Faculty and staff deliver presentations of innovative research at 2026 AERA Conference

April 22, 2026

A total of 19 faculty and staff members from the Silverfield College of Education and Human Services at the University of North Florida delivered 18 presentations at the 2026 American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual conference from April 8-12 in Los Angeles, Calif.

The AERA Annual Meeting is widely regarded as the world's largest gathering of education researchers, featuring more than 2,500 sessions that span the full spectrum of educational disciplines. Each year, the event serves as a leading platform for scholars to share innovative research, engage in critical discussions and strengthen lasting professional connections.

Dr. Steve Dittmore, Dean of the Silverfield College of Education and Human Services, was also honored at the AERA Conference with the Distinguished Senior Scholar Award from AERA SIG #164 Research Focus on Education and Sport. This award recognizes a senior scholar who has made substantial and enduring contributions to scholarship at the intersection of education and sport and who demonstrates excellence through a sustained record of influential research.

The following list showcases the impactful research presented by faculty and staff from the Silverfield College of Education and Human Services:

1. Division C Early Career Mentoring Seminar - Dr. Dan Dinsmore
2. Self-Study as Acumen for Advancing Teacher Education Practices: Cultivating a Path of Empowerment within Supervision - Dr. Raven Robinson-Wilson, Shaundricka Medlock and Dr. Jeania Jones
3. Parental Perceptions of Value in a Social Media Space for Early Childhood Family STEM Learning - Dr. Valentina Bongiovanni, Dr. Meghan Parkinson and Dr. Dan Dinsmore
4. From Referrals to Restoration: Centering Student Voice in Rethinking School Discipline - Tamara Jones
5. Empowering Faculty as Leaders of Equity-Driven Change in Higher Education - Dr. Shujin Zhong
6. Parental Roles and Actions in an Early Childhood Facebook and Home-Based Family STEM Program - Dr. Valentina Bongiovanni, Dr. Meghan Parkinson and Dr. Dan Dinsmore
7. Knowledge and Practice in Teacher Educator Preparation: A Systematic Review of Literature - Dr. Diane Yendol-Hoppey
8. Navigating Resistance and Responding to Opportunity as Dean: A Self-Study of Teacher Education Leadership - Dr. Diane Yendol-Hoppey
9. Empowering Educators: An International Exploration of Differentiated Instruction for d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students with Disabilities - Katherine Wyble and Dr. Caroline Guardino
10. Total Osprey: A Digital Badge Program for Enhancing College Student-Athlete Career Readiness - Dr. Shujin Zhong, Dr. Jennifer Kane and Tara Sunquist
11. The Untapped Potential of Noncredit Education: Restructuring Pathways for Texas’ Postsecondary and Workforce Goals - Dr. Lyle McKinney
12. Empowering Future Educators: Praxeological Learning and High School Tutors’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Careers - Xavier Rozas
13. From Campus to Classroom: Teacher Candidates Bringing Community-Based Learning Theory to Life - Dr. Christian Winterbottom and Caran Mullins
14. The New, the Familiar, and the Unfamiliar: Expanding Your Research Outlets - Dr. Dan Dinsmore
15. Theoretical Frameworks for Exploring Teacher Educator Knowledge and Professional Learning - Dr. Diane Yendol-Hoppey
16. The Power of Partnership: Co-Teaching Opportunities and Challenges in Developmental Education - Dr. Lyle McKinney
17. Exploring Interactions during Primary Grades Small Group Engineering - Daria Poliakova, Dr. Meghan Parkinson and Dr. Raven Robinson-Wilson
18. Navigating Belonging: Minoritized Educators' Experiences of Inclusiveness in Schools - Dr. Dilek Kayaalp and Dr. Madalina Tanase