SAN ANTONIO — It’s become the destination spot for education researchers, drawing in graduate students, newly minted Ph.D.s and a cast of well-known scholars who, despite their acclaim, spend six days deeply engaged in discussions about the direction of the field.
One attendee called the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) a family reunion where she doles out hugs and kisses to her colleagues that she only gets to see about once a year.
Now in its 98th year, the gathering of these scholars provide a unique opportunity for discussions centered on educational opportunity, access and equity, and the need for more interdisciplinary and cross-cutting research between education and other fields.
A litany of other panels focused on the need to connect educational, social and public policies to system challenges that result in problems such as incarceration, homelessness, and health and education disparities.
Unlike many other scholarly associations, AERA has put social justice at the forefront of its agenda. Even the theme of this year’s conference, “Knowledge to Action: Achieving the Promise of Equal Educational Opportunity,” is an effort to push researchers to offer solutions that can be acted upon by policymakers.
That kind of focus is aligned with the work of Renee L. Garraway, an assistant principal in Maryland who is also a doctoral student in educational leadership at Bowie State University.
“It has been an awesome opportunity just to be here,” said Garraway, whose research focuses on providing culturally responsive educational opportunities for students with special needs. “All of the presenters have been approachable and knowledgeable and several have even offered some mentoring.”
