Jennifer Johnston

Deborah Rowe Vanderbilt and Metro Nashville Public Schools have collaborated on an Early Reading First project among preschool children in Nashville schools that has yielded “spectacular” results in a preliminary study, according to project leaders. “The big picture is that high quality language and literacy instruction in pre-K can make… Read More

A 2009 Lift Off camper blows bubbles. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Fain, Middle Tennessee YMCA) Swimming lessons. Imaginary trips into outer space. Cooking lessons. Camping out under paper stars. What do these activities have to do with getting ready for kindergarten? Woven into each of these activities are critical… Read More

A group of Vanderbilt researchers analyzed the role of the brain chemical dopamine in impulsivity to discover more precisely what makes some people more susceptible to rash behavior. Read More

The adult brain has more plasticity than previously thought The human brain never stops adapting to its environment in a constant quest to formulate what the mind perceives based on what the eyes see, according to findings from a research team that includes two Vanderbilt neuroscientists. The article,… Read More

The new Master’s in Teaching and Learning in Urban Schools program, a partnership between Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of education and human development and Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, launches Monday, July 26. Read More

Thomas Smith Identifying and developing a process for transferring key elements that make some high schools in large urban districts more effective at improving outcomes for low-income and minority students, as well as English language learners, is the focus of a new national center at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. Read More

Ellen Goldring New research based on preliminary data in a pilot study has found no significant difference in achievement gains on standardized math tests between students in charter schools and those in traditional public schools. The findings have spurred the collection of additional data for continued analysis. Read More

Improving math instruction for elementary and middle school children experiencing problems with fractions is the focus of a $10 million grant from the Institute of Education Sciences, a research branch of the U.S. Department of Education.  Among the collaborators in the new Center on Improving Mathematics Instruction for Students… Read More

John Braxton, professor of higher education John M. Braxton, professor of education at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College for education and human development, is the 10th most cited individual in higher education research, according to a recent study published in Research in Higher Education. Only a small number… Read More

Fizzy's Lunch Lab--an interactive Web series with cartoon characters acting out funny stories to emphasize the importance of good nutrition, a balanced diet and physical activity--has been nominated for a Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award. And there's a Vanderbilt connection. Read More

Terrorist threats such as the failed bombing attempt in Times Square inevitably lead to calls for increased surveillance. Yet, instead of preventing threats, heightened security measures can widen divisions among people and lead to hidden social sorting, according to a new book by a Peabody College professor. Read More