Dean Carlos Ayala
Carlos Cuauhtémoc Ayala is interim Dean of Education at Sonoma State University. He has taught courses on secondary science methods as well as courses of quantitative research methods at University of California at Davis. His current research focuses on understanding student science learning through formative assessment, and computer science simulations for learning and assessment. He has developed simulations to tap into middle school students' notions of forces and motion as well as developing High School Chemistry formative assessments using Minstrell's Diagnoser program. He currently serves as CoPI and PI on two NSF grants and is an advisor to multiple NSF formative assessment projects as well as serves on the NAEP Technology Literacy Planning Committee. He proposes "Assessment Pedagogies" as a model of formative assessment (Ayala and Brandon, 2008).
Dr. Ayala started his professional career as a fuel alcohol chemist with the United Energy Corporation. He then taught science and math in California Public schools for 10 years. He served as a school principal of a bilingual whole language elementary school. He completed his graduate work with Dr. Richard Shavelson at Stanford University in 2002. He believes that it is the role of teachers to keep the joy of learning alive for all children and that assessments can be used to bring out the genius in all students.