authors: Arely L. Acuna, Thomas DePaola, Gwendelyn Rivera, Marissiko M. Wheaton, Joseph Kitchen

A Negative Case Analysis: Support for Students of Color and Women in STEM Graduate Programs
4:05–6:05 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Regent Parlor
Authors: Theresa Hernandez, Julie Posselt

 

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Saturday, April 14, 2018

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SPECIAL EVENT

USC Rossier AERA 2017 Reception

7 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Murray Hill Suite B

RSVP for this event.

 

OPEN SESSIONS

AERA 2018 Youth Meeting Part 1 & 2

8 a.m.–12 p.m., Millennium Broadway New York Times Square, Fifth Floor, Room 5.04

Presenters: Susan McKibben, Gale Sinatra

Female Engineers of Color in Early Career: Overcoming Challenges Through Networking and Other External Supports

8:15–9:45 a.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Booth

Author: Nicole Yates

Racial Attitudes of White Pre-K–12 Educators

8:15–9:45 a.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Level, Concourse C Room

Author: David Quinn, Ashley Stewart

White Supremacy in an Era of Not-So-Color-Blind Racism

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Gramercy Suite A

Presenter: Shaun R. Harper

Progress Toward Achieving Systemic Change: Report on the Association of American Universities’ Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative

12:25–1:55 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Nassau Suite A

Chair: Dean Karen Symms Gallagher

A Critical Race Theory Analysis of Racialized Experiences of Black College Students With Financial Aid

12:25–1:55 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, Odets

Authors: Liane Hypolite, Antar A. Tichavakunda

Learning Communities, Mattering, and Sense of Belonging: Structural Equation Modeling From Year 1 of a Longitudinal Study

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, Gilbert

Authors: Darnell G. Cole, Liane Hypolite, Elizabeth Park

Policy as an Opportunity to Address Latinx Transfer Inequity

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Julliard

Author: Eric Felix

Metrics First, Diversity Later? Making the Short List and Getting Admitted to Physics Ph.D. Programs
2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Westside Ballroom Salon 1
Presenting Author: Julie Posselt

The Sylvia Scribner Award

2:15–3:45 p.m., Millennium Broadway New York Times Square, Fifth Floor, Room 5.08

Chair: Gale Sinatra

Advancing Academic Success Through Research and Program Development

4:05–6:05 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor, Trianon Ballroom

Author: Shaun R. Harper

Evaluating Sources of Scientific Evidence in the Post-Truth Era

4:05–6:05 p.m., Millennium Broadway New York Times Square, Seventh Floor, Room 7.04

Author: Gale Sinatra

The Evolution of Research on Contingent Faculty Working Conditions and the Relationship to Student Learning

4:05–5:35 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, Wilder

Authors: Thomas J. DePaola, Adrianna Kezar

 

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Sunday, April 15, 2018

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SPECIAL EVENTS

AERA Awards Luncheon

12:25 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor

Follow along on Twitter: #AERAAwards

AERA Early Career Award Lecture

2:45 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Regent Parlor

Presenter: Morgan Polikoff, "Reflections on a quarter century of standards-based reform"

OPEN SESSIONS

Evaluating the Effects of a Game-Based Intervention on Free Application for Federal Student Aid Completion: Mixed Methods and Multiple Metrics

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., Millennium Broadway New York Times Square, Room 3.11

Authors: Stephen J. Aguilar, Zoë Corwin, Tattiya Maruco

Examining the Science Identity of Traditionally Underserved STEM Students in Public and Private Settings

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor, Americas Hall 1-2 - Exhibit Hall

Authors: Darnell G. Cole, Nooshin Valizadeh

Restricted From Rigor: Race, Class, and the Challenge of Equity in Advanced Placement

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Sutton Center

Chair and author: Suneal Kolluri

Two AP Programs, One Urban Neighborhood: The Policies and Pedagogies of AP Success

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Sutton Center

Chair and author: Suneal Kolluri

School Violence and Victimization Among School-Attending Homeless Youth as Compared With Their Non-Homeless Peers

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., Sheraton New York Times Square, Second Floor, Metropolitan East Room

Authors: Ron Avi Astor, Hadass Moore

Mediation of Psychosocial Outcomes in a College Transition Program for Low-Income Students

8:15–10:15 a.m., Crown Plaza Times Square, Room 501/502

Authors: W. Edward Chi, Minjeong Jeon, Adrianna Kezar, Elizabeth Park, Tatiana Melguizo

Building Networks for Change: The Role of Ed-Tech Coaches in Supporting System-Wide Instructional Reform

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Clinton Suite

Author: Ayesha Hashim

Campus Closures as a Result of Troubling Changes in Capital Structures at Small Private Colleges

2:45–4:15 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Westside Ballroom Salon 1

Author: James Dean Ward

 

POSTER SESSIONS

Comparing the Seasonal Dynamics of Test Score Gaps Across Two ECLS-K Cohorts

2:30–4:15 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor, Mercury Ballroom

Author: David Quinn

 

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Monday, April 16, 2018

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OPEN SESSIONS

The Effects of District Human Resource Policies for Schools, Teachers, and Students

8:15–9:45 a.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Gibson Suite

Author: Paul Bruno
Discussant: Ayesha Hashim

Processing the Poor: The Financial Aid Climate at Community Colleges

8:15–9:45 a.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, Gilbert

Author: Adrian Huerta

Bullying and Victimization of Both Students and Teachers

8:15–9:45 a.m., Crown Plaza Times Square, Act III-IV Room

Author: Ron Avi Astor

Issues in PK-16 Education Funding

8:15–10:15 a.m., The Parker, Second Floor, Lorica Room

Discussant: Lawrence O. Picus

Faculty Engaging in Practice and Reflection on Teaching Critical and Controversial Topics

8:15–9:45 a.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Westside Ballroom Salon 2

Chair: Román Liera

How Schools and Systems Experience Accountability: A View Across Contexts

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor, Trianon Ballroom

Author: Susan Bush-Mecenas

The Implications of New Norms in Education Research for Research Synthesis

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., Millennium Broadway New York Times Square, Sixth Floor, Room 6.01

Author: Erika Patall

Career Readiness Features: Identifying, Defining, and Implementing

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., Westin New York at Times Square, Ninth Floor, Palace Room

Author: Ayesha Madni

Division J Vice Presidential Session: Understanding Capital, and the Future of Public Higher Education

12:25–1:55 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, O'Neill

Chair: Estela Mara Bensimon

Social Media as a Methodological Tool in Qualitative Research

12:25–1:55 p.m., Westin New York at Times Square, Fourth Floor, Gershwin II Room

Authors: Arely L. Acuna, Marissiko M. Wheaton

Exploring Heterogeneous Effects of Performance-Based Funding: Implications for Equity and Policy

Mon, April 16, 12:25pm, New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor, Mercury Ballroom

Presenting Author: James Ward

Challenges to Implementing Integrated Programs: Lessons From California State University STEM Collaboratives

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, Brecht

Authors: Elizabeth Marshall Holcombe, Adrianna Kezar

Summer Learning and Test Score Gap Trends: New Descriptive Research, Methodological Issues, and Policy Implications

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Madison

Chair and author: David Quinn

Trends in the Seasonal Dynamics of Test Score Gaps: Comparing Results Across Two ECLS-K Cohorts

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Madison

Author: David Quinn

Conceptualizing Equity in the Implementation of California Education Finance Reform

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Gibson Suite

Authors: Taylor N. Allbright, Michelle Hall, Julie A. Marsh, Lawrence O. Picus

Do Teachers Accurately Report Their Learning? A Comparison of Teacher Reports to Validated Measures

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Concourse Level, Concourse B Room

Authors: Yasemin Copur-Gencturk, Ian Edgar Thacker

Regulatory Enforcement as Policy: Exploring Factors Related to State Lawsuits Against For-Profit Colleges

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Westside Ballroom Salon 2

Authors: James Dean Ward, William G. Tierney

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back? Math Misalignment and Mismatch in the Transition to College

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Westside Ballroom Salon 2

Author: David Velasquez

Advancing the Use of Ecological Systems Theory in Higher Education: A Qualitative Data Collection Tool

4:05–5:35 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, Wilder

Authors: Joseph Kitchen, Gwendelyn Rivera

Online Versus on Campus: A Quantitative Study Comparing Help-Seeking Beliefs of Community College Students

4:05–5:35 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Westside Ballroom Salon 2

Authors: Nooshin Valizadeh, Helena Seli

The Journey of Faculty Equity-Mindedness: Identity, Language and Contradictions

4:05–5:35 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, Gilbert

Author: Román Liera

Digital Equity: Micro- and Macro-Level Perspectives

4:05–6:05 p.m., Westin New York at Times Square, 8th Floor, Minetta

Chair: Zoë Corwin

Authors: Zoë Corwin, Suneal Kolluri, Antar A. Tichavakunda, William G. Tierney

 

POSTER SESSIONS

 

Preparing Teachers for Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Driven Instruction and Practice

8:15–9:45 a.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor, Americas Hall 1-2 - Exhibit Hall

Author: Gale Sinatra

Promising Scholarship in Education: Dissertation Fellows and Their Research

12:25–1:55 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor, Mercury Ballroom

Authors: Maxine T. Roberts, James Dean Ward

Augmenting the Refutation Text Effect With Refutation Graphics: An Eye Movement Study

12:25–1:55 p.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor, Americas Hall 1-2 - Exhibit Hall

Author: Gale Sinatra

 

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Tuesday, April 17, 2018

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SPECIAL EVENT

Presidential Session: The Role of Educational Researchers in an Era of Fake News

8:15–9:45 a.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Second Floor, Beekman

Participant: William G. Tierney

 

OPEN SESSIONS

Promoting Critical Awareness of Diversity in Teacher Preparation

8:15–9:45 a.m., Sheraton New York Times Square, Second Floor, Empire Ballroom East

Chair: Lindsay Anne Kwock Hu

The Effects of Teacher Policy Reforms on Collective Bargaining Agreements and Teacher Employment
8:15–9:45 a.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor, Rendezvous Trianon

Author: Bradley Marianno

Teachers' Union Contracts and the Productive Efficiency of School Districts: Longitudinal Evidence From California

8:15–9:45 a.m., New York Hilton Midtown, Third Floor, Rendezvous Trianon

Authors: Paul Bruno, Bradley Marianno

The Mediating Effects of Attitudes and Epistemic Beliefs on Conceptual Change

8:15–9:45 a.m., Millennium Broadway New York Times Square, Fifth Floor, Room 5.02

Author: Gale Sinatra

Feel the Heat: An Embodied Approach to the Instruction of the Greenhouse Effect

8:15–9:45 a.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Westside Ballroom Salon 3

Authors: Gale Sinatra, Ian Thacker

Religiosity and Acceptance of Evolution Predicts Career Choices Among College Biology Students

12:25–1:55 p.m., Millennium Broadway New York Times Square, Seventh Floor, Room 7.02-7.03

Author: Gale Sinatra

Atheistic Definitions of Evolution Exacerbate Rejection of Evolution Among Religious Students

12:25–1:55 p.m., Millennium Broadway New York Times Square, Seventh Floor, Room 7.02-7.03

Author: Gale Sinatra

Homelessness and Housing Insecurity in Higher Education

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fourth Floor, O'Neill

Chair: Thomas J. DePaola

Improving Approaches to Faculty Mentoring and Development

10:35 a.m.–12:05 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Westside Ballroom Salon 1

Chair: Elizabeth Marshall Holcombe

Learning Communities and Students' Social Self-Efficacy to Their University: First-Year Results From a Longitudinal Study

12:25–1:55 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Fifth Floor, Westside Ballroom Salon 1

Authors: Darnell G. Cole, Liane Hypolite, Marissiko M. Wheaton

"Treat a Cop Like They Are God": Exploring the Relevance and Utility of Funds of Gang Knowledge Among Latino Male Students

2:15–3:45 p.m., Sheraton New York Times Square, Second Floor, Metropolitan West
Author: Adrian Huerta

 

POSTER SESSIONS

Measuring Implicit Bias in Graph Types and Studying the Relationship Between Information-Seeking Preferences and Graph Comprehension

2:15–3:45 p.m., New York Marriott Marquis, Seventh Floor, Astor Ballroom

Session Type: Structured Poster Session

Author: Stephen Aguilar

 

This schedule was compiled by Ross Brenneman (Office of Communications) and 

Susan McKibben (Research Office).