Elham Zargar
Elham received her B.S. in Cognitive Science with a concentration in Computing from University of California, Los Angeles in 2014. Throughout her undergraduate career, she collaborated with other students in conducting research in designing effective multimedia lessons and other interactive computer-based lessons for college students. After graduating from UCLA, Elham worked as a classroom observer for the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES). Observing the different teaching methods, as well as the student differences, Elham became more interested in conducting research in education.
Elham’s research interests include enhancing and individualizing education using both classroom instruction and technology by applying the science of learning as well as cognitive science principles.
Elham is currently a doctoral student in the University of California, Irvine’s School of Education with a concentration in Learning, Cognition, and Development (LCD). Elham is part of the Individualizing Student Instruction Lab, working under the supervision of Dr. Carol Connor.
Manuscripts
Connor, C.M., Dombek, J., Crowe, C., Spencer, M., Tighe, E., Coffinger, S., Zargar, E., Wood, T., Petscher, Y. (2015). Gaining science and social studies knowledge: Conceptualization, design, implementation, and efficacy testing of content and literacy instruction, 109(3), 301-320.
Taffeta Wood
Taffeta Wood is a second-year PhD student in the School of Education’s Language, Literacy, and Technology (LLT) specialization. She is a former teacher who has taught in Iceland, Los Angeles, New York and Phoenix. These experiences in different school systems with different populations led to her interest in language and literacy development and the dynamic system theory as it relates to the classroom.
Taffeta’s research interests include oral language and executive function, and how these support elementary school students’ acquisition of literacy and knowledge and understanding of mathematics. Additionally, she is interested in teacher professional development and how best to support teachers and their students with technology. Taffeta holds a B.A. in Religious Studies and a Post-baccalaureate in Elementary Education.
Manuscripts
Sparapani, N., Connor, C.M., Day, S., Wood, T., McLean, L., Ingebrand, S. (2015). Developmental latent profiles in a sample of first grade students. Invited to submit to the special issue on Internalizing and Learning in Learning and Individual Differences.
Connor, C.M., Dombek, J., Crowe, C., Spencer, M., Tighe, E., Coffinger, S., Zargar, E., Wood, T., Petscher, Y. (2017). Gaining science and social studies knowledge: Conceptualization, design, implementation, and efficacy testing of content and literacy instruction, 109(3), 301-320.
Karen Taylor
Karen Taylor is a Ph.D. student specializing in Language, Literacy, and Technology (LLT). She received her B.A. and multiple subject teaching credential from Pepperdine University in 1995. She later pursued graduate studies at Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (M.A. in Education, 2011) and Harvard Graduate School of Education (Ed.M. in Learning and Teaching, 2013).
A classroom teacher for eighteen years, Karen taught primary and upper elementary grades in Oak Park and Santa Barbara, California. Karen served as a teacher consultant with the South Coast Writing Project at UCSB from 2007-2014. In addition, she has enjoyed teaching a course on writing instruction to the UCSB Teacher Education Program graduate students.
Karen’s research interests focus on reading development, academic writing, adolescent literacy, professional development for educators, and teacher education.
Conference Presentations
Taylor, K. (2013, April). Research into Practice: A Closer Look at 6th Graders’ Written Features of Argumentation. Poster session presented at the Student Research Conference, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA.
Dandan Yang
Dandan Yang is a doctoral student in the School of Education specialized in Language, Literacy and Technology (LLT). She holds a B.A. in English Language and Literature from China University of Mining and Technology and a M.A. in TESOL from the University of Southern California.
Prior to UCI, Dandan taught English and Chinese to students with various linguistic and cultural backgrounds, in both China and California. This teaching experience as well as the research experience in Professor Carol Connor’s iSi lab at UCI’s School of Education led to her interests in language and literacy development of young learners, child development, bilingual education, and technology in education.