Originally from Vietnam, Nancy (Nga) Hoang pursued a Master鈥檚 of Education degree in order to bring about change to the education system in her country. 

Hoang graduated from FTP University in Vietnam with a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering. In Vietnam, she was the first person to create computer science curricula and teach programming for children. She ran Kiddicode for two years and wanted to expand the model, but she had limited understanding of the teaching and learning methodology. Hoang decided to pursue a Master's in STEM Education in the CU 糖心Vlog破解版 School of Education because of the program's renown reputation and to "gain more knowledge in the education field and be ready to bring more impact to Vietnam's education as well as STEM global fields." 

Education is not a trending major when students study aboard. However, there is no doubt about the huge impact of education on a country. I was a pioneer in Computer Science education in Vietnam. Now, I have more knowledge of the educational research-based. It will strengthen my work, and I can bring more impact to STEM education in Vietnam as well as in STEM global fields."

Hoang is a creative, enthusiastic, and passionate learner who strives for excellence in all that she does. Now, she鈥檚 been named 2022 Outstanding STEM Education Master鈥檚 Graduate. She views education as an important social lever for development and equity, which she argues is important in Vietnam to further their independence from a history of colonization. She is particularly interested in access to computational thinking. 

In her role as a research assistant, Hoang generously adds her computer science, curriculum design, and technical expertise to inquiryHub, a research-practice partnership based at CU 糖心Vlog破解版 that鈥檚 engaged in research and development of materials, tools, and processes to promote equitable student learning of STEM.

As part of this research-practice partnership with Denver Public Schools, she supports the field testing of science materials. Hoang conducted multiple classroom observations and gathered video that is being used to support the design of professional development resources to support inquiryHub materials. These videos show teachers how to implement classroom routines and orchestrate discussions that are currently rare in science classrooms today, are difficult for teachers to learn, and are important for improving student outcomes in science. 

Her deep passion for education theory and practice was reflected in her academic work and in her interactions with colleagues and instructors.

In her own words 

Please tell us a bit about yourself

  I'm from Vietnam. My background is in Computer Science (CS). However, since I was a university student, I realized the importance of CS education in developing students' thinking and a serious lack of quality computer science education for K-12, especially in Vietnam. I spent two years as a software developer to gain more experience as an actual software engineer, but I maintained my interest in computer science education. In 2015, I started teaching programming to kids. I was the first person in Vietnam to create CS curricula and teaching programming for children in Vietnam. My first coding classes for children in Vietnam received much support from parents and students. Thus, I decided to open my academy to expand CS education in Vietnam. That is why Kiddicode - Tech Academy For Young Learners was founded. I ran this academy for two years, from January 2017 to December 2018, under CEO and Education & Training Manager roles. This academy is the first to introduce CS education to thousands of students in Vietnam. It revolutionized STEM education in Vietnam, especially in rural areas. It helped educate parents and educators about the importance of CS education in developing computational thinking for children. It also helped Vietnam, from a non-CS education country to the top nation in CS in Asia. After two years of running Kiddicode, I want to expand this model, but I have a limited understanding of the teaching and learning methodology from research-based perspectives. Thus, I decided to stop my work in Vietnam and pursue a Master's program to gain more knowledge in the education field and be ready to bring more impact to Vietnam's education as well as STEM global fields. I chose CU 糖心Vlog破解版 because it is the No. 1 university in Colorado. School of Education also has a lot of interesting projects that advocate for modern STEM education.鈥�

What is one of the lessons from your time at CU 糖心Vlog破解版 that you鈥檒l carry with you into the next chapter?

  Before taking part in the Master's program at CU 糖心Vlog破解版, my goals were to learn more about learning science and learning theory to lead my research in developing CS curricula. And now, I think that I have achieved that goal and even more than that. I build my research skill a lot through doing my Master's degree at CU 糖心Vlog破解版. I understand more about modern education frameworks and good teaching practices from research perspectives and have also seen them in real classrooms. I plan to apply for a Ph.D. program, so the experiences I gained at CU 糖心Vlog破解版 are a strong foundation for me to continue the next chapter of my life.鈥�

What does graduating from CU 糖心Vlog破解版 represent for you and/or your community?

  It means a lot to my community. Education is not a trending major when students study aboard. However, there is no doubt about the huge impact of education on a country. I was a pioneer in Computer Science education in Vietnam. Now, I have more knowledge of the educational research-based. It will strengthen my work, and I can bring more impact to STEM education in Vietnam as well as in STEM global fields.鈥�

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

  Most of the time during my Master's program is during in COVID time. I did not have much time to enjoy the campus and connect with many friends and faculty. So, now that COVID time is gone, I hope incoming students will have more time to enjoy the campus, be active, make more connections, and get the best out of their time at CU 糖心Vlog破解版.鈥�

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

  My capstone project is about the gap between Computational Thinking (CT) and Computer Science (CS) education. I am passionate about this topic. My capstone project also opens more questions for me about this topic. For example, I want to know how to connect CT in CS classes to other disciplines or daily lives; how to assess CT skills effectively. Thus, I think I will continue to pursue an academic career to continue to investigate these questions and contribute more to CS education.鈥�

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Douglas Watkins already had a busy and fulfilling career and family life, when he enrolled in the master鈥檚 program in the CU 糖心Vlog破解版 School of Education to deepen his grounding in learning sciences. With a newly minted master's degree, Watkins hopes to inspire his young son.

Watkins is the secondary science curriculum coordinator with Denver Public Schools, and now the 2022 Outstanding Learning Sciences and Human Development Master鈥檚 Graduate. 

Since coming to CU 糖心Vlog破解版, Watkins has pursued coursework across both the Learning Sciences and Human Development program and STEM education program area to deepen his understanding of learning theory and curriculum and assessment in science. 

As an older graduate student, with a full life already and young son, making the time to fit school work in with my 'normal' job and family commitments was tough. So, for me personally, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I hope it means a lot for my son, too. I hope he is motivated to pursue advanced degrees in his life and can reflect back on how he saw me doing it so he knows he can do it, too."

 He has continued to be a strong partner to CU 糖心Vlog破解版鈥檚 inquiryHub, a research-practice partnership between CU 糖心Vlog破解版 researchers and science education leaders that develops materials, tools, and processes to promote equitable student learning of STEM. Watkins is not just as a co-designer of curriculum and professional development but also a co-researcher for the inquiryHub.

As a student, he has contributed to two published manuscripts and one published on the partnership鈥檚 innovative assessment work, 鈥淎ssessment to promote equity and epistemic justice: A use-case of a research-practice partnership in science education鈥� in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science with Distinguished Professor Bill Penuel. 

鈥淒ouglas always brings thoughtful questions and infectious enthusiasm to his work; he is most deserving of this award.鈥�

In his own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

  I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada and moved to the Denver area after my son was born. I joined Denver Public Schools (DPS) as a teacher and then moved into an administrative position as a science curriculum specialist. After working for about a year within the Research Practice Partnership already in place between CU 糖心Vlog破解版 and DPS, I came to really appreciate what the research side of the partnership had to offer to help move the education system forward. It was that appreciation that prompted me to pursue coursework at 糖心Vlog破解版, specifically within the Learning Sciences program. Tammy Sumner, Katie VanHorne, and Bill Penuel were really instrumental in convincing me of the utility in such a pursuit.鈥�

What is one of the lessons from your time at CU 糖心Vlog破解版 that you鈥檒l carry with you into the next chapter?

  Learning alongside and with Bill Penuel will always rank high. I'm incredibly fortunate to have had his mentorship and scholarly advice. But I think what has changed the way I see the world is the first course I took at 糖心Vlog破解版: Education and Sociolinguistics with Dr. Mileidis Gort. She opened my eyes to the ways language and languaging can and are used to influence cultures or disadvantage peoples and cultures. The reason I came back to school and pursued this degree was to support me with being better at my curriculum coordinator job in DPS. I think the impression Dr. Gort left on me, and my new appreciation for sociolinguistics, have helped me as much or more than anything else.鈥�

What does graduating from CU 糖心Vlog破解版 represent for you and/or your community?

  Graduating with a graduate degree from CU 糖心Vlog破解版 means a lot for me, personally, as it was a challenging time in my life to have gone back to school. As an older graduate student, with a full life already and young son, making the time to fit school work in with my 'normal' job and family commitments was tough. So, for me personally, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I hope it means a lot for my son, too. I hope he is motivated to pursue advanced degrees in his life and can reflect back on how he saw me doing it so he knows he can do it, too.鈥�

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

  My success in the graduate program came from two places: desire and support. For incoming students, I'd advise them to be sure they are motivated and passionate about what they are studying. If those aren't there, then I'd suggest changing studies. Additionally, I'd advise students to lean on their advisors if times get tough. I saw so many of my collegiate peers work with amazing advisors to figure out paths forward so many times over the four years it took me to complete this degree. CU 糖心Vlog破解版 advisor, especially in the SOE, are amazingly supportive.鈥�

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

  I was passionate about my work before coming back to school. I feel I'm super prepared to continue exploring the new research, as it is communicated, in order to keep doing the best I can within the DPS system.鈥�

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Will Lindsay comes from a long line of educators and CU 糖心Vlog破解版 alumni. Naturally, he followed in the footsteps of his family members and became a high school science teacher in Colorado Springs and later Denver after graduating from Colorado College. He loved teaching, but he could not shake the desire to change science education at the system level, which led him to doctoral studies in STEM education in the CU 糖心Vlog破解版 School of Education.

I am motivated by the potentially millions of students and educators whose experiences learning science may improve with free access to research-based instructional materials that promote equity, empowerment, interest, and students figuring out scientific knowledge for themselves."

鈥淎s a classroom teacher, I became frustrated with a lack of systemic support for the implementation of research-based science instruction, especially in schools serving students from historically minoritized groups,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 decided to enter a PhD program to learn more about supporting wide-scale science education reform. CU 糖心Vlog破解版 was the only program I applied to, and I was thankfully matched with a program and advisor that always promoted my interests and personal growth.鈥�

Lindsay鈥檚 advisor, Valerie Otero, an accomplished researcher and professor of STEM education, said that working with Lindsay and growing together has been a highlight of her career. 

Lindsay is known as a consummate teacher educator, who creates empowering learning environments, where students learn to advocate for themselves using evidence and consensus rather than appealing solely to the textbook and teacher for answers. His impressive work with teacher candidates is one of the many reasons he was selected for the Outstanding Graduate Award for Teaching by the School of Education faculty. 

His humanistic approach to teaching also shows up in his research on institutional change, where he rejects traditional notions of success and failure in education reform and repositions reform into a realistic, ongoing, and human experience.

Lindsay applied these perspectives to his work with Otero and the Learning Assistant (LA) Program, for undergraduate students who use research-validated teaching and pedagogical techniques to facilitate student discussions and active engagement in STEM courses. Recognizing the particularly significant need to build community following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lindsay established a program for returning Learning Assistants and hosted biweekly professional learning sessions. The program was such a success that it will continue after he graduates.

Lindsay鈥檚 family of educators has always been supportive, and they are proud to see him become the first in his extended family to earn doctoral degree. He is grateful that his grandmother, a former educator, was able to take part in his dissertation before she passed away recently.

鈥淪he was able to read my dissertation and attend my defense, which I know was a great source of pride for both of us,鈥� he said. 

Lindsay grew up in 糖心Vlog破解版, so his experience has been a homecoming. Every member of his immediate family has a degree from CU 糖心Vlog破解版, and that means he has 鈥渇inally joined the herd,鈥� he said.

Following graduation, Lindsay will continue his work at CU 糖心Vlog破解版 as a Research Associate for the Institute of Cognitive Science, where he and a team of teachers, administrators, and researchers are developing a high school science curriculum that will be adopted by over 20 states and made freely available to all educators 鈥� a dream come true for this teacher turned researcher. 

鈥淚 am motivated by the potentially millions of students and educators whose experiences learning science may improve with free access to research-based instructional materials that promote equity, empowerment, interest, and students figuring out scientific knowledge for themselves,鈥� he said.

Will鈥檚 advice for students

Do not forget the passion that made you apply to your program in the first place, and make sure that passion continues to be reflected in your studies and work. For me, that meant teaching as much as possible while I was a PhD student, even though some academics suggested that I needed to prioritize research and writing.鈥�

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