Team Members

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  Dr. Anna Arias

  Associate professor of science education at Kennesaw State University and the Principal Investigator for the Hopscotch-4-Scientific Investigation project. She designs, teaches, and assesses multiple sections of content courses each year for elementary teachers in earth/life science and physical science in addition to teaching graduate courses on science education. Dr. Arias taught science for five years in K-8 schools and holds a masters’ degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Education in addition to a PhD in Science Education. Through her research, grants, and peer-reviewed articles, she focuses on designing and studying learning environments to support knowledge and practice for equitable sensemaking in elementary science teaching.  
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  Dr. Ivan Jorrin Abellan

  Professor of educational research at Kennesaw State University (Ga) (USA).

  He has worked for twelve years (2002-2014) for the Intelligent & Cooperative Systems/Education, Media, Informatics & Culture (GSIC/EMIC) Research Group at the University of Valladolid (Spain), where he obtained his PhD in Educational Technology. He contributed to the development of a series of innovative technologies to support teachers in the complete life cycle of collaborative learning environments. In 2009, after a Fulbright research stay at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he founded the Transdisciplinary Center for Research in Education (CETIE-UVa), also at the University of Valladolid. In 2014 he started working at Kennesaw State University where he has recently developed the Hopscotch Model; A theoretical model and a web tool to support the generation of research designs, especially in Education.
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  Dr. Jessica Stephenson Reaves

  Dr. Stephenson Reaves teaches science courses for elementary education students and has experience teaching K12 science education methods courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels.  Her research interests are focused on science curriculum development and professional development for K12 teachers in environmental sciences and learning and teaching for sustainability and climate resilience.  She holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, Science Education, from Virginia Tech.  Dr. Stephenson Reaves has taught K12 Environmental Science in both public and private schools in the US, and abroad in Germany and the UAE, before joining the faculty at KSU.
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  Dr. Preethi Titu

  Assistant professor of Science Education in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education. She has a background in teaching at higher education settings as well as K-12 schools and her work focuses on both pre-service and in-service teachers to meaningfully integrate STEM pedagogy into classroom practice. Her research interests have focused broadly on issues of understanding (i) how teachers' beliefs impact their classroom practice, (ii) teachers' conception of STEM and (iii) teachers' attitudes toward culturally diverse students. She is also passionate about working on preparing culturally responsive science and math educators. She is currently involved in an IES grant project aimed at supporting reform-based instruction of AP Chemistry teachers.
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  Dr. Rasheda Likely

  Assistant Professor of Science Education in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Kennesaw State University. She worked as a medical scientist for the Florida Department of Health where she performed testing during the Zika virus outbreak. While attending Drexel, she has been pivotal in the development and implementation of seven different science curricula across the Greater Philadelphia Area. Over 400 elementary and middle school students and teachers have participated in these science programs, two of which were funded by the US Department of Education. Beyond learning alongside future science educators, Dr. Likely's research passions include developing and implementing decolonized science curricula and culturally sustaining assessments. 
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  Dr. Soon Lee

  Dr. Lee serves as an Associate Professor of Science Education in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Kennesaw State University, where he instructs both undergraduate and graduate courses, including Physical Science for Elementary Classrooms and Interdisciplinary STEM Education. His research endeavors have been strategically focused on three pivotal areas in science education: (1) integration of NGSS Crosscutting Concepts into STEM content course materials, (2) use of virtual and hands-on lab activities in STEM classes, and (3) AI-Enhanced Science Classroom Discourse Analysis System (ADAS) and AI-assisted STEM course materials. His work has been disseminated widely, with findings from his research presented in peer-reviewed journal articles and at both international and national conferences.