Dr. Elisa Shernoff

Dr. Shernoff earned her PhD in School Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Chicago. Prior to coming to Rutgers, she was a Research Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry (2006-2013) at the Institute for Juvenile Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Her research, teaching, and clinical interests focuses on training the next generation of psychologists to support the delivery of evidence-based, culturally responsive interventions with teachers and students in underrepresented communities. This research examines the processes and contexts that promote and support the effective use and dissemination of evidence-based practices via consultation, coaching, and professional development. Dr. Shernoff’s research also focuses on leveraging technology to support the implementation and dissemination of evidence-based practices in schools.

Dr. Shernoff has been the Principal Investigator of several large-scale grants from the Institute for Education Sciences and private foundations. These grants support graduate and undergraduate students in her research lab and have focused on developing and evaluating professional development for early career teachers working in high poverty schools and developing virtual training to support teachers’ implementation of evidence-based practices. Dr. Shernoff also received funding through the Brady Education Foundation with Dr. Linda Reddy to evaluate the effectiveness of a collaborative coaching model for teachers working in urban schools. Currently, she is funded by the National Science Foundation to develop an interactive virtual training model to help teachers use culturally responsive teaching practices.

BOOKS & ARTICLES: 

Peer Reviewed Articles

Shernoff, E.S., Lekwa, A.L., Delmarre, A., Gabbard, J., Stokes-Tyler, D., Lisetti, C.L., & Frazier, S.L. (accepted for publication). Bridging simulation technology with positive behavioral supports to promote student engagement and behavior. Journal of School Psychology.

Shernoff, E.S., Ruork, A.K., Nadeem, E. & Rizvi, S.L. (2022). The feasibility and promise of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training with teachers and school personnel in high poverty schools. Psychology in the Schools. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22695

Shernoff, E.S., Frazier, S.L, Lisetti, C.L., Delmarre, A., Bibi, Z., & Gabbard, J., (2021). Supporting the implementation of evidence-based behavior management practices through simulation: A mixed method study. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 31(4), 463-497. https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2021.1875840

Shernoff, E.S., Lekwa, A.L., Frazier, S.L., Delamarre, A., Gabbard, J., Zhang, D., Bhuamik, D., & Lisetti, C.L. (2021). Predicting teacher use and benefit from virtual training in positive behavioral supports. School Mental Health, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-02109469-z

Shernoff, E.S., Lekwa, A.L., Reddy, L., & Davis, W. (2020). Teachers’ use and beliefs about praise: A mixed-method study. School Psychology Review, 49(3), 256-274 https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2020.1732146

Brown, C., Shernoff, E.S., Von Schalscha, K., Hanks, O., Chou, P., Walzer, A., ... Lisetti, C. (2018, April). Development and evaluation of the evidence-based behavior management strategy coding system. Poster submitted to the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.

Shernoff, E.S., Frazier, S.L., Lisetti, C., Buche, C., Lunn, S., Brown, C., Delamarre, A., Chou, T., Gabbard, J. & Morgan, E. (2018). Early career teacher professional development: Bridging simulation technology with evidence-based behavior management. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education.

Shernoff, E.S., Gabbard, J., Lisetti, C.S., Brown, C., Delamarre, A., Lunn, S., Liz, S., Bibi, Z., & White, M. (2018, February). Formative evaluation of Interactive Virtual Training: A Mixed-Method Study. Poster submitted to the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Chicago, IL.

Delamarre, A., Buche, C., Polceanu, M., Lunn, S., Ruiz, G., Bolivar, S., Shernoff, E., & Lisetti, C. (2017, May). An Interactive Virtual Training (IVT) simulation for early career teachers to practice in 3D classrooms with student avatars. Proceedings of the 30th International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference.

Shernoff, E.S., Bearman, S.K., & Kratochwill, T.R. (2017). Training the next generation of school psychologists to deliver evidence-based mental health practices: Current challenges and future directions. School Psychology Review, 46, 219-232.

Shernoff, E.S., Lekwa, A.J., Reddy, L.A. & Coccaro, C. (2017). Examining teachers’ attitudes and experiences with coaching to inform research-based practice: An iterative developmental design study. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 27(4) 459-485, https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2016.1255850

Shernoff, E.S., Walzer, A., Morgan, E., Lunn, S., Lisetti, C.S., & Frazier, S.L. (2017, February). The development and refinement of Interactive Virtual Training Model (IVT). Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, San Antonio, TX.

Chou, T., Shernoff, E.S., Sanchez, A., Frazier, S.L., Lisetti, C., Lunn, S., & Brown, C. (2016, October). Iterative development in action: Building Interactive Virtual Training for early career educators. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. New York, NY

Shernoff, E.S., Mehta, T., Atkins, M.S., Torf, R. & Spencer, J. (2011). A qualitative study of the sources and impact of stress among urban teachers. School Mental Health, 3, 59-69. doi: 10.1007/s12310-011-9051-z http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12310-011-9051-z

IVT-T In the News

RUTGERS TODAY Feature: Battlefield Classroom: A New Way to Help Teachers Deal with Disruptive Students

Ethos: The Magazine for Rutgers GSAPP: A Virtual Training Ground

Ethos Video: Elisa Shernoff on Technology

COURSE TAUGHT: 

School Based Interventions

Consultation Methods

Dissertation Preparation and Research

Internship Seminar

Dr. Shernoff’s interests focus on training the next generation of school psychologists to deliver evidence-based, culturally responsive interventions with teachers and students in underrepresented communities. Her clinical, teaching, and research interests focus on consultation, coaching, and professional development with teachers to enhance their use of positive, culturally responsive teaching practices and to promote their health and wellness. Dr. Shernoff’s research also focuses on leveraging technology to support the implementation and dissemination of evidence-based practices in schools.

Guided by ecological theory, Dr. Shernoff’s work reflects the multiple domains of influence and systems within which psychologists, teachers, and students must function effectively. Thus, she uses multiple methodological approaches, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods in her research.

Mixed-Method Expertise

Dr. Shernoff’s program of research relies on mixed-method designs, which are especially relevant to questions of information transfer, acceptability, and implementation of evidence-based practices. These mixed-method studies have focused on examining models of training, support, and supervision to maximize teacher effectiveness and connectedness in high poverty schools. Dr. Shernoff also serves as a mixed-method consultant on various grant applications and is the Guest Editor of a special issue in School Psychology focused on advancing mixed methods research in school psychology.

Example Mixed-Method Publications and Other Relevant Research:

Shernoff, E.S., Frazier, S.L, Lisetti, C.L., Delmarre, A., Bibi, Z., & Gabbard, J., (2021). Supporting the implementation of evidence-based behavior management practices through simulation: A mixed method study. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 31(4), 463-497. https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2021.1875840

Shernoff, E.S., Lekwa, A.L., Reddy, L., & Davis, W. (2020). Teachers’ use and beliefs about praise: A mixed-method study. School Psychology Review, 49(3), 256-274 https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2020.1732146

Shernoff, E.S., Von Schalscha, K., Gabbard, J., Delamarre, A., Frazier, S.L., Buche, C. & Lisetti, C.S. (2020). Evaluating the usability and instructional design quality of Interactive Virtual Training for Teachers (IVT-T). Educational Technology Research and Development, 68, 3235–3262. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09819-9

Shernoff, E.S., Lekwa, A.J., Reddy, L.A. & Coccaro, C. (2017). Examining teachers’ attitudes and experiences with coaching to inform research-based practice: An iterative developmental design study. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 27(4) 459-485, https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2016.1255850

Shernoff, E.S., Lakind, D., Frazier, S.L. & Jakobsons, L. (2015). Coaching early career teachers in urban elementary schools: A mixed-method study. School Mental Health, 7, 6-20. http://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-014-9136-6

Shernoff, E.S., Mehta, T., Atkins, M.S., Torf, R. & Spencer, J. (2011). A qualitative study of the sources and impact of stress among urban teachers. School Mental Health, 3, 59-69. doi: 10.1007/s12310-011-9051-z http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12310-011-9051-z

Other Awards and Honors:

2021 Chancellor-Provost Celebration of Faculty Excellence Honoree (Rutgers University –New Brunswick)

2009 Early Career Scholar, Society for the Study of School Psychology

2004 Outstanding Dissertation Award of Division 16 of the American Psychological Association

2003 Thora Wick Homme Fellowship through the School of Education at University of Wisconsin-Madison