Education
- Ph.D. 2020 – University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Educational Psychology
- B.A 2011 – University of Notre Dame, Psychology
Areas of Expertise
- Quantitative methods
- Psychometrics
- Educational measurement
- R
Background
Dr. Nickodem’s goal is to improve the methodological rigor of education research with a focus on quantitative methods. Accomplishing this goal takes a variety of forms. One form is developing tools, including R packages and resource guides, to assist researchers when creating or evaluating educational and psychological assessments. High-quality study design and analytic plans can be undermined in the presence of poor measurement. Another form is participation on research projects centered on promoting positive youth development and equity in educational settings. These have included randomized controlled trials investigating the impact of student programs and teacher professional development to reduce sexual violence, bullying, and suicide. A third form is providing consultations to faculty and graduate students on topics ranging from study design (e.g., randomization, propensity scores) and data analysis approaches (e.g., multilevel and latent growth modeling) to reproducibility through project documentation and statistical programming. A final form includes collaborating with schools and educational organizations to assist with organizing data collection and management systems to efficiently transform raw data into information tailored for specific audiences and purposes.