In April, members of the MLRC team gathered in Denver, Colorado, to attend the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, themed “Research, Remedy, and Repair: Toward Just Education Renewal.” As always, AERA proved to be a vibrant, intellectually rich experience that deepened our dedication to equity-focused research and practice in education—building on our commitment to multilingual learners.
The conference provided a powerful space for reflection and reconnection. For many of us, it was an opportunity to recommit to the vital work we do on behalf of students and educators around the globe. We attended sessions led by leading scholars, reconnected with colleagues, and engaged in thoughtful conversations around research-practice partnerships, translanguaging, and the role of simulations in teacher education. We noted a deep, shared commitment among participants to close the persistent divide between research and practice, with many sessions highlighting creative strategies rooted in each unique context.
A pivotal session commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Lau v. Nichols decision both highlighted the evolution of policies and practices for multilingual learners and inspired education researchers to continue to engage in studies that inform equitable policies. For those studying teaching and learning, presentations covered co-teaching models, teacher preparation and professional development, and assessment. Conversations around leveraging innovative technologies to enhance teaching quality for multilingual learners connected directly to our work on mixed reality simulations with pre-service teachers.
Spending time together in person energized us both individually and as a larger team. We work across time zones and geographies, and coming together in person allowed us to celebrate, ideate, and plan strategically for the future. For some of us it was the first time we had ever met in person, and we used our time to do those things that just don’t work as well on Zoom, including an early morning hike and long meals spent sharing ideas and new learnings.
From examining the intersections of local and global challenges to exploring emerging educational technologies, our time at AERA reaffirmed the importance of staying adaptable, connected, and purposeful in our work. We return from Denver inspired, reenergized, and ready to continue our efforts toward just and inclusive education for multilingual learners everywhere.
— The MLRC Team
MLRC Presentations at AERA 2025
- Mariana Castro, MLRC Co-Director presented Toward a Just Science Education for Multilingual Learners: Learning to Assign Competence through Mixed-Reality Simulations, as host of the panel: Advancing Equity in Science Education Research: Research, Remedies, and Pathways to Renewal.
- Mariana Castro also presented “Designing AI Support for Translanguaging in Classrooms: Where Theory and Practices Do and Don’t Align” as part of the panel: Transforming Classroom Spaces Through Translanguaging.
- Lisa Velarde, Teaching Faculty at the University of Wisconsin and MLRC Partner, presented “Navigating Challenges: Teacher Experiences in High School Dual Language Immersion Programs”, as part of the panel: Advancing Equity in Science Education Research: Research, Remedies, and Pathways to Renewal. She also presented “Why not both? Balancing Equitable Approaches to Multilingual Education for Linguistically Minoritized Students”, as part of the panel: Equity in Bi-/Multilingual Education Research and Dual Language Programs.
- Jon Nordmeyer, MLRC Co-Director and Esther Bettney Heidt, MLRC Researcher, presented their poster Enhancing Research Use in Research-Practice Partnerships Based Across the Globe, as part of the panel: Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Research Use in Research-Practice Partnerships.
