Nathan Jones

Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute for Policy Research
Institute of Education Sciences
Northwestern University
PhD, Education Policy, Michigan State University, 2009
nathan-jones@northwestern.edu
curriculum vitae

Nathan Jones is an Institute of Education Sciences postdoctoral fellow in policy research, working under the mentorship of IPR Faculty Fellow Larry Hedges, Board of Trustees Professor of Statistics and Social Policy. Jones’ research focuses on teacher quality and the sociology of education, specifically the role of policy in shaping new teachers’ work environments. In his dissertation research, he investigated how school organizations influence the practices, beliefs, and retention decisions of early career teachers. Through social network analysis, he explored the relationship between novices’ professional relationships with colleagues and their commitment to their schools and to teaching. Additionally, using a unique time-diary instrument known as the experience sampling method (ESM), he collected systematic, repeated measures data on early career teachers’ time use at school, as well as their affective responses to teaching. His findings suggest that teachers’ emotional responses to work are likely to mediate the relationship between school characteristics and teacher retention decisions.

Jones received a PhD in education policy at Michigan State University, working on several research projects with Barbara Schneider, Peter Youngs, and Ken Frank. Prior to attending MSU, Jones received a BA in political science from Northwestern University.