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Department of Psychology

Jackie Cerda-Smith

Assistant Professor
Psychology
Office
DEG Degarmo Hall 458
Office Hours
Wednesdays 3-4 pm
Office Phone
(309) 438-4554office
phone
Email
jmcerda@ilstu.eduemail
Website
www.tinyurl.com/cerda-smithwebsite
  • About
  • Education
  • Research

Biography

I grew up in central Ohio, then spent 10 years living in North Carolina where I earned a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from NC State University.

Current Courses

302.001Adolescent Development

290.032Special Projects: Research Apprenticeship

Teaching Interests & Areas

As a former high school teacher (7 years) and National Board Certified Teacher, I have a passion for teaching. I love getting to know students and helping them connect with course and each other. My classes are designed to build transferrable skills and knowledge while fostering a welcoming and inclusive class environment.

Research Interests & Areas

I value the lived experiences of students and educators, which is why my interdisciplinary (developmental and educational) research is grounded in community-engaged approaches.
My research aims to understand and promote critical consciousness development, which involves peoples' understanding of systemic oppression and their action to dismantle it. I am especially interested in how schools can foster critical consciousness in students and adults. I also work closely with high school Psychology teachers to design and implement the Ready Through Research program. RTR pairs local research mentors with high school students to guide them in designing and conducting their own psychological research projects.

PhD Lifespan Development

North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC

BS Adolescent/Young Adult Social Studies Education

Miami University
Oxford, OH

Book, Chapter

Winter, K. & Cerda-Smith, J. (2023). How to get students “Ready Through Research”. In H. Scherschel & D. S. Rudmann (Eds.) Teaching tips: A compendium of conference presentations on teaching, 2022-23. (pp. 60-64). Society for the Teaching of Psychology. https://teachpsych.org/ebooks/teachingtips8

Journal Article

Cerda-Smith, J., Yust, P. K. S., Weeks, M. S., Asher, S. R., & Mulvey, K. L. (2024). A novel approach for evaluating a schoolwide antiracist curriculum intervention. AERA Open, 10, 23328584231223476. https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584231223476
Cerda-Smith, J., Yust, P.K.S, & Mulvey, K.L. (2024) Longitudinal associations between critical consciousness, school racial climate, and belonging in school. Applied Developmental Science, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2024.2345361.
Cerda-Smith, J., Joy, A., Mathews, C., Knox, J., & Mulvey, K.L. (2023). STEM‐related outcomes for adolescents with differing perceptions of school racial climate: A latent class analysis. Science Education, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21784
Cerda-Smith, J., Gönültaş, S., & Mulvey, K. L. (2022). Adolescent peer aggression judgments and expected bystander intervention in teen dating violence. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2022.101389