David M Hansen

Department Chair
Professor

Contact Info

dhansen1@ku.edu

Office Phone:

785-864-1874

Department Phone:

785-864-3931

Fax:

785-864-3820

Joseph R. Pearson Hall, room #618

Biography —

Dr. Hansen is a professor at the University of Kansas in the School of Education where he teaches and maintains an active research program as a graduate faculty member. He completed his doctorate (2001) and post-doctorate experience (2001 to 2007) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a developmental scientist with an applied research focus. His expertise is on adolescent development and learning in a variety of out-of-school settings, including the full range of organized youth activities (e.g., extracurricular, community-based programs). Dr. Hansen is particularly invested in understanding how adolescents from impoverished communities learn "real-world" skills and competencies needed for adult life and engaged citizenship, such as strategic planning, engagement with challenge, initiative, teamwork, and leadership. He argues that adolescence is the second critical period of human development when an adolescent is neuro-developmentally primed to learn adult-like, real-world skills and competencies. Prior to returning to pursue graduate degrees, Dr. Hansen helped start a non-profit organization in Chicago whose aim was to provide the means for local faith-based organizations to hire full-time staff to assist in addressing issues of poverty and education an a community.
Dr. Hansen specializes in adolescent development in the non-formal settings, including out-of-school activities and employment, and processes of real-world decision making and initiative.

Research —

Publications grouped by topic

Teaching —

Courses:
EPSY 704:Advanced Educational Psychology: Learning Processes in Education
EPSY 705:Human Development through the Lifespan
EPSY 715:Understanding Research in Education
EPSY 800:Development During Youth and Adulthood
EPSY 980:Advanced Topics: _____

Adolescent Development
Human Development
Research Methods
Human Learning

Selected Publications —

Romer, D., Hansen, D. M., Kern, M., & Wehmeyer, M. (2021). Positive Youth Development in Education [Book Chapters]. In The International Handbook on Positive Education.

Trang, K. T., & Hansen, D. M. (2020). The Roles of Teacher Expectations and School Composition on Teacher-Child Relationship Quality [Journal Articles]. Journal of Teacher Education, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487120902404

Zhai, Y., Weyhmeyer, M., Jamie, B., & Hansen, D. (2019). Tackling the Wicked Problem of Measuring What Matters: Framing the Questions. [Journal Articles]. ECNU Review of Education, 2(3), 262–278. https://doi.org/10.1177/2096531119878965

Hansen, D. M., Moore, W., & Jessop, N. (2018). Youth Program Adult Leader’s Directive Assistance and Autonomy Support, and Development of Adolescents’ Agency Capacity [Journal Articles]. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 28(2), 505–519. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12355

Hansen, D. M., Jessop, N., Wehmeyer, M. L., Shogren, K. A., Little, T. D., & Lopez, S. J. (2017). A Context for Self-Determination and Agency: Adolescent Developmental Theories [Book Chapters]. In Development of Self-Determination Through the Life-Course (pp. 27–46).

Donnelly, J. E., Hillman, C. H., Greene, J. L., & Hansen, D. M. (2017). Physical Activity and Academic Achievement Across the Curriculum (A+PAAC): Primary outcomes from a 3-year cluster-randomized trial [Journal Articles]. Preventive Medicine, 99, 140–145.

Hansen, D. M., Herrmann, S. D., Lambourne, K., Lee, J., & Donnelly, J. E. (2014). Linear/nonlinear relations of activity and fitness with children’s academic achievement. [Journal Articles]. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 46(12), 2279–2285. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000362

Donnelly, J. E., Washburn, R. A., Gibson, C., Sullivan, D., Greene, J., & Hansen, D. M. (2013). Physical Activity and Academic Achievement Across the Curriculum (A+PAAC). Rationale and design of a 3-year, cluster-randomized trial [Journal Articles]. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 13(307). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-307

Lambourne, K., Hansen, D. M., Szabo, A., Lee, J., Herrmann, S. D., & Donnelly, J. E. (2013). Fitness mediates the relation between physical activity and academic achievement in elementary school students [Journal Articles]. Journal of Mental Health and Physical Activity, 6(3), 165–171.

Moore, E. W. G., & Hansen, D. M. (2012). Assessing the construct-validity of a new self-report measure of adolescents’ engagement with challenge: Evidence for structural- and criterion-validity [Journal Articles]. Psychology, 3(10), 923–933.

Hansen, D., Skorupski, W. P., & Arrington, T. L. (2010). Differences in developmental experiences for commonly used categories of organized youth activities: It’s time for a “tune-up” [Journal Articles]. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 31(6), 413–421.

Hansen, D., & Larson, R. (2007). Amplifiers of developmental and negative experiences in organized activities: Dosage, motivation, lead roles and adult-youth ratios [Journal Articles]. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 28, 360–374.

Larson, R., Hansen, D., & Moneta, G. (2006). Differing profiles of developmental experiences in across types of organized youth activities [Journal Articles]. Developmental Psychology, 42(5), 849–863.

Alfed, C., Stone, J. R., Aragon, S., Hansen, D., Zirkle, C., Connors, J., Spindler, M., Swineburne-Romine, R., & Woo, H. (2005). The value added by career and technical student organizations (CTSOs) to students’ high school experience [Reports]. National Research Center for Career and Technical Education, University of Minnesota.

Hansen, D., Larson, R., & Dworkin, J. (2003). What adolescents learn in organized youth activities: A survey of self-reported developmental experiences [Journal Articles]. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 13(1), 25–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/1532-7795.1301006