UNC School of Education

09/10/2026

A Teacher Box is more than classroom supplies — it’s a show of support from the UNC School of Education community. Send off the Master of Arts in Teaching at UNC School of Education's Class of 2027 in their first classrooms with some Carolina encouragement. Give today to double your impact! 🩵✨ https://bit.ly/4qyG5cp

09/09/2026

For Abigail Pantoja-Ortiz (’28 B.A.Ed.), a summer internship with Vecinos, Inc., an opportunity offered through the SECU Public Fellows Internship program through the Carolina Center for Public Service, provided a closer look at how healthcare access and community outreach intersect in Western North Carolina. The

As a Migrant Farmworker Outreach Intern, the Human Development & Family Science at UNC-Chapel Hill major supported patient registration, assisted with annual health assessments by taking vital signs, transported patients to medical appointments, and distributed food and donated supplies during outreach visits. She also assembled hydration and emergency kits for migrant and seasonal farmworkers that were shared during educational sessions focused on emergency preparedness and the importance of hydration.

“My internship with Vecinos showed me that public service is about building trust, meeting people where they are, and responding to their needs.”

She shared how the experience strengthened her plans to pursue medicine, with an interest in family medicine or pediatrics, while building on the communication and community-centered perspective she has developed through her coursework in the UNC School of Education.

09/09/2026

Congratulations to faculty member Matthew L. Bernacki, Ph.D., who has been named a 2026 Fellow of the American Psychological Association’s Division 15, Educational Psychology! 🎊

Bernacki’s research examines how students learn, regulate their learning, and decide when and how to seek help. His work focuses on the roles of motivation and metacognition in student engagement and achievement, as well as how learning technologies and data-informed approaches can help educators better understand and support learners.

He also co-leads the School’s Center for Learning Analytics, where researchers develop practical applications of emerging technologies to address challenges in education. Read more about Bernacki’s research and his recognition as an APA Fellow.

Matthew L. Bernacki, Ph.D. — an associate professor at the UNC School of Education and leading scholar focused on self-regulated learning, motivation, metacognition, and learning analytics — has been named […]

09/07/2026

In a recent article from The Hechinger Report, Constance A. Lindsay, Ph.D., Kinnard “Kin” White Faculty Scholar in Education, whose research examines achievement gaps, noted that differences in how boys and girls are disciplined may contribute to patterns in grade retention.

According to Lindsay and contributing researchers, boys are more likely than girls to repeat a grade, though the reasons behind that gender gap remain unclear. The analysis also found racial disparities in retention, with Black boys held back at nearly three times the rate of white boys.

Discover more from The Hechinger Report about disparities in grade retention and what may be contributing to them. https://bit.ly/3VcgZnW

09/04/2026

Johna Speller came to the School with experience leading and working within nonprofit organizations. Through HOLD at UNC School of Education, she says she has developed new ways to understand how people and organizations work while becoming more confident navigating the challenges that come with leadership.

Speller, who is also a double major in political science with a minor in entrepreneurship, brought that learning to her capstone with Emancipate NC, where she researched how the Durham-based nonprofit could extend successful community initiatives to more communities across the state while working within the capacity of its small team. During the experience, she examined research on scaling and organizational capacity, considered how existing partnerships could support the organization’s work, and explored how data could inform decisions about adapting initiatives for different communities.

For Speller, the capstone enabled her to apply what she had learned in the classroom to a real organizational need while continuing to develop her skills as a leader. Hear more from Speller about her capstone experience and how she and her peers applied their learning through work with partner organizations. https://bit.ly/3T4C96S

09/02/2026

Your support today helps support tomorrow’s teachers! ️🩵📚

With a $100 gift to the Teacher Box Campaign, you can provide classroom supplies for a new UNC School of Education graduate entering their first year of teaching. Donate today to have your gift matched dollar-for-dollar! ️Donate here. https://unc.live/SOETeacherBox

Master of Arts in Teaching at UNC School of Education

09/01/2026

Summer may be nearing its end, but we’re still reflecting on the experiences that made this season meaningful for members of our School community. This summer, a group of recent Master of Arts in Teaching at UNC School of Education alumni spent five days in the mountains of Western North Carolina through a Maymester wilderness course offered in partnership with the North Carolina Outward Bound School. ⛰️☀️🌳🪨

Throughout the expedition, participants backpacked through mountainous terrain and hiked several miles each day while carrying their gear. They also took part in a half-day rock-climbing experience and worked together through challenges along the way. By experiencing experiential education from the learner’s perspective, participants considered how these approaches can help them create supportive, student-centered classrooms for young learners. To learn more about the UNC MAT Outward Bound Wilderness Course, visit https://unc.live/4iEl0ez

09/01/2026

Since its launch in 2022, Carolina Community Academy, an innovative K-2 lab school in Roxboro, North Carolina, has brought together UNC-Chapel Hill, Person County Schools, a range of Carolina schools […]

08/31/2026

Kara Hume, Ph.D., is collaborating with researchers at Queen's University Belfast to support more accessible and inclusive fitness spaces for people with disabilities.

The team has hosted co-design workshops with people who have lived experience with disabilities and exercise professionals, using their perspectives to inform resources for gym owners and staff. Their collaboration extended to Chapel Hill this summer, where Hume and Queen’s researcher Alexandra McDonnell co-led an inclusive “Power Hour” fitness class at CrossFit Chapel Hill.

Discover more from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill about how this partnership is helping shape resources for more inclusive gym environments. https://unc.live/4zG5pBr

Video Credit: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

08/28/2026

As excitement builds around 's connection to Ireland through football, Carolina and Dublin are also connected through education research.

Dorothy Espelage, Ph.D., William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Education and a leading researcher on bullying prevention and student well-being, and Dublin City University's James O'Higgins Norman have collaborated for nearly a decade. Their work has included leadership in the World Anti-Bullying Forum and research that helped inform a new UNESCO definition of bullying as schools respond to changing student experiences and online environments.

Their partnership also supports emerging scholars through opportunities such as Espelage's recent master class for doctoral students in Dublin.

Explore more from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill about how this international collaboration is shaping research and informing policy and practice.

UNC School of Education professor Dorothy Espelage works with Irish counterpart James O’Higgins Norman to make an impact in schools.