Research Interests
Adolescent Brain Development and Responsive Teaching
My research employs quantitative methods and is primarily situated within the framework of self-determination theory (SDT). SDT identifies three basic psychological needs (i.e. autonomy, competence, and relatedness) associated with enhanced engagement, school performance, and wellbeing (Deci & Ryan, 2000). I am extending work in SDT by examining how secondary educators can engage in need supportive teaching (NST, Stroet et al., 2013) and be responsive to adolescents' brain development in addition to their basic psychological needs. Integrating adolescent brain development with SDT and NST provides teachers insight into how to best meet their students’ needs and promote positive interactions at school, contributing to the establishment of educational environments in which students can meet their individual and academic potential. My work translating relevant findings from neuroscience to assist secondary educators with supporting their students’ cognitive, emotional, and psychological needs in the classroom also advances efforts to bridge the gap between research and practice.
Full Research Statement available upon request.
Publications and Presentations
Publication
Middle School Journal
Jansen, K. & Kiefer, S. M. (2020). Understanding brain development: Investing in young adolescents’ cognitive and social-emotional development. Middle School Journal, 51(4), 18-25.
Participant Idea Exchange (PIE)
NITOP January 2020
In January 2020, I attended the NITOP conference in Saint Petersburg, FL and facilitated a PIE entitled, Understanding Adolescent Brain Development: Implications for Developmentally Responsive Teaching and Supporting Students’ Potential in Middle and High School.
Manuscript In Preparation
High School Journal
Jansen, K., & Kiefer, S. M. (in preparation). Supporting adolescent brain development: Responsive teaching strategies for supporting cognitive and social-emotional development in high school.
Presentation at AERA
Washington, DC 2016
Kiefer, S. M., Just, M., & Jansen, K. (April 2016). Early adolescent peer crowd identification: Influences on academic engagement, peer classroom support, and school belonging. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Washington DC.
Presentation at NCSS
New Orleans 2015
Mead, S., & Jansen, K. (November 14, 2015). Problem-based psychology: Examining contemporary social issues and taking action, National Council for the Social Studies, New Orleans, LA.
Dissertation Study
Pre-Service Teachers' Knowledge of the Brain: Implications for Motivational Style
My dissertation has three main aims:
1) to explore the prevalence of neuromyths among pre-service teachers as well as their neuroscience literacy
2) to explore the prevalence of autonomy-supportive and controlling motivational styles among pre-service teachers; and
3) to explore associations between pre-service teachers’ knowledge of the brain and their motivational style.
Preliminary studies suggest many educators worldwide endorse particular misconceptions about the brain (i.e., neuromyths), such as the idea that students learn best when material is presented in a manner that aligns with their learning style preferences (e.g. visual, kinesthetic, auditory; Howard-Jones, 2014). Furthermore, there is evidence that even teachers who demonstrate strong neuroscience literacy are susceptible to neuromyths (Dekker et al, 2012). Developing a better understanding of which neuromyths are most common and how neuromyths relate to general knowledge of the brain may provide insight into how to best educate pre-service teachers about brain function and its role in supporting student learning and wellbeing.
