The Learning and Engaging at a Distance (LEAD) Initiative

The (LEAD) Initiative is a 3-year mixed methods research study of Trauma-Informed Online Teaching (TIOT) practices in asynchronous online undergraduate courses at an HBCU. Beginning in 2023, this project is funded by a US Dept of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences Early Career grant.

  • Today's college students have an increased likelihood of exposure to traumatic events, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Many trauma-affected students struggle to engage in traditional school activities, direct their effort and motivation, authentically participate in classroom discussions, and persist to graduation. To support trauma-effected college students, faculty are encouraged to adopt trauma-informed teaching practices. The LEAD Initiative explores how an evidence-based models of Trauma-Informed Online Teaching (TIOT) may benefit students taking online classes at HBCUs as measured by student outcomes and perceptions. This project will answer the following questions:

    1. How do TIOT practices relate to student outcome variables among HBCU undergraduates?

    2. How does that relationship differ for students with higher or lower levels of self-directed effort, if at all?

    See full project description here: https://ies.ed.gov/ncer/projects/grant.asp?ProgID=2117&year=2023&grantid=5874

    • Byrne, V. L., Mondrey, M., Folami, A. O., Moeyaert, M., & Licata-Hoang, C. (2025). Presenting a valid and reliable measure of trauma-informed online teaching for undergraduate asynchronous online courses. Paper to be presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA) Conference, Denver, CO.

    • Mondrey, M., Byrne, V. L., & Folami, A. O. (April 2025). Trauma-informed practices: Priorities for asynchronous courses from HBCU faculty and students. Paper to be presented at the American Education Research Association (AERA) Conference, Denver, CO.

    • Byrne, V., Folami, A., & Mondrey, M. (2024). Exploring how HBCU Faculty & Students implement Trauma-Informed Online Teaching Practices. Paper to be presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) conference, Virtual.

    • Byrne, V. L. & Hollingsworth, J. (2024). A model for trauma-informed online teaching in higher education. In R. A. González & Ş. Orakcı (Eds.) Innovation and Educational Technology Trends in Higher Education. Information Age Publishing (IAP).

    • Byrne, V. L., Mondrey, M., Folami, A. O., & Licata-Hoang, C. (January 2025 – Cancelled). Exploring trauma-informed teaching practices in online asynchronous courses: A review of pilot study results. Presentation accepted at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Annual Principal Investigators Meeting, Arlington, VA.

    • Byrne, V. L., Folami, A. O., & Mondrey, M. (2024). Exploring how HBCU Faculty & Students implement Trauma-Informed Online Teaching Practices. Paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) conference, Virtual.

    • Byrne, V. L. & Hollingsworth, J. (2023). Posing a model for trauma-informed online teaching in higher education. Presented at American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) 2023 Academic Affairs Summer Meeting. Baltimore, MD.

    • IES Blog: Spotlight on FY 2023 Early Career Development Grant Awardees: Supporting HBCU Students with Trauma Informed Online Teaching

    • CBS Interview: Morgan State University Researchers are studying the impact of trauma on student success

    • Morgan State Press Release: U.S. Department of Education Awards Morgan State University $400K Research Grant to Study Trauma Impacts On Student Performance, Success

  • Our team is based at the School of Education & Urban Studies at Morgan State University

    PI: Virginia Byrne, Associate Professor of Higher Education

    Project Manager: Christine Licata-Hoang

    Graduate Research Assistants: Michelle Mondrey & Ade Folami