A Few Representative Publications by Pitt School of Education Faculty

Mary Margaret Kerr has become a world expert on how children understand exhibits about painful events, such as the Flight 93 Memorial that commemorates heroism on September 11. See Kerr, M. M., & Price, R. H. (2016). Overlooked encounters: Young tourists' experiences at dark sites. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 11(2) 177-185.

Pitt’s School of Education has become a key member of and the current location for the Carnegie Project on the Educational Doctorate. CPED executive director Jill Perry edited a book on how the EdD is changing: Perry, J.A. (Ed.). (2016). The EdD and Scholarly Practitioners: the CPED Path. Charlotte, NC: IAP.

The School’s Center for Urban Education is rapidly emerging as a central node for efforts to improve public education that serves America’s emerging diversity. For one example publication, see Delale-O'Connor, L. and Milner, H.R. (2016). Disrupting dangerous narrative in early childhood education: Being Black is not a risk factor. Essay in Being Black is not a Risk Factor: Statistics and Strengths-Based Solution in the State of Pennsylvania.

Important work in the School is exploring how to use technology to help people learn to live healthier lives. For an example, see Rogers RJ, Lang W, Gibbs BB, Davis KK, Burke LE, Kovacs SJ, Portzer LA, Jakicic JM. Applying a technology-based system for weight loss intervention in adults with obesity. Obesity Science and Practice. 2016; doi: 10.1002/osp4.18

Work at Pitt on the achievement gap is linked to Pitt’s historically strong position in the teaching and learning of subject matters. Such work also relates to Pitt's strong presence in learning sciences and policy. One example of this is Bachman, H. J., Votruba-Drzal, E., El Nokali, N. & Heatly, M. C. (2014). Opportunities for learning math in elementary school: Implications for SES disparities in procedural and conceptual math skills. American Educational Research Journal, 52, 894-923.

Other Pitt work examines the role that students’ sense of safety and their mindfulness can affect learning. See, for example, Wanless, S.B. (2016). The role of psychological safety in human development. Research in Human Development, 13(1), 6-14.

ALAN LESGOLD is professor and Renée and Richard Goldman Dean at the School of Education.