Ashley Jackson had an easy choice in The University of Toledo.
The experienced educator knew the institution well by the time she enrolled in a doctoral program in 2017. She’d completed her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education at UToledo in 2004, enrolling immediately after she graduated Toledo’s Rogers High School. And she pursued her first of two master’s degrees in education at UToledo, too, graduating again in 2006.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2023 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at fall commencement.
“The supportive faculty and a tight-knit group of fellow students during my undergrad and grad studies made me feel connected to this institution,” said Jackson, who is now on the cusp of a third degree from UToledo’s Judith Herb College of Education. “Pursuing a Ph.D. here was a logical progression due to the lasting connections and supportive environment I’ve found throughout my years at UToledo.”
Jackson is set to graduate with a doctorate in curriculum and instruction, specializing in special education, in December. She’s among the earliest graduates of her program, which distinguished itself as the first fully online doctoral program to be offered at a public or private university in the state when it began enrolling students in 2017.
That unique distance learning model was especially attractive to Jackson, who has been living and working in the United Arab Emirates since 2013. She credits her international relocation to an undergraduate experience at UToledo in 2002 when she participated in a forerunner to Rocket Kids.
“Participation in Camp Adventure Youth Services sparked my passion for travel and global engagement, allowing me to provide support and care for children and families worldwide,” she said.
Ashley Jackson lives in the United Arab Emirates with her husband and two children. Jackson earned three degrees at UToledo including a doctorate in curriculum and instruction, specializing in special education.
A dissertation is a core element of the doctorate program, and for hers, Jackson dug into what she calls an underexplored facet of the educational landscape of United Arab Emirates. She’s been looking at how educators in the country perceive and apply mindfulness-based breathing techniques to help children with specific learning disabilities, particularly in kindergarten through third grade.
A certified children’s yoga and mindfulness instructor, Jackson said she’s noticed a difference in the ways educators approach this technique between the United States, where it’s increasingly prevalent and integrated into educational frameworks, and the United Arab Emirates, where it’s less common but where she sees it beginning to gain traction.
“I’m keen on uncovering not just the practical application of mindful-based focused breathing but, with further research, I am hoping to also look at the cultural, social and perceptual dimensions associated with it,” she said. “This approach allows me to delve into how cultural nuances impact its adoption and effectiveness in educational settings.”
Dr. Laurie Dinnebeil, a Distinguished University Professor and the Judith Daso Herb Chair of Inclusive Early Childhood Education, praised Jackson’s persistence and determination in completing the doctoral program – particularly as a wife, mother and full-time educator navigating a nine-hour time difference between Abu Dhabi and Toledo.
Dinnebeil sat on her dissertation committee.
“I believe that her work in supporting the needs of young children with disabilities by providing them with self-regulation tools is very important,” she said. “UToledo should be proud to be part of Ashley’s journey. She is well on her way to making significant contributions that will better the lives of children and their families.”
Jackson
The time difference often played out as an advantage for Jackson, who is the Elementary Head of Inclusion and Learning Assistant Coordinator at Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Boys, a prestigious semi-governmental school in Abu Dhabi. She credits the time difference with allowing her to get ahead on coursework and reliably hit deadlines, for example.
But it created challenges, too, in the late-night video conferences she occasionally had to schedule with faculty or other students with whom she was collaborating.
She said she’s grateful for those who supported and accommodated her through the program.
“Pursuing my doctorate at UToledo while living and working abroad in Abu Dhabi has been highly rewarding, building upon prior experiences and encouraging me to excel in an environment that has fostered adaptability and resilience,” she said. “With my Ph.D., I aim to advance my research in early childhood special education and collaborate with local universities in Abu Dhabi. My goal is to mentor and support pre-service teachers, helping them navigate the complexities of early childhood special education while leveraging my experiences to enhance their skills and understanding.”
