Dr. Richard Ambrose, Ph.D.

Area: TLCS - ECED, 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.

Cathie Bachtel

Area: TLCS

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.

Dr. Claudia Barrett

Area: TLCS - ECED, CI

Wendy Bedrosian

Area: TLCS - ECED

vita [pdf]

I earned my BA in Languages & Literature from Bard College, M.Ed. in Early Childhood Development & Intervention from the University of Pittsburgh, and PhD 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 coordinator for Maricopa Co Health & Human Services' Head Start delegate; developmental consultant/team leader with Child Protective Services. I have been teaching and working on program improvement with the Early Childhood faculty at Kent State for seven years and currently serve as the Field Experience Coordinator for the program. My research interests include teacher decision making, student teaching/mentoring, and revealing teaching/learning to the families and caregivers of young children. I am presently studying the mutually beneficial effects of student teachers/mentor teachers on site quality with Dr Janice Kroeger. Additionally, I am collaborating with the Office of Clinical Experiences, and other programs in the College of Education, Health & Human Services, to support the efforts of Head Start teachers in improving the quality of their teaching and programs for young children.

Ms. Carol Bersani, M.S.

Area: TLCS - ECED

Dr. William Bintz, Ph.D

Area: TLCS - MCED

vita [pdf]

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.

Lisa Brindley

Area: TLCS - ECET

Dr. Elizabeth Brooks

Area: TLCS - ADED, CI

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 December 2005. I have taught secondary social studies across 3 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.

Dr. David Bruce, Ph.D

Area: TLCS - ADED, CI

I am in my fourth year as an Assistant Professor of English Education at Kent State University in the department of Teaching, Leadership and Curriculum studies. However, I have been associated in several ways to Kent State for the past 15 years. After earning my B.A. in English Literature at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, I completed my M.A.T. degree from Kent State University in English Education. I taught high school English and Media Studies for 11 years at Solon High School where my students' media compositions won numerous local, regional, and national awards. While teaching high school, I went back to Kent and completed my Ph.D. in 2002. My wife, Deborah, also completed her M.A.T. degree in 1994 and is completing her doctoral coursework at Kent State. I currently work with both undergraduate and graduate students who are earning their Secondary Education Integrated Language Arts licenses. My primary interest of research and teaching deals with the reading and composing with video, particularly the way in which students and teachers can use print and video to complement each other. I serve as President-Elect of the Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts (OCTELA) and as the Director for the Commission on Media for the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Terri Cardy

Area: TLCS

vita [pdf]

Mrs. Diane Craig, M.Ed.

Area: TLCS - ECED

Diane E. Craig is currently a non-tenure track faculty/instructor teaching undergraduate courses in the early childhood education program at Kent State University. She is also a doctoral student in Curriculum & Instruction with research interests in cultural and social interactions with non-English speaking young children. Prior to her current position, she worked as a teacher of young children for over 25 years in both urban and rural settings before returning to earn her master's degree in early childhood education. While pursuing her PhD. studies, she was teaching undergraduate courses in early childhood and conducted summer workshops in literacy and multicultural literature for undergraduate and graduate early childhood educators.

Dorothy Crouse

Area: TLCS

vita [pdf]

I have been at the University 21 years; 15 years at University Architect's office and 6 years with University Police. Just recently I have joined the EHHS. My position is Word Processing Specialist in TLCS. My responsibilities include front desk, telephone, mail, keeping supplies stocked, preparing student evaluations for all classes, advisor assignments, assisting faculty as required and other duties as assigned.

Dr. Alicia Crowe

Area: TLCS - ADED, 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.

Dr. Kenneth Cushner, Ed.D.

Area: TLCS - MCED, CI

I received the B.A. from Kent State University in 1973, and began my teaching career 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 went on to teach fifth and sixth grade in the KSU Lab School. Following a few years of teaching and traveling 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 six different books, including Human Diversity in Education: An Integrative Approach, 5th ed (McGraw-Hill, 2006); 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 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.

Dr. Genevieve Davis

Area: TLCS - ECED, MCED, CI

My academic work has always been driven by my interest and enjoyment in mathematics. I received my B.A. in Mathematics and Education from Bethany College and my M.A. and Ph.D. degrees 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. While there I was a contributor to the International Schools Curriculum Project. I have traveled to China, South Africa, and Russia as a Mathematics Education delegate visiting universities and schools and interacting with university faculty and leaders in mathematics education and research, as well as local administrators, teachers and students. My research interests are focused on the artistry of teaching with specific interest in the mathematics education of young children and how children form mathematical concepts. I also study my work with pre-service teachers and collaborating professionals in the field. I am currently completing a book with Dr. J. David Keller, Teaching Mathematics and Science in a Child's World.

Dr. Lisa Donnelly, Ph.D

Area: TLCS

Dr. Joanne Dowdy

Area: TLCS - ADED, CI

Joanne Kilgour Dowdy is an Associate Professor at Kent State University, Ohio. A graduate 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. 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

Mrs. Sherry Ernsberger

Area: TLCS

vita [pdf]

Dr. Ramona Freeman

Area: TLCS - ECED

Dr. Larry Froehlich

Area: TLCS - EDPF

vita [pdf] | http://portfolio.educ.kent.edu/froehlichl/

I graduated from Kent State University with a BS degree in Secondary Ed and MEd in Instructional Technology. Upon graduation I accepted the position as Director of a resource center for the West Virginia Department of Education, serving Adult and Technical Education teachers. The Center developed and in-serviced instructional material that was disseminated statewide. I attended West Virginia University as a full-time doctoral student and completed an EdD with a major in Education Administration and a minor in Educational Psychology. After the completion of my doctorate, I became a faculty member in the College of Education and Human Services at Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia. I taught undergraduate and graduate courses in Adult and Technical Education and Instructional Technology. After being promoted and tenured, I became the Associate Dean for Academic Services in the College of Education and Human Services at Marshall, and then served as Dean of the School of Education at the West Virginia Graduate College. I went back to Marshall as Dean of the College of Education and Human Services, and then to Kent as Dean of the East Liverpool Campus. Now after 15 years of serving in administration, I am pleased to return to the classroom as a full-time faculty member on the Regional Campuses.

Dr. Walter Gershon

Area: TLCS - ADED, ADED, ADED

Walter Gershon is an Assistant Professor in the Teaching, Leadership, and Curriculum Studies Department at Kent State University. His scholarly interests include questions about the relationship between curriculum and students, the ways that sociocultural precepts inform educational contexts such as classrooms, and the exploration of qualitative research methodologies. Prior to his time in higher education, Walter taught students of all ages in urban settings in North America and overseas. In addition to several collaborative pieces that explore the intersection between curriculum, pedagogy, and students, Dr. Gershon is currently involved in two active research projects. The first of these projects examines how students and their teachers use the process of making music to better understand academic content, science content in particular. Second, he is the founder and co-leader of The Curriculum Research Partnership (CRP). The CRP is a national consortium of scholars dedicated to working with local urban schools in an effort to provide districts rich, meaningful, and useful data that can be utilized to provide others with a more complete picture of the important kinds of work students and teachers do in their schools.

Dr. Andrew Gilbert

Area: TLCS - ECED, MCED

vita [pdf]

I started my teaching career as an Earth Science Teacher in the metropolitan D.C. area in 1993. After obtaining my masters degree, from East Carolina, I returned the classroom in Montgomery County Maryland. However, after a year in this context, I was offered a research assistantship at New Mexico State University to pursue my doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Science Education. I have been an Assistant Professor here at Kent State since the fall of 2003. My research interests include: inquiry-based science teaching, social justice and equity issues, critical approaches to science, and international education.

Danielle Gruhler

Area: TLCS - CI

vita [pdf]

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.

Dr. Awilda Hamilton

Area: TLCS - HIED, EDAD

After receiving a bachelor's degree in microbiology from Howard University, I quickly decided that a change in career choice was in order. That decided, I enrolled at Ohio University and graduated in 1972 with a master's degree in education. I began my career in education as an elementary teacher and soon determined that an administrative path was what I wanted to pursue. My doctorate in educational administration from the University of Akron in 1980 has provided opportunities to serve as an elementary principal and several central office administrative posts for some fifteen years. In 1990, however, it was a call to direct a diversifying the teaching force project at Kent State University and Cuyahoga Community College, that introduced me to higher education . Fifteen years later, I have enjoyed a career at Kent State University as a faculty member, program coordinator, and special assistant to the dean, associate dean, and currently interim department chair. I was an American Council on Education Fellow in 2004-05. This experience provided the opportunity to study the systemic elements of organizations that impact communication and collaboration. In addition, I studied the change process and how it affects an institution. These are areas I will continue to investigate as I continue in other leadership roles. I am active in the American Council on Education, AERA, and AAC+U.

Dr. James Henderson, Ed.D.

Area: TLCS - CI, CI, CI

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.

Dr. Mary Lou Holly, Ph.D.

Area: TLCS - ECED, CI

Mary Lou Holly is a professor in the department of Teaching, Leadership, & Curriculum Studies, and founding director of Kent State University's Faculty Professional Development Center. Her career began in 1968 as an elementary school art consultant. She became a classroom teacher of young children, and began graduate school in curriculum and teaching with a major in human development and learning. Having completed her graduate work at Michigan State University she joined the early childhood education faculty at Kent 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. This introduced her to action research and laid a foundation for later work with adults using life history and biographical methods. Her continuing scholarly interests are in human development and learning and how environments and resources can be used to support growth -from the early years of life to the later years in adulthood; in teaching, learning, community building, and cultural change in higher education. Mary Lou's recent work focuses on how people learn. This includes supporting the development of faculty and professional learning communities that explore various methods to support student learning.

Janice Hutchison, Ph.D

Area: TLCS - CI, ADED

Dr. Susan Iverson

Area: TLCS - HIED

vita [pdf]

Susan Iverson is Assistant Professor of Higher Education Administration and Student Personnel. Prior to joining the faculty in 2006, Iverson served as adjunct faculty in both Higher Educational Leadership and Women's Studies at the University of Maine, where she also worked as Associate Director of Safe Campus Project, a federally grant-funded initiative to address interpersonal violence on campus. Prior to UMaine, Iverson worked as a student affairs administrator at colleges in Massachusetts and Virginia. Her scholarly interests focus on campus climates and cultures. More specifically, Iverson has engaged research on the following topics: diversity planning, women and advancement, service-learning, and uses of theatre to address social justice issues.

Dr. Jennifer James, Ph.D

Area: TLCS

Dr. Wendy Kasten, Ph.D.

Area: TLCS - MCED, CI

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

J. David Keller

Area: TLCS

vita [pdf]

Dr. Keller joined Kent State in 1990. He worked with Akron (Ohio) Public Schools for twenty-six years as a classroom teacher, curriculum developer, and as coordinator for Gifted and Talented. He was co-director of the KSU/NASA Global Robotic Observatory System with observatories at Kent State University and the Western Australia State Observatory, Perth, Australia. He has served as a member of the National Science Education Association Committee for Gifted Education. In 1991 he presented at the NSTA - Soviet Academy of Science International Conference in Moscow, Russia. He has been a Visiting Professor at Delhi University, New Delhi, India and at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia. He was visiting Astronomer at the Western Australia State Observatory, Perth Australia. His Book, Teacher's RiverGuide - A Curriculum Handbook for Educators received the First Place National Award by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In 2000, Dr. Keller received the Distinguished Teaching Award from the Kent State Alumni Association. Dr. Keller retired from Kent State in 2002; however he is still actively teaching and writing. He presently is serving as Interin Chair for the Department of Teaching Leadership and Curriculum Studies. He is co-author with Dr. Gen Davis the text book, Exploring Science and Mathematics in a Child's World, published by Prentice Hall, (2008).

Dr. Claudia Khourey-Bowers

Area: TLCS - MCED, 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 sixth year at Kent State University-Stark as a faculty member, where my primary teaching responsibilities are in the Middle Childhood program. 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.

Dr. William Kist

Area: TLCS - ADED, CI

http://www.williamkist.com

William Kist is an associate professor of English Education in the Adolescence to Young Adult Education Program. He also teaches graduate students in the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program and in Curriculum & Instruction. He has been a middle school and high school language arts teacher for the Akron Public Schools (teaching at, among other schools, his alma mater, Firestone High School); a language arts and social studies curriculum coordinator for the Medina County Schools' Educational Service Center and the Hudson City Schools; and a consultant and trainer for school districts across the United States, both independently and as a consultant for the National Council of Teachers of English. In November, 2007, Dr. Kist will begin a three-year term as Director of the Commission on Media for the National Council of Teachers of English. Dr. Kist's research interests focus on new literacies, broadening our conceptions of \"literacy\" to include alternative media such as video, blogging, and text messaging. On this topic, Dr. Kist has presented nationally and internationally. Dr. Kist has over 40 articles or book chapters to his credit, and his profiles of teachers is the focus of his book New Literacies in Action (2005) which has been chosen as a National Council of Teachers of English Select Book Remaining active in video production work, Kist is the recipient of an Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission (OEBIE) Honorable Mention for the documentary The Learning Age and a regional Emmy Award nomination for outstanding achievement in music composition for the documentary series Our Family. Kist has worked as a producer for the streaming video Project AdLit for the Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science and Reading and is the writer/director of an independent feature Summer's Journey, the result of a film collaboration that spans 17 years.

Dr. Patricia Koontz, Ph.D.

Area: TLCS - MCED, 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.

Dr. Mark Kretovics

Area: TLCS - HIED, EDAD

vita [pdf]

Mark Kretovics is an Associate Professor of Higher Education Administration and Student Personnel at Kent State University. He received his Ph. D. from Colorado State University and his research interests include the assessment of student learning, business practices in higher education, distance education, and pedagogical issues in compressed courses. Mark had over 20 years of administrative experience within higher education before transitioning into his current faculty role.

Janice Kroeger

Area: TLCS - ECED, ECED, ECED

vita [pdf]

Martha Lash

Area: TLCS - ECED, CI

vita [pdf]

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.

Bridgett McConnell

Area: TLCS - MCED

vita [pdf]

Dr. Judith Melillo, Ph.D.

Area: TLCS - ADED, CI

I love teaching and I love mathematics and I can't think of a better way to spend my life then teaching pre-service teachers how to teach mathematics. Early in my career as secondary mathematics teacher, I taught middle and high school mathematics in New Jersey, California, and Ohio. I accepted an NTT position at Kent after I received my doctorate from Kent State in 1999 in Curriculum and Instruction, Mathematics Education. Since then, I have taught general education and mathematics methods courses for the MCED, ADED and MAT program areas. In addition to teaching, I have been extremely fortunate to co-direct two grants and participate as a researcher in the Cognition Based Assessment NSF grant. In 2003 I took over as program coordinator for the Secondary Masters of Arts in Teaching program. The MAT program requires a lot of time and energy not only on my part but on the part of the dedicated and caring faculty and staff who have collectively made it such a successful graduate program. I currently teach the undergraduate and graduate methods courses in secondary mathematics. I enjoy getting involved with local schools and conduct mathematics workshops and presentations locally, around the state and nationally. My most rewarding job is as the faculty advisor for Kent Student Education Association.

Dr. Michael Mikusa, Ph.D.

Area: TLCS - ADED, 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.

Kathleen Monnin

Area: TLCS

Dr. Denise Morgan

Area: TLCS - ECED, CI

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.

Harry Noden

Area: TLCS

vita [pdf]

Dr. Timothy Rasinski, Ph.D.

Area: TLCS - ECED, CI

Timothy Rasinski is a professor of literacy education at Kent State University. He has written over 150 articles and has authored, co-authored or edited over 15 books or curriculum programs on reading education. 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 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 currently serves as co-editor of the Journal of Literacy Research. He is also a past-president of the College Reading Association and he has won the A. B. Herr Award 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 rural Nebraska.

Anne Reynolds

Area: TLCS - ECED, MCED, CI

vita [pdf]

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. Cindy Rhoads

Area: TLCS

vita [pdf]

I have been employed by the University since 1981 and have worked in a variety of departments on campus. I started with Disabled Student Services as a Program Aid, after the grant wasn't renewed I went to the Registrar's Office, in the records department. From there I went over to the Business Administration Building in the Graduate School of Management as a receptionist, admissions secretary, and financial assistant. Then I went to the Dean's Office as an Administrative Secretary for the Associate Dean. I left after about 17 or 18 years in the Business Building to the Education Building. I have been in the College of Education, Health and Human Services since 2001. I am the Administrative Assistant for the Department Chairperson and the department faculty.

Dr. Teresa Rishel

Area: TLCS - MCED, 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.

Gloria Sanders

Area: TLCS

vita [pdf]

Alexa Sandmann

Area: TLCS - MCED, CI

vita [pdf]

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.

Joanne Smith

Area: TLCS

Julia Stoll

Area: TLCS - ECED

vita [pdf]

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.

Rochelle Thomas

Area: TLCS - EDAD

vita [pdf]

Dr. Stephen Thomas, Ed.D.

Area: TLCS - HIED, HIED, HIED

vita [pdf]

I received my B.S. degree in 1971 from Oklahoma State University, M.S. also from OSU in 1972, and doctorate in 1974 from the University of Florida. While attending UF, I was a fellow with the National Educational Finance Project, where I had the opportunity to work with many of America's leading scholars in Education Finance and Law. Upon graduation, I served as an assistant professor at Madison College in Virginia for two years, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas for five (the final three years as an associate professor), and St. Johns University in Queens, N.Y. for four, all at the full professor level. I then came to Kent State University and have been here for 23+ years. I teach many of the law courses in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services, including those in higher education, K-12 administration, special education, and school psychology. Additionally, I teach courses dealing with education finance (both higher education and K-12), higher education disability, and faculty roles and responsibilities. While at Kent, I am most proud of my role (others also have been involved) in acquiring graduate assistantships for students (we currently have 60-70 diverse GA placements at 10-15 institutions) and for receiving the Distinguished Teaching Award in 2007.

Dr. Beverly Timmons, Ed.D.

Area: TLCS - ECED, CI

I earned a degree in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I taught fourth grade for three years, and then held a number of pre-school teaching positions. During the next 8 years I taught kindergarten and first grade in Guam, an experience that provided me with the opportunity to teach in a multicultural setting and to work with children who spoke a variety of first languages. During that time I earned a Master's Degree from the University of Guam. I completed my doctoral work at Virginia Tech focusing on reading and teacher education. I have been at Kent State since 1988. During this time I have worked with Early Childhood colleagues to develop a field-based preservice program within a network of local schools. My research interests have focused on the application of strategic practice of early reading and writing instruction with preservice and inservice teachers. Most recently, I have worked with classroom teachers in developing long-term action research to study children's literacy learning. I also have and continue to study the development of preservice teachers' understandings of literacy teaching.

Dr. Autumn Tooms

Area: TLCS - EDAD, EDAD, EDAD

As an Associate Professor of PreK-12 Educational Administration, Autumn works to maintain a balance of thoughtful and focused work dedicated to bridging the gap between those who lead schools, and those who study and prepare school leaders. Autumn studies the principalship focusing on identity, equity, school reform, and the micro-politics of the position. Her international work began with the creation of the first Masters Degree cohorts in educational administration in partnership with The College of The Bahamas. In addition to her books for principals on leadership, Autumn’s research has been published in journals that include Kappan, Educational Leadership, The Journal of School Leadership, The Journal of Research on Leadership Education, The International Journal of Leadership in Education, and The Journal of Cases for the University Council for Educational Administration. Autumn is currently serving a three year term as member of Executive Council of The University Council of Educational Administration. Also, she is as member of the Research Advisory Board for The College of The Bahamas

Tsunghui Tu

Area: TLCS - ECED, CI

vita [pdf]

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, a board member of Tru-Mah-Col Association for Education of Young Children, and the advisor of Kent State Salem Early Childhood Education Club. 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.

Dr. Steven Turner, Ph.D

Area: TLCS - CI, MCED

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 examine the mis-alignment between how students learn and how teachers teach.

Dr. Anita Varrati, Ed.D.

Area: TLCS - EDAD

vita [pdf]

I began as a middle school teacher of language arts and social studies on the Navajo Indian Reservation after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from the University of Arizona. I immediately enrolled in a master's program in elementary education at Northern Arizona University. After completing that degree, I began working as a district level k-12 language development coordinator and was encouraged to pursue an administrative license. Upon receiving my principal's license, I served as a middle school principal in Colorado. After returning to Pennsylvania, I began working as an administrator at an educational service agency in the areas of curriculum and staff development. Wishing to move up in the organization, I secured my superintendent's license and eventually was appointed Assistant Executive Director of Curriculum and Professional Development. I continued my education at the University of Pittsburgh where I received a doctorate in educational administration. My research interests have focused on the effects of policy on educational practice, characteristics of organizations and leaders that effect change, and characteristics of organizations and leaders that sustain continuous improvement.

Dr. Lori Wilfong

Area: TLCS