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Nebraska researchers extend TAPP intervention to rural Appalachia

From left, HyeonJin Yoon, CYFS research assistant professor; Sue Sheridan, CYFS director; and Amanda Witte, CYFS research assistant professor, collaborate virtually with East Tennessee State University partners Kim Hale, associate professor of educational foundations and special education, left, and Pam Mims, professor of special education and associate dean of research and grants. Learn more about the project in the CYFS Research Network.

Students who struggle with social and behavior issues are at high risk of developing long-term problems, both at school and in life.

When those students live in rural parts of the country, with limited access to behavioral health services, those challenges can significantly increase. Full Article

Bringing American history to life, from paper to pixels

Michael Burton, assistant professor of art and design in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design, is leading a project to share historical stories through animation and film. Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

A team of Nebraska researchers is working with teachers to share stories from the past and connect them to the larger historical narrative of America through animation and film.

The project, “Animating History,” takes an interdisciplinary approach to advance knowledge in areas no single discipline can achieve on its own. This project aligns with the UNL Grand Challenge of anti-racism and racial equity. Full Article

Art TEAMS promotes teaching innovation through arts, emerging media

An Art TEAMS participant teacher’s students co-create a “Learning Wall” — a method of “making thinking visible” and collaborative learning. View photo gallery.

As technology continues to rapidly evolve, a group of Nebraska researchers is collaborating with the state’s K-12 educators, artists and administrators to imagine the future of education.

The Teaching with Arts and Emerging Media (Art TEAMS) project is underway in classrooms throughout Nebraska. The five-year pilot project is designed to promote teaching innovation through arts and emerging media in Nebraska public schools. Full Article

TAPP project delivers strong results for Latinx students, parents

From left, Lorey Wheeler, MAP Academy director, and Sue Sheridan, CYFS director, led the TAPP para Familias Latinas project. Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

Traditionally, minoritized ethnic-racial groups have been excluded or significantly underrepresented from participating in research. According to some estimates, 96% of psychological studies come from countries with only 12% of the world’s population, and tend to include mostly white participants. Full Article

‘Homegrown’ training program fills need for rural mental health professionals

Beth Doll and Matthew Gormley are leading a virtual training program that can be accessible to anyone interested in a career in school psychology, no matter where they reside. Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

For small towns scattered throughout Nebraska, mental health professionals are hard to come by. Recruiting and retaining such professionals is crucial to ensuring these rural populations have access to quality mental health care.

Because mental health trainees are more likely to remain and work in the rural communities where they live, Beth Doll, professor of educational psychology, and Matthew Gormley, assistant professor of educational psychology are leading a virtual training program that can be accessible to anyone interested in a career in school psychology, no matter where they reside. Full Article

Get SET Nebraska addresses special education teacher shortage

From left, HyeonJin Yoon, Pam Brezenski, Kris Elmshaeuser and Amanda Witte are leading the Get SET project to help retain special education teachers in Nebraska. Learn more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

As in other states, Nebraska’s ability to deliver high-quality instruction to students served in special education depends on the availability of qualified teachers.

Unfortunately, shortages of special education teachers — both statewide and nationally — leave many students in individualized education programs at further risk for compromised educational outcomes. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 49 states and the District of Columbia reported shortages of special education teachers in 2021. Full Article

Nebraska education researchers work to build statewide consensus on equity

Taeyeon Kim, assistant professor of educational administration, and Ted Hamann, professor of teaching, learning and teaching education, are building a strong research team to conduct large-scale research on equity-driven accountability systems in K-12 education in Nebraska. Learn more about the project in the CYFS Research Network.

Researchers in Lincoln and Kearney are working to bridge the distance between two University of Nebraska campuses and converge their shared interests on the state’s accountability system to ensure all students have equal opportunities to succeed.

The 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act brought greater attention to the need for equity to reduce opportunity gaps in K-12 education, prompting Nebraska policymakers to redesign the state’s school accountability system with an emphasis on education equity for all students. Full Article

Nebraska researchers expand reach of TAPP family-school intervention

From left, Amanda Witte, CYFS research assistant professor, and Susan Sheridan, CYFS director, are leading efforts to expand the reach of TAPP. Learn more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

A family-school intervention program that has seen success in Nebraska and surrounding states is expanding its reach.

Susan Sheridan, director of the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools, and Amanda Witte, CYFS research assistant professor, are working with University of Wisconsin researchers to bring the Teachers and Parents as Partners (TAPP) intervention to schools in their state, along with ongoing studies in the region. Full Article