Richard Ambrose, Ph.D
Associate Professorrambrose@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
Richard P. Ambrose is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teaching, Leadership and Curriculum Studies. He received his undergraduate degree in Sociology from Springfield College, his master's in Elementary Education and Ph.D. in Teacher Education/Early Childhood Education from Syracuse University. He is a former National Teacher Corps Intern and has taught in Project Headstart, kindergarten and first grade. Scholarly interests include teacher education, urban education, university-school collaboration, teacher socialization/professional identity and young children's social/moral considerations in classroom teaching practices.
Mrs. Cathie Bachtel
Administrative Clerkcbachtel@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC
I have been at Kent State University since December 2001, all in the College of Education. I have worked at several positions within TLCS, and had a year of Grant Accounting in EFSS. I currently do all the course scheduling for TLCS. My hobbies include reading, computers, and riding around town in our 1929 Model A Ford, or our 1968 Ford Galaxie 500 Fastback.
Nancy Barbour, Ph.D
Associate Deannbarbour@kent.edu
409 White Hall
Area: OAA - TLC, CI
I have been a member of the Kent State University community since 1985. My educational preparation began with my B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania in 1972, followed by a M.Ed. in Early Childhood from Wichita State University in 1978, and a PhD. in Human Development and Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University in 1985. Prior to coming to Kent State University, I held a number of different service-related and teaching positions: social worker for a welfare department, inner-city preschool teacher, Head Start teacher, child care vocational education teacher, and college instructor. Until 2004, I served as an Early Childhood faculty member. I now serve as Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs and Graduate Education. I have responsibility for managing our continuous improvement activities (i.e., accreditation and accountability) and overseeing graduate programs, policies, and procedures. My scholarly interests and publications have focused on parent-child relationships (particularly adolescent mothers and their children), authentic assessment of young children, and early childhood professional development, particularly in relation to laboratory school programs. I serve the National Association for the Education of Young Children as a reviewer of programs and developer of early childhood teacher standards. I also serve on the Board of Examiners for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Wendy Bedrosian, Ph.D
Assistant Professorwbedrosi@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC
I have been teaching and working on program improvement with the Early Childhood faculty at Kent State for more than ten years. I also serve as the Field Experience Coordinator for the program. Courses taught at Kent include our child development course, guidance of primary-school children, the ECED survey course, and leading the student teaching seminar for teacher candidates in preschool settings. I feel that it is critical for future teachers to understand how the brain develops as it impacts wellness, behavior, and learning. It is my hope that our teachers will move into their careers with the knowledge and skills to apply contemporary brain research in their teaching practice. My research interests include teacher decision making, student teacher development & mentoring, and making teaching/learning visible to the families of young children. I earned my BA in Languages & Literature from Bard College, M.Ed. in Early Childhood Development & Intervention from the University of Pittsburgh, and Ph.D. in Special Education and Early Childhood from Kent State University. Previous professional experiences include: toddler and preschool teaching in family-centered hospital-based, center-based, and home-based service agencies; early intervention program development; staff training/supervision for families of newborns in drug withdrawal in New York City; special education coordination for Maricopa County Health & Human Services' Head Start delegate; developmental consultant/team leader with Child Protective Services.
Carol Bersani, M.S.
Associate Professorcbersani@kent.edu
CDC / 404 White Hall
Area: TLC - CDC
Carol serves as pedagogical coordinator and director of the laboratory school. Her particular interest is in how teacher study groups impact student learning, teacher professional development and organizational change. Recent publications have focused on the function of child development laboratory schools for professional development and ways of engaging parents as partners with teachers in the education of young children. She serves on the editorial board of the journal, Innovations in Early Education. Teaching areas include play, organizational development, and preschool education
William Bintz, Ph.D
Associate Professorwbintz@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC
I am currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Curriculum Studies at Kent State University. I have extensive classroom teaching experience including teaching high school English in Chicago, Illinois and San Juan, Puerto Rico; middle school language arts in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; and grades 4-6 at an Alternative School in Bloomington, Indiana. I have also been a Visiting Lecturer in Language Education at the Armidale College of Advanced Education in Armidale, Australia, as well as an assistant professor at Western Kentucky University, James Madison University, and the University of Kentucky. My personal experiences and professional interests include using award-winning literature to teach across the curriculum K-12, collaborative teacher research, and reading comprehension assessment. I have published numerous articles and book chapters in leading literacy journals such as Language Arts, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, and Middle School Journal; presented at many international, national, and state conferences; and conducted professional development workshops throughout the United States. Most recently, I have been involved in several collaborative research projects, most notably a project, funded by Eisenhower and Improving Educator Quality grants investigating the use of award-winning and high-quality literature to integrate literacy, math, and science, 4-8.
Geoff Broadhead
Professorgbroadhe@kent.edu
262 Gym Annex
Area: TLC
Dr. Broadhead's academic and professional qualifications, and school and university experience is in England, Scotland, and the United States. Originally a teacher of remedial English and physical education of at-risk children, Dr. Broadhead's research activities have centered upon the motor characteristics of individuals with disabilities; the interrelationships among movement and non-movement skills in young children; the efficacy of school physical education; and in the special education advocacy area now called inclusion. Books and papers resulting from a range of externally and university-funded projects on these research themes have been published in peer-reviewed journals. He founded and was, for eight years, Editor of the Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, the pre-eminent scholarly journal in the adapted physical education field. Dr. Broadhead has coordinated Special Education and Physical Education programs and has been an Academic Dean. He advocates for student rights and committee involvement; understands faculty and staff responsibilities; is comfortable with the interrelated issues of diversity and affirmative action; and enjoys multi-disciplinary, unit, and university matters. He is happily married to a professional dance choreographer/teacher/Studio owner, whose performing company specializes in social commentary dance-works on themes such as 9/11, adoption, drugs, women in the Civil War, the Holocaust, and the Louisiana Plight. Dr. Broadhead has a grown daughter, who just survived Katrina, and a fifteen year-old son, who is an authentic Civil War Living Historian.
Elizabeth Brooks, Ph.D
Assistant Professorebrooks@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC , MCED
I received my BA in History from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, MAT in Social Studies (concentration in History) from UNC-Chapel Hill, and my Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at Kent State University in December 2005. I have taught secondary social studies across three states (North Carolina, Georgia, and New York), participated in a National Science Foundation grant focused on issues-centered teaching and learning, and, during the first years of my teaching career, was part of two faculty teams specifically selected to ease the early days of school integration. Since coming to Kent in 1990, I have served as a Teaching Fellow and then as Non-tenure Track Faculty in the elementary, middle childhood, and adolescent-young adult teacher education programs. I also guide the initiatives of EHHS's three-tiered partnership structure, manage the work of our local affiliate (Kent Area Professional Education Partnership [KAPEP]) of the Holmes Partnership, and coordinate the adolescent-young adult social studies practicum. My research interests are focused on social studies teacher education and the curriculum work of social studies teachers.
Joanne Caniglia, Ph.D
Associate Professorjcanigl1@kent.edu
401N TLCS
Area: TLC , CI
Joanne Caniglia earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics at John Carroll University and her masters in mathematics at Youngstown State University. She was a secondary teacher and department chair in Niles and Akron, Ohio for 12 years and spent time as a graduate researcher at Kent State University where she received her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Mathematics Education. She taught for 14 years at Eastern Michigan University where she was Professor of Mathematics Education. While there she was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award and the Governor's Award for Distinguished Teaching. Her research investigates effective professional development models in urban settings. She is a PI and Co-PI for many National Science Foundation and Board of Regents inititiatives.
Aeran Choi, Ph.D
Assistant Professorachoi1@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC
Aeran Choi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching, Leadership and Curriculum Studies at Kent State University. She earned her M.Ed in Science Education at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea and her Ph.D. in Science Education at University of Iowa. Her primary research interests include writing-to-learn science, student argument in scientific inquiry, and student use of multiple modal representations. She taught high school integrated science and chemistry for ten years in Seoul, Korea before earning her Ph.D.
Connie Collier
Associate Professorccollie2@kent.edu
263G MGA
Area: TLC
Connie Collier is an associate professor in the School of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Studies at Kent State University. She joined the faculty at Kent State University in 1997, having previously taught three years at Miami University and nine years in public schools in Ohio. She received her BS from Defiance College and her MA and PhD from The Ohio State University. Her scholarship focuses on teacher learning and innovative curricula in physical education.
Alicia Crowe, Ph.D
Associate Professoracrowe@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI, MCED
I am an Associate Professor of Middle and Secondary Social Studies Education in the Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Curriculum Studies at Kent State University and currently the coordinator of the ADED program. I love to teach. It is wonderful to be a part of the growth of new and experienced teachers. I am very interested and do research in teacher education, social studies education, teacher learning, and technology integration in social studies education at both the secondary and pre-service levels.
Kenneth Cushner, Ed.D.
Professorkcushner@kent.edu
White Hall
Area: TLC
I received the B.A. from Kent State University in 1973, and began teaching biology and general science in schools in Switzerland and Australia. I returned to Kent State to pursue a Master's degree in Guidance and Counseling and then taught fifth and sixth grade in the KSU Lab School. Following a few years of teaching and traveling internationally with young people, I received a scholarship through the East-West Center to pursue the Doctorate at the University of Hawaii, where I studied Curriculum and Instruction and Cross-Cultural Psychology. I returned to Kent State University in 1987 to teach social studies and multicultural education. I have authored or co-authored seven different books, including Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach, 6th ed (McGraw-Hill, 2009); Beyond Tourism: A Practical Guide to Meaningful Educational Travel (Scarecrow Education, 2004); and Intercultural Interactions: A Practical Guide, 2nd ed (Sage Publications, 1996). I served as Director of the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching from 1995 - 2000, am a Founding Fellow and President of the International Academy for Intercultural Research, and have organized and led international travel programs on all seven continents. In my spare time, I enjoy music (percussion and guitar), travel, and photography.
Genevieve Davis, Ph.D
Associate Professorgdavis@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
My academic work has always been driven by my interest and enjoyment in mathematics. I received a B.A. in Mathematics and Education from Bethany College and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut where I studied Child Development, Mathematics, and Special Education. Before KSU, I taught Mathematics at Annhurst College in Connecticut and middle school in New Jersey, Connecticut and the Netherlands. I began my tenure track position at KSU in 1989 and in 1993-1994 I took a leave to teach sixth grade and consult in mathematics at the International School of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. During that year, I was a contributing writer of the International Schools' Curriculum Project in Mathematics - which was the precursor to the Mathematics Primary Years Programme International Baccalaureate (IB-PYP). I have traveled to China, South Africa, and Russia visiting universities and schools to study international approaches to education and research. I have also collaborated with educators in Istanbul, Turkey and Oxford, England. My research interests are focused on mathematics education and the professional development of pre-service and in-service teachers; and how mathematical concepts are constructed. Currently (2006-2009) I am a Co-PI with Dr. Trish Koontz on a Math Science Partnership (MSP) Ohio Math Academy Program (OMAP) Grant with grades 3-6 teachers. I have also recently completed a book with Dr. J. David Keller, Teaching Science and Mathematics in a Child's World (2009).
Lisa Donnelly, Ph.D
Assistant Professorldonnell@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
I am currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Curriculum Studies at Kent State University. I taught high school biology and K-8 informal science in Indiana before earning my doctorate in science education from Indiana University Bloomington. My research interests center upon the teaching and learning of evolution and the nature of science and how state biology standards support and constrain this teaching and learning. I regularly present and publish on these fascinating topics, and some of my work has appeared in Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Research in Science Education, and International Journal of Science Education. Here at Kent State, I very much enjoy teaching science methods for preservice undergraduate and MAT preservice teachers as well as graduate courses in science education.
Joanne Dowdy, Ph.D
Professorjkilgour@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC
Joanne Kilgour Dowdy is a Professor at Kent State University, Ohio. A graduate of the Juilliard School in the theatre division, Dr. Dowdy continues to use her drama training to prepare teachers for the literacy classroom, and as a performer who facilitates writing development through interactive workshops. Her major research interests include documenting the experiences of Black women involved in education from adult basic literacy to higher education. She has written and edited five books. Her first book is a volume co-edited with Dr. Lisa Delpit, entitled, The Skin That We Speak: Thoughts on Language and Culture in the Classroom (The New Press). Her second book, GED Stories: Black Women & Their Struggle for Social Equity, is published by Peter Lang. Her fifth book: Ph.D. Stories: Conversations with My Sisters, is published by Hampton Press and was recently awarded the 2009 American Educational Research Association Narrative and Research Special Interest Group's Outstanding Book Award. The new book, In The Public Eye, will be released in October, 2009.
Jennifer Fisette
Assistant Professorjfisette@kent.edu
263H Gym Annex
Area: TLC
Jennifer Fisette is a first year Assistant Professor in the School of Exercise, Leisure, and Sport. She received her undergraduate degree in physical education from Rhode Island College, master's degree in sport pedagogy at Ithaca College, and doctoral degree in physical education teacher education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Prior to her graduate work, she taught physical education and health for three years in the Middletown Public School System located in Rhode Island. Her current research interests explore the complexities of students' experiences with physical activity and physical education through student voice and activist initiatives.
Ramona Freeman, Ph.D
Assistant Professorrfreema1@kent.edu
Salem Campus
Area: TLC
Dr. Freeman received her Ph.D. from the University of Akron in Curricular and Instructional Studies. After having taught at the elementary level in Florida and Ohio, she owned and operated an academically focused child care program while serving as editor of a family child care newsletter for the Northeast Ohio Provider's network. She has taught courses at the undergraduate and graduate level, and co-authored a grant from The Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children. She has been appointed to the editorial review committee for ScholarlyPartnershipsEdu, and has presented at numerous state and national conferences. Dr. Freeman has contributed to several journals, including: The Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, The International Journal of Learning, Early Childhood Education Journal, Young Children, and Early Childhood News. Topics of research and interest: -quality in informal educare programs -professional development in family child care -socio-cultural practices in preschool and the primary years -authentic classroom pedagogy -professional development partnerships with early childhood teacher mentors and pre-service teachers.
Andrew Gilbert, Ph.D
Associate Professoragilber1@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC , MCED, CI
Dr. Andrew Gilbert taught for four years in the Washington DC metro area before pursuing his PhD at New Mexico State University. While in New Mexico, he worked extensively in K-8 classrooms developing and teaching innovative approaches to science with children. He has been teaching Early and Middle Childhood Science at Kent State University since the fall of 2003. He also teaches graduate courses in several program areas at KSU. His research looks at the complex issues involved in enacting science in the classroom context. These research topics represent a range of issues that include: inquiry-based science teaching, social justice and equity, the separation of theory and practice, and international education. His work has been published in various outlets including: Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Curriculum Inquiry, Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy and Early Childhood Research and Practice.
Danielle Gruhler, Ph.D
Assistant Professordgruhler@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC
I began my professional career in 1991 as a third grade teacher in Solon, Ohio, after graduating from John Carroll University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education. I taught at the elementary level for nine years before leaving to teach full-time at the university. Upon completion of my Master¹s Degree in Literacy Studies at John Carroll, I was invited to teach literature and language arts courses there in 1996 and 1997. I began my doctoral work at Kent State University in 1997. As a doctoral student, I served as both a Graduate Assistant and a Teaching Fellow. During my tenure as a doctoral candidate, I was awarded a University Fellowship for the 2001-2002 academic year. I have been on the full-time faculty at Kent for two years. I currently serve as the Co-coordinator for the Reading Endorsement cohort program. My research interests include the student and teacher discourse that surrounds the literacy processes of young readers and writers, and the ways in which teachers construct their professional thinking about literacy based on their personal and practical experiences.
Todd Hawley, Ph.D
Assistant Professorthawley1@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
Todd S. Hawley is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching, Leadership and Curriculum Studies at Kent State University. He earned his M.Ed. in Secondary Education at Vanderbilt University in 2007 and his Ph.D. in Social Studies Education at the University of Georgia in 2008. His research interests include rationale-development as a core theme of graduate and undergraduate social studies teacher education, the possibilities of powerful social studies teacher education, the connections between the structure, content, and process of teacher education and the professional and pedagogical decision-making of beginning teachers, the preparation of social studies doctoral students, and the intersection of self-study methodology and social studies teacher education. Prior to receiving his Ph.D., he taught high school social studies for four years in the Atlanta Public Schools and for three years at Oglethorpe County High School.
James Henderson, Ed.D.
Professorjhenders@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC
After seven years of public school teaching, I pursued a doctorate in curriculum and teaching studies. I've been extremely pleased with this decision and feel fortunate to work at Kent State University, particularly given our College and Graduate School's tradition of offering a C&I Ph.D. I regularly teach three courses: Fundamentals of Curriculum, Curriculum Leadership, and Theory and Research in Curriculum. I am coordinator of our college's C&I Master's Degree and Ph.D. programs and co-editor of The Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy. I am an active member in the Curriculum & Pedagogy Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies, the American Educational Research Association, and the Professors of Curriculum Honorary Society. My service work in these organizations is closely linked to my scholarly interests, which focus on democratic curriculum wisdom and its implications for professional development, reflective practice, and curriculum leadership. I have authored, co-authored and co-edited four books on these topics, and two of these books are currently in their third editions. I am currently working with a local assistant superintendent of instruction on the creation of an online Curriculum Leadership Institute.
Mary Lou Holly, Ph.D
Professormholly@kent.edu
209 Moulton Hall
Area: TLC , CI
Mary Louise Holly began her career as an elementary school art consultant and teacher. She earned graduate degrees in curriculum and teaching with a major in human development and learning at Michigan State University. Her study of professional development led her as a visiting scholar to the Centre for Applied Research in Education at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, England, and to the School of Education at Deakin University in Geelong. Australia. Early in her career, Mary Lou began documenting and learning from her teaching using artistic and qualitative methods. Her continuing scholarly interests are in human development and learning and how environments and resources can be used to support growth, learning in community, and cultural change in higher education. Mary Lou is founding director of Kent State University's Faculty Professional Development Center. Over the last several years her research has focused on the biology of learning and on cultivating environments for learning across ages and roles. "Igniting Streams of Learning in Science" an inquiry-based STEM Academy with co-directors Denny Taylor (Biology, Hiram College) and Sajit Zachariah (Technology, University of Akron) is in the third year of funding from the Ohio Board of Regents and Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.
Janice Hutchison, Ph.D
Assistant Professorjhutchi1@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC , ADED
I currently serve as the Coordinator of the Masters of Arts in Teaching program and am a non tenure track faculty member in secondary education. I have been a classroom teacher for over 30 years and started this career by teaching reading to incarcerated male convicts. Over the years, I have taught English to public school adolescents and instructional strategies and education research to college students. My undergraduate degree in secondary education (English, math and reading) is from Ohio University. I received my masters degree in Educational and Cultural Foundations and my doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Kent State University. Before retiring from Kent City Schools as the Coordinator of Staff Development, I served as an adjunct faculty member at Kent State. By working extensively in the two settings, I have developed a passion for teacher leadership.
Jennifer James, Ph.D
Assistant Professor404 White Hall
Area: TLC
Dr. James completed her doctoral work in teacher education at the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2006. Her dissertation, Care in the Lives of Women Teachers, explored the complex relationship between gender identity and constructs of teaching as they inform pedagogical decision making in early childhood classrooms. Dr. James teaches the social studies methods course for the early childhood education program, and has particular interests in the relationship between democratic and historical thinking, and the development of critically-minded, active citizens concerned with social justice. She continues to think about issues of teacher identity development as they are related to individual biography and the socio-cultural, political contexts in which teachers live and work. She is currently involved in a variety of projects through which she is exploring the relationship between how teachers come to understand their roles and responsibilities as social studies educators and how those understandings play out in their daily interactions with young people. Dr. James believes there is a critical relationship between theory and practice that requires listening to and learning from teachers in order to develop scholarship that meaningfully contributes to conversations of teaching and learning.
Wendy Kasten, Ph.D
Professorwkasten@kent.edu
402 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
vita [pdf] | http://www.personal.kent.edu/~wkasten
Wendy C. Kasten earned her B.S. degree at Rowan University in New Jersey, her M.Ed from the University of Maine, and her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona (1984). She is 1996-2002 president of C.E.L.T., (Center for the Expansion of Language and Thinking), an invitational society of literacy educators who advocate meaning-centered views of learning. She is active in the International Reading Association, the National Council of Teachers of English, and the National Reading Conference. Kasten taught elementary school in Maine, and previously taught at the University of South Florida, and was a visiting faculty fellow to Deakin University in Victoria, Australia. She is co-author of several books, including The Multiage Classroom: A Family of Learners (1993 with Clarke); Implementing Multiage Education: A Practical Guide (1998, with Lolli);Action Research for Teachers: Traveling the Yellow Brick Road (2001; 2005 w/ Holly and Arhar); and Living Literature (2005, w/Kristo & McClure) Articles can be found in Reading and Writing Quarterly; Anthropology and Education Quarterly; Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Literacy, Teaching and Learning, The National Reading Conference Yearbook, and others. She is Associate Editor of Reading and Writing Quarterly. Areas of interest and research include: writing, action research, literature based reading instruction, children's literature, literature circles, multiage education, struggling readers, reading assessment, independent reading, and teacher reflection. Personal website address is: http://www.personal.kent.edu/~wkasten
Claudia Khourey-Bowers, Ph.D
Associate Professorcmkhoure@kent.edu
Stark Campus
Area: TLC , CI
My career as a science educator has taken many interesting turns. It began with a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from The Ohio State University, followed by a stint working in a neuroanatomy research lab at NEOUCOM, and a master's degree in biology from the University of Akron. From there, I launched my teaching career in Canton City Schools, where I also worked in science curriculum and professional development. My experiences in the classroom and in professional development raised questions about the teaching-learning dynamic that I felt warranted further study. This took me to Kent State University, where I earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, with an emphasis in science education. I am now beginning my ninth year at Kent State University-Stark as a faculty member, where my teaching responsibilities are split between Middle Childhood nd C & I program areas. My line of inquiry explores the relationships existing across teacher beliefs, teacher knowledge and pedagogy, and the role of teacher content knowledge on student achievement, classroom culture, and inquiry/integration.
Patricia Koontz, Ph.D
Professortkoontz@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
Kent State University has been home to me for more years than any other academic institution. Receiving my undergraduate, masters and doctorate from Kent State has been a source of pride knowing the excellent professors and opportunities KSU has afforded me. As a student teacher I took advantage Kent State's international student teaching program and student taught in Cali Columbia, South America. Prior to joining Kent State as a professor, I was a chemist; a mathematics teacher at Hillman Jr. High in Youngstown; a mathematics, chemistry, and physics teacher at North High School in Akron; and a mathematics teacher for autistic children in Kent City Schools. I am presently the Director of the Mathematics Specialist Program (the only such master's degree program in Ohio) as well as the co-director of the Northeast Ohio Center of Excellence for the Teaching of Mathematics and Science (NEOCEx). I serve on the Ohio Mathematics Education Task Force and the Ohio Resource Center math review board. Two of my most recent books are Teaching Science to Children: an Inquiry Approach co-authored with A. Friedl and Science and Society in the Twentieth Century co-authored with W. Sherman.
Janice Kroeger, Ph.D
Associate Professorjkroege1@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC , ECED
I began my teaching career as a specialist in early education in a university lab school setting, with both bachelor degrees and a master's degree in child development and family studies. Having taught in community colleges, early childhood lab schools, and public school settings I pursued doctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and earned a PHD in Curriculum and Instruction in 2003. My research and teaching interests are focused on issues of power and identity in home, school, and community partnerships, early years teacher development, early childhood policies and practices, and qualitative research methodologies. I have researched in and written scholarly work about social action, agency, culture and cultural and identity change in diverse communities as well as the impact of pre service teacher's work on ECED classrooms. I find the intersections of social justice work, activism, school formation and the formation of schooled subjects (students) fascinating. In 2003, my doctoral dissertation, Chronicles of Diversity, Identity, and Change received an award, Outstanding Dissertation from the special interest group Early Education and Child Development from AERA. My published work has or will appear in such journals as The Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, the Journal of Educational Change and The Urban Review, and I've contributed to or co-authored works in English Education, The American Educational Review Journal, and Early Childhood Research and Practice, and Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood.
Martha Lash, Ph.D
Associate Professormlash@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
I began my career as a psychiatric social worker after earning my bachelor's degree in sociology from West Liberty State College, WV. A geographical move to South Texas provided opportunity for a pivotal career move into the field of education where I have remained, served, and taught in various roles: director/teacher in an early childhood education program, executive director for drop-out prevention and school-community partnership programs, and liaison for school (pre-school through higher education), business, and community initiatives. Upon moving to Indiana, I returned to directing and teaching in early childhood programs, including as the director of the Indiana University Campus Children's Center. I earned my M.Ed. and Ph. D. degrees in Curriculum Studies with an Early Childhood Emphasis from Indiana University-Bloomington in 1996 and 2004 respectively. In 2003 I joined the Kent State University faculty with program affiliations in Early Childhood Education (ECED) and Curriculum and Instruction (C & I). My research interests include early childhood education teachers' beliefs and practices; young children's social development and forming of community, especially during the transition period from preschool to public school; and issues of professionalism and quality in early childhood care and education issues on a national and international basis.
Michael Mikusa, Ph.D
Associate Professormmikusa@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
I started my career as a middle school mathematics teacher in Columbus Public Schools after graduating from The Ohio State University. While teaching 5 different courses to an average of 195 students my first two years, I opted for a teaching position in the Mathematics department at OSU while working on a masters degree in Mathematics Education. After completing my degree (and getting married) I took a position teaching mathematics at Clearview high school in Lorain, Ohio. While in Lorain I also taught mathematics part time at Lorain County Community College. After 6 years in Lorain I started the PhD program and took a research assistant position for the Logo and Geometry project headed by Dr. Michael Battista at Kent State University. As research assistant I conducted over 500 clinical interviews with children grades K-6. I finished my PhD and have been a faculty member in the department of Teaching, Leadership, and Curriculum Studies at Kent State University for 14 years. My current research includes how students develop geometric reasoning, mathematics teacher professional development, and how web-based mathematics education can facilitate teachers and students learning of mathematics.
Denise Morgan, Ph.D
Assistant Professordmorgan2@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC
I received my B.S. from the University of Alabama in Early Childhood/Elementary Education and an M.Ed. in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois. I taught Kindergarten, second and fourth grade in Illinois before earning my Ph.D. from the Ohio State University in Language and Literacy. Upon my graduation in 2001, I accepted a three-year post doctoral position at the University of South Carolina to work on a federally funded grant studying long term professional development. In 2004, I accepted a position as an assistant professor in Early Childhood and Literacy Education at Kent State. My research interests include understanding teacher change in theoretical knowledge and practice, understanding student development as readers and writers and understanding site-based professional development. I also have a special interest in the use of informational books in the classroom.
Patrick OConnor
Associate Professorpoconnor@kent.edu
316 White Hall
Area: TLC
I've been at KSU for 18 years focusing mainly on coordinating teacher education programming and leadership for the Career-Technical Education community primarily in North East Ohio. The main activities to this end have been in teacher preparation for initial licenses and continuing professional development as well as scholarship related to workforce education/development. My scholarly and publication interests are quite broad ranging from workplace literacy to leadership/organizational change. My primary teaching duties are at the master degree level. I have had similar positions at the University of Georgia and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I also have high school and community college teaching experience.
Dr. Nancy Padak, Ed.D.
Director, Reading & Writing Center, Professor of Educationnpadak@kent.edu
402 White Hall
Area: RWDC - TLC
My degrees are in the Teaching of English (University of Illinois), Reading (Northern Illinois University), and Curriculum and Instruction (Northern Illinois University). Prior to coming to Kent State in 1985, I was a classroom teacher and administrator in Illinois. I am a Distinguished Professor of Education. I am the Principal Investigator for the Ohio Literacy Resource Center, the GED Scholars Initiative, and the Ohio Literacy Alliance. I direct the Reading and Writing Center, which provides support for teachers seeking advanced degree work in literacy, and teach graduate courses in literacy education. My scholarly interests include family literacy and working with struggling readers. I have written or edited a dozen books and more than 100 scholarly articles and chapters. I am past College Reading Association President and a former the coeditor of The Reading Teacher. I currently co-edit the Journal of Literacy Research, a top-tier research journal in literacy education.
Lynda Paul
Program Assistant 8lepaul@kent.edu
316 White Hall
Area: TLC , CTTE, CTTE
I have lived in Garrettsville, OH all of my life after I turned six years old. Until then my family lived in various places around the USA and the world due to my father making his career in the Army. I came to KSU campus five years ago as a temp, part-timer, and three years ago became full time in the ACHVE Dept., as Program Assistant to Career Technical Teacher Education. I enjoy working in my department and with students in the world of academia.
Sandra Pech, M.S.
Instructorspech@kent.edu
412 White Hall
Area: TLC
Following graduation from Heidelberg College in 1983 my educational career began with 10 years of teaching in the Alliance City Schools, Alliance, Ohio. During those ten years, I had the opportunity to teach second graders through fifth graders in various combinations. In 1987 I received my Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Akron University. The arrival of our first child and my husbands work related transfer to North Carolina in 1994 lead to my involvement with infants through 5 year olds in a preschool setting where I was the director of a Mothers Morning Out program. After returning to Ohio in 1999, I taught at the preschool level for two years and later was invited to become a supervisor for Kent State Universitys Early Childhood Education program where I facilitated college students who were completing their student teaching at the pre-k and primary levels. Following six years of supervising, I decided to pursue a Ph.D in Curriculum and Instruction in order to return to the classroom as an educator. I was a graduate assistant for one and a half years and am currently a full time non-tenure-track instructor in the field of early childhood education. I am in the process of writing my dissertation with a completion goal set for the summer of 2009. My research is a case study that focuses on how one teacher supports the social and emotional atmosphere in the classroom. I am interested in the importance of these interactions at the primary level as students transition from the preschool environment to the academic life of the elementary school.
Dana Perlman, Ph.D
Assistant Professordperlma1@kent.edu
263J MGA, School of ELS
Area: TLC
Dana Perlman is in his first year as an assistant professor in the School of Exercise, Leisure and Sport at Kent State University. Before coming to KSU, he taught one year at Washburn University and three years in the Connecticut public school system, as a health and physical education teacher. He received his Bachelors degree in Physical Education with a minor in Health Education from the University of Idaho. During his three years of public school teaching Dana earned his Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Central Connecticut State University. Finally, he returned to the University of Idaho to complete his Ph.D. in sport pedagogy. Research interests focus in the area of student motivation within (a) teacher preparation and (b) curricula interventions, specifically Sport Education.
Kristine Pytash
Instructorkpytash@kent.edu
412 White Hall
Area: TLC
I received my B.A. in English Literature and an M.Ed. in Secondary Education from John Carroll University. I taught high school English in Texas before pursuing a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Kent State University. I was a graduate assistant and am currently a full time non-tenure-track instructor. I am in the process of writing my dissertation. My research focuses on the literacy practices of adolescents attending alternative schools. I also have a special interest in dropout prevention and content area literacy.
Timothy Rasinski, Ph.D
Professortrasinsk@kent.edu
401 White Hall
Area: TLC
Timothy Rasinski is a professor of literacy education at Kent State University. He has written over 200 articles and has authored, co-authored or edited over 50 books or curriculum programs on reading education. He is author of the best selling book on reading fluency entitled The Fluent Reader, published by Scholastic, and co-author of the award winning fluency program called Fluency First, published by the Wright Group. His scholarly interests include reading fluency and word study, reading in the elementary and middle grades, and readers who struggle. His research on reading has been cited by the National Reading Panel and has been published in journals such as Reading Research Quarterly, The Reading Teacher, Reading Psychology, and the Journal of Educational Research. Tim is currently writing the fluency chapter for Volume IV of the Handbook of Reading Research. Tim recently served a three year term on the Board of Directors of the International Reading Association and from 1992 to 1999 he was co-editor of The Reading Teacher, the world's most widely read journal of literacy education. He has also served as co-editor of the Journal of Literacy Research. Rasinski is past-president of the College Reading Association and he has won the A. B. Herr and Laureate Awards from the College Reading Association for his scholarly contributions to literacy education. Prior to coming to Kent State Tim taught literacy education at the University of Georgia. He taught for several years as an elementary and middle school classroom and Title I teacher in Nebraska.
Anne Reynolds, Ph.D
Associate Professorareynol5@kent.edu
412 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
I received my Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Education at James Cook University of North Queensland, Australia. I taught for 19 years in Queensland, Australia, as an elementary teacher, a high school mathematics and accounting teacher, and as a resource teacher for students with special needs. In 1990, I came to the United States to complete my Doctorate in Mathematics Education at Florida State University. In 1993, I joined the faculty at the University of Oklahoma and concentrated my efforts in mathematics education in the early childhood, special education, and middle grades programs at the undergraduate level as well as teaching and advising in the mathematics education graduate programs. I joined the faculty at Kent State University in the Fall 2004, where I teach mathematics education courses in the MCED, ECED, and C & I programs. My research interests are focused on how students learn mathematics, particularly the imagery involved in making sense of mathematical ideas, and in learning in a problem centered setting.
Ms. Donna Richmond, M.Ed.
Instructordrichmon@kent.edu
316 White Hall
Area: TLC
Teach the following classes: Methods of Career/ Technical Ed. Curriculum Design and application Issues in Career/ Technical Ed. Supervise and advise Family and Consumer Schience
Teresa Rishel, Ph.D
Associate Professortrishel@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
Teresa Rishel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching, Leadership, and Curriculum Studies. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Middle Childhood Education and Multicultural Education. Dr. Rishel joined the Kent State faculty in 2003. Her educational experience includes serving as an elementary principal and teaching elementary and middle level grades. She earned her Master of Science in Elementary Education and her PhD in Curriculum Studies at Purdue University. Her undergraduate degrees include Elementary Education (St. Joseph's College, Indiana) and Physical Education & Health K-12 (Ball State University, Indiana). Dr. Rishel's interests include guiding middle level preservice teachers as they transition into effective novice teachers. She is interested in reflective thinking, curriculum theory, multicultural issues of education and social justice. Her research interests include adolescent suicide in relationship to teaching, leadership, and curriculum, with a focus on affective environments. Dr. Rishel presents her research nationally and at several Midwestern universities, as well as in education classes at Kent State.
Alexa Sandmann, Ed.D.
Professorasandman@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
After graduating from Copley High School, I earned undergraduate degrees in English and Education, as well as a master's degree in Reading from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Before earning my doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Cincinnati, I taught for five years in the public schools. Before coming to Kent State in 2004, I taught for two years at Northern Kentucky University and twelve years at the University of Toledo. I have served in varied leadership roles across the state: President of the Ohio Council of the International Reading Association, having been a local council president several years before that; member of various state reading and writing committees; and Praxis III assessor. I present consistently at the national conventions of International Reading Association, National Council of Teachers of English, and the National Middle School Association, as well as state literacy events. I directed the Toledo Area Writing Project, a site of the National Writing Project, for ten years. I am currently the director of the National Writing Project at Kent State University.
Julia Stoll, M.A.
Instructorjastoll@kent.edu
CDC / 404 White Hall
Area: TLC
After receiving my Bachelor of Science degree in Education from BGSU in 1993, I taught preschool and kindergarten and then served as a director for a child care center in the Cleveland area. I obtained my Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from KSU in 2000 and I am currently pursuing a doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction at KSU. I currently teach three courses a semester for the Early Childhood Program in the areas of preschool education, mathematics and science. I also work at the Child Development Center on campus as one of the Co-Coordinators for the Children's Program where I mainly oversee the billing for families and participate in ongoing faculty research initiatives. My research interest is in the area of teacher education and early mathematics and science teaching and learning.
Tsung-Hui Tu, Ph.D
Associate Professorttu@kent.edu
Salem Campus
Area: TLC
I joined the Kent State University faculty at Salem campus in January 2002. I earned a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies and concentration in Child Development from University of Alabama. I received my M.S. and Ph. D. from Iowa State University in Human Development and Family Studies with specialization in Early Childhood Education. I am the Director of Early Childhood Education Technology Program at Salem Campus. The courses that I have taught include introduction to early childhood services, infant/toddler curriculum and services, preschool curriculum, program organization and parent involvement, and student teaching seminar. I also supervise student teachers in various field placements. I strongly value teacher reflection as a critical means of teacher preparation and my research and teaching interests focus on preschool science, preschool teacher-child verbal interactions, teacher preparation, and student teaching.
Steven Turner, Ph.D
Assistant Professorsturner6@kent.edu
404 White Hall
Area: TLC , CI
vita [pdf] | http://www.educ.kent.edu/TLCS/faculty/turner.html
Steven L. Turner is an assistant professor in the Teaching, Leadership and Curriculum Studies Department. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Curriculum and Instruction and Middle Childhood Education. He joined the KSU faculty in 2005. He earned his PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Virginia (2005) and his M.Ed from Boston University (2000). His dual undergraduate degree was Honors Liberal Studies and Special Education from Longwood University (1998). His research interests include the Learning Sciences and methods for preparing K-12 teacher candidates to integrate ethical and appropriate high-stakes test preparation without narrowing curriculum or teaching to the test. His current research project examines the misalignment between how teachers teach and how students learn.
Lori Wilfong, Ph.D
Assistant Professorlgkrug@kent.edu
Stark Campus
Area: TLC , CI
Lori G. Wilfong, Ph.D., began her career in East Los Angeles, CA, teaching English as a second language to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders for the Los Angeles Unified School District. This sparked her interest in motivating adolescent readers and led to positions in Rootstown Local Schools and Maple Heights City Schools as a literacy coach and literacy specialist. Upon completion of her doctoral degree in Literacy Education from Kent State, Wilfong began her current position in the Middle Childhood Education and Curriculum & Instruction programs at the Stark Campus. She remains an active consultant in several area urban school districts, furthering her research interests in multicultural literature and education, fluency, and reading in the content areas.
