Amogh Basavaraj

Motivation to pursue a graduate degree

Before starting a doctoral program, I managed the implementation of education programs in complex, challenging contexts. I encountered intellectual and ethical questions that required further study. I pursued a graduate degree in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at FSU, drawn by its amazing faculty, who explore similar questions in real-world contexts and make important and thoughtful contributions.

Importance and/or impact of research and work

I am studying the teaching and learning of literacy in resource-constrained contexts. My dissertation focuses on how early-grade teachers understand and negotiate their roles and responsibilities amid pressures to teach children to read. I seek to understand how teachers adapt

Career aspirations

Through the Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University, where I had a graduate research assistantship, I am proud to have contributed to several projects, including the Transforming Teacher Education project in Zambia. I had the opportunity to travel to Zambia, collaborate with colleagues to conduct action research, and publish an article on how parents and teachers approach transitioning their children's language of instruction from local languages to English. I am grateful to contribute to the scholarly literature on such topics.

Advice for anyone considering graduate school

Combine your passion with a viable career pathway. Think deeply about the kind of work you want to do, and stay open to possibilities in an ever-changing external environment.

Accomplishments during graduate career

Through the Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University, where I had a graduate research assistantship, I am proud to have contributed to several projects, including the Transforming Teacher Education project in Zambia. I had the opportunity to travel to Zambia, collaborate with colleagues to conduct action research, and publish an article on how parents and teachers approach transitioning their children's language of instruction from local languages to English. I am grateful to contribute to the scholarly literature on such topics.