about

Allyson Compton, Ph.D., specializes in both graduate and undergraduate courses that explore the foundations of education. Her courses encompass a range of topics, including learning theories, the socio-political and economic contexts of education in the United States, the historical evolution of educational policies and practices, and critical approaches to curriculum and pedagogy. Drawing on her extensive experience as a social studies educator in New York City public schools for fifteen years, Dr. Compton also teaches courses focused on the theories and methodologies of social studies education.

Her research engages with critical posthumanism to deepen our understanding of learning processes in increasingly complex contexts, particularly in relation to difficult knowledge and historical narratives. Before joining Iona University, Dr. Compton served as an instructor of social studies education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She earned her B.A. in Social Studies and History Education from Boston University, her M.A. in History from Hunter College, and her Ph.D. in Social Studies Education from Columbia University.