Research & Initiatives
Our research projects are both initiated by and conducted with the community. Through such collaborative efforts, the projects are meaningful and useful for the community members. The projects' findings help to identify instructional programs that can better-position the community and its members for a healthy and vibrant environment.
With rapidly advancing technology, 21st Century adult literacy skills, and the changing expectations on adults and families to navigate and survive, adults need to transform and become lifelong learners. With many services such as doctor visits, investing, banking, travel, reservations, retirement, as well as taking an active part in one's personal health care, and more, each community's adult population needs to be best positioned for their success, their family's survival, and building for a vibrant and robust community. This is thinking and acting beyond the walls of formal education providers to fresh ways of learning and understanding.
PI Dr Ramo Lordeni
How do teachers describe learner engagement strategies to best-position the learner for learning transfer?
PI Dr Kerrin Ingram
Parents as Teachers of their Children
With more teaching responsibilities being shifted to parents especially during and after the pandemc, what are their experiences and descriptions of learning as they become more prominent in their children's formal education?
PI Dr Ramo Lordeni
This project explores how adult learners seeking to increase their professional and career credentials describe their readiness for participation in the credentialing program.
PI Dr Gladys Velazquez-Montane
Virtual Reality (VR) is still in early development as a strategy in reducing implicit bias. Drawing on the theoretical framework of perspective-taking. We use empathy as a support to explain the influence virtual reality has on implicit racial bias and the implications for adult learners.
PI Cory Logston, MA
Immigrants often seek higher life quality in a new country. However, many immigrants become lost or marginalized in dominant culture. By using research participant stories, this session will explore how legitimate peripheral participation helps immigrants bridge into the dominant narrative for education/work opportunities and increased life quality.
PI Dr Gladys Velazquez-Montane