@dawaterfield
Current Special Education Ph.D. candidate at the University of Virginia, former 3-6 SpEd teacher & K-8 Admin | artificial intelligence, tech, inclusion, equity, teacher prep/development, & policy in Special Ed
First publication of the year is a much needed update on using the #edtech instructional practice of Content Acquisition Podcasts (CAPs) to teach academic #vocabulary. In this article, we cover research-backed enhancements to the design and delivery of CAPs. doi.org/10.1177/1053...
Are you a doctoral student or candidate attending #CEC2026? Consider applying to our poster session! Submissions due by Friday, January 9th here: forms.gle/dfK1n9XimwaJ...
Was so happy to work with my friend Nate on this needed paper describing the effectiveness of an #edtech #intervention that has been used a lot in research & practice! #newpubalert #newpub #edresearch #caps #contentacquisitionpodcast #vocabulary #vocab journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Honored to be included in this list! Thanks so much, @edutopia.org! Grateful to my co-authors for conducting this study with me and for the work it’s pushed us to do.
Headed to #TED2025 in KC next week? Come see us!
Coming to TED? Come see the TED Policy Committee at our events! Thinking about joining the Policy Committee? Come to our meeting on Wednesday, 11/12 at 3pm in the Penn Valley room to see what we're up to! See you in KC 💚 #TED2025
Share your stories (written or recorded) here:
bit.ly/TED_IDEA50 #IDEA50 #IDEA #specialed #specialeducation #edadvocacy #disability
Are you a #specialeducation #teacher interested in #AI? Consider participating in my #dissertation - #study only a few spots left! Take the eligibility survey at bit.ly/3GaAvdx to see if you’re able (takes less than 5 min to complete!) #sped #spedteacher #disability #specialeducationteacher #school
Alt Text: Graphic with a green background and geometric designs features a megaphone in the lower left corner and text in a white speech bubble that reads: “URGENT CALL TO ACTION” IDEA Part D grantees: Urgent funding threats are emerging, especially for DEI-related projects and national TA centers — confirm your status and help us coordinate next steps. Join TED’s emergency Zoom meeting Monday 8/11 at 1PM ET to discuss what’s at stake and how we respond. At the bottom right is the logo of the Teacher Education Division (TED) of the Council for Exceptional Children.
Multiple trusted sources are reporting that #OSEP may be preparing to cancel hundreds of #IDEA Part D #grants. @ted-cec.bsky.social is hosting an urgent meeting Monday, 8/11 at 1PM ET to discuss the situation & next steps. Register to attend at the first link in our Linktree (in bio).
Flyer titled “Research Participants Needed!” The flyer invites experienced special education teachers in the U.S. to participate in a study about the perceived quality and usability of materials generated by artificial intelligence (AI) for use in special education settings. What? The study involves a survey, sharing instructional materials, participating in a Zoom focus group, and possibly attending a generative AI workshop. Participants will receive gift cards as compensation. Who? Eligible participants must: • Be experienced special education teachers in the U.S. • Hold a special education teaching license or certificate. • Currently or previously teach grades 5–8. • Be familiar with science standards. • Be at least 18 years old. How to Participate: Interested individuals are directed to fill out a survey at http://bit.ly/3GaAvdx and can email the Principal Investigator, Danielle Waterfield, at dla9ck@virginia.edu with questions. At the bottom, it lists the IRB: UVA School of Education and Human Development IRB-SBS Protocol #7623. The flyer is decorated with a gradient blue-to-orange background, icons of gears, a globe, and a cartoon illustration of a person using a laptop labeled “AI.”
Recruiting participants for my dissertation. Please share! Link to eligibility survey: bit.ly/3GaAvdx
Really enjoyed getting to speak on my recent article in this podcast episode! Give it a listen and read the open access special issue if you’d like.
New #pub with some great folks! Spoiler alert: #teachers who got our #multimedia #pd yielded better #student #outcomes for both students with and without #disabilities. Read here: journals.sagepub.com/eprint/HZZJW... #swd #vocabulary @mjkphd.bsky.social @rkunemund.bsky.social @jamietday.bsky.social
UVA SPED Ph.D. Students ➡️ UVA SPED Ph.D. Candidates ✨ Big congrats to my cohort since we all successfully defended our dissertation proposals in the last month. Suzanne, Nate, & Francis are some of the best humans & I’m so grateful for them! See you when we’ve finished our dissertations in ~9 mo.
I was grateful to co-author two of the papers in this issue! Access it here: openjournals.bsu.edu/JOSEP/issue/...
Alt text: A green and cream-toned illustrated flyer announces the 2025–2026 TED Policy Fellows program. At the top, bold text reads “25–26 TED Policy Fellows.” Below, a green speech bubble states “Apps due 6/1/25!” The flyer features a cartoon woman holding papers, with a text box next to her that reads: “Complete the prompts and upload your CV and advisor’s letter of recommendation in the Google Form.” Icons of a government building, shaking hands, and a clipboard appear nearby. At the bottom, it says “APPLY NOW” with a link: “linktr.ee/cec_ted_policy.”
Are you a TED member & doctoral #student (or do you know one) looking to get more involved in special education #policy and #advocacy? Consider applying to be a 2025-2026 TED Policy Fellow! Applications are due by midnight EST on 6/1/25. Link to the app can be found in our Linktree (in bio). #sped
Flyer for the “25–26 TED Policy Fellows Interest Meeting.” It invites individuals interested in becoming a TED Policy Fellow to learn about the fellowship from the 24–25 fellows and ask questions. The meeting is scheduled for May 12th, 2025, at 2 PM EST on Zoom. Registration is required, with the link provided in their Linktree. The flyer features an illustration of a person using a computer, which displays a screen with icons representing a speaker and audience. Social media handles @cec_ted_policy and @cec-ted-policy.bsky.social are listed at the top right. The design uses green tones and a clean, modern layout.
Are you a graduate student (or do you know one) looking to get more involved in special education advocacy? Consider applying to be a TED Policy Fellow! Current fellows are hosting an info session on Monday, 5/12/25 at 2pm EST. Registration link for the info session is in our Linktree (in bio).
Successfully defended my proposal this morning! I’m now a #PhDCandidate, moving forward with my #dissertation, & am in early stages of the #jobsearch. Celebrating with my two favorite guys tonight, & have a lot of gratitude for all who have supported me. Looking forward to the rest of this journey!
The TED Policy Committee’s webinar and workshop series, Advocacy in Action, will have our second session on Tuesday, 4/1 at 1:30pm EST. See the photo for our agenda and our wonderful line up of speakers. TED members, register here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order for dismantling the Department of Education. What does this mean for #specialeducation? What happens to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act? Watch and share this video to learn more. #IDEA #education #teacher #disability #school #ED
Our next Expert Q&A in our Job Search Series is next week on Wednesday, 3/26 at 8pm EST. We will be joined by the wonderful Dr. @ofudgec.bsky.social from UCF to chat about giving a job talk and participating in an on-campus interview. Join us on 3/26 via this Zoom link: ufl.zoom.us/j/5924242947...
Come see me this morning! #CEC2025
If you’re at CEC today come see my talk in the AI Data Blitz session from 2:15-3:15! Room 315. #CEC2025 #AI #IEP
Come see me and some other great folks from our Committee!
Are you ready for #CEC2025? Come hang out with us! Check the flyers below for our events. @tedcec.bsky.social
Happening tomorrow with Dr. Kait Brennan, @lmasonwms.bsky.social, @dawaterfield.bsky.social, & Alison Kearley. See you there, TED Members!
New pub alert - excited to share my first first author empirical paper is now published!!! We examined the #quality of #IEPgoals written by #sped #teachers with & without #ChatGPT, & also did teacher #interviews for thoughts on #AI: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/... #specialeducation #IEP #edtech
Join us in Baltimore - 2 weeks from today. This reception is open to anyone at #CEC2025!
Alt text: A promotional flyer for the “Advocacy in Action” Webinar & Workshop Series. The flyer has a light green background with bold black and green text. “Advocacy in Action” is prominently displayed at the top, followed by “Webinar & Workshop Series” in black text. Below, “Session 1: Getting Started” is written in green, and the date and time are listed as “Tuesday, March 4th at 1:30pm EST.” The flyer invites participants to a working session on Zoom to share and individualize advocacy resources. At the bottom, it credits the TED Policy Committee and includes social media handles: @cec_ted_policy and @cec-ted-policy.bksy.social. The right side of the flyer features an illustration of three people with a speech bubble containing a megaphone.
The TED Policy Committee is starting the new webinar and workshop series, Advocacy in Action, to foster community, share and build resources, and support education advocacy efforts! If you are a TED member, register for the first session on 3/4/25 at 1:30pm EST here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
A great resource that we will continue to update!!
What does the U.S. Department of Education NOT do? Set curriculum - that’s all up to state and local school districts. #education #edpolicy #usdoe #ed #commoncore
