Maria Loyd
| Grant Category: | Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research Program |
| Project Title: | Evaluating India’s Innovative Educational Shifts |
| Field of Study: | Education |
| Home Institution: | Vel Phillips Memorial High School, Madison, WI |
| Host Institution: | University of Delhi, Madurai, Delhi |
| Grant Start Month: | September 2023 |
| Duration of Grant: | Four months |
Brief Bio:
Ms. Maria Loyd teaches English at Vel Phillips Memorial High School in Madison, Wisconsin, where she has taught mostly juniors and seniors for six years. There, she has served as a teacher leader, leading teachers in both her department and school in anti-racist educational practices and policies. She has also worked on curriculum development and has piloted a course focused on experiential learning. Her work in educational equity and innovative teaching and learning has helped Ms. Loyd to see that the connection between these two fields is natural and necessary: innovative instructional approaches, such as experiential learning, are key to addressing disparities in education. This ignited Ms. Loyd’s keen interest in studying new approaches to teaching and learning that can have a positive impact on the most marginalized communities around the globe. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in social, historical, and philosophical foundations of education from Florida State University.
Ms. Loyd’s Fulbright inquiry project is exploring innovative teaching methods in India, focusing specifically on how these new approaches are undertaken and what effect they are having on changing educational outcomes. Her research is attempting to support the creation of a framework to aid teachers in implementing innovative educational approaches. This framework will include standards, model curricula, and an evaluation component – all vital entities that can have a direct impact on learning.