Research Spotlight: Shaunté Duggins

Q & A with Shaunté Duggins, Ph. D., Director of State Initiatives for the UF Lastinger Center for Learning

What research are you currently working on?

I am currently working on measuring the impact of the New Worlds Reading Initiative on children and their caregivers. In particular, I am seeking to understand the impact of the patented Kibeam Wand™, a proprietary, cutting-edge product designed to support children’s book reading using screen-less technology.

What is the broader impact of your research?

Overall, exploring the impact and experiences of children and families enrolled in the New Worlds Reading Initiative will provide insights into how the program can be enhanced to support literacy learning. Additionally, data collected from the experiences and engagement of families with a Kibeam Wand will help us better understand the potential benefits of leveraging screen-less technology to scaffold striving readers’ engagement and interactions with text.

What other research topics are you interested in?

The goal of the New Worlds Reading Initiative is to foster ongoing, positive connections among families, schools, and communities around a shared mission: ensuring that all children learn to read and are supported in developing a lifelong love of reading. New Worlds Reading partners with the community, educators, and caregivers to strengthen children’s language interactions and bolster literacy skills. As this program develops, additional research activities will be explored to understand the efficacy.