by The College of Education / Apr 17, 2014
James D. Anderson, the Edward William and Jane Marr Gutsgell Professor of Education and the Head of the Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership, has been selected by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) to present the upcoming Brown Lecture in Education Research. The announcement was made at the AERA annual meeting which recently concluded in Philadelphia.
“The Brown Lecture in Education Research is an annual reminder of the important role of research in advancing understanding of equality and equity in education,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine.
The Brown Lecture was inaugurated by AERA in 2004 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court took scientific research into account in issuing its landmark ruling. The public lecture will take place on Oct. 23 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.
Anderson’s scholarship focuses broadly on the history of American education, specializing in the histories of African-American education in the South, higher education desegregation, public school desegregation, and African-American school achievement in the 20th century. He was a participant in this year’s AERA panel “Brown v. Board of Education at 60: What Happened?” The panel examined the various interpretations and implementations of the Brown decision. Anderson also presented at one of the featured Presidential symposia titled “60th Since Brown…50th Since the Civil Rights Act,” which looked at what progress is observable and what continues to create barriers for equal opportunity and progress.
In 2012, Chancellor Phyllis M. Wise selected Anderson to serve as senior adviser and chair for EDGE – Enhancing Diversity, Guiding Excellence. This small group of leaders, which included three other senior faculty members, worked closely with different campus units to evaluate diversity initiatives, with the goal of developing an action plan to create a culture of diversity and excellence on campus.
Anderson attained a history and social studies education master’s degree and a history of education doctorate degree from the College in 1969 and 1973, respectively, and has been a member of the College’s faculty for 40 years. His book, “The Education of Black in the South, 1860-1935,” won the American Educational Research Association outstanding book award in 1990. He also holds appointments in the Department of History and African-American Studies and Research Program at the University of Illinois.
Breadth of Illinois Faculty Research Highlighted at AERA
More than 150 faculty and graduate students presented research and participated in panel discussions and roundtables at this year’s AERA meeting in Philadelphia. A wide range of topics were presented, including:
• “Transforming Education, Innovating Pedagogy, and Upgrading Literacy with Black and Brown Girls in Mind,” Ruth Nicole Brown, Assistant Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies and Education Policy, Organization and Leadership Studies
• “Advances in Item Response Theory Estimation,” Hua-Hua Chang, Professor of Quantitative and Evaluative Research Methodologies, Educational Psychology
• “Childhood Bullying and Initial College Adjustment: A Longitudinal, Cross-University Study,” Dr. Dorothy Espelage, Professor of Child Development, Educational Psychology
• “Context Matters: Cultural Identity, Inequity, and Choice,” Christopher Lubienski, Professor, Education Policy, Organization and Leadership
• “Portals to Understanding Learners’ Social Interactions Online,” William Cope, Professor of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership
• “Play, Drama, and Media Making as Cultural Flows: Research Innovation in Children and Youth’s Literacies,” Anne Haas Dyson, Professor, Education Policy, Organization and Leadership
Faculty and Students Honored at AERA
Professor Emeritus Walter Feinberg was the recipient of the John Dewey Lifetime Achievement Award, while Professor Cris Mayo was awarded the Queer Studies SIG Body of Work Award.
Professor Dorothy Espelage and her team of researchers were acknowledged for their research on physical sexual violence in grade schools, winning the American Educational Research Association Division E Distinguished Research Award for the article “Sexual Risk Taking and Bullying Among Adolescents.”
Additionally, EPOL Professor Anjalé D. Welton, English teacher and Social Justice Committee Chair Rachel Moyer, several University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign graduate students, and the students from the Social Justice Class at Illinois Urbana High School received the 2014 AERA Leadership for Social Justice SIG Bridge People Award.
Educational Psychology doctoral student Gabriel “Joey” Merrin was selected to join the AERA Council in 2015-16.
Susan E. Noffke was recognized (posthumously) with the Legacy Award from the AERA Division K, Teaching and Teacher Education. Professor Noffke passed away in June 2013 after complications arising from her battle with cancer.