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Kirshner, Ben

Professor

Positions

Research Areas research areas

Research

research overview

  • Ben Kirshner works collaboratively with educators, community organizers, and students to design and study learning environments that support youth development, activism, and political participation. He co-leads two research groups: Transformative Student Voice and the Research Hub for Youth Organizing. With Transformative Student Voice he develops research-practice partnerships that increase the capacity of public schools to support student voice and social justice leadership (www.transformativestudentvoice.net). With the Research Hub he co-designs educational tools and research studies with youth organizing groups and networks that build capacity for young people to influence policy and public narratives (https://www.colorado.edu/education-research-hub/). Ben’s book, Youth Activism in an Era of Education Inequality, received the social policy award from the Society for Research on Adolescence.

keywords

  • Youth Civic Engagement, Urban Education, Ethnographic Research, Youth Development, Participatory Action Research, Informal Learning Environments, Community-Based Research

Publications

selected publications

Teaching

courses taught

  • EDUC 4112 - Educational Psychology and Adolescent Development
    Secondary Instructor - Fall 2018
    Examines current theory and research about adolescent learning and development and explore implications for secondary teaching. Topics include human diversity as a resource for learning, adversity and agency, connecting instruction to students' everyday lives, and the role of belonging and relationships in positive youth development. This course is appropriate for masters degree students. Same as PSYC 4114 and EDUC 5112.
  • EDUC 4500 - Community-Based Research for Social Change
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2023
    Complete a research project that draws on theories of social change and is developed in partnership with a community or civic agency. Become skilled at doing original research to address complex social problems.
  • EDUC 6328 - Advanced Child Growth and Educational Development
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2023
    Introduces students to recent theoretical and research advances in the study of children and adolescent's cognitive, social and emotional development, with an emphasis on implications for learning in and out of school.
  • EDUC 8358 - Seminar: Human Learning
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2018
    Intensive study of selected topics in human learning.The focus of the seminar will vary depending on the instructor's expertise and students' interest. Recent topics include sociocultural and social practice theories, STEM learning in and out of school. Repeatable for credit up to 6 total credit hours. Recommended prerequisite: EDUC 6318 or EDUC 8210 or instructor consent.
  • EDUC 8359 - Critical Introduction to Learning Theory and Practice, Part 2
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2022 / Spring 2024
    This course builds on content central to Part 1 of Critical Introduction to Learning Theory and Practice, which explores historical and contemporary perspectives in the learning sciences. Special attention is paid to theory and practice which is currently at the leading edge of research and development in the learning sciences, while attending to their roots. This course addresses multiple epistemologies and ways of knowing, including global perspectives and critical theories such as feminist, indigenous, and queer approaches. The course also examines how learning theories can inform transformation of practice toward justice and equity.
  • EDUC 8730 - Advanced Qualitative Data Analysis
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2019
    Requires students begin semester with qualitative data already collected (from class project, pilot study, dissertation). Instructors present diverse methods of analyzing data and writing about interpretations. Instructors customize part of course to address specific topic of expertise, e.g., discourse analysis, video analysis, textual analysis, ethnographic analysis. May be repeated up to 12 total credit hours.
  • INVS 2919 - Renewing Democracy in Communities and Schools
    Secondary Instructor - Fall 2018
    Examines concepts of activism, citizenship, democracy, power, and diversity through classroom discussions and participation in a local K-12 school's Public Achievement project. Through community-based partnerships, students will develop leadership skills; dialogue with diverse groups of people; identify multiple perspectives around controversial issues; and learn to use research and writing to articulate public problems and advocate for their solutions. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Same as EDUC 2919.
  • INVS 3302 - Facilitating Peaceful Community Change
    Secondary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Fall 2019
    Students gain knowledge and skills that enable them to become effective agents of community change. Focuses on understanding the processes of community building with a multicultural emphasis. Students are encouraged to apply their own life experiences and to examine themselves as potential change agents. Same as WGST 3302.
  • INVS 3931 - The Community Leadership Internship, Part 1
    Secondary Instructor - Fall 2018
    Develops students' competencies as community leaders working for a just and sustainable world. Under the supervision of an instructor and a community supervisor, students learn organizational leadership skills by serving as volunteer staff members at community-based organizations. Required requisite, admission into INVST CLP. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours.
  • INVS 4402 - Nonviolent Social Movements
    Secondary Instructor - Fall 2018
    Explores theories of democracy and development in relation to movements for nonviolent social change. Focuses on means and ends, spirituality, leadership, decision-making, civil society, cooperative economics, ecology and decentralized powers.
  • LEAD 4000 - Leadership in Context and Emerging Challenges: A Capstone
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Fall 2022
    Integrates leadership topics and experiences students pursued through the Leadership Studies Minor. Using advanced critical thinking skills, the seminar requires students to evidence their knowledge, competencies and skills related to leadership theory and practice through examining contemporary leadership challenges. Further, the seminar directs students to justify decision-making processes, demonstrating their ability to synthesize prior knowledge to effect desirable, ethical outcomes.
  • PSYC 4114 - Educational Psychology and Adolescent Development
    Secondary Instructor - Fall 2018
    Examines current theory and research about adolescent learning and development and explore implications for secondary teaching. Topics include human diversity as a resource for learning, adversity and agency, connecting instruction to students' everyday lives, and the role of belonging and relationships in positive youth development. This course is appropriate for masters degree students. Same as EDUC 4112 and EDUC 5112.
  • WGST 3302 - Facilitating Peaceful Community Change
    Secondary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Fall 2019
    Students gain knowledge and skills that enable them to become effective agents of community change. Focuses on understanding the processes of community building with a multicultural emphasis. Students are encouraged to apply their own life experiences and to examine themselves as potential change agents. Same as INVS 3302.

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