Carol D. Lee: Signifying and Standing in the Gap Through Research and Praxis

Dr. Carol D. Lee is a renowned scholar, researcher, and activist who has received numerous awards and recognitions for her contributions that cross boundaries and borders. Influenced by the historical moment in which she has lived, Dr. Lee’s work extends that of learning scientists, contributes to the intellectual thinking of historical Black psychologists, and embraces the nuances of cognition, learning, and development that are influenced by culture in a complex world. Dr. Lee views learning as inclusive of a relationship between cognitive, phenomenological, emotional, and social factors. In this chapter, her influences and motivations are discussed to lay the foundation for understanding her key theoretical and practical contributions to the field of education. More specifically, this chapter illuminates Lee’s advancements that have endured over time such as the concept of Signifying and her cultural modeling theory. Furthermore, her position on the following is also discussed and continues to influence new insights in the field of education: (a) the need for the centrality of culture to the study of learning and development, (b) a call for more asset-based and ecological orientation in research and practice; and, (c) increased educational opportunities that promote civic ends.