Jorge F. Figueroa, Ph.D.

Contact

jfigueroa2@twu.edu
940-898-2739
CFO 1304

View CV

Biography

Jorge F. Figueroa, Ph.D., is the Vice Provost for Curriculum and Strategic Initiatives at Texas Woman's University. 
He provide leadership for curriculum development undergraduate education, core curriculum, transfer agreements, and scheduling. He oversee first year seminar instruction, college readiness testing, university curriculum committee, the university course inventory, compliance with state and university policies for undergraduate education, and faciliates academic partnerships that supports the strategic mission of the university. Before his appointment as Vice Provost, he was the Associate Dean for Research, Inclusion, and Innovation for the College of Professional Education (COPE) where he oversaw COPE's international education partnerships, the COPE's Emerging Leaders Program,  and all research, inclusion and innovation activity in the college. He is a Professor of Bilingual and ESL Education in the Department of Teacher Education,  Affiliate Faculty to the Department of Literacy and Learning, In addition, he is the advisor for the Bilingual and ESL Education Student Organization (BESO). With over 20 years of experience in higher education, he had trained pre-service and in-service teachers in the North America, Latin America, and Europe. His research focuses in the intersection between emergent technologies and emergent bilinguals with emphasis on extended realities (XR), gamification and game based learning, second language acquisition, culturally responsive/sustaining teaching, and critical pedagogies. His research has appeared in Contemporary Educational Technology, Educación XX1, International Journal of Technology and Educational Innovation, Expert Systems, Digital Education Review, European Researcher, International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, among others. He is an inaugural Fellow of the New Leadership Academy at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, a Fellow at the Executive Leadership Academy at UC-Berkeley, and member of Cátedra ESCALAE at Universidad de Málaga in Spain. 

Education

Ph.D., Professional Studies in Education, Capella University, Minneapolis, MN
M.A., TESOL and Bilingual Education, The University of Findlay, Findlay, Ohio
B.A., Social Sciences, Universidad de Puerto Rico-Cayey, Cayey, PR

Expertise

Teacher Education; ESL Education; Bilingual Education; Instructional Technologies (Extended Realities); Gamification; Culturally Responsive Teaching; Critical Pedagogy.

Latest Articles

Augmented Reality in the Secondary Education classroom: Teachers' Visions
Contemporary Educational Technology (2022)
Verónica Marín, Begoña Sampedro, Jorge F Figueroa

Bilingual Education during a Pandemic: Family Engagement. La educación bilingüe durante una pandemia: compromiso familiar
El Guiniguada (2022)
Victor Lozada, Holly Hansen-Thomas, Jorge F Figueroa, Mary Amanda Stewart

Adopting VR in the Classroom: Perceptions of bilingual and ESL education pre-service teachers
Revista EDMETIC (2022)
Jorge F Figueroa, Lisa Huffman, Victor Lozada, Emarely Rosa-Dávila

Predictive factors of problematic smartphone use in young Spanish university students
Heliyon (2022)
Veronica Marin, Begoña Esther Sampedro, Juana Maria Ortega, Jorge F Figueroa

Augmented Reality for ESL/EFL and Bilingual Education: An International Comparison
Educación XXI (2021)
Cristina Huertas, Jorge F Figueroa, Maria Elena Gomez-Parra, Emarely Rosa-Dávila, Lisa Huffman

Infusing Augmented Reality in Bilingual and ESL Education: Perceptions from pre-service teachers
International Journal of Technology and Educational Innovation (2021)
Jorge F Figueroa, Lisa Huffman, Emarely Rosa-Dávila

Engaging High School Students in the Language Classroom with Virtual Reality Field Trips
TexELT Journal (2021)
Yismelle Duran, Jorge F Figueroa

Critical Pedagogy and Critical Literacy in the Bilingual and ESL Classroom
Texas Woman's University Student Journal (2021)
Dulce Gomez, Eileen Turcios, Isaac ArreolaRamirez, Victor Lozada, Jorge F Figueroa

Fortaleciendo el aprendizaje en la clase de español con viajes virtuales
Ambito de Encuentros (2021)
Yismelle Duran, Jorge F Figueroa

Fostering Acculturation via Culturally Relevant Teaching Practices To Enhance Second Language Acquisition In The Bilingual and ESL Classroom
TxEP-Texas Educator Preparation Journal (2021)
Brenda Juarez Treviño, Edith Nuñez, Roxanna Quintanilla, Jorge F Figueroa

The Hidden Repercussions of Microaggressions on Individuals in Higher Education
Journal of Mental Health and Social Behavior (2020)
Emarely Rosa-Dávila, Marta Mercado-Sierra, Daniela Castillo-Vazquez, Jorge F Figueroa

The Time Is Now: Modeling the Tenets of Critical Pedagogy for Our Future Teachers at Hispanic Serving Institutions
Education, Language, and Sociology Research (2020)
Aimee Courville-Myers, Jorge F Figueroa

Integrating AR and VR in Teacher Education: What pre-service teachers perceive?
Frontiers in Education Technology (2020)
Jorge F Figueroa, Lisa Huffman

Educators Perspectives on Integrating Social Media to the ESL Classroom
World Journal of Educational Research (2019)
Jorge F Figueroa, Emarely Rosa-Dávila

¿Inclusividad en las herramientas Web 2.0?
Educação & Sociedade (2018)
Verónica Marín-Díaz, Begoña Esther Sampedo-Requena, Jorge F Figueroa

The Perceptions of Early Childhood Educators Regarding the Uses of the Interactive Whiteboard
International Journal of Environmental & Science Education (2017)
Jorge F Figueroa, Veronica Marin, Carmen Varo

An Adaptive Hypermedia Model Based on Student's Lexicon
Expert Systems (2017)
Pedro Salcedo, M. Angelica Pinninghoff, Ricardo Contreras, Jorge F Figueroa

Gamification and Game-Based Learning: Two Strategies for the 21st Century Learner
World Journal of Educational Research (2016)
Jorge F Figueroa

Using Gamification to Enhance Second Language Learning
Digital Education Review (2015)
Jorge F Figueroa

Using the Web 2.0 to Enhance the Teaching and Learning Experience in the ESL Classroom
Revista Educação, Cultura e Sociedade (2015)
Jorge F Figueroa

Chapters

More than a game! Engaging emergent bilinguals via gamification
in Ebook - Book Gamifying Mathematics in CLIL Contexts: Approaches and Good Practices | UCo Press (2022)
Jorge F Figueroa

Bridging the Language Gap with Emergent Technologies
in International Approaches to Bridging the Language Gap | IGI Global (2020)
Jorge F Figueroa

Pioneering Frontiers: Dual Language Education in Texas
in Languages and Cultures in Multilingual and Multicultural Education | UCo Press (2019)
Holly Hansen-Thomas, Mary Amanda Stewart, Jorge F Figueroa

Recent Presentations

Modeling the Tenets of Critical Pedagogy for Future Teachers Working in Multilingual and Multicultural Environments
University of Oslo Multilingualism Research Forum (2022)
Paper | Aimee Myers, Jorge F Figueroa, Barbara Muszyńska

Using Digital Literacy for Language Acquisition in a High School Spanish Class Using Virtual Reality
Literacy Research Association (LRA), previously National Reading Council (NRC) (2022)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Yismelle Duran

Disrupting English-only and Monolingual Norms: Repositioning Bilingualism in Bilingual Teacher Preparation
NABE (2022)
Podium | Holly Hansen-Thomas, M. A. Stewart, Jorge F Figueroa, J. Borda, Z. Mojica

MUVEs Anyone? Total engagement for Teaching and Learning
Hawaii International Conference on Education (2022)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Lisa Huffman

Incorporating Critical Consciousness in Pre-service Bilingual Teachers through Music
Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) (2022)
Paper | Victor Lozada, Jorge F Figueroa

The Four Pillar of Dual Language Education: Critical Consciousness in the Elementary Classroom
BEAM (Bilingual ESL Association of the Metroplex) (2022)
Paper | Victor Garcia, Jorge F Figueroa, Esmeralda Contreras

Promoting Conscientização to Better Serve Emergent Bilinguals on Inclusive Classrooms Settings
BEAM (Bilingual ESL Association of the Metroplex) (2022)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Johanna Patricio Bueno, Areli Hernandez, Sophie Fajardo

¡Estamos ready! Adopting XR for Bilingual Education Pre-service Teacher Preparation
BEAM (Bilingual ESL Association of the Metroplex) (2022)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Johanna Patricio Bueno, Jacqueline Montes, Donelly Arias, Brenda Garcia

Understanding Latinidad a través de Nueva Trova: Pre-service Undergraduate Teachers Understanding Critical Consciousness as Praxis
American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (2022)
Poster | Victor Lozada, Jorge F Figueroa

Nueva Trova Music: Developing Critical Consciousness in Childhood
International Conference Future Challenges in Early Language Learning and Multilingual Education (ELLME2022 (2022)
Paper | Victor Lozada, Jorge F Figueroa

Multilingual Critical Consciousness: Music to create el Nuevo Sendero
WIDA Annual Conference (2022)
Paper | Victor Lozada, Jorge F Figueroa

Translingual Disciplinary Literacies: A Framework for Teaching Multilingual Students
22nd European Conference on Literacy (2022)
Paper | Mary Amanda Stewart, Holly Hansen-Thomas, Patricia Flint, Marianella Nuñez, Jorge F Figueroa

Lighting el Nuevo Sendero: Critical Consciousness in the Multilingual Classroom
National Council of Teachers of English (2022)
Paper | Victor F Lozada, Jorge F Figueroa

XR Experiences in Educator Preparation: A wide range of opportunities
Hawaii International Conference on Education (2022)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Lisa Huffman

¡Better Together Apoyando Nuestras Familias en la Enseñanza Virtual! Community Collaborations that Serve Dual Language Learners
NABE (2021)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Mary Amanda Stewart, Teresa Taylor, Rebeca Olvera, Jose Robles

El Nuevo Sendero: Incorporating Critical Consciousness in the Classroom a través de Nueva Trova
La Cosecha Annual Conference (2021)
Paper | Victor Lozada, Jorge F Figueroa

Herramientas Digitales Educativas: Respaldando A Los Padres En El Proceso De Enseñanza Y Aprendizaje
SAABE 42 Annual Conference (Virtual) (2021)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa

Infusing AR in the Bilingual and ESL Classroom: Perceptions of Pre-service teachers
NABE (2021)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa

Teachers' language ideologies as they shift from monoglossia to heteroglossia?
World Educational Research Association (2021)
Paper | Victor Lozada, Phylicia Anderson, Lilliana Grosso, Mary Amanda Stewart, Jorge F Figueroa

¡El momento es ahora! Adopting Immersive Technologies for Bilingual Education Teacher Preparation
La Cosecha Annual Conference (2021)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Johanna Patricio Bueno, Jacqueline Montes Rascon

Teaching Language with Virtual Reality: Infusing VR activities to enhance the language learning experience
TEXTESOL Region V (2021)
Paper | Yismelle Duran, Jorge F Figueroa

Digital Teaching Practices During COVID: Autoethnographic Reflections from Higher Education Courses for Multilingual Educators
NABE (2021)
Round Table | Peggy Semingson, Jorge F Figueroa, Annette Torres, Ari Sherris, Mikel Cole

Juntxs: Implementing a School/University Partnership to Provide Virtual Support for Emergent Bilingual Students y Sus Familias
La Cosecha Annual Conference (2021)
Paper | Mary Amanda Stewart, Jorge F Figueroa, Daniel Heiman, Johanna Patricio Bueno, Jacqueline Montes

Critical Consciousness in the elementary classroom a través de la nueva trova.
TABE (2021)
Paper | Victor Lozada, Jorge F Figueroa

Creating Virtual Bilingual Classrooms with MUVEs
TABE (2021)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa

Professional Development that Works: Training and Engaging Teachers of Adolescent Emergent Bilinguals via Language, Literacy, and Love
Puerto Rico TESOL (2021)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Mary Amanda Stewart, Holly Hansen-Thomas, Victor Lozada, Phylicia Anderson

Incorporating Critical Consciousness in the Classroom a través de Nueva Trova
NABE (2021)
Paper | Victor Lozada, Jorge F Figueroa

Infusing AR and VR in Teacher Education: Perceptions of Pre-service teachers
Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (2020)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Lisa Huffman

Language, Literacy, and Love: A Professional Development Initiative for Teachers of Adolescents Acquiring English
VI Congreso Internacional Sobre Educación Bilingue (2020)
Paper | Mary Amanda Stewart, Jorge F Figueroa, Holly Hansen-Thomas

Immersive Experiences for Teaching Biology
Teaching, Learning, and Technology Symposium (2020)
Symposium | Samanthi Kottegoda, Jorge F Figueroa

La enseñanza sobre la equidad como reto en la educación bilingüe
NABE (2020)
Round Table | Jorge F Figueroa

Augmented Reality for the Bilingual and ESL/EFL Classroom: An International Perspective from Bilingual and ESL/EFL pre-service teachers
VI Congreso Internacional Sobre Educación Bilingue (2020)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Cristina Huertas, Lisa Huffman, Maria Elena Gomez, Emarely Rosa-Dávila

Infusing Immersive Technologies in Bilingual Education Teacher Preparation
NABE (2020)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa

It's Embedded? Addressing the Lack of Diversity in Teacher Education Courses
American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (2020)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Aimee Courville-Myers

Combining Immersive Technologies to Leverage Pre-service Teacher Training
Hawaii International Conference on Education (2020)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Lisa Huffman

Preparing Pre-service Bilingual Teachers to Leverage Instruction by Combining Immersive Technologies and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
BEAM (Bilingual ESL Association of the Metroplex) (2019)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Carlos Gaytán-Cervantes, Celestia Calderón

Disrupting Hierarchies of Power in Teacher Education with Emergent Technologies and Web 2.0 Tools
Curriculum and Pedagogy Annual Conference (2019)
Paper | Aimee Courtville-Myers, Jorge F Figueroa

ELLevating Achievement of High School English
Puerto Rico Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (PRTESOL) (2019)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Mary Amanda Stewart, Holly Hansen-Thomas

TIC en Iberoamérica
VII Congreso Internacional de Buenas Prácticas con TIC (2019)
Round Table | Jorge F Figueroa

Preparing Bilingual and ESL Education Pre-service teachers with AR & VR
Teaching, Learning, and Technology Symposium (2019)
Symposium | Jorge F Figueroa

Transformando al futuro maestro con RA/RV/RM
VII Congreso Internacional de Buenas Prácticas con TIC (2019)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa

Critical Issues in Bilingual Education in North Texas
V Congreso Internacional sobre Educación Bilingüe (2019)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Holly Hansen-Thomas, Mary Amanda Stewart

Using Mixed Reality Simulations to Support Pre-Service ESL/Bilingual Teacher Training
TeachLive™ Conference (2019)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Edward Steffek

Seeing is Believing: Recruiting Future Educators with Augmented Reality
Hawaii International Conference on Education (2019)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Lisa Huffman, Diane Myers

Recruiting Future Latinx Teachers with Augmented Reality
American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (2019)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa, Lisa Huffman

Diversity and its Implications for Leading, Teaching, and Learning
2nd Annual TWU Fall Student Leadership Conference (2019)
Paper | Diane Myers, Jorge F Figueroa

Gamifying a Basic English/ESL Course for FTIC students after Hurricane María
BEAM (Bilingual ESL Association of the Metroplex) (2018)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa

Proyecto Pioneras: Fortaleciendo el idioma y el trasfondo cultural de los maestros bilingües como parte de un program de estudio en el extranjero
4th International Conference on Bilingual Education (2018)
Paper | Holly Hansen-Thomas, Mary Amanda Stewart, Jorge F Figueroa

Motivating ELL's through Gamification and AR after a Natural Disaster
TEXTESOL (2018)
Round Table | Jorge F Figueroa

Creating Virtual Reality Experiences to Enhance Cultural Awareness and Appreciation in Dual Language Classrooms
TABE (2018)
Faculty Workshop | Jorge F Figueroa

TeachLive and TWU Teacher Education: A winning team in training future teachers and school administrators
TeachLive™ Conference (2018)
Poster | Jorge F Figueroa, Edward Steffek

Gamificación como herramienta educativa
San Juan & Carolina ISD Teacher Conference (2017)
Faculty Workshop | Jorge F Figueroa, Nahomy Curet

Integrating Social Media to the ESL Curriculum
PR TESOL-Eastern Chapter Conference (2016)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa

Exploring Augmented Reality: Opportunities for ELLs
PR TESOL-Eastern Chapter Conference (2016)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa

Gamifying the ESL Classroom
PR TESOL-Eastern Chapter Conference (2015)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa

Increasing Motivation of ELLs with Gamification and Game Based Learning
PR TESOL-Central Chapter Conference (2015)
Paper | Jorge F Figueroa

Professional Affiliations

• American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE)
• American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE)
• American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese
• Association for the Study of Higher Education
• Bilingual Education Association of the Metroplex (BEAM)
• International TESOL
• National Association of Bilingual Education
• National Association of Student Professionals Administrators (NASPA)
• National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity
• Phi Kappa Phi
• Texas Association of Bilingual Education (TABE)
• Texas Teachers of English to Speakers of other Languages (TexTESOL)
• Textbook and Academic Authors Association

Honors & Awards

• COPE Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, College of Professional Education, Texas Woman's University (2021)
• Higher Education Award, Bilingual and ESL Education Association of the Metroplex (BEAM) (2021)
• Outstanding Student Organization Advisor of the Year, RedBud Leadership Awards, Texas Woman's University (2020)
• COPE Ambassador Award, College of Professional Education, Texas Woman's University (2019)
• Student Retention Faculty Award, Universidad del Este (2016)