Stacy Duffield

Dr. Stacy Duffield is Director of the Office of Teaching and Learning and Professor at North Dakota State University. Her career has focused on advancing student learning, strengthening educator preparation, and supporting innovation in teaching across K-12 and higher education. Since joining NDSU in 2003, she has served in a variety of leadership roles focused on faculty development, assessment, accreditation, program improvement, and educational research. She currently leads university initiatives that support teaching excellence, instructional innovation, and academic success.

Dr. Duffield's scholarship centers on effective teaching and learning, educator preparation, professional development, assessment, and student success. Her work has appeared in journals such as Teaching and Teacher Education, The Teacher Educator, Innovative Higher Education, Journal of Chemical Education, Middle School Journal, and TESL-EJ. She collaborates regularly with faculty colleagues, K-12 educators, and graduate students, and many of her publications have emerged from mentoring relationships that support teachers and graduate students as they develop scholarly research and contribute new knowledge to the field. Her recent scholarship has examined topics including teacher preparation, virtual field experiences, English learner instruction, STEM education, effectiveness of varying instructional communication approaches, tutoring, and classroom-based interventions designed to improve student learning.

An important aspect of Dr. Duffield's work is connecting research to practice. She has led and contributed to numerous externally funded projects, including National Science Foundation and Bush Foundation initiatives focused on teacher recruitment, preparation, and educational innovation. She is frequently involved in developing the broader impacts and educational components of research grants and collaborates with faculty across disciplines to strengthen outreach, assessment, and educational programming. Her experience spans project evaluation, program assessment, data-informed improvement, and the design of learning experiences that extend the impact of research beyond the university.

Throughout her career, Dr. Duffield has built strong partnerships among universities, schools, community organizations, and state agencies. She has been actively involved in accreditation and continuous improvement efforts, served in leadership roles related to educator preparation and assessment, and contributed to statewide and regional initiatives designed to improve educational outcomes. She is particularly passionate about helping educators create meaningful learning experiences and supporting the development of future teachers, faculty members, and educational leaders.

Dr. Duffield earned a Ph.D. in Secondary and Higher Education and a Master of Education in Reading Education from the University of North Dakota, as well as a Bachelor of Science in English and Secondary Education from the University of Mary.