Nermeen Dashoush
Clinical Associate Professor
Dr. Nermeen Dashoush is a clinical associate professor at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Her work focuses on leveraging media and technology to expand access to high-quality STEM education for young learners. Her research examines how discourse between adults and children can enhance learning, elevate classroom quality, and extend STEM exploration into informal learning spaces.
Dr. Dashoush has helped create several award-winning educational apps and children’s television programs and has been part of two Emmy-nominated production teams. Her digital resources are used in thousands of classrooms across the country, and her apps have been downloaded over 10 million times worldwide. She also serves as a lead advisor for PBS KIDS, contributing to projects that promote computational thinking and representation in STEM.
Dr. Dashoush is the principal investigator on several grants, including a National Science Foundation (NSF) award focused on co-designing AI literacy and computational thinking experiences with families. Her current work explores how culturally relevant design can strengthen children’s STEM and AI literacy and foster inclusive, community-driven learning ecosystems.
Her journey in education began in New York City, where she worked as a public school teacher and developed after-school and summer STEM programs for young children. Before joining Boston University, she taught curriculum improvement and science education at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she mentored preservice and in-service teachers.
Recent News
- Screen Time That Teaches and Inspires
- Scholarly Accomplishments September 2025
- Dashoush on Digital Media Team that Receives Emmy Nod
- Empowering Learning Outside the Classroom
- BU Wheelock Clinical Faculty Promoted
- The Joy of Creative Problem-Solving
- Families Are Already Digitally Connected—and We Can’t Ignore This Opportunity
- An App That Bolsters Schools’ Lessons
- STEM Application Featured in Science Education Partnership
- Nermeen Dashoush Leads Team Nominated for Emmy
In the Media
- ‘A Big Deal’: Mass. Schools Developing Plans to Integrate AI in Curriculum
- Learning Through Screen Time
- How To Help Kids Focus And Pay Attention
Education
PhD, Science Education, Columbia University
MA, Curriculum and Teaching, Columbia University
MA, Middle Eastern Studies and Education, New York University
Courses
EC560: STEM and Inquiry-Based Learning
CT 526: Family & Community Engagement
EC560: Primary Practicum Seminar
ED480: Field Experiences in Education
EC605: Topics in Child Development and Education
Research
Caplan Foundation, Code- Switching in the Digital Age
National Science Foundation (NSF), AISL, MathScapes: Activating Public Spaces for Early Math Learning
Grant Writer and Research Support, Heising Simons Foundation, MathScapes
Giving Preschoolers the Language to Thrive: Classroom Conversation Supplement to the Jumpstart Curriculum, Initiative on Cities (IOC)
Selected Publications
Dashoush, N. (Jan, 2024). Leveraging technology for the well-being of children: Shaping the questions to ask. Early Childhood Innovation.
Dashoush, N. (2023, March). Ways to Nurture Interests That Inspire Kids to Explore Their Passions. PBS KIDS.
Dashoush, N. (2022). Embracing technology for differentiated instruction. The Gravely Group Blog.
Haber, A.S., Leech, K., Benton, D., Dashoush, N., & Corriveau, K. H. (2021). Questions and explanations in the classroom: Examining variation in early childhood teachers’ responses to children’s scientific questions. Early Childhood Research Quarterly.
Selected Presentations
Dashoush, N. (2023, November). Leveraging AI in Childhood Education: Fostering Computational Thinking in Informal Learning Environments. In AI and Education Symposium. Boston University Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering. Retrieved from https://www.bu.edu/hic/ai-and-education-symposium/
Bolden, N., Dashoush, N., Peth, D., Wolsky, M. (2023, September) Mistakes Required – Authenticity, Diversity and Computational Thinking. NETA conference.
Dashoush, N. & Folts, F., (2023, August). Transforming Classroom Talk: Exploring Effective Strategies for Teacher-Child Interactions. One Goal Conference.
Dashoush, N, Cain, B., & Lupa, M., (2023, May). Leveraging Strengths to Support Early Learning. World Forum on Early Care and Education in Panama City, Panama.
Dashoush, N., Castro, D., Curenton, S., Friedland, E., & Murphy, K. (2022, Nov.) Addressing Pressing Contemporary Issues of Equity and Diversity in Early Childhood. Featured Presentation at the NAEYC annual conference.
Dashoush, N. (2022, May). Educational Technology: Recognizing the benefits and updating our perspective. Presentation for Head Start via the Gravely Group.
Bien, A., Bryson J., Jimenez, L., & Dashoush, N. (2022, April). Reshaping Course Values & Voices to Align with Equity Goals: A Critical Mixed-Methods Review of Course Syllabi. Presentation for MACTE 2022
Dashoush, N. (2021, Dec). What We Count Counts: Contextualizing Mathematics through Science, Keynote at New Hampshire Early and Elementary Mathematics Collaborative (NHEEMC).
Dashoush, N. (2021, Nov). Social Emotional Learning, Using Technology to Give Children the Tools they Need. Webinar Presented at Head Start Region 7 annual Conference (Virtual).
Dashoush,N. (2021, Oct). Using EdTech to Promote Access to High-Quality Education. Keynote speaker at AELC annual conference. Watch Here: https://vimeo.com/640895188