My research interests have emerged from ongoing experiences as a civic educator in formal and informal political and educative spaces and institutions.
I currently examine how civic education policy produces citizens. I draw from work in political science (policy feedback, political behavior + socialization) and education (civic + democratic education, curriculum theory) to argue the content and pedagogy of traditional and formal civics courses activate the citizenship of privileged youth and burden that of historically marginalized young people. In-progress papers related to this project rely on qualitative (focus groups, interviews) and quantitative (surveys, RCTs) methods informed by community-engaged approaches that center youth voice.
Ongoing and future projects include:
- the political role of teachers as policy implementers (“street-level bureaucrats”)
- the impact of youth engagement as poll workers on civic participation
- community feedback to improve civic tech related to school choice policy
- teacher disclosure and open classroom climates
Research + Writing
Peer Reviewed
Conrad, J., Schiera, A. J., & Dym, A. (2024). Decentering teacher voice - And stance? Teacher candidates’ explicit and implicit disclosure in social studies discussions. Teaching and Teacher Education, 146, 104637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104637
Maddox, S., Dym, A., Andrezjewski, M., Kikut, A., Wan, C., Davidson, J. (2023). Developing Mutually Beneficial University-Community Partnerships: Graduate and Undergraduate Students Reflect on their Community-Engaged Projects. Universities and Community Schools, 11(1), 2-11.
Under Review
Dym, A. (in process – R&R). “Learning to Vote: Education and Political Participation in the United States.” Political Studies Review.
In Development
Dym. A., Conard, J., Schiera, A. J. (in process). “Hidden Politics: Implicit Disclosure Challenges Typical Conceptions of Open Classroom Climate.”
Dym, A. (in process). “Democratizing Civics: Youth Participatory Action Research and Project-Based Learning for Renewed Civic Education”.
Dym, A. (in process). “Know Local: Reconceptualizing Civic Education for Epistemic Justice”.
Dym, A. (in process). “Localizing Political Knowledge: Testing Civics Curricula for Political Competence”.
Kaul, M., Comstock, M., Dym, A. (in process). “License to teach: Coalition formation and policy learning in North Carolina teacher licensure reform, 2021-2022”.
Policy and Public Work
Quinn, T., & Dym, A. 2022. “The Teen Vote is Powerful. Here’s How to Harness it in Pennsylvania.” The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved from https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/teen-voters-2022-pennsylvania-midterm-elections-20220413.html
Finney, J.E., Dym, A., Williams, B., Granville, P., Napier, A. “College Opportunity at Risk: An Assessment of the States.” Institute for Research on Higher Education, University of Pennsylvania.