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Deeper Discussions Authors

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AuthorsataGlanceTeacherCo-DesignersThisteamof12WorldHistoryteachersbringstogetherawiderangeofexperience,perspectives,andteachingcontextsfromacrosstheUnitedStates.Representingurbanandsuburbancommunitiesandworkingwithstudentsfromrichlydiversecultural,linguistic,andeconomicbackgrounds,eachteachersharesacommitmenttomakinghistorymeaningful,relevant,andaccessibleforalllearners.Theircollectiveexpertisespansmultiplesubjectareas,gradelevels,andinstructionalsettings,fromAPcoursestoclassesfornewlyarrivedEnglishlearners.Together,theyhavecollaboratedtodesignandrefineengaging,discussion-basedcurriculumthatfostersstudentvoice,criticalthinking,anddeeperhistoricalunderstanding.Alldetailssharedwerecurrentasof2023whentheco-designprocessbegan.AdamEsrigBrooklyn,NewYorkAdamisinhisninthyearofteachingWorldHistoryandtheBigHistoryProjectinBrooklyn,NewYork.Adambelievesthatbuildingstudents’competenciesinclassroomdiscussionisoneofthemostimportantgiftseducatorscangivethem.DarynCohenNewYork,NewYorkDarynhasbeenteachinginBrooklyn,NewYorkfor12years,specializinginGlobalHistory3and4whilealsoteachingcoursesinGlobal1and2,Government,andEconomics.DarynjoinedtheDeeperDiscussionsinWorldHistoryprojecttohelpensurethatallstudents,especiallythoseinunderservedschools,haveagreatervoiceintheirclassroomsthroughdiscussion.DavidGarciaLaHabra,CaliforniaDavidhasbeenteachingforeightyearsinOrangeCounty,California,includingexperienceinbothcharterandpublicschools.HecurrentlyteachesWorldHistoryandAPEuropeanHistory,andhaspreviouslytaughtU.S.HistoryandAPU.S.History.Davidseesdiscussionasoneofthemostvaluableteachingstrategiesbecauseitempowersstudentstousetheirvoicesonsignificanthistoricalconcepts.
DavidWesselFredericksburg,VirginiaDavidisinhis17thyearofteachinginFredericksburg,Virginia,wherehecurrentlyteachesAPGovernmentandWorldHistoryI.Overthecourseofhiscareer,hehasalsotaughtWorldHistoryII,U.S.History,Government,Sociology,andCriminalJustice.Davidnowactivelyincorporatesformalandinformaldiscussionopportunitiesinallhisclassestodeepenengagementandlearning.Danielle“Dani”JenningsLasVegas,NevadaDanihasbeenteachinginLasVegas,Nevada,for13years.Inadditiontoherworkinhistoryeducation,sheisfluentinandteachesRussian.Sheispassionateaboutcreatingengaging,collaborativelearningexperiencesforherstudents.DaniembracedtheDeeperDiscussionsinWorldHistoryprojectasawaytocollaboratewithotherteachersanddesigndiscussion-basedlessonsthatresonatewithherstudents.ErinMandzak-HeerPhiladelphia,PennsylvaniaErinisinhersecondyearofteachingWorldHistoryandAfricanAmericanHistoryinPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania.Erinhastaughtcollege-levelcoursesinWorldHistory,BlackCanadianHistory,andGenderHistory.Erinseesdiscussionasajoyfulandpowerfultoolforamplifyingalternativevoicesandengagingstudentsintopicstheymayneverhaveexploredbefore.EtieneAndrade-TorresOakland,CaliforniaEtienehasbeenteachingEthnicStudiesandWorldHistoryforsevenyearsinOakland,California,workingprimarilywithyouthwhoarenewtotheUnitedStates.Hevaluesthedeepconnectionsbuiltwithstudentsandthelocalcommunity.Etieneiscommittedtocreatinginclusivespaceswherestudentsfromdiversebackgroundscansharetheirperspectivesthroughdiscussion.FredaAndersonPhiladelphia,PennsylvaniaFredahasbeenteachinghistoryandactivismatthepublichighschoollevelforsevenyearsinPhiladelphia,Philadelphia.Shebelieveseducatorshavearesponsibilitytoworkalongsidestudentsinbuildingajustandequitableworld.Fredavaluesdiscussionasawaytobuildtrustandreducestressintheclassroomwhileempoweringstudentvoices.
LuceroGonzalezMilwaukee,WisconsinLucerohasbeenteachinginMilwaukee,Wisconsin,forfiveyears,offeringcoursessuchasWorldHistory,Sociology,LatinxHistory,andAPGovernmentandPolitics.Sheiscommittedtosupportingherstudents’academicandpersonalgrowth.Lucerohaslearnedtoadaptdiscussionstoplayintothestrengthsofherstudents,recognizingthevalueinbuildingskillsandconfidence.MayaJonssonPhiladelphia,PennsylvaniaMayaisinhersecondyearofteachingWorldHistoryandAfricanAmericanHistoryinPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania.Maya’spassionforeducationstemsfromherownexperiencesasastudentinsupportive,discussion-richclassrooms.Mayaworkstobuildherstudents’discussionskillssotheycanengagemoreeasilyandofteninbothformalandinformalconversationsabouthistory.MelissaQuinnLexington,KentuckyMelissahasbeenteachinginLexington,Kentucky,for25years,andtypicallyteachesbothWorldCivilizationsandU.S.History.Sheworkshardtomodifymaterialsforherdiversestudentbodysothatallstudentsareabletoeffectivelyengageinthecontent.MelissahopestheDeeperDiscussionsinWorldHistoryresourceswillhelpteachersatallstagescreatemeaningfuldiscussionopportunitieswithoutfeelingisolated.StevenVirgonePiscataway,NewJerseyStevenhasbeenteachinghighschoolsocialstudiesfor13yearsinPiscataway,NewJersey,withexperienceinEnglishasaSecondLanguage,specialeducationinclusion,andAPcourses.Stevenvaluesdiscussionasawaytohelpstudentsdevelopempathyforoneanotherandtheworld.
GrantProjectTeamEmiIwatani,Ph.D.(PrincipalInvestigator)EmiisPrincipalResearcheratDigitalPromise’sCenterforLearningSciencesResearch,wheresheleadsresearch-practicepartnershipsandcurriculum-focusedevaluations.AsthePrincipalInvestigatorfortheDeeperDiscussionsinWorldHistoryproject,sheguidestheproject’sstrategicdirectiontoensurealignmentwithitscoregoals,whilealsoleadingthepilotstudy.Withexperienceacrossmorethan20researchprojects—includingmultiplefederallyfundedstudies—shebringsdeepexpertiseinquantitativemethods,K-12teaching,andcommunity-centeredresearch.Additionally,heracademicbackgroundincludesdoctoralcourseworkinearlymodernhistoryofscienceandhistoriography.AngelaHardy,M.A.(Co-PrincipalInvestigator)AngelaisaSeniorEducationResearcheratDigitalPromise,wheresheleadsqualitativestrandsoflarge-scale,mixed-methodsevaluationsandresearch-practicepartnerships.AsCo-PrincipalInvestigatorfortheDeeperDiscussionsinWorldHistoryproject,sheleadstheco-designoftheproject’scurriculummaterialsandprofessionaldevelopmenttoolkit.PriortojoiningDigitalPromise,Angelaspenteightyearsteachingworldhistory,U.S.history,worldcultures,andEnglishinpublicschoolsacrossNorthTexasandthesouthofFrance.RachelPhillips,Ph.D.(Co-PrincipalInvestigator)RachelisaCo-PrincipalInvestigatorandco-directscurriculumdesigntoensurealignmentandintegrationwiththeOERProject,andleadsdistrictrecruitmenteffortsfortheRCT.Dr.PhillipsisacurriculumdeveloperandlearningscientistwithextensiveexperienceinK-12education,measurement,andlearningdesign.ShepreviouslyservedasSeniorMeasurementandLearningLeadfortheOERProjectatGatesVentures,DirectorofResearchandEvaluationatCode.org,andfacultyattheUniversityofWashington.SheiscurrentlyDirectorofResearchandLearningSciencesatQuill.org.HerresearchfocusesonstudentandteacherlearninginTitleIsettings,withspecializationinunderservedyouth.AbbyReisman,Ph.D.(Co-PrincipalInvestigator)AbbyisaCo-PrincipalInvestigatorandanAssociateProfessorofTeacherEducationintheLearning,Teaching,andLiteraciesdivisionattheUniversityofPennsylvaniaGraduateSchoolofEducation.Herresearchfocusesontheteachingandlearningofhistorywithspecialattentiontohowteachersfacilitateclassroomdiscussionsaboutthepast.Herprojectsrangefromthe“ReadingLikeaHistorian”Project,thefirstextendedhistorycurriculuminterventioninurbanhighschools,toarecentlongitudinalstudythatfollowedsocialstudiesteachersfromtheirpreserviceyearintotheirthirdyearteachingtounderstandtheirdevelopmentasdiscussionfacilitators.Dr.ReismanbeganhercareerasapublichighschoolhistoryteacherinNewYorkCityandhaspreparedsocialstudieseducatorsforovertwodecades.
SheltonDaal,M.P.P.Sheltonprovidesresearchandco-designsupportfortheproject.Hespecializesinliberatoryco-design,workingwitheducatorstocreateinnovativeapproachestoworldhistorycurriculumandwithdistrictstoredesignevaluationsystems.Healsocontributeseventplanningandprojectmanagementsupportacrosshighereducationpartnerships.PriortoDigitalPromise,SheltonworkedatanationaleducationpolicyorganizationfocusingonK-12educationandworkforceissues.TiffanyLeones,M.Ed.Tiffanyco-leadsresearchincludingtheusabilitystudy,supportsrecruitment,developsinstruments,andmanagesdatacollectionandanalysesfortheproject.AsanEarlySTEMEducationResearcheratDigitalPromisesheengagesinresearchandco-designeffortswitheducators,families,anddevelopers.Herworkfocusesoncreatingculturallyresponsiveanddevelopmentallyappropriatelearninginnovationsacrossschoolandhomeenvironments.Tiffanyisalsoaformerpreschooleducatorandhasexperienceconductingmultiyearresearchstudies.KorahWiley,Ph.D.Korahledresearchaspectsoftheiterativedesignprocess.AsSeniorDirector,EdTechR&DatDigitalPromise,shespearheadsresearchandcodesigninitiativesfocusedonintegratinglearningsciences,instructionalimprovement,andtechnologyinK-12settings.SheleadsnationalSTEMandprofessionallearninginitiativesanddesignsequitablelearningtoolsandexperienceswitheducatorsandstudents.PriortoDigitalPromise,Dr.Wileyworkedasaneducationandbiomedicalresearcherandclassroomteacher.EvanChuu,M.S.Ed.EvanisaResearchProgramManageratDigitalPromiseandsupportsprojectoperationsacrosstheCenterforLearningSciencesResearchteam.Hemanagescommunicationwithpartners,maintainsprojectdatabases,andcoordinateslogisticstoensuresmoothimplementationofmultiyearresearchprojects.Hiscontributionsincludeprocessdesign,documentationsupport,andcrossprojectcoordinationthatstrengthensoperationalefficiency.BeforejoiningDigitalPromise,EvanworkedwithUNESCO’sFutureofLearningandInnovationteamandtaughtelementaryEnglishinTaiwanasaFulbrightgrantee.KellyAnnTsaiKellyAnnleadscommunicationsanddisseminationfortheproject.SheisaSeniorManagerofResearchCommunicationsandsupportsdisseminationacrosstheCenterforLearningSciencesResearchteamatDigitalPromise.Shedevelopswritten,visual,anddigitalcommunicationsthatenhancetheaccessibilityandimpactofresearchfindings,includingreports,articles,andeducator-facingtools.Herworkensuresthatresearchinsightsareclearlycommunicatedtopractitioners,partners,andpolicymakers.BeforejoiningDigitalPromise,KellyAnnheldcommunicationsandcontentdevelopmentrolesintechnology,education,andnonprofitsettings.
GabrielleLueGabrielleledcommunicationsanddisseminationfortheproject.AsSeniorManagerofResearchCommunicationsatDigitalPromise,shetranslatescomplexresearchfindingsintoaccessiblepublications,briefs,andmultimediaresourcesforeducators,policymakers,andthepublic.Shedesignsandcoordinatesdisseminationstrategiesacrossresearchteams,ensuringthatevidencebasedinsightsreachbroadanddiverseaudiences.PriortojoiningDigitalPromise,Gabrielleworkedincommunicationsrolesacrossnonprofitandeducationorganizations,supportingmissiondriveninitiativesthroughstrategicstorytelling.BarbaraMeans,Ph.D.Barbaraservesasasupervisortotheprojectandprovideshighlevelresearchguidance.SheisPrincipalLearningSciencesResearcheratDigitalPromise,wheresheleadsnationalresearchpracticepartnershipsfocusedonimprovingteachingandlearningthroughevidence-basedapproaches.Herdecadesofresearchspaneducationaltechnology,curriculumdesign,andsystemslevelimprovementinK-12settings.Barbarahasservedonmultiplenationaladvisorypanelsandhasauthorednumerousbooksandreportsthatshapepolicyandpracticeineducation.AdvisoryBoardAngelaDeBarger,PhDColead,CatalystFundforScienceEducation,RenaissancePhilanthropyFilibertoChávezGuerreroAssistantPrincipal,SanLeandroHighSchool,SanLeandroUnifiedSchoolDistrictEricBFreedman,PhDAssistantProfessorofSocialStudiesEducation,DepartmentofTeachingandLearning,UniversityofIowaTrevorRGetz,PhDProfessorofAfricanandWorldHistory,DepartmentofHistory,SanFranciscoStateUniversitySandraHabtamu,PhDEthnicStudiesFaculty,FoothillCollegeLaurenMcArthurHarris,PhDProfessorofHistoryEducation,ArizonaStateUniversity(MaryLouFultonCollegeofTeachingandLearningInnovationandSchoolofHistorical,PhilosophicalandReligiousStudies)JamieLathan,PhDViceChancellorforExtendedLearning,NorthCarolinaSchoolofScienceandMathematics