Rate My Professor Lena Lee

Lena Lee is Professor and Coordinator of Primary Education in the Department of Teaching, Curriculum, and Educational Inquiry, College of Education, Health, and Society at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She also serves as a Faculty Associate in the CHDLT at the Human Development, Learning and Technology Center and the Doris Bergen Center for Human Development, Learning and Technology. Lee holds a Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education with a focus on Curriculum Studies and an M.S. in Educational Psychology from Indiana University, Bloomington; a DEA in Women's Studies from Paris VIII University, Saint-Denis, France; and an M.A. in French Literature and a B.A. in French Language and Literature from Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, Korea. Her scholarship centers on early childhood education, integrating digital media and technology to support learning among low-income, racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse young children aged 3-5; multicultural and diversity education in global contexts; brain development through play and environment; family cohesion and dysfunction; and health beliefs influencing vaccination and mental health among undergraduate and graduate students.

At Miami University, Lee directs the Low Income Preschool Enhancement (LIPE) project, funded by the PNC Foundation since 2014, which provides pre-service teachers with experiences working with diverse preschoolers via digital activities. She co-authored the book Enhancing Brain Development in Infants and Young Children: Strategies for Caregivers and Educators, published by Teachers College Press in 2020. Key publications include 'Measurement Equivalence Test on Family Cohesion Scale: Comparison Models for White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian College or University Students in the U.S.' (SAGE Open, 2024), 'Structural equation modeling for the effects of family dysfunctions and communication on perceived mental health status among under/graduate students in the U.S.' (PLOS ONE, 2024), 'Effects of Vaccine Literacy, Health Beliefs, and Flu Vaccination on Perceived Physical Health Status among Under/Graduate Students' (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023), and contributions to the International Journal of Early Childhood. Lee received tenure and promotion in 2018, a $6,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education (matched to $12,000 total) in 2024 to revise the Science of Reading curriculum, and Ohio Children's Foundation funding for the 2021-2023 Reggio Emilia Project-Based Learning initiative in low-income preschools, enhancing brain, language, and social skills through play-based methods. She hosts the podcast 'Unlock the Secrets of Early Brain Development,' discussing cognitive, social, and emotional growth strategies.