Article by Niagara University professor, alum, and current Ph.D. candidate published in an American Education Research Association affiliated journal, Educational Research: Theory & Practice.

In Announcements, by , on September 14th, 2016

Article by Niagara University professor, alum, and current Ph.D. candidate published in an American Education Research Association affiliated journal, Educational Research: Theory & Practice. 

A research article co-authored by Dr. Walter S. Polka, professor of professional programs and coordinator of the Niagara University Ph.D. program in leadership and policy; Monica J. VanHusen, technology coach at Colonial Forge High School, Stafford, Virginia, Niagara University alum (M.S. 2004); and Kurt J. Minervino, science teacher at Buffalo City Honors School, Niagara University Ph.D. candidate (2017); along with Dr. William M. Young, associate professor, Oglala Lakota College, South Dakota, was published in Volume 28, Issue 1, Spring 2016 edition of Educational Research Theory & Practice.  

The article titled: Facilitating Greater Instructional Differentiation Via Research-Based Procedural Guidelines is designed to facilitate guided teacher reflections about teaching-learning practices so that more educators recognize and appreciate that they already employ many constructivist strategies, techniques, and activities on a frequent basis. The article is based on research conducted by the authors and their colleagues in four states: Georgia, New York, Texas, and Virginia. This article is a keystone reference for a nationwide research project coordinated by Dr. Polka and currently being conducted by teams of researchers in the following states: Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia. The goal of that comprehensive research project is to establish benchmarks of currently employed constructivist-teaching practices and to encourage greater differentiation of instruction in classrooms pre-K – graduate school using a survey instrument designed by Dr. Polka.