Vanderbilt University | Special Education

Dr. Andrew Chang

Expertise Education News Research Publications Teaching Service Skills Affiliations

Bridging Research and Practice in Literacy Education

My work focuses on improving literacy outcomes for students with diverse learning needs, including students with disabilities and multilingual learners, by studying language and literacy interventions, synthesizing evidence, and translating research findings into practical guidance for educators and schools.

5
Published Works
20
Presentations
6
Honors and Awards
4
Academic Teaching Roles
Dr. Andrew Chang

Dr. Andrew Chang

Ph.D. in Special Education | Quantitative Methods Minor

Department of Special Education
Vanderbilt University

Email Google Scholar ORCID Curriculum Vitae

Research Expertise

Language and literacy development
Reading instruction and intervention
Culturally and linguistically responsive literacy
Teacher preparation in literacy instruction
Evidence-based practices
Meta-analysis and research synthesis

Education and Academic Training

2022-2026

Ph.D.

Special Education, Vanderbilt University

Minor: Quantitative Methods | Advisor: Dr. Jeanne Wanzek

2020-2022

M.A.

Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota

Special Education | Advisor: Dr. Debbie Golos

2014-2020

B.A.

Education, Kookmin University

Joint Major: Morality and Ethics

Selected Honors

Melvyn I. Semmel Dissertation Research Award, Vanderbilt University (2026)
Taylor & Francis Award, Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (2025)
Robert Gaylord-Ross Award, Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University (2025)
Michael B. Salwen Scholarship, Korean-American Educational Researchers Association (2025)
Meta-Analysis Student Research Award, Council for Exceptional Children Division for Research (2025)
Peabody College Fellowship, Vanderbilt University (2022-2026)
In the News
Tech & Learning

Cross-Age Tutoring: Student Tutors Teach Others and Themselves

A feature article highlighting how cross-age tutoring can support younger students while also helping student tutors deepen their own learning.

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Research & Project Experience

Educational Research Institute for Dyslexia (ERID), Kookmin University

Research Assistant | 2015–2018 | Seoul, South Korea | PI: Dr. Yang

Research on dyslexia prevention, early literacy development, and phonics-based instruction, with a focus on identifying and supporting students with foundational reading and writing difficulties.

Wanzek Lab, Vanderbilt University

Research Assistant | 2022–2026 | Nashville, TN, USA | PI: Dr. Jeanne Wanzek

Research on the effectiveness of reading interventions for elementary students, including large-scale randomized controlled trials examining intervention intensity, implementation, and student outcomes.

Vanderbilt Implementation Research Lab (VIRL), Vanderbilt University

Research Assistant | 2024–2026 | Nashville, TN, USA | PI: Dr. Jason Chow

Research on meta-analysis and evidence synthesis to examine the effectiveness of educational interventions, with a focus on translating research findings into sustainable and scalable practices across diverse educational contexts.

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Featured Publications
Meta-analysis: Examining the academic effects of cross-age tutoring.
Chang, A., Mauer, E., Wanzek, J., Kim, S., Scammacca, N., & Swanson, E. (2025). Educational Psychology Review, 37(19), 1–20.
CEC Division for Research Award Robert Gaylord-Ross Award

Featured in Tech & Learning and Two Pint PLC Podcast.

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Five recommendations to implementing cross-age tutoring in reading.
Chang, A., & Mauer, E. (2024). The Reading Teacher, 78(2), 113–120.

Practitioner-focused article translating research into classroom practice.

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Teaching
Applied Meta-Analysis
Vanderbilt University
Co-instructor and Teaching Assistant | PhD-level
Teaching Reading to Students with Severe and Persistent Academic and Behavioral Difficulties
Vanderbilt University
Co-instructor | Master’s-level
Introduction to Educational Statistics
Kookmin University
Teaching Assistant | Undergraduate-level

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Service
  • President, Korean Researchers in Special Education (2025-2026)
  • Student Representative, KAERA (2024-2026)
  • DEIAJ Committee Member, DCD-CEC (2024-2026)
  • EDI Chair, SPED Graduate Student Association (2024-2025)
  • Public Relation Chair, Vanderbilt Korean Graduate Students & Scholars Association (2024-2025)

Skills

  • R, SPSS, SAS, Stata, Mplus, LISREL, JASP
  • NVivo, Trint
  • ASReviewer
  • Academic writing, data analysis, project management

Affiliations

ACE-DHH AERA CEC KAERA SREE SRSM