Dr. Kara Ieva
educator
Specialty:
school counseling, STEM, social-emotional learning, health, equity, professional development
Detailed information
It’s a massive effort. As a professor in the Rowan College of Education’s Department of Wellness and Inclusive Services in Education, Dr. Kara Ieva researches ways to support the academic, social, and emotional health and development of all students in higher education and kindergarten. , offers. 12 settings.
Ieva challenges educators to create systemic change at the intersection of mental health, education, and advocacy for inclusive change.
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated her research. “School counseling has always adapted to what is needed,” she said.
For example, as education changed to spotlight math and science, new requirements arose. “The profession was founded when schools recognized the need to support the social and emotional development of their students. We are constantly changing to adapt to what is happening in society. .”
Ieva participates in four related research collaborations addressing anti-racist counseling practices, group counseling, youth participatory action research in integrated school counseling, and STEM and virtual reality in post-secondary education. This research led to 19 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals, a groundbreaking book that transformed group counseling education, 3 book chapters, 30 presentations, and 6 awards. She has received nearly $2 million in grants to date. This includes research related to Rowan’s pre-college program, which supports first-generation students in STEM fields.
Ieva is focused on working with students and schools to see the systemic changes that result from her research.
“Our profession was built on so-called white, middle-class norms. Yet, our largest customers include a completely diverse group of people, including administrators, teachers, students, and parents. It’s one thing for people to get a degree. It’s another thing to have the ability to fight the system.
“It’s a parallel process: change training, change people, change systems, change outcomes.”
Rowan University researchers are passionate about their research. For more information, please see the researcher introduction.
