Dr. Hiller A. Spires is a Distinguished Graduate Professor of Literacy and Technology in NC State University’s College of
Education. She received her Ph.D. in literacy education from the University of South Carolina. Dr. Spires served as the founding director of The William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation from 2002-2006 and currently serves as FI Senior Research Fellow. Her research focuses on the effects of digital literacies on learning, including emerging literacies associated with gaming environments, and on inquiry-based disciplinary literacy for middle and high school teachers and students. Her publications have appeared in the Journal of Educational Psychology, Cognition & Instruction, Journal of Educational Computing Research, Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, Literacy Research & Instruction, Computers and Education, and Journal of Research in Technology Education.Dr. Spires led the development of the New Literacies & Global Learning graduate program and co-directs the Friday Institute’s New Literacies Collaborative (www.newlit.org). For her ongoing work with teachers in China, Dr. Spires received the Jackson Rigney International Service Award in 2011 from NC State University for her work with teachers in China.
David Schwenker is the principal at Wake STEM since June of 2014 after two years as the principal at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School: Center for Leadership and Technology, a National Magnet School of Excellence. While at Raleigh Magnet High School, David was awarded the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America Outstanding Administrator Principal Award. Prior to his high school experience, David served as principal at Carnage Gifted and Talented AG Basics Middle School and Hunter Gifted and Talented AG Basics Magnet Elementary School, both of which earned National Magnet Schools of Excellence Awards. David completed his undergraduate work in elementary teaching at Houghton College in New York, his master’s degree in educational administration at North Carolina State University, and his superintendent’s certification from East Carolina University.
Dr. Paola Sztajn is the Associate Dean for Research and Innovation and the Former Department Head in the Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences. She teaches mathematics methods courses for prospective and practicing teachers. Dr. Paola Sztajn research program focuses on practicing elementary teachers' mathematics knowledge and professional development. The overarching question that guides Paola's research agenda is: in which ways do practicing elementary mathematics teachers acquire and continue to develop the knowledge needed to teach all students high quality mathematics? She is interested in collaborative studies that allow multi-faceted, in-depth investigations of this complex question.
Glenn Kleiman is the Executive Director of the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and a Professor at the NC State University College of Education. A cognitive psychologist by background (Ph.D., Stanford, 1977), his work in education has spanned basic and applied research, curriculum development, software development, providing professional development for teachers and administrators, policy analyses, and consulting for school districts and state departments of education. Currently, Dr. Kleiman leads the Friday Institute’s Computer Science for All and Massive Online Open Courses for Educators (MOOC-Ed) initiatives. Previously, he led the development of the North Carolina Digital Learning Plan for K-12 Education, played a lead role in the development of the North Carolina Race to the Top proposal, and served as subcommittee chair for both Governor Perdue’s Education Transformation Commission and the North Carolina eLearning Commission. Prior to joining NC State University in 2007, Dr. Kleiman was Vice President and Senior Research Scientist at Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) in Newton MA, where he directed the Center for Online Professional Education and was Co-Director of the Northeast and Islands Regional Education Lab. He was also on the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Education from 1995-2007 and was education chair of the Harvard/EDC Leadership and the New Technologies Institutes.
Dr. Elizabeth Miller is a pediatrician and adolescent medicine physician with over 30 years experience. She has focused on the medical care of university students for the past 17 years, most recently at NC State Student Health Services.
Rachel Kleiman is a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pursuing a Master’s of Science in the department of Environmental Science and Engineering. She is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Center on Financial Risk in Environmental Systems, where she is researching algal biofuel, an emerging renewable energy technology. In 2017, she studied abroad in Bangkok, Thailand, where she completed research on water management to mitigate water quality degradation that is published in the Environmental and Natural Resources Journal (ennrjournal.com). She is passionate about the intersection of environmental sustainability, economic development, and human rights and loves being outdoors.
Jeremy Kleiman
Education. She received her Ph.D. in literacy education from the University of South Carolina. Dr. Spires served as the founding director of The William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation from 2002-2006 and currently serves as FI Senior Research Fellow. Her research focuses on the effects of digital literacies on learning, including emerging literacies associated with gaming environments, and on inquiry-based disciplinary literacy for middle and high school teachers and students. Her publications have appeared in the Journal of Educational Psychology, Cognition & Instruction, Journal of Educational Computing Research, Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, Literacy Research & Instruction, Computers and Education, and Journal of Research in Technology Education.Dr. Spires led the development of the New Literacies & Global Learning graduate program and co-directs the Friday Institute’s New Literacies Collaborative (www.newlit.org). For her ongoing work with teachers in China, Dr. Spires received the Jackson Rigney International Service Award in 2011 from NC State University for her work with teachers in China.
David Schwenker is the principal at Wake STEM since June of 2014 after two years as the principal at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School: Center for Leadership and Technology, a National Magnet School of Excellence. While at Raleigh Magnet High School, David was awarded the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America Outstanding Administrator Principal Award. Prior to his high school experience, David served as principal at Carnage Gifted and Talented AG Basics Middle School and Hunter Gifted and Talented AG Basics Magnet Elementary School, both of which earned National Magnet Schools of Excellence Awards. David completed his undergraduate work in elementary teaching at Houghton College in New York, his master’s degree in educational administration at North Carolina State University, and his superintendent’s certification from East Carolina University.
Dr. Paola Sztajn is the Associate Dean for Research and Innovation and the Former Department Head in the Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences. She teaches mathematics methods courses for prospective and practicing teachers. Dr. Paola Sztajn research program focuses on practicing elementary teachers' mathematics knowledge and professional development. The overarching question that guides Paola's research agenda is: in which ways do practicing elementary mathematics teachers acquire and continue to develop the knowledge needed to teach all students high quality mathematics? She is interested in collaborative studies that allow multi-faceted, in-depth investigations of this complex question.
Glenn Kleiman is the Executive Director of the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and a Professor at the NC State University College of Education. A cognitive psychologist by background (Ph.D., Stanford, 1977), his work in education has spanned basic and applied research, curriculum development, software development, providing professional development for teachers and administrators, policy analyses, and consulting for school districts and state departments of education. Currently, Dr. Kleiman leads the Friday Institute’s Computer Science for All and Massive Online Open Courses for Educators (MOOC-Ed) initiatives. Previously, he led the development of the North Carolina Digital Learning Plan for K-12 Education, played a lead role in the development of the North Carolina Race to the Top proposal, and served as subcommittee chair for both Governor Perdue’s Education Transformation Commission and the North Carolina eLearning Commission. Prior to joining NC State University in 2007, Dr. Kleiman was Vice President and Senior Research Scientist at Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) in Newton MA, where he directed the Center for Online Professional Education and was Co-Director of the Northeast and Islands Regional Education Lab. He was also on the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Education from 1995-2007 and was education chair of the Harvard/EDC Leadership and the New Technologies Institutes.
Dr. Elizabeth Miller is a pediatrician and adolescent medicine physician with over 30 years experience. She has focused on the medical care of university students for the past 17 years, most recently at NC State Student Health Services.
Rachel Kleiman is a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pursuing a Master’s of Science in the department of Environmental Science and Engineering. She is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Center on Financial Risk in Environmental Systems, where she is researching algal biofuel, an emerging renewable energy technology. In 2017, she studied abroad in Bangkok, Thailand, where she completed research on water management to mitigate water quality degradation that is published in the Environmental and Natural Resources Journal (ennrjournal.com). She is passionate about the intersection of environmental sustainability, economic development, and human rights and loves being outdoors.
Jeremy Kleiman
