The following University of California, Davis, faculty can address K-12 issues in education for members of the media.

Keep an eye on this and other current expert lists on the UC Davis news website. (“Expert Sources” are located approximately halfway down the page on the right). These resources will be updated regularly.

Transforming math education through computing

Harry Cheng, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UC Davis, in the College of Engineering, is director of the UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education and can speak about various forms of STEM education. Founded by Cheng in 2010, the center develops educational technologies and curriculum, and provides professional development for teachers to teach K-12 math with hands-on coding, robotics and making. C-STEM is now a UC-approved educational preparation program for undergraduate admission for all University of California campuses. Software, tools and textbooks of the C-STEM program are available for download from the center’s website. Contact: Harry Cheng, hhcheng@ucdavis.edu, 530-752-5020.

Technology in education

Cynthia Carter Ching, professor of learning and mind sciences and associate dean for academic programs and instruction at the UC Davis School of Education, can speak on the use of technology for learning and the connection between technology and identity for K-12 students. Her research has included a National Science Foundation-funded project to design a video game focused on youth personal health and wellbeing. Contact: Cynthia Carter Ching: ccching@ucdavis.edu, (530) 752-4427.

Teaching math

A former middle school math teacher, Rebecca Ambrose pursued a doctoral degree to gain a fresh perspective on the issues she observed in her classroom. Now a professor and the director of teacher education at the UC Davis School of Education, Ambrose researches how children solve mathematics problems and works with teachers to apply what she has learned about the informal strategies children employ to differentiate and improve instruction in math. She can speak on issues related to math instruction.Contact: Rebecca Ambrose, rcambrose@ucdavis.edu, (530) 754-4831.

K-12 history and social science

A former high school history and government teacher, Nancy McTygue is executive director of the California History-Social Science Project, a statewide network of history educators headquartered at UC Davis. She is one of the lead writers of the state’s History-Social Science Framework, a guide for K-12 teachers adopted by the California Department of Education in 2016. The framework details a four-pronged approach to classroom instruction: content, inquiry, literacy and citizenship. She taught in the Vacaville school district for 11 years. She writes and speaks often on K-12 issues, including this recent blog post “We Can Do Better: Lessons From Charlottesville.” Contact: Nancy McTygue, njmctygue@ucdavis.edu.

Stacey Greer is the director of the History Project at UC Davis, one of five local sites in the state for the California History-Social Science Project and part of the UC Davis Department of History, College of Letters and Science. The History Project at UC Davis provides professional learning for teachers in the greater Sacramento region by bringing together scholars and teachers to improve history-social science education. She directs customized professional learning for specific schools and districts, as well as school-year workshops and summer institutes that are open to all teachers. She can talk about continuing education for teachers. Contact: Stacey Greer, sbgreer@ucdavis.edu, 530-752-4286.