Research earns first-time W.T. Grant Foundation award

East Carolina University professors are investigating how educators’ identities and values shape classroom instruction and how these factors influence students’ sense of belonging, engagement and overall well-being. The research has been funded by a first-time, $469,999 award from the William T. Grant Foundation.

As primary investigator, Dr. Rachelle S. Savitz, associate professor of reading/literacy education in the College of Education, is leading a study exploring how educators reflect on their identities and instructional practices to foster broad and engaging learning environments for all students. Dr. Courtney L. Baker, assistant professor of psychology at ECU, and Olivia Williams, a literacy researcher and high school educator in Virginia, serve as co-investigators of the study.

Dr. Rachelle S. Savitz, right, associate professor of reading/literacy education; Dr. Courtney L. Baker, left, assistant professor of psychology; and Olivia Williams, a literacy researcher and high school educator in Virginia, are researching how educators’ identities and values shape classroom instruction.

“What excites me most about this project is the opportunity to learn alongside teachers as they reflect on who they are, what they value and how that shapes their teaching,” Savitz said.

Savitz added that the project reflects ECU’s effort to connect research and service for the public good by bringing together faculty, teachers and students to strengthen learning in eastern North Carolina through reflection, inquiry and collaboration.

“We’re deeply grateful to the William T. Grant Foundation for their investment in this important research,” said Dr. André Green, dean of the College of Education. “We’re committed to research that makes a difference in our region. Understanding how educators influence students in their classrooms is incredibly important to our mission of preparing professional educators who create the best outcomes for their students.”

Savitz, Baker and Williams will conduct a randomized controlled trial with 64 middle and high school teachers using a mixed-methods design that includes surveys, interviews and recorded learning sessions. Classroom observations will be conducted at the beginning and end of the study.

“By following teachers across multiple schools, this study helps us understand how change happens: how teachers’ growth leads to more engaging instruction and how that, in turn, strengthens students’ sense of belonging and engagement in their learning,” Savitz said.

The research is made possible through partnerships among teachers, schools, and ECU working collaboratively to create classrooms where every student feels they belong and can succeed. Savitz said their study hypothesizes that engaging teachers in critical inquiry, focused on self-critical reflection, examination of instructional policies and practices, and redesign of curriculum and instruction, will strengthen their teacher identity and cultivate critical consciousness.

Savitz said the study will unfold across three phases that guide teachers to look inward, examine school practices and redesign their instruction with students in mind.

“Each phase builds on the last, creating a powerful cycle of learning, reflection and action,” Savitz said. “By combining this structured process with ongoing research, we can see how teachers grow and how that growth influences classroom life.”

Participating teachers will complete interviews at the beginning and after each intervention phase, and teacher surveys will be administered at the start and conclusion of the study.

Student Educator Training

ECU students also benefit from the research study. Savitz said both graduate students and undergraduate students within both the College of Education and Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences will help gather data, facilitate professional learning sessions and analyze findings.

“They will experience what community-engaged research looks like in action — research that starts with reflection and leads to real change in schools,” Savitz said.

Savitz said the project is about more than professional learning, it’s also about creating classrooms that invite every student to feel supported and engaged. The investigators expect their research to show that when teachers take time to reflect and inquire into their identities and practices, they become more responsive to students’ needs and interests.

“Across North Carolina, schools are looking for ways to help teachers feel supported and stay in the profession,” Savitz said. “The lessons learned here in eastern North Carolina can inform professional learning models across the state and beyond, ensuring every student experiences excellent, inclusive teaching.”

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