Professor Brianna L. Kennedy
- Professor of Education (Pedagogy, Praxis & Faith)
telephone:
01413303487
email:
Brianna.Kennedy@glasgow.ac.uk
University of Glasgow, St. Andrew's Building, N404, 11 Eldon Street, Glasgow, G3 6NH
Biography
Brianna L. Kennedy is Professor of Education and Joint Director of the Centre for Transformative Change in Schools (CenTCS). Professor Kennedy came to academia after teaching middle school for the Los Angeles Unified School District in California, where she faced the daily challenge of meeting the needs of a mostly immigrant population of students who were not being well served by the policies, processes, and practices of schooling. She completed her PhD at the University of Southern California where she learned to rigorously examine how teachers could meet the needs of marginalized students. She then served on the faculties of the University of Florida and Utrecht University, where she prepared teachers, facilitated educators' engagement in improving professional practice, and taught in bachelor, master, and doctoral programs. Her personal website contains more information about her work.
Research interests
Professor Kennedy studies the marginalization and belonging of students from nondominant social backgrounds with a particular focus on educational and school policy and classroom teaching. As a former middle school teacher, she prioritizes the bridging of theory, research, and practice, and she investigates and develops appropriate inquiry approaches to do so. A growing strand of her research focuses on how educators understand, learn about, enact, and reflect upon marginalization and belonging in schools since educator learning is a key lever for transformative change in schools. Professor Kennedy has developed additional lines of research in qualitative inquiry and the scholarship of teaching and learning. In each of these lines of research, she prioritizes the reimagining and reworking of education and schooling toward social justice. You can learn more about her vision for the future of her research here.
Publications
2025
Brack, Kat and Kennedy, Brianna L. (2025) A’ cumail taic ri Tidsearan gus a dhol an sàs ann an Rannsachadh. Geàrr-phàipear Rannsachaidh. Documentation. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355134).
Brack, Kat and Kennedy, Brianna L. (2025) Supporting Teacher Engagement with Research. Research Brief. Documentation. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355132).
Kennedy, Brianna L. (2025) A’ dèanamh Cheanglaichean eadar Rannsachadh is Teagasg tro Chompàirteachasan Rannsachaidh is Teagaisg. Geàrr-phàipear Rannsachaidh. Documentation. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355112).
Kennedy, Brianna L. (2025) Connecting Research and Practice Through Research Practice Partnerships. Research Brief. Documentation. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355111).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Brack, Kat and Lowden, Kevin 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665
(2025)
Practitioner Enquiry as Professional Learning for Improving Teaching. Research Brief.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355130).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Brack, Kat and Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665
(2025)
Rannsachadh Luchd-cleachdaidh mar Ionnsachadh Proifeiseanta a bheir Piseach air Teagasg. Geàrr-phàipear Rannsachaidh.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355131).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665 and Brack, Kat
(2025)
An Introduction to the Centre for Teaching Excellence’s Research Briefs: Identifying, Selecting, Reading, and Synthesising Research. Research Brief.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355109).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665 and Brack, Kat
(2025)
Mìneachadh air Geàrr-phàipearan Rannsachaidh an Ionaid Shàr-mhathais ann an Teagasg: A’ comharrachadh, a’ taghadh, a’ leughadh agus a’ cur rannsachadh còmhla. Geàrr-phàipear Rannsachaidh.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355110).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Shannon, Lee and Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665
(2025)
Coimhearsnachdan Cleachdaidh a chumas Taic ri Tidsearan gus a dhol an sàs ann an Rannsachadh. Geàrr-phàipear Rannsachaidh.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355122).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Shannon, Lee and Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665
(2025)
Communities of Practice to Support Educator Engagement with Research. Research Brief.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355113).
2024
Kennedy, Brianna L., Çolak, F. Zehra, Kremer, Simone and Doornhof, Jan (2024) How past experiences of being a student from a racially nondominant background shape the practices of current teachers in Dutch schools. Teaching and Teacher Education, 148, 104684. (doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2024.104684)
Kennedy, Brianna L. and Murphy, Amy S. (2024) Frame Shifting for Teachers: Developing a Conscious Approach to Solving Persistent Teaching Dilemmas. Routledge. ISBN 9781032294896
2023
Kennedy, Brianna L. and Junker, Robin (2023) The evolution of “loaded moments” toward escalation or de-escalation in student–teacher interactions. Review of Educational Research, (doi: 10.3102/00346543231202509) (Early Online Publication)
Kennedy, Brianna L., Habraken, Merel and Melfor, Suzanne (2023) Assaults on belonging: how Dutch youth without ‘blue eyes, cheese, and clogs’ experience everyday racism in educational contexts. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 26(5), pp. 642-662. (doi: 10.1080/13613324.2023.2183514)
2022
Kennedy, Brianna L. and Lopez, Mark Preston (2022) Effectively teaching a single course in multicultural education to pre-service teachers. Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 2022(10), (doi: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.10.19)
Kennedy, Brianna L. and Dana, Nancy (2022) Taking teacher inquiry into higher education: a dialogue in four parts. College Teaching, 70(1), pp. 111-118. (doi: 10.1080/87567555.2021.1907528)
2021
Kennedy, Brianna L and Melfor, Suzanne (2021) Experiences of (not) belonging among higher education students from nondominant ethnic backgrounds. Education and Society, 39(2), pp. 69-91. (doi: 10.7459/es/39.2.05)
Kennedy, Brianna L. (2021) Explicit exclusion or effective exclusion? Defining a conceptual lens for inquiry into student marginalization across national boundaries. Teachers College Record, 2021, 23803.
Wansink, Bjorn, Akkerman, Sanne and Kennedy, Brianna L. (2021) How conflicting perspectives lead a history teacher to epistemic, epistemological, moral and temporal switching: a case study of teaching about the holocaust in the Netherlands. Intercultural Education, 32(4), pp. 430-445. (doi: 10.1080/14675986.2021.1889986)
Kennedy, Brianna L. and Moore, Hadass (2021) Grounded duoethnography: a dialogic method for the exploration of intuition through divergence and convergence. Forum: Qualitative Social Research = Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung, 22(2), 17. (doi: 10.17169/fqs-22.2.3668)
Articles
Kennedy, Brianna L., Çolak, F. Zehra, Kremer, Simone and Doornhof, Jan (2024) How past experiences of being a student from a racially nondominant background shape the practices of current teachers in Dutch schools. Teaching and Teacher Education, 148, 104684. (doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2024.104684)
Kennedy, Brianna L. and Junker, Robin (2023) The evolution of “loaded moments” toward escalation or de-escalation in student–teacher interactions. Review of Educational Research, (doi: 10.3102/00346543231202509) (Early Online Publication)
Kennedy, Brianna L., Habraken, Merel and Melfor, Suzanne (2023) Assaults on belonging: how Dutch youth without ‘blue eyes, cheese, and clogs’ experience everyday racism in educational contexts. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 26(5), pp. 642-662. (doi: 10.1080/13613324.2023.2183514)
Kennedy, Brianna L. and Lopez, Mark Preston (2022) Effectively teaching a single course in multicultural education to pre-service teachers. Teaching and Learning Inquiry, 2022(10), (doi: 10.20343/teachlearninqu.10.19)
Kennedy, Brianna L. and Dana, Nancy (2022) Taking teacher inquiry into higher education: a dialogue in four parts. College Teaching, 70(1), pp. 111-118. (doi: 10.1080/87567555.2021.1907528)
Kennedy, Brianna L and Melfor, Suzanne (2021) Experiences of (not) belonging among higher education students from nondominant ethnic backgrounds. Education and Society, 39(2), pp. 69-91. (doi: 10.7459/es/39.2.05)
Kennedy, Brianna L. (2021) Explicit exclusion or effective exclusion? Defining a conceptual lens for inquiry into student marginalization across national boundaries. Teachers College Record, 2021, 23803.
Wansink, Bjorn, Akkerman, Sanne and Kennedy, Brianna L. (2021) How conflicting perspectives lead a history teacher to epistemic, epistemological, moral and temporal switching: a case study of teaching about the holocaust in the Netherlands. Intercultural Education, 32(4), pp. 430-445. (doi: 10.1080/14675986.2021.1889986)
Kennedy, Brianna L. and Moore, Hadass (2021) Grounded duoethnography: a dialogic method for the exploration of intuition through divergence and convergence. Forum: Qualitative Social Research = Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung, 22(2), 17. (doi: 10.17169/fqs-22.2.3668)
Books
Kennedy, Brianna L. and Murphy, Amy S. (2024) Frame Shifting for Teachers: Developing a Conscious Approach to Solving Persistent Teaching Dilemmas. Routledge. ISBN 9781032294896
Research Reports or Papers
Brack, Kat and Kennedy, Brianna L. (2025) A’ cumail taic ri Tidsearan gus a dhol an sàs ann an Rannsachadh. Geàrr-phàipear Rannsachaidh. Documentation. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355134).
Brack, Kat and Kennedy, Brianna L. (2025) Supporting Teacher Engagement with Research. Research Brief. Documentation. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355132).
Kennedy, Brianna L. (2025) A’ dèanamh Cheanglaichean eadar Rannsachadh is Teagasg tro Chompàirteachasan Rannsachaidh is Teagaisg. Geàrr-phàipear Rannsachaidh. Documentation. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355112).
Kennedy, Brianna L. (2025) Connecting Research and Practice Through Research Practice Partnerships. Research Brief. Documentation. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow. (doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355111).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Brack, Kat and Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665
(2025)
Practitioner Enquiry as Professional Learning for Improving Teaching. Research Brief.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355130).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Brack, Kat and Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665
(2025)
Rannsachadh Luchd-cleachdaidh mar Ionnsachadh Proifeiseanta a bheir Piseach air Teagasg. Geàrr-phàipear Rannsachaidh.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355131).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665 and Brack, Kat
(2025)
An Introduction to the Centre for Teaching Excellence’s Research Briefs: Identifying, Selecting, Reading, and Synthesising Research. Research Brief.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355109).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665 and Brack, Kat
(2025)
Mìneachadh air Geàrr-phàipearan Rannsachaidh an Ionaid Shàr-mhathais ann an Teagasg: A’ comharrachadh, a’ taghadh, a’ leughadh agus a’ cur rannsachadh còmhla. Geàrr-phàipear Rannsachaidh.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355110).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Shannon, Lee and Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665
(2025)
Coimhearsnachdan Cleachdaidh a chumas Taic ri Tidsearan gus a dhol an sàs ann an Rannsachadh. Geàrr-phàipear Rannsachaidh.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355122).
Kennedy, Brianna L., Shannon, Lee and Lowden, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1678-0665
(2025)
Communities of Practice to Support Educator Engagement with Research. Research Brief.
Documentation.
Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Glasgow.
(doi: 10.36399/gla.pubs.355113).
Professional activities & recognition
Editorial boards
- 2023: Frontiers in Education: Associate Editor
- 2021: Urban Education
Professional & learned societies
- 2020: , International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement
- 2018: , World Educational Research Association
- 2005: , American Educational Research Association
- 1998: , Association for Middle Level Education
