STEM Education

Loraine Glidewell's passion for rural education runs as deep as the Arkansas River

Ichigo Takikawa — Wed, 21 May 2025 20:04:27 +0000

Loraine Glidewell's passion for rural education runs as deep as the Arkansas River Ichigo Takikawa Wed, 05/21/2025 - 14:04 Maddie Rudolph

Before stepping into the world of academia, Loraine Glidewell was waist-deep in the waters of the San Luis Valley, sometimes literally. The photo of Glidewell proudly holding a trout on the Arkansas River says it all: “The level of stoke on my face is basically the same level of stoke I feel when I get to talk about rural education!”

“I originally worked with fish,” said Glidewell. “But I accidentally became a middle school science teacher—best accident ever.”

In Monte Vista, Colorado, Glidewell taught seventh grade, everything from chemistry to dance. But more than the subjects, it was the students and the landscape that shaped her. A snapshot from a field trip to the Great Sand Dunes shows a class of seventh graders learning about science under a sky wider than any classroom ceiling.

“I believe there is magic in rural schools,” said Glidewell. “I've seen it, felt it, experienced it and loved it. I miss it every day.”

The first in her family to graduate from high school and college, Glidewell never imagined pursuing a PhD. But her students sparked a new mission: to advocate for rural schools that are too often overlooked.

Now in the 91�� School of Education’s STEM Education program, Glidewell is working to ensure that the realities of rural teaching aren’t just known, they’re respected. That’s why she launched the Rural Breakfast Club, a space where future teachers gather at on Friday mornings to talk about rural education and eat donuts—reviving a tradition Glidewell used to do with her middle school students.

“I piloted a survey in 2023 here at 91�� to see what our pre-service teachers know and think about rural education,” said Glidewell. She was shocked to learn that they knew very little and didn’t think much about it.

“Given that nearly 85% of school districts in Colorado are rural, many of those districts experience severe and continual teacher shortages, and the intersectionality of some of these districts being in some of the highest poverty counties in Colorado and the United States...I felt like I had to do something.”

The breakfast club has since become a small but mighty community, diving into everything from social justice in rural contexts to dismantling stereotypes. Eventually, the group will create a product to promote rural education on campus.

Glidewell originally dreamed of running a field program—Teaching Science in the San Luis Valley—to bring pre-service teachers to rural schools to learn “what science education looks like when you have small class sizes, access to the outdoors and an environment where the school is the heart of the community.” But funding challenges shifted her plan. Instead of bringing students to the valley, she brought the valley to CU.

“It still makes my guts churn that I had to leave my students,” she said. “But I told myself I’m going to bring badass teachers back to them.”

Glidewell's work is personal, purposeful and packed with pride, just like the slides she prepares for class.

“I spend way too much time making them beautiful,” she said. “I know the content is more important than the appearance, but I can’t help myself. I'll spend way too much time on colors, pictures, finding the perfect gif...it's really inefficient, but it makes my heart happy.”

Glidewell will fight tooth and nail—and apparently eyeball—to seek joy and stand up for what she believes in. She once got a fishhook in her eyeball. Yes, really.

In between research, club meetings and dreaming big for rural kids. Glidewell finds joy in the little things.

Because for her, teaching isn’t just about the content, it’s about the community, connection and believing that even the most remote corners of Colorado are full of brilliance worth celebrating.

In her own words

Tell me a bit about yourself:

"I am a fourth-year PhD student in Teacher Education and STEM Education at 91��. That’s crazy to say, considering I was the first person in my family to go to college and even to graduate from high school. Before coming to CU, I lived in what some people describe to be “the middle of nowhere”- also known as the San Luis Valley, a magical rural place on the border of Colorado and New Mexico. I highly encourage you to road trip there. Maybe wrestle alligators at the Gator Farm, summit the 14er called Mt. Blanca, see the Sandhill crane migration, learn about the Sangre De Cristo National Heritage Area, or visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park like I used to do with my students. I originally worked with fish, but accidentally became a middle school science teacher. Best accident ever. I taught 7th-grade science along with a slew of other subjects, ranging from dance to chemistry. It was a privilege to teach the students of Monte Vista, and I think about them and miss them every single day. My students are the ones who inspired me to pursue a PhD and become an advocate for rural schools."

Tell me about the Rural Educator Breakfast Club!

"I believe there is magic in rural schools. I've seen it, felt it, experienced it, and loved it. I miss it every day. I piloted a survey in 2023 here at 91�� to see what our pre-service teachers know and think about rural education. I was shocked to learn that they knew very little and didn't think much about it. Given that nearly 85% of school districts in Colorado are rural, and many of those districts experience severe and continual teacher shortages, and the intersectionality of some of these districts being in some of the highest poverty counties in Colorado and the United States...I felt like I had to do something. Rural students, families, and communities deserve for these pre-service teachers to know they exist. My hope is that this club can create opportunities for pre-service teachers to come together to learn about rural education. To me, the fact that folks have shown up at 8 am on a Friday morning is amazing, and it honors rural places and people that are often left out of the conversation."

What’s something you’d want people to understand about your research?

"It was really hard to leave my students out in the San Luis Valley, to come here, I had to contribute to the teacher shortages in my area. This is something that still makes my guts churn when I think about it. But I told myself it was going to be okay because I was going to help bring badass teachers back to them. My original goal was to run a field experience called "Teaching Science in the San Luis Valley", where I'd bring a group of pre-service teachers out there to learn about what science education looks like when you have small class sizes, access to the outdoors, and an environment where the school is the heart of the community. But then a reality bomb got dropped on me....money. It turns out, as a doctoral student, the logistics and cost associated with bringing a group of CU students 4-5 hours away just were not feasible for my dissertation. So I had to get creative and instead think about how I could bring rural education to pre-service teachers. That led me to the breakfast club, something I actually used to do with my middle school students, where we got together in the morning, shared donuts, and built community. I rekindled this memory and retooled this idea to work for pre-service teachers, where we get together, still with donuts, but build community through having conversations about rural education. It's been a small but mighty club so far, and our conversations have been richer than I could have dreamed of. So far we have spent time blowing up stereotypes, discussing why rural education needs to be included in conversations around social justice, sharing ideas on how rural education could be incorporated into teacher education courses, exploring the challenges and benefits of teaching in rural schools, and we are going to end by creating some type of product that helps promote rural education to pre-service teachers here on campus. These conversations have been inspired and driven by club members' questions, which is really cool."

What’s your motto?

"Nothing, what's a motto with you! JK- Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

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Meet Sophie Friedman, citizen of the world turned STEM teacher

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 22:09:45 +0000

Meet Sophie Friedman, citizen of the world turned STEM teacher Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/24/2023 - 16:09

Sophie Friedman grew up a “citizen of the world,” living in places like Japan, England, and Germany with her military family, but it’s her experience as an undergraduate and graduate student at 91�� and in her student teaching classroom that have made the greatest impact on her next steps as a teacher.

Friedman has been an integral part of the CU STEM Education community as an undergraduate Learning Assistant, Learning Assistant Mentor, STEM Education Certificate recipient, and now graduate of the secondary science MA + licensure program, a program that allows students to earn their Master’s degree and teacher licensure in just one year.

As part of the first cohort of an intensive one-year program, Friedman student taught at Century Middle School. She provides high-quality instruction to middle grade students and teaching STEM for equity and justice. Her caring temperament and sense of humor is uniquely suited to ensuring that all students feel comfortable engaging in the hard work of knowledge construction. Friedman’s mentor teacher has raved about Friedman’s ability to plan and facilitate lessons aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and feels that her experience working with Friedman has helped improve her own practice. Now, Friedman has been name the program’s 2023 outstanding graduate.

Friedman has also been a leader in helping her peers navigate completing an master’s and teaching license at the same time. Not surprisingly, she has already been recruited for many professional opportunities, and the CU Teach faculty look forward to continuing supporting Sophie’s essential work inside and outside of the science classroom.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

Well... I am a military kid so I am from everywhere. The correct term is Third Culture Kid. I was born in Germany, then I lived in Florida, then I lived in Okinawa, Japan, then England, and then back to Okinawa, Japan. I have travelled to at least 30 different countries. I came to the education program because of CU Teach. I have been at CU now as both an undergrad in the Department Environmental Studies and now as a master's student with CU Teach's Master's plus Licensure in Secondary Science program."

What is one of the lessons from your time at 91�� that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

The greatest experience I have had at 91�� is the opportunity to have both a great undergrad/grad school experience and fantastic experience at my student teaching placement - Century Middle School. Being apart of both the 91�� and Century communities has made me feel so connected to my future peers but also my students. Without 91�� who knows where I would have student taught. Being at Century Middle School has provided me the opportunity to grow as a STEM teacher and learn what it means to be a teacher beyond the content. Alongside, my mentor teacher and leadership students we planned dances, trainings, a Lock-in, fundraisers, and so much more.”

What does graduating from 91�� represent for you and/or your community?

It is a huge step in becoming a better teacher. This is a job I have always looked towards and now I am even closer to accomplishing that job.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Not every one lesson you teach is going to be great, not everyday is going to be a breeze, but the day you see that lightbulb go off for a student is the day you know what you're doing means something.”

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

My passion to give students of all backgrounds the ability to learn. Not everyone learns in the same way and I want to give students the chance to prove to people that may have said 'on no, you can't do this' when in reality they just did not have the right learning support. I need to keep being flexible and adaptable to what students need and I need to be comfortable knowing that not every lesson is going to go according to plan.”

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Meet Nancy Hoang, computer science education pioneer in Vietnam and beyond

Anonymous — Mon, 02 May 2022 20:16:11 +0000

Meet Nancy Hoang, computer science education pioneer in Vietnam and beyond Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/02/2022 - 14:16

Originally from Vietnam, Nancy (Nga) Hoang pursued a Master’s of Education degree in order to bring about change to the education system in her country.

Hoang graduated from FTP University in Vietnam with a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering. In Vietnam, she was the first person to create computer science curricula and teach programming for children. She ran Kiddicode for two years and wanted to expand the model, but she had limited understanding of the teaching and learning methodology. Hoang decided to pursue a Master's in STEM Education in the 91�� School of Education because of the program's renown reputation and to "gain more knowledge in the education field and be ready to bring more impact to Vietnam's education as well as STEM global fields."

Education is not a trending major when students study aboard. However, there is no doubt about the huge impact of education on a country. I was a pioneer in Computer Science education in Vietnam. Now, I have more knowledge of the educational research-based. It will strengthen my work, and I can bring more impact to STEM education in Vietnam as well as in STEM global fields."

Hoang is a creative, enthusiastic, and passionate learner who strives for excellence in all that she does. Now, she’s been named 2022 Outstanding STEM Education Master’s Graduate. She views education as an important social lever for development and equity, which she argues is important in Vietnam to further their independence from a history of colonization. She is particularly interested in access to computational thinking.

In her role as a research assistant, Hoang generously adds her computer science, curriculum design, and technical expertise to inquiryHub, a research-practice partnership based at 91�� that’s engaged in research and development of materials, tools, and processes to promote equitable student learning of STEM.

As part of this research-practice partnership with Denver Public Schools, she supports the field testing of science materials. Hoang conducted multiple classroom observations and gathered video that is being used to support the design of professional development resources to support inquiryHub materials. These videos show teachers how to implement classroom routines and orchestrate discussions that are currently rare in science classrooms today, are difficult for teachers to learn, and are important for improving student outcomes in science.

Her deep passion for education theory and practice was reflected in her academic work and in her interactions with colleagues and instructors.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I'm from Vietnam. My background is in Computer Science (CS). However, since I was a university student, I realized the importance of CS education in developing students' thinking and a serious lack of quality computer science education for K-12, especially in Vietnam. I spent two years as a software developer to gain more experience as an actual software engineer, but I maintained my interest in computer science education. In 2015, I started teaching programming to kids. I was the first person in Vietnam to create CS curricula and teaching programming for children in Vietnam. My first coding classes for children in Vietnam received much support from parents and students. Thus, I decided to open my academy to expand CS education in Vietnam. That is why Kiddicode - Tech Academy For Young Learners was founded. I ran this academy for two years, from January 2017 to December 2018, under CEO and Education & Training Manager roles. This academy is the first to introduce CS education to thousands of students in Vietnam. It revolutionized STEM education in Vietnam, especially in rural areas. It helped educate parents and educators about the importance of CS education in developing computational thinking for children. It also helped Vietnam, from a non-CS education country to the top nation in CS in Asia. After two years of running Kiddicode, I want to expand this model, but I have a limited understanding of the teaching and learning methodology from research-based perspectives. Thus, I decided to stop my work in Vietnam and pursue a Master's program to gain more knowledge in the education field and be ready to bring more impact to Vietnam's education as well as STEM global fields. I chose 91�� because it is the No. 1 university in Colorado. School of Education also has a lot of interesting projects that advocate for modern STEM education.”

What is one of the lessons from your time at 91�� that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

Before taking part in the Master's program at 91��, my goals were to learn more about learning science and learning theory to lead my research in developing CS curricula. And now, I think that I have achieved that goal and even more than that. I build my research skill a lot through doing my Master's degree at 91��. I understand more about modern education frameworks and good teaching practices from research perspectives and have also seen them in real classrooms. I plan to apply for a Ph.D. program, so the experiences I gained at 91�� are a strong foundation for me to continue the next chapter of my life.”

What does graduating from 91�� represent for you and/or your community?

It means a lot to my community. Education is not a trending major when students study aboard. However, there is no doubt about the huge impact of education on a country. I was a pioneer in Computer Science education in Vietnam. Now, I have more knowledge of the educational research-based. It will strengthen my work, and I can bring more impact to STEM education in Vietnam as well as in STEM global fields.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Most of the time during my Master's program is during in COVID time. I did not have much time to enjoy the campus and connect with many friends and faculty. So, now that COVID time is gone, I hope incoming students will have more time to enjoy the campus, be active, make more connections, and get the best out of their time at 91��.”

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

My capstone project is about the gap between Computational Thinking (CT) and Computer Science (CS) education. I am passionate about this topic. My capstone project also opens more questions for me about this topic. For example, I want to know how to connect CT in CS classes to other disciplines or daily lives; how to assess CT skills effectively. Thus, I think I will continue to pursue an academic career to continue to investigate these questions and contribute more to CS education.”

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Meet Douglas Watkins, a Denver schools leader dedicated to research, STEM education

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 22:19:33 +0000

Meet Douglas Watkins, a Denver schools leader dedicated to research, STEM education Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 04/29/2022 - 16:19

Douglas Watkins already had a busy and fulfilling career and family life, when he enrolled in the master’s program in the 91�� School of Education to deepen his grounding in learning sciences. With a newly minted master's degree, Watkins hopes to inspire his young son.

Watkins is the secondary science curriculum coordinator with Denver Public Schools, and now the 2022 Outstanding Learning Sciences and Human Development Master’s Graduate.

Since coming to 91��, Watkins has pursued coursework across both the Learning Sciences and Human Development program and STEM education program area to deepen his understanding of learning theory and curriculum and assessment in science.

As an older graduate student, with a full life already and young son, making the time to fit school work in with my 'normal' job and family commitments was tough. So, for me personally, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I hope it means a lot for my son, too. I hope he is motivated to pursue advanced degrees in his life and can reflect back on how he saw me doing it so he knows he can do it, too."

He has continued to be a strong partner to 91��’s inquiryHub, a research-practice partnership between 91�� researchers and science education leaders that develops materials, tools, and processes to promote equitable student learning of STEM. Watkins is not just as a co-designer of curriculum and professional development but also a co-researcher for the inquiryHub.

As a student, he has contributed to two published manuscripts and one published on the partnership’s innovative assessment work, “Assessment to promote equity and epistemic justice: A use-case of a research-practice partnership in science education” in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science with Distinguished Professor Bill Penuel.

“Douglas always brings thoughtful questions and infectious enthusiasm to his work; he is most deserving of this award.”

In his own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada and moved to the Denver area after my son was born. I joined Denver Public Schools (DPS) as a teacher and then moved into an administrative position as a science curriculum specialist. After working for about a year within the Research Practice Partnership already in place between 91�� and DPS, I came to really appreciate what the research side of the partnership had to offer to help move the education system forward. It was that appreciation that prompted me to pursue coursework at 91��, specifically within the Learning Sciences program. Tammy Sumner, Katie VanHorne, and Bill Penuel were really instrumental in convincing me of the utility in such a pursuit.”

What is one of the lessons from your time at 91�� that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

Learning alongside and with Bill Penuel will always rank high. I'm incredibly fortunate to have had his mentorship and scholarly advice. But I think what has changed the way I see the world is the first course I took at 91��: Education and Sociolinguistics with Dr. Mileidis Gort. She opened my eyes to the ways language and languaging can and are used to influence cultures or disadvantage peoples and cultures. The reason I came back to school and pursued this degree was to support me with being better at my curriculum coordinator job in DPS. I think the impression Dr. Gort left on me, and my new appreciation for sociolinguistics, have helped me as much or more than anything else.”

What does graduating from 91�� represent for you and/or your community?

Graduating with a graduate degree from 91�� means a lot for me, personally, as it was a challenging time in my life to have gone back to school. As an older graduate student, with a full life already and young son, making the time to fit school work in with my 'normal' job and family commitments was tough. So, for me personally, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I hope it means a lot for my son, too. I hope he is motivated to pursue advanced degrees in his life and can reflect back on how he saw me doing it so he knows he can do it, too.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

My success in the graduate program came from two places: desire and support. For incoming students, I'd advise them to be sure they are motivated and passionate about what they are studying. If those aren't there, then I'd suggest changing studies. Additionally, I'd advise students to lean on their advisors if times get tough. I saw so many of my collegiate peers work with amazing advisors to figure out paths forward so many times over the four years it took me to complete this degree. 91�� advisor, especially in the SOE, are amazingly supportive.”

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

I was passionate about my work before coming back to school. I feel I'm super prepared to continue exploring the new research, as it is communicated, in order to keep doing the best I can within the DPS system.”

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Meet Will Lindsay, a teacher turned researcher looking to broaden STEM education

Anonymous — Mon, 03 May 2021 17:17:30 +0000

Meet Will Lindsay, a teacher turned researcher looking to broaden STEM education Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/03/2021 - 11:17

Will Lindsay comes from a long line of educators and 91�� alumni. Naturally, he followed in the footsteps of his family members and became a high school science teacher in Colorado Springs and later Denver after graduating from Colorado College. He loved teaching, but he could not shake the desire to change science education at the system level, which led him to doctoral studies in STEM education in the 91�� School of Education.

I am motivated by the potentially millions of students and educators whose experiences learning science may improve with free access to research-based instructional materials that promote equity, empowerment, interest, and students figuring out scientific knowledge for themselves."

“As a classroom teacher, I became frustrated with a lack of systemic support for the implementation of research-based science instruction, especially in schools serving students from historically minoritized groups,” he said.

“I decided to enter a PhD program to learn more about supporting wide-scale science education reform. 91�� was the only program I applied to, and I was thankfully matched with a program and advisor that always promoted my interests and personal growth.”

Lindsay’s advisor, Valerie Otero, an accomplished researcher and professor of STEM education, said that working with Lindsay and growing together has been a highlight of her career.

Lindsay is known as a consummate teacher educator, who creates empowering learning environments, where students learn to advocate for themselves using evidence and consensus rather than appealing solely to the textbook and teacher for answers. His impressive work with teacher candidates is one of the many reasons he was selected for the Outstanding Graduate Award for Teaching by the School of Education faculty.

His humanistic approach to teaching also shows up in his research on institutional change, where he rejects traditional notions of success and failure in education reform and repositions reform into a realistic, ongoing, and human experience.

Lindsay applied these perspectives to his work with Otero and the Learning Assistant (LA) Program, for undergraduate students who use research-validated teaching and pedagogical techniques to facilitate student discussions and active engagement in STEM courses. Recognizing the particularly significant need to build community following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lindsay established a program for returning Learning Assistants and hosted biweekly professional learning sessions. The program was such a success that it will continue after he graduates.

Lindsay’s family of educators has always been supportive, and they are proud to see him become the first in his extended family to earn doctoral degree. He is grateful that his grandmother, a former educator, was able to take part in his dissertation before she passed away recently.

“She was able to read my dissertation and attend my defense, which I know was a great source of pride for both of us,” he said.

Lindsay grew up in 91��, so his experience has been a homecoming. Every member of his immediate family has a degree from 91��, and that means he has “finally joined the herd,” he said.

Following graduation, Lindsay will continue his work at 91�� as a Research Associate for the Institute of Cognitive Science, where he and a team of teachers, administrators, and researchers are developing a high school science curriculum that will be adopted by over 20 states and made freely available to all educators — a dream come true for this teacher turned researcher.

“I am motivated by the potentially millions of students and educators whose experiences learning science may improve with free access to research-based instructional materials that promote equity, empowerment, interest, and students figuring out scientific knowledge for themselves,” he said.

Will’s advice for students

Do not forget the passion that made you apply to your program in the first place, and make sure that passion continues to be reflected in your studies and work. For me, that meant teaching as much as possible while I was a PhD student, even though some academics suggested that I needed to prioritize research and writing.”

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