Ashlyn Pierson

Ashlyn Pierson is an assistant professor of STEM education. She earned her Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education, specializing in Math & Science Education and Learning Sciences & Learning Environment Design. Her research merges theory and practice by using design studies to explore the interplay between disciplinary STEM practices (such as scientific modeling and computer programming) and students’ everyday practices and diverse linguistic resources. Ashlyn’s research is grounded in her experiences as a high school math and middle school science teacher in Nashville public schools. 

• Ph.D., Math and Science Education, Learning Sciences and Learning Environment Design, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 2020

• M.Ed., Instructional Practice, Lipscomb University, Nashville, Tennessee, 2014

• B.A., Environmental Sciences and Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, 2012

• Access and Equity
  • Personally meaningful science practices
  • Students' linguistic resources and practices
  • Students' practices for asking and answering questions in science
  • Translanguaging in science classrooms
• Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Educational/Instructional Technology
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• Equity
• Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
  • Computational thinking
  • Computer science and programming
  • Ecology
  • Environmental science
  • Life science
  • Science teaching and learning
  • Scientific modeling
  • Scientific practices
• Learning Technologies
• Science Teacher Education
  • Making space for students' sensemaking
  • Teachers' work with representations in science classrooms
  • Teaching practices for supporting science learning and equity
• Second Language Learning
• Secondary Education and Teaching

I am currently working on the Equitable Science Sensemaking Project. Please see our website for updates: u.osu.edu/esse