Cassie Scharber

Cassie Scharber serves as Associate Professor of Learning Technologies and Director of the L+T Collaborative at the University of Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development, Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Holding the prestigious Bonnie Westby Huebner Chair in Education and Technology, she is a community-engaged scholar dedicated to challenging systemic educational inequalities rooted in gendered, racist, and classist histories of U.S. schooling.

Her educational foundation includes a PhD in Learning Technologies and Literacy Education from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Scharber's research critically examines K-12 computer science education, technology integration, online teaching methodologies, and critical digital literacies through interpretive case studies and research-practice partnerships. She actively investigates how narrow conceptions of literacy perpetuate educational disparities while developing equitable technology integration models.

Analysis of her 2016-2021 publications reveals consistent focus on justice-oriented computing education, pandemic-driven distance learning transitions, and gender equity in educational technology. Key thematic threads include supporting girls in STEM through programs like SciGirls Code, examining sociocultural dimensions of digital literacy, and exposing systemic barriers for female scholars in academic publishing.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Bonnie Westby Huebner Chair in Education and Technology

Dr. Scharber leads significant grant-funded initiatives including:

• DataX: Exploring Justice-Oriented Data Science with Secondary School Students (2021-2023, Co-PI)
• SciGirls Code: National connected learning model for middle school girls' computing (2015-2018, Co-PI)
• Bright Stars: Technology-mediated urban youth learning programs (2015-2019, PI)

She directs the L+T Collaborative research-practice partnership and actively contributes to CSforAll-MN, advancing statewide equitable computer science education policies and opportunities for all K-12 students in Minnesota.