Developmental Science Research

The Developmental Science Research Collaborative (DSRC) is an intellectual home for all ED & IS faculty and interested graduate and undergraduate students to share their on-going research in developmental psychology, human development, and education. This collaborative will support research focused on both neuroatypical and neurotypical populations (birth-young adulthood) and their caregivers/educators. The emphasis is on research and special events to support professional learning in these areas.  Activities of the collaborative will include an outside speaker series; student presentations of on-going work/conference preparation; faculty presentations of new work and panels on topics of interest to the group; joint ventures with the CSULA-UCLA Joint Doctorate in Special Education; and collaborations with TEP and ELP faculty and students interested in neuroatypical populations in particular, and with researchers at the UC|CSU Center for Neuroscience and Learning. The mission of the collaborative is the support of original, high-quality research and learning in the developmental sciences, as well as making developmental science visible at UCLA.

Faculty

Alison Bailey (Lead), Jennie Grammer (UC|CSU Center for Neuroscience & Learning), Rashmita Mistry, Jin Wang, Anna Markowitz, Nicole Else-Quest, Jill Locke (Center X), Emma Hipolito (TEP), Tonikiaa Orange (ELP), Lois Weinberg (CSULA)

Administrative Support: Adrian Ayala

Language, Literacy & Learning (L3)

The Language, Literacy, and Learning (L3) Collaborative is an interdisciplinary community of UCLA SE&IS scholars who examine language, literacy, and learning as central to educational equity. L3 brings together faculty and students whose work focuses on language in education (e.g., bilingualism and multilingualism, academic language, language and literacy development, language policy) as well as scholars who study teaching and learning through a (socio)linguistic and interactional lens (e.g., discourse and interactional analysis, linguistic ethnography, narrative analysis, ethnomethodology). Spanning multiple divisions, programs, and centers, the collaborative creates a shared space for research, training, and dialogue that makes visible the breadth of language-related expertise across the department. Grounded in a justice-oriented commitment to linguistic access, dignity, and belonging, L3 advances scholarship on how communicative practices and institutional language regimes shape educational opportunity in schools and communities locally and globally. The collaborative fosters connections among faculty and students, supports innovative multi-method research, and strengthens UCLA’s leadership in language justice and equitable educational futures.

Faculty

Inma García Sánchez, Ananda Marin, and Lucrecia Santibañez.

Administrative Support: Susana Guerrero

Learning Sciences

The Learning Sciences collaborative will convene scholars examining teaching and learning as cultural processes and the design of learning environments across a wide range of settings. Building from the rich tradition of Learning Sciences research at UCLA, the collaborative will be a space where participants explore, tinker with, and contribute to research with a particular emphasis on sociocultural theories of learning and development, cognition, community-based and participatory design research methodologies — including Indigenous methodologies, and partnership models that facilitate novel and expansive ways of organizing teaching and learning.

Faculty

Ananda Marin (co-lead), Chris Jadallah (co-lead), Nikki Barry (co-lead), Inmaculada García-Sánchez, Louis Gomez (Principal Leadership Institute), Christine Lee (CONNECT: Center for Research and Innovation), Lindsay Lindberg, Nicole Mancevice (CONNECT: Center for Research and Innovation), Nicole Mirra (Teacher Education Program), Julissa Muñiz, Cecilia Rios-Aguilar

Administrative Support: Adrian Ayala

Program & Policy Evaluation

The Program and Policy Evaluation and Analysis collaborative aims to provide an intellectual home and cross-program hub for faculty, research staff, and students interested in the conceptual, methodological, and practical issues involved in designing for, understanding and assessing the impact of education programs and policies. Over the years, there have been countless such projects in our department, spanning every academic program (PhD, MA, UG, ELP, TEP, ELP) and Center (CSE/CRESST, CTS, Prytzker, Center X, among others). This work draws from a variety of frameworks (e.g. economics, evaluation, sociocultural theories, improvement science, complexity theory, implementation science, etc), and use a broad range of quantitative and qualitative methods, often in designs that involve multiple complementary types of evidence. 

Faculty

Kristen Rohanna (co-lead), Jose-Felipe Martinez (co-lead), Susan Bush-Mecenas (co-lead); Li Cai, Tina Christie, Lucrecia Santibañez, Louis Gomez, and Cecilia Rios-Aguilar

Administrative Support: Susana Guerrero

Xrossing Borders

Xrossing Borders is viewed as a metaphor, mindset, and practice when crossing physical, cultural, and intellectual borders. The Xrossing Borders Collaborative (XBC) at the Department of Education aims to advance research in international education; build a community for international, immigrant, and undocumented students; and share ongoing and new international education efforts. Xrossing Borders Collaborative is framed by ethical, reciprocal, and asset-based engagement and research on international and global education areas of study. 

XBC aligns with the Department of Education’s mission to cultivate equity and confront systemic inequity at both local and global levels. It also reflects UCLA’s Strategic Plan, Goal 1: deepening engagement with Los Angeles, and Goal 2: expanding the university’s reach as a global university.

The scope of Xrossing Borders Collaborative is defined by three border-crossing communities:

• Community of Scholarship: XBC will showcase student and faculty scholarship and strengthen their visibility as leaders in global education research.
• Community of Belonging: XBC will create a space where  international, immigrant, and undocumented students and communities feel represented, supported, and connected through events, mentorship, and peer collaboration.
• Community of Practice: XBC will generate dialogue across institutions, highlight ongoing reciprocal efforts, while also propose new cross-university and cross-border collaborations that embody principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Taken together, XBC represents a comprehensive effort to connect research, engagement, and equity in international education. By showcasing scholarship, building community, and strengthening global partnerships, XBC provides the Department of Education with a clear and actionable framework for supporting its diverse student body, expanding its global presence, and cross-border efforts.

Faculty

Cecilia Rios-Aguilar, Jason Dorio, Jin Wang, Li Cai

Administrative Support: Adrian Ayala