Research Agenda

My scholarship is situated at the intersection of teacher preparation and digital literacies, meaning that I study (1) how to teach teachers to use technology in their classrooms and (2) how to develop teachers' digital literacy skills by integrating technology into professional learning. As a qualitative researcher who specializes in narrative analysis, my work typically addresses one of two audiences: (1) teacher preparation and professional development or (2) literacy teacher education.

Current Projects

Deepening Inquiry into Practice through Video-based Assessments

The research trajectory was undertaken in response to the pandemic and the newly virtual environments required for both K-12 education and preservice teacher preparation. As a follow-up to my Junior Faculty Fellows project, this research focused on how to use video-based instruction to teach modeling as a practice for literacy educators. In addition, we have followed a similar framing from the interactive readaloud research to investigate how to improve preservice teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge for phonics instruction through the use of technology enhanced lessons. The study is ongoing.
Published Papers:
  • Shedrow, S. & Stoetzel, L. (under review). Preservice teachers’ pedagogical knowledge of code-related reading instruction.
Related Presentations:
  • Shedrow, S. & Stoetzel, L. (2022). Preservice teachers’ pedagogical knowledge of code-related reading instruction. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting: San Diego, CA.
  • Stoetzel, L., & Shedrow, S. (in development). Modeling as a high leverage practice for teaching phonics.

Junior Faculty Fellows Program: Designing Interactive Readalouds for Digital Spaces

This project was selected for inclusion in the Junior Faculty Fellows Program run by the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning at Ferris State University. This study takes the form of an action research project by (1) addressing a current problem of practice in my teaching context, (2) using research from the field of literacy education to examine the issue, and (3) developing an action plan for implementation in literacy methods courses beginning as a pilot in Fall 2020. Following this initial research and pilot, and in collaboration with a second research site, we launched a qualitative research study to examine how preservice teachers developed pedagogical content knowledge through the design of virtual interactive readalouds.
Published Papers:
  • Stoetzel, L. & Shedrow, S. (2021). Interactive readalouds for the virtual classroom. The Reading Teacher, 74(6), 747-756.
  • ​Stoetzel, L. & Shedrow, S. (2021). Making the transition to virtual methods in literacy education: Reframing teacher education practices. Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning.
Related Presentations:
  • Stoetzel, L. & Shedrow, S. (2022). Refining literacy practices through iterative design: Interactive readalouds in virtual spaces. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting: San Diego, CA.
  • Shedrow, S., & Stoetzel, L. (2022). Fostering Interaction in Digital Readalouds. Wisconsin State Reading Association (WSRA) Annual Conference.
  • Stoetzel, L. & Shedrow, S. (2021). Promise and purpose at the heart of virtual interactive readalouds. The Educator Collaborative Spring Gathering (virtual).

Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices in Response to Literature: From Theory to Practice

Launched in collaboration with Dr. Andrea Kitomary and Dr. Amy Kavanaugh as a collaboration between the LEAD program and our literacy education courses, the purpose of this project is to intentionally prepare preservice teachers to use literature as a springboard for facilitating classroom conversations on race and social justice. Research calls for K-12 teachers to use culturally diverse texts in the classroom and
to interrogate issues of social justice (Koltz & Kersten-Parrish, 2019; Schmeichel, 2012). However, the COEHS Climate Survey (2018) revealed that 70% of students felt unprepared to engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the School of Education's accreditation review listed teacher preparation methods for working with culturally and linguistically diverse students as a central area for improvement. This year-long project allows FSU students to examine educational racial disparities and the role of social justice advocacy in education through implicit bias training, video analysis of high leverage instructional practices, and panel discussions with practicing teachers from diverse communities. Furthermore, this innovation bridges theory and practice by providing mentorship and experience leading discussions on social justice with special education, multilingual, urban, and rural students in collaboration with K-12 classrooms in Minnesota, Colorado, Florida, and Michigan. The research component of this project takes a qualitative case study approach to examine the impact of learning experiences on preservice teacher beliefs and practices (specifically related to implementing culturally responsive pedagogies). Learning artifacts collected throughout the project serve as central forms of data alongside participant interviews.  
Related Presentations

Past Projects

Online Professional Learning for Instructional Coaches 

This study explored a range of issues related to professional learning for K-12 coaches. In particular, papers address high leverage practices for online professional learning and the evolving nature of educator professional identities.
Published Papers
  • Stoetzel, L., Shedrow, S., & Taylor-Marshall, S. (under review). Growing coaching forward: Video analysis as a high leverage practice for instructional coach learning. 
  • Stoetzel, L. & Taylor-Marshall, S. (2022). Coaching for change: Redefining the concept of change within a practice-based coaching model. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education.
  • Stoetzel, L., & Shedrow, S. (2020). Coaching our coaches: How online learning can address the gap in preparing K-12 instructional coaches. Teaching and Teacher Education, 88.

Presented Papers
  • Stoetzel, L. & Shedrow, S. (2020). Growing coaching forward: Video analysis as a high leverage practice for instructional coach learning. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting: San Francisco, CA. (conference cancelled)
  • ​​​​Stoetzel, L., Shedrow, S., and Giles-Klinkner, B. (2018). Coaching our coaches: Online learning as a venue for professional development. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting: New York City, NY.

Writing as Representation(s) of Teacher Practice 

This dissertation study uses the lens of genre study and disciplinary writing to explore how preservice teachers engage in literacy practices throughout the course of their teacher education program. Special attention is given to how these practices contribute to shaping teacher identities and the impact of such writing when initiated and controlled on local (program-based) versus global (standardized performance assessments) levels.
Published Papers: 
  • Stoetzel, L. (2022). Writing as insiders: The contradictions of narrowed meanings with expanded expressions. In Jenlink, P. (Ed.),​ Examining Teacher Literacy in Preparation and Practice: Research-based Insight.
    Stoetzel, L. (2020). Representation(s) of practice: Literacy practices, genre, and the edTPA. In Jenlink, P. (Ed.), Teacher Preparation and Practice: Reconsideration of Assessment for Learning. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
​Presented Papers:
  • Stoetzel, L. (2019). Playing the game: A longitudinal look at writing to learn in preservice teacher education. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting: Toronto, Ontario.
  • Stoetzel, L. (2017). Writing as representation(s) of practice: Literacy practices, genre, and the edTPA. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting: San Antonio, TX.

Teachers' Play

This design-based research project focused on the collaborative experiences of literacy educators as they discussed, explored, and 'played' with technologies designed for literacy instruction. Findings speak to the tensions surrounding the role of teachers as consumers of educational innovations that limit their ownership and understandings related to the role of producer. While participants demonstrated critical dispositions for thinking about and teaching with technologies, their firsthand experiences were less likely to support their students to develop those same mindsets and skills as a result of the ways in which technologies were imposed within their classroom spaces.
Presented Papers:
  • ​Hassett, D. & Stoetzel, L. (2018). Professional play: The collaborative innovations of teachers. Literacy Research Association (LRA) Annual Conference: Indian Wells, CA.
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