Message from the Chair

Welcome to the Department of Learning and Instruction (LAI) at the University at Buffalo's Graduate School of Education.

In LAI, we are united by a shared commitment to understanding and improving teaching, learning, and educational opportunity across diverse contexts and communities. We embrace an expansive view of teaching and learning, examining how people learn across the lifespan – from early childhood through adulthood – and across formal and informal settings, including schools, universities, community organizations, workplaces, and digital environments. Our faculty, students, and partners engage in scholarship and practice that address some of the most pressing challenges facing educators, learners, and communities today.

Our department is home to nationally and internationally recognized scholars whose work advances knowledge in literacy and reading instruction, language education and multilingualism, learning sciences, STEM education, social studies education, teacher education, educational technology, instructional improvement, and educational change. Across these areas, we are committed to advancing knowledge that deepens understanding of teaching and learning while informing educational practice, policy, and improvement efforts.

This commitment is reflected in our academic programs. We offer master's and doctoral degrees, advanced graduate certificates, and teacher preparation pathways designed to prepare educators, researchers, and leaders for meaningful professional impact. Students work closely with faculty and staff advisors to design programs of study that reflect their interests and aspirations while drawing on the breadth of expertise found across the department.

A defining feature of LAI is the collaborative inquiry that takes place across classrooms, schools, communities, and research settings. Through centers, laboratories, schools, and community partnerships, our students engage in authentic inquiry and hands-on learning experiences that bridge theory and practice. Whether working alongside faculty on funded research projects, participating in teacher preparation and residency experiences, or collaborating with community organizations, students become active contributors to educational innovation and improvement.

As both a faculty member and chair, I am endlessly inspired by the talent, creativity, care and commitment of the LAI community. Our students arrive with diverse experiences and aspirations, yet they share a common desire to make a difference through education. We are proud to support them as scholars, educators, researchers, and leaders.

I invite you to explore our programs, learn more about our faculty and research, and discover the many opportunities available within LAI. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.

Sincerely,

Erin Kearney, PhD
Chair and Professor
Department of Learning and Instruction
Graduate School of Education
University at Buffalo