Hi, I'm Ela Joshi.
I am an experienced education researcher based in New Jersey. I have a decade of experience in the education field, ranging from conducting education research and managing research teams to teaching and advocacy.

I study education leadership as well as programs designed to improve the educational experiences of students from historically underserved backgrounds. I am especially curious about how people interact within and with educational organizations. 

My research interests include:
  • School leadership 
  • K-12 program evaluation
  • Scale and sustainability 
  • Innovative schooling models
  • ​Computational thinking

Education

2020 | Ph.D.

Education Leadership & Policy Studies

2014 | M.Ed.

Elementary Education

2012 | B.A.

Philosophy with dual minors in Economics and Digital Communication

Publications

I have published journal articles and policy briefs on topics including:
  • equitable access to schooling for students from socially significant populations
  • teacher leadership
  • use of innovative pedagogies in postsecondary education

​Feel free to peruse my writing using the links below:

Values

I infuse heart and mind into everything I do.

01

Center Students

Students are at the center of my work, whether it is in teaching, recruiting teachers, or researching programs and practices to improve students' access to exceptional education. I aim to support students to lead their own educational journeys.

02

Think in Systems

​Educational institutions are complex, requiring an understanding of their structures and resources, as well as the social dynamics that make them tick. Whether organizing a classroom or examining policies, I focus on systems from top to bottom.

03

Spread Joy

I believe learning and working should be joyous and exciting. I strive to bring joy to my students, colleagues, and clients each day through all of our interactions, whether virtual or in person.

Toolbox

​I am a mixed-methods researcher. I have expertise collecting and analyzing the following types of data:

Administrative Data

Interviews

Surveys

Focus Groups

Assessments

Observations

Some of my research over the last 7+ years includes...

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Teaching and Learning with Open Educational Resources in partnership with Achieving the Dream and with funding from the Hewlett Foundation

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Evaluation of Computational Literacy Across Secondary Settings (CLASS) Program with support from a Teaching Quality Partnership grant

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Evaluation of the Barr Foundation's Engage New England Initiative with support from the Barr Foundation
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The National Center for Scaling Up Effective Schools with funding from the Institute of Education Sciences

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Policies for Action Research Hub - Better Supporting the Needs of Children in Tennessee with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

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Leveraging Evidence to Accelerate Recovery Nationwide (LEARN) Network Study with support from the Institute of Education Sciences
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Tennessee Postsecondary Evaluation Analysis Research Lab with support from the Smith Richardson Foundation

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Evaluation of the Math and Computational Thinking through 3D Making (MPACT) Program with support from an Education Innovation and Research grant

Say Hello!
I love connecting with new people! Feel free to drop me a line on LinkedIn.