Dr. Bingham serves as Associate Professor of Leadership, Research, and Foundations in the College of Education at UCCS. Dr. Bingham received her Ph.D. in Urban Education Policy, with a focus on research methods and sociological theory, from the University of Southern California. She is also a former high school English teacher. Her research focuses on applications of qualitative methodologies, policy implementation and instructional reform, and school change. Her recent work utilizes sociocultural learning theories, organizational theory, policy discourse analysis, and qualitative research methods— including interviews, focus groups, observations, document analysis, and digital and physical artifact analysis—to understand educational change and teacher pedagogy in innovative K–12 school models. Dr. Bingham’s work has been published in academic venues such as Teachers College Record, Educational Policy, and Policy Futures in Education, and has also been featured in Huffington Post and on NPR. Dr. Bingham teaches intermediate and advanced qualitative research methods in the Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy Ph.D. program, and also teaches research methods and statistics across COE programs.

Research Interests

• Qualitative research
• Education policy implementation and instructional reform
• School change
• Innovative school models
• Teachers' experiences and instructional practices in high-tech school environments

Areas of Teaching Interest and Expertise   

• Qualitative Research Methods
• Policy Analysis and Implementation
• Sociology of Education

Ph.D., Urban Education Policy, University of Southern California, 2015  

Secondary English Teaching Credential, Loyola Marymount University, 2009  

B.A., Telecommunication, Michigan State University, 2005

• Lead 7150: Methods of Qualitative Research
• Lead 8150: Advanced Qualitative Research
• Lead 8250: Policy Analysis and Evaluation
• Lead 7600: Doctoral Research Laboratory
• Lead 5700: Introduction to Research and Statistics
• Lead 7000: Master's Research Lab

Selected Publications

• Bingham, A.J. (2021). How distributed leadership facilitates technology integration: A case study of “pilot teachers.”Teachers College Record, 123(7).

• Bingham, A.J., & Witkowsky, P. (2022). Deductive and inductive approaches to qualitative data analysis. In C. Vanover, P. Mihas, & J. Saldaña (Eds.), Analyzing and interpreting qualitative data: After the interview (pp. 133-146). SAGE Publications.

• Burch, P. & Bingham, A.J. (2020). Rethinking distributed school leadership frameworks in contemporary policy contexts. Peabody Journal of Education.

• Bingham, A.J. (2019). A look at personalized learning: Lessons learned. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 55(3), 124-129.

• Bingham, A.J. & Burch, P. (2019). Introducing organizational ambidexterity as a lens for policy research. Policy Futures in Education. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1478210318813269

• Bingham, A.J., Castillo, J., & Dean, S. (2019). Qualitative comparative analysis in educational research: Procedures, processes, and possibilities. Methodological Innovations. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2059799119840982

• Clayton, G., Bingham, A.J., & Ecks, G. (2019). Characteristics of the opt-out movement: Early evidence for Colorado. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 27(33). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14507/epaa.27.4126

• Bingham, A.J. (2018). New institutionalism in everyday life. International Journal of Sociology and Education, 7(3), 237-255. DOI: 10.17583/rise.2018.3532

• Clayton, G. & Bingham, A.J. (2018). The first year: Assistant principals in Title I schools. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 1(2).

• Bingham, A.J., Pane, J., Steiner, E, & Hamilton, L. (2018). Ahead of the curve: Implementation challenges in the personalized learning movement. Educational Policy, 32(3), 454-489. DOI: 0895904816637688.

• Bingham, A.J. (2017). Personalized learning in high technology charter schools. Journal of Educational Change, 18(4), 521-549.

• Bingham, A.J. & Ogunbowo Dimandja, O. (2017). Staying on track: Examining teachers’ experiences in a personalized learning model. Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, 12(2), 75-96.

• Bingham, A. J. & Burch, P. (2017). Navigating middle of the road reforms through collaborative community. Democracy and Education, 25(2), Article 1. 

• Bingham, A.J. (2016). Drowning digitally? How disequilibrium shapes practice in a blended learning charter school. Teachers College Record, 118(1), 1-30.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

• Bingham, A.J. & McCann, K. (2021). “Learning can’t occur in chaos:” A critical policy discourse analysis of student representations in the discourse on No Excuses schools. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP).

• Bingham, A.J. & Witkowsky, P. (2021). Deductive and inductive approaches to qualitative analysis. Paper presented as part of an invited panel presentation at the annual meeting of International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry.

• Bingham, A.J. (2021). The five-cycle process of qualitative analysis. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association.

• Bingham, A.J. (2021). Personalized learning in an age of accountability. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association.

• Bingham, A.J. & Witkowsky, P. (2020). Deductive and inductive approaches to qualitative analysis. Paper accepted as part of a panel presentation at the annual meeting of International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry. Conference cancelled due to COVID-19.

• Bingham, A.J., Adams, M., Stewart, R. (2020). Making sense of competency-based education. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Hawaii International Conference on Education.

• Bingham, A.J. (2019). Using "pilot teachers" to facilitate technological innovation in schools. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Qualitative Methods Conference, International Institute for Qualitative Methodology.
• Bingham, A.J. (2019). In-class methods for engaging students in qualitative reading and field work. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Qualitative Methods Conference, International Institute for Qualitative Methodology.
• Bingham, A.J., Dean, S., & Castillo, J. (2019). Qualitative comparative analysis in educational policy research. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Qualitative Methods Conference, International Institute for Qualitative Methodology.
• Bingham, A.J., Belet, L., Comfort, B., Garcia, C., & Sandler, H. (2019). Mapping the school choice landscape: Toward an updated classification of charter schools. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP).
• Bingham, A.J. (2019). Pilot teachers and innovation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP).
• Bingham, A.J., Dean, S., Castillo, J. (2019). Qualitative comparative analysis in educational policy research: Procedures, processes, and possibilities. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

American Educational Research Association (AERA), Division D - Measurement and Research Methodologies, Division L - Educational Policy and Politics, Qualitative Research SIG

Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP)

• 2020: UCCS College of Education Outstanding Researcher Award
• 2011 - 2015: Rossier School of Education Dean's Fellowship
• Summer 2014: RAND Graduate Student Summer Associateship
• 2009 - 2011: Student Voice Project Grant Recipient