Victoria Smith

Victoria (Tori) Davis Smith is a Lecturer in Social Studies Education at the University of North Texas. She teaches undergraduate courses in elementary social studies methods and courses connected to the secondary certification program. She works with preservice teachers to envision how the classroom can exist as a context to empower youth to identify as vital contributors to their communities. She conducts qualitative research on humanizing education and student agency. Tori has presented at NCSS/CUFA and AERA. She has published in journals such as Theory and Research in Social Education, Educational Studies, The Journal of Social Studies Research, Democracy & Education, and Citizenship Teaching & Learning. She received her M.Ed. + certification at the University of Texas at Austin and her Ph.D. from Baylor University. Before joining the University of North Texas faculty, Tori was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Alabama. Tori is from Texas and is passionate about serving teachers and students in her home state.

 

Education:

Ph.D., 2022, Baylor University

M.Ed., 2014, University of Texas at Austin

B.A. in International Studies, 2010, Baylor University

Recent Publications:

• Bronstein, E.A., & Smith, V.D. (2024). For the students: A teacher’s explanation of curricular pivots. The Journal of Social Studies Research. https://doi-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/10.1177/23522798241264
• Smith, V.D., Magill K., Bauml, M., Blevins, B. &LeCompte, K.N. (2023). Students as place-makers: A case study on action civics and place-consciousness. Educational Studies.  https://doi.org/10.1080/00131946.2023.2200188
• Magill, K.R., Scholten, N., Blevins, B., &  Smith, V.D. (2022). The importance of civic culture: Toward intellectual solidarity and community agency. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice.  https://doi.org/10.1177/17461979221130431
• LeCompte, K.N., Magill, K. Blevins, B., Ritter, K., Smith, V.D., Scholten, N. &Bauml, M. (2022). Action civics in rural communities. The Rural Educator, 43(4), 32-42. 
• Bauml, M., Smith, V.D., &Blevins, B. (2022). “Who cares?”: Young adolescents’ perceived barriers to civic action. Research in Middle Level Education, 45(3), 1-20.             https://doi.org/10.1080/19404476.2022.2033069
• Smith, V.D., Magill, K.R., Blevins, B., &Scholten, N. (2022). Sorting through citizenship: A case study on using cognitive scaffolding to unpack adolescent civic identity formation. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 46(3), 223-235.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssr.2021.09.002