Sandy (Alexandra) Bell
Associate Professor
Section Head, Adult Learning Program

Dr. Sandy Bell is an Associate Professor and Section Head of the Adult Learning Program in the Neag School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership. She is particularly passionate about understanding non-conscious cognitive processes in learning and problem solving, how individuals perceive, interpret, and apply feedback, and optimal ways to facilitate adult learning in higher education and workplace settings. She is recognized as a pioneer in the application of adult learning principles to support the education and success of small-scale farmers. Sandy is a recipient of the Association of Continuing and Higher Education’s Marlowe Froke Award for Excellence in Professional Writing and the American Society for Training and Development’s Excellence in Research to Practice Award. When she is not working with students or conducting research, you can find Sandy pulling weeds in her vegetable garden, stuck in the mud on her mountain bike, or learning new tricks from her dogs Moxie and Pai.

•Ph.D. University of Connecticut, School of Education, 1994, Major: Adult and Vocational Education

•M.S. Boston University, Sargent College of Allied Health Professions, 1981, Major: Physical Therapy

•B.A. Colgate University, 1978, Major: Science, Minor: Education

« Full C.V. »

Contact Information: 

Gentry - TBA

Phone: (860) 486-0251
Fax: (860) 486-4028

Email: sandy.bell@uconn.edu

Office Hours:
Monday and Tuesday afternoon

Mailing Address:
Department of Educational Leadership
Neag School of Education
249 Glenbrook Road U-2093
Storrs, CT 06269-2093

Current Courses Taught:

EDLR 5201 Influences on Adult Learning

EDLR 5203 The Brain, Experience, and Adult Learning

EDLR 6000 Strategic Applications of Adult Learning Principles

EDLR 6050 Research Designs in Educational Leadership

EDLR 6051 Research Methods in Educational Leadership

Honors/Awards:

Association for Continuing Higher Education’s 2004 Marlowe Froke Outstanding Publication Award

American Society for Training and Development 2004 Excellence in Research-to-Practice Award

Associations/Committees/Outreach:

American Association of Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE)

Commission of Professors of Adult Education (CPAE)

Academy of Human Resources Development (AHRD)

Council For Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)

American Educational Research Association (AERA)

Areas of Expertise:

Adult Development

Adult Learning

Agriculture Education

Workplace Learning

Higher Education

Professional Development

Research Methodology

Funded Research:

Hooker, B. (Principle Investigator). Bell, A. A. (Senior Personnel). Nutrient management on organic vegetable farms: A research and education program for sustainable soil fertility management in Southern New England. Pending. USDA—Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.

Hanes, F. (Principle Investigator). Donnelly, J., Massa, N., Washburn, B., & Kehrhahn, M. (Co-Principle Investigators). Bell, A. A. (Senior Personnel). PHOTON 2: Web-based Collaborative Learning for Teachers--An Adaptation and Implementation Project in Photonics Engineering Technology. 9/2003-9/2006. National Science Foundation.

Bell, A. A. (Principal Investigator). Effective Farmer Education research project for Growing New Farmers: A Northeast Service Providers Consortium. 1/2002-1/2004. United States Department of Agriculture.

Bell, A. A., & Kehrhahn, M. (Principal Investigators). Assessment and Facilitation of Student Critical Thinking in Asynchronous Online Discussions. 9/2001 to 12/2002. State of Connecticut Teaching and Learning ENhanced by Technology (CT TALENT) Program.

Morris, T., Sheckley, B. G., & Bell, A. A. (Principal Investigators). Farmers Research Network. 9/2000 to 9/2001. United States Department of Agriculture and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Morris, T., Sheckley, B. G., & Bell, A. A. (Principal Investigators). Farmer-Run Research Organization for Southern New England. 9/2000 to 9/2003. United States Department of Agriculture.