Jia-han “Hook” Yang arrived at Temple University’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) with a clear sense of purpose. His work in education research, he said, “should do more than produce results. It should create meaningful change.”

An international student from Taiwan, Hook began his professional science master’​s in applied research and evaluation (ARE) in fall 2024 and completed the program in fall 2025 while maintaining a full-time course load. For him, the experience was about growth, building his identity as an education researcher and practitioner focused on meaningful, equity-driven work.

That identity began to take shape during his undergraduate studies in applied linguistics at National Taipei University. Initially drawn to both language and education, Hook sought real-world experiences that would connect language learning to broader educational practices. He found that opportunity through Project Let’s Go, a nonprofit focused on educational access, where he volunteered with Indigenous communities in Taiwan. 

“We played drums, we had egg parachutes, and there was a mix of STEM education and arts,” he said. “What stood out the most to me was bilingual education and its ability to make learning more inclusive and meaningful.” 

At the same time, those experiences pushed him to think about how education is studied and measured. Seeing firsthand the limitations of traditional assessments, he began to question how research could better capture the full scope of student learning within a specific context.

“I learned that grades are not everything; some students shine in music, while others shine in athletics, and I could see their smiles when they devote themselves to areas they enjoy,” Hook said. “We shouldn’t just use a generic benchmark to determine how a person does.” 

That realization sparked a deeper interest in research methodology, specifically how research can be designed to reflect authentic learning experiences and support more equitable outcomes. It was this curiosity, shaped by both his academic background and hands-on work in Taiwan, that ultimately led him to pursue the ARE program at Temple.

Research and practical training form the cornerstone of his experience at Temple. During his master’s program, he conducted a study on students’ aptitude and motivation in classes offered by the Temple Center for American Language and Culture (TCALC), using both student surveys and instructor interviews to inform the findings.  

“The main takeaway is that a short instrument, if properly designed, can predict students’ success and be easy for students to complete,” Hook shared. “Instructors’ beliefs and classroom dynamics also influence the approaches they use to leverage students’ motivation and aptitude in instruction.” Additionally, his forthcoming article in the Neag School of Education Journal outlines considerations for designing effective sessions embedded in critical thinking, as he believes high-quality, high-impact education should not be a privilege exclusive to those who can afford it.

Beyond research, coursework and practical experiences, mentorship played a critical role in shaping both his academic and professional growth.

“I have built a huge community over here,” Hook said. His mentors helped him think more broadly about his future, encouraging him to explore internships, career pathways and the broader impact of his work. “My mentors helped me develop skills that are not taught in classes and textbooks,” he added.

Those CEHD mentors include Juliet Curci, assistant dean of college access and persistence and executive director of the Center for Reimagining Excellence, Access and Transformation in Education (CREATE); Professor James Byrnes and Professor Avi Kaplan, along with additional mentors at Temple, including Director of Student Engagement and Career Advancement Mark Kaloko and Benjamin Brock, assistant director of the scholarship of teaching and learning. 

As graduation approaches, Hook sees his experience not as an endpoint, but as a turning point.  

“Research has to mean something beyond the page,” he said. “Temple helped me refine not only my skills, but also my sense of purpose, pushing me to consider both the methods behind research and the impact it can have on communities.” His plans to continue scholarship through research that advances equity in education. 

“Graduating feels like a meaningful transition because it reflects how much I have grown,” Hook said. Temple, he noted, helped “shape my values, strengthen my research mindset and prepare me to move forward with purpose.” Rather than a conclusion, graduation represents momentum, evidence that he is ready to carry his passion for inclusive, impactful education into the next chapter of his work.