UVA School of Education and Human Development

Debates Over Math Teaching Are Heating Up. They Could Affect Classrooms A controversial new movement promoting the "science of math" has come into the math establishment's crosshairs.

Debates over the "right" way to teach math are heating up. “It troubles me, in part because I think it’s reinforcing this idea of camps instead of providing shared understandings in service of supporting kids," says UVA EHD's Julie Cohen.

Read more from @edweek.org:
www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...

UVA School of Education and Human Development Earns Top Five National Ranking for Online Programs The school tied for fifth place in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings of online graduate education programs, up four spots from last year.

We're proud to share that the UVA School of Education and Human Development has been ranked No. 5 nationally among online graduate schools of education by U.S. News and World Report, up 4 spots from last year. Congrats to our faculty, staff, and students!
ow.ly/X1wN50Y4kXc

Snow Day Inspiration for Learning, Play and Connection UVA expert tips can help turn unexpected days at home into opportunities for connection and learning for kids and teens.

Preparing to be snowed in with kids or teens? ❄️UVA EHD scholars share ideas for turning unexpected days at home into moments of learning and connection — from embracing boredom to talking tech with teens.
👉 education.virginia.edu/news-stories...

Katrina Debnam Named Next Director of Youth-Nex Research Center Katrina Debnam has been appointed the next director of Youth-Nex, a research center at the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development.

We’re excited to announce that associate professor Katrina Debnam has been named the next director of Youth-Nex! As director, she will lead efforts to expand and apply the science of positive youth development across research and initiatives.

Read more: education.virginia.edu/news-stories...

Attention, presence and why time flies, according to a UVA researcher New research from the University of Virginia explains why time can feel like it speeds up as people get older.

Why does time seem to fly as we get older? UVA School of Education and Human Development professor Jamie Jirout explains how routine and efficiency shape our perception of time — and what we can do to slow it down. ⏳

Read more via 29 News WVIR: www.29news.com/2026/01/16/a...

Professor Kazlin Mason Among Recipients of Virginia's Top Faculty Honors Mason is among 12 statewide award recipients that recognize faculty who exemplify the highest standards of teaching, scholarship, and service.

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Kazlin Mason, a recipient of the SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Award! Designated a “rising star,” Mason is recognized for excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service across Virginia higher education. Read more: education.virginia.edu/news-stories...

News in Brief: Seven UVA Education Scholars Remain on National ‘Most Influential’ Rankings The professors are included in Education Week’s annual ranking of the top 200 university-based education scholars in the United States.

Seven UVA scholars again earned spots on the Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings: Carol Tomlinson, Bob Pianta, Sarah Turner, Jim Wyckoff, Daphna Bassok, Derrick Alridge, and Daniel Willingham. Congratulations on this national honor! ow.ly/Thxn50XYcJR

Post-Katrina New Orleans Inspired This UVA Student’s Mission The National Institutes of Health is backing doctoral student Jessica Smith’s commitment to improve access to specialty care.

With funding from the competitive NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Individual Predoctoral Fellowship, doctoral student Jessica Smith will investigate whether autism screenings at regular pediatrician check-ups lead to earlier diagnosis.

🔗Read more: education.virginia.edu/news-stories...

Dr. Peter Sheras Named Winner of 2025 Wellner Award The Wellner awards, offered for research and practice, are the highest honors bestowed by the National Register.

Congratulations to Peter Sheras, clinical psychologist and Professor Emeritus at UVA EHD, on receiving the 2025 Alfred M. Wellner Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to health service psychology! 👏

Learn more: www.nationalregister.org/dr-peter-she...

Q&A: Why Does Time Go By So Fast and How Can We Slow it Down? It’s not your imagination: Time feels like it speeds up as we age. But there are things you can do to make it seem to slow down.

Why does time feel like it speeds up as we get older?

Professor Jamie Jirout explains that routine leads to predictability, which can make time feel like it’s flying by.

Read about why this happens and how we can slow the feeling: ow.ly/fwtY50XVOv5

Students Get Hands-on Clinical Experience Before Graduate School Student interns provide one-on-one functional exercise care to clients through paid internships at UVA’s Fried Center.

At the Fried Center for the Advancement of Potential, kinesiology undergraduates provide one-on-one functional exercise care to clients — paid clinical work typically reserved for graduate students or licensed professionals. education.virginia.edu/news-stories...

Want Students to Gain Math Confidence? Celebrate Their Mistakes (Opinion) A veteran educator shares six ways student errors can reshape how math is taught and experienced.

Want students to gain math confidence? Celebrate their mistakes.

UVA EHD’s Wendy Amato shares six practical ways teachers can use student errors to deepen understanding — and build confidence.

Read more in @edweek.org:
www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...

Op-Ed: A More Expansive Approach to Studying What Works in Education Associate ProfessorJim Soland writes about the current challenges and opportunities in education evaluation research in this piece he wrote for Brookings.

"The field of education evaluation research is in turmoil," says UVA EHD's @jsoland.bsky.social. "Like most crises, this one should not go to waste." In a recent op-ed for @brookings.edu, Soland argues for a more expansive approach to studying what works in education. ow.ly/kg5i50XLEfR

10 Minutes of Play Can Create Holiday Joy A simple relationship-building technique we originally shared during the pandemic can also make a positive impact for families at home during the winter break.

Heading into the holiday break with little ones? 🎁
UVA EHD’s Amanda Williford shares how just 10 minutes of child-led play a day can strengthen relationships and build understanding.

Read more: education.virginia.edu/news-stories...

Student Spotlight: Doctoral Candidate and Advocate Danielle Waterfield UVA EHD doctoral candidate Danielle Waterfield has been recognized nationally for her leadership in advancing special education policy and advocacy.

Doctoral candidate Danielle Waterfield received national recognition for her leadership in special education advocacy, and her IES research article was named one of
@edutopia.org's "10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2025."🎉

🔗Read more about Danielle: education.virginia.edu/news-stories...

Detailed gingerbread castle with tall candy-coated towers and shingled roofs dusted in powdered sugar snow on a white tray.

Group of seven people standing around a table displaying a gingerbread house and holding a certificate.

Group of four people standing indoors, one holding a gingerbread house and one holding a certificate for Most UVA Themed.

Four people standing indoors holding a Most Creative Award certificate and a decorated gingerbread house.

The sugarplums are still dancing in our heads after last week’s holiday gathering & gingerbread house contest! Congrats to our winning teams — and thanks to everyone who brought creativity (and candy dragons!) to this beloved tradition.

Person holding a framed certificate in a school hallway with colorful floor tiles and other people in the background.

Clear acrylic award shaped like a pentagon with an apple icon and text honoring Ms. Khaliah Purvis as Teacher of the Year for 2025-2026 at Patrick Henry K-8 School.

Huge congratulations to alum and current master’s student Khaliah Purvis on being named Teacher of the Year at @PHSchoolACPS — in just her third year in the classroom! We’re so proud of you, Khaliah! 🎉🍎

News in Brief: Laura Rogers Honored with Early Career Award The annual award from the University Council for Education Administration honors a junior professor’s contributions to educational leadership.

🎉 Congratulations to Associate Professor Laura Rogers on receiving the UCEA 2025 Jack A. Culbertson Early Career Award! This honor recognizes her outstanding contributions to the field of educational leadership.
🔗 Read more: education.virginia.edu/news-stories...

People with more muscle mass and less visceral fat have younger brains, study finds Strength training can be protective against cognitive decline.

“There’s nothing that can reverse brain aging — you can only slow the rate of it.” Associate Professor Siddhartha Angadi discussed how exercise & reducing visceral fat can help maintain a younger-looking brain in a recent NBC News article: www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

News in Brief: Rachel Wahl Discusses Dialogue on the ‘When We Disagree’ Podcast Wahl shares a specific story of two individuals with differing opinions who participated in dialogue and what it illustrates about her scholarship.

What happens when people who disagree actually talk? Associate Professor Rachel Wahl shares a powerful story on the When We Disagree podcast that shows how conversations leave lasting impacts, even when we don’t expect them to. Listen here: education.virginia.edu/news-stories...

The Rotunda, a grand neoclassical building, surrounded by orange trees and a blue sky at dusk.

Grateful today and every day for our UVA EHD community. 🧡 💙

Wishing everyone a safe, restful, and joyful Thanksgiving! #wahoowa

Graduate School honors six outstanding alumni - UGA Today Alumni honored for their achievements and contributions to their communities.

Congratulations to Catherine Bradshaw, University Professor and senior associate dean for research, on receiving a 2025 Alumni of Distinction Award from the University of Georgia Graduate School! Honorees are recognized for exceptional career accomplishments and community impact. ow.ly/XHI850XxKvN

News in Brief: New Funding Boosts Digital Literacy and Youth Development Research With new seed funding, researchers at the UVA School of Education and Human Development are expanding several projects focused on digital literacy and youth well-being.

Thanks to new seed funding from the Thriving Youth in a Digital Environment initiative, UVA EHD faculty and students will expand key projects that advance digital literacy and support youth well-being.

Learn more: ow.ly/rp7c50Xx30T

Are the Best Days of Higher Education Behind Us? The Higher Education Speaker Series brought former UVA provost and experienced leader Gene Block to Grounds for a timely discussion on the future of higher education in the United States.

Earlier this month, our Higher Education Speaker Series brought former UVA provost and higher ed leader Gene Block back to Grounds for a timely discussion on the future of U.S. higher education. Thank you to our event sponsors & all who joined us! ow.ly/KV8550XvW4E

EdLab Podcast: The Power of Evidence and Why Education Research Matters Professor Vivian Wong shares why education research is so important and why now is a critical time for it to continue.

🎙️Schools are incredibly complex, making rigorous education research both challenging and essential. In the latest episode of the EdLab podcast, UVA EHD's Vivian Wong shares why strong research matters — and why it's especially vital now.

Listen here: ow.ly/9Bye50XuYLi

Teachers Are Using AI to Help Write IEPs. Advocates Have Concerns Experts call for guardrails around the ethical, legal, and instructional concerns.

More special ed teachers are turning to AI to help write IEPs. UVA EHD student Danielle Waterfield's research examines how educators are using AI for IEP development and offers one of the first ethical-use frameworks for AI in special ed.

More from Education Week: www.edweek.org/teaching-lea...

As GLP-1 Drugs Go Mainstream, This Expert Says Health is More than a Number on a Scale A new deal may cut the cost of weight-loss drugs, but this UVA professor warns of potential long-term risks.

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs may soon get cheaper, thanks to a new government deal. But what happens after you stop taking them? UVA EHD's Siddhartha Angadi says it’s important to understand that “these drugs are for life.”

More here: ow.ly/VtWv50XtS2V

UVA Counselor Education Program Relaunches Clinical Mental Health Specialization The specialization equips graduates to support mental health across the lifespan in diverse settings, expanding their professional opportunities.

🎓UVA EHD is relaunching its Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization within the M.Ed. in Counselor Education program! Prepare for LPC eligibility in Virginia and join a cohort led by nationally recognized faculty.

Learn more: ow.ly/CegE50Xt6oo

Ambitious Instruction: How Teacher Preparation Impacts Practice Specific experiences during teacher preparation programs can impact novice teachers' use of ambitious instruction during their first and second years of teaching.

How does teacher preparation shape what happens in real classrooms? New research from UVA EHD's Peter Youngs & colleagues spotlights the experiences that support “ambitious instruction.” #EdResearch #TeacherPrep

Read more ➜ ow.ly/eiq050XrPWx

Social-Emotional Learning Linked to Higher Math and Reading Test Scores A Yale study finds that explicitly teaching students SEL skills can have big academic payoffs.

A new analysis shows SEL programs that don’t directly teach reading or math still boost learning. The findings “re-center the conversation on why SEL is an important investment in schools," said UVA EHD's Catherine Bradshaw.

More from @edweek.org: www.edweek.org/leadership/s...