Propel Research Lab

The Propel Lab focuses on the use of evidence-based practices in everyday activities and routines to assist families, schools, and communities. Our aim is to maximize wellbeing and support development through a systems approach to bring meaningful and lasting change.

Heather’s research collaborators

Our research team comprises many exceptional graduate research assistants, school leaders, consultants, and researchers across universities, such as George Mason University, George Washington University, University of Florida, Auburn University, Newport News University, Coastal Carolina University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Texas A&M, and disciplines such as educational psychology, methodology, and early childhood, special education, and early intervention (and many more). We work through Propel Research Lab and partner with other labs around the country.

Projects

  • Purpose

    We know that educators’ health and wellbeing directly impact the developmental outcomes of the children they teach. Typically, educators do not get a say in how wellbeing is defined in school settings and what occupational wellbeing means to them. Understanding what resources educators (at all levels) need to advocate for their needs is critical for the stability and quality of the workforce.

    The purpose of our studies is to use multi-layered and systems approaches (the dual-factor model of mental health, job demands, and resource and self-determination frameworks) to understand the psychological wellbeing of adults who educate children. We are also in the process of developing new measures to target the unique population of teachers.

    Current Research Projects

    • Teacher Wellbeing During COVID-19 (Heather L. Walter and Hallie B. Fox) (closed); please see the open-access articles for the findings.

    • Teacher Wellbeing and Burnout Measurement Scale Development (Tim Pressley, David T. Marshall, and Heather L. Walter). 

    • Teacher Candidate Preparation and Wellbeing in Special Education (Christan Coogle, Heather L Walter, and Lisa Tullo). 

    • Enhancing Leadership Skills within Course Instruction via Teacher Wellbeing Strategies with Teacher Candidates (Heather L Walter)

    • Clifton Fellows Strengths Coaching Course, Center for the Advancement of Wellbeing, George Mason University (Alli Wienstien, and Heather L. Walter, Research and Evaluation)

  • Purpose

    Mixed methods research (MMR) is a research approach that combines both qualitative, and quantitative data collection and analysis methods within a single study through a process called integration. MMR aims to gain a more comprehensive understanding of a phenomenon by leveraging the strengths of each approach and sitting with the tensions of each methodology to understand more complex educational challenges.

    The purpose of our work is to evaluate the quality, completeness, accuracy, and consistency of research and report findings that can support advancing interdisciplinary fields forward.

    Current Research Projects

    Mixed Methods and Dialectical Pluralism, (Heather L Walter)

    Mixed Methods and Integration, (Heather L Walter)

    Mixed Methods and Single Case Design (Heather L Walter & Christan Coogle)

  • The Ukraine Project is built around a partnership between Saxons for Others and the PROPEL Lab and focuses on the care, housing, and education of a group of children who were evacuated from eastern Ukraine and who are now living at the Mriya School in Lviv.

    Click here to learn more about our exciting partnership with Ukraine!

  • Please see Heather’s academic profile for more information about peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations, and grant funding.

Check out Propel Lab on Instagram to follow along: @propel_lab