Curriculum and Instruction Faculty/Staff

JANICE F. ALMASI, Ph.D., University of Maryland

Dr. Almasi (vita) in PDF) joined the faculty in 2004 and is the Carol Lee Robertson Endowed Professor of Literacy Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Dr. Almasi also works in the Collaborative Center for Literacy Development. She teaches courses in elementary reading methods, reading theory, and reading research design. Her career began as an elementary school teacher and reading specialist in Maryland. Dr. Almasi earned her doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Learning Research and Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh. She was the recipient of the International Reading Association's Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award in 1994 and the National Reading Conference's Outstanding Student Research Award in 1993. Her pedagogical and research endeavors have critically examined the contexts in which children learn from text. Her research focuses on patterns of social interaction, discourse, engagement, and cognitive processing during peer discussions of literature. She is currently working toward a developmental model of peer discussion.

 
GARY J. ANGLIN, Ed.D., Indiana University

Dr. Anglin (vita in PDF) joined the faculty in 1980 and is now Associate Professor of Education and Instructional System Design program faculty chair; full member of the Graduate School Faculty and past president of the Research and Theory Division, AECT. His current research interests are visual message design and cooperative computer-based instruction. Dr. Anglin's recent publications include: Visual message design and learning: The role of static and dynamic illustrations. In D.H. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Instructional Technology. New York: Macmillan and Washington, The Association for Educational Communications and Technology and; Instructional technology: Past, present and future, Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited. Dr. Anglin is Instructional System Design program faculty chair.

SHARON BRENNAN, Ed.D., University of Kentucky

Dr. Brennan (vita in Word) has served as Director of Field Experiences for the College of Education since 1984. She joined the faculty in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in 1993. Dr. Brennan received Ed.D. and M.A. degrees from the University of Kentucky and a B.S. degree from Framingham State College, Framingham, MA. Her areas of academic interest and expertise include: teacher assessment, clinical supervision, professional development and curricular issues in elementary education.

ELINOR BROWN, Ph.D., University of Akron

Dr. Brown(vita in Word ) joined the faculty in 1999 as an assistant professor in teacher education and multicultural education. She holds an M.B.A. from Cleveland State University, M.A. in multicultural education and M.S. in secondary education from the University of Akron, and a B.B.A. from Cleveland State University. Dr. Brown has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in teacher education, cultural diversity, and professional development at Cleveland State University, John Carroll University, and the University of Akron. Her current research interests include International advances in education policies and practices that: foster equitable access to all levels of the educational continuum, educate all students to become ethical, non-exploitive transformation agents, and prepare disenfranchised and underrepresented students to become productive non-exploited 21st century citizens.
 

LESLIE DAVID BURNS, Ph.D., Michigan State University

Dr. Burns (vita in Word) joined the faculty in 2005 as an assistant professor of literacy. He began his career as a high school English language arts teacher in Kansas, and holds a BA in English Literature from Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Kansas, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum, Teaching, and Educational Policy from Michigan State University. Dr. Burns’ research interests include pre-service English education, teacher education curriculum and policy, teacher identity, adolescent literacy and literacy policy, cultural theories, critical discourse analysis, and the application of research and theory from the New Literacy Studies. Dr. Burns is  English education program faculty chair.

SUSAN CANTRELL, Ed.D. University of Kentucky

Dr. Cantrell (vita in Word) joined the faculty in 2003. She is an associate professor in Curriculum and Instruction and is Director of Research for the Collaborative Center for Literacy Development. Dr. Cantrell began her career as an elementary reading and classroom teacher and earned her doctoral degree from the University of Kentucky. She teaches courses in reading methods for undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Cantrell's research interests include strategic processing in reading, effective programs and practices for improving reading comprehension, and teacher efficacy and development. 

 
 JANINE CLINE, Administrative Support Associate I

Janine iis the Office Manager in Curriculum and Instruction.  She is responsible for the department course schedule, student services and the daily operations of the department.  She is also the administrative associate to the department chair.  She has a B.A. from the University of Kentucky in English, with an emphasis on writing.  Janine has been employed at U.K. for more than twenty years.
 

PARKER FAWSON, Ed.D., Brigham Young University 

 Dr. Fawson (vita in word) joined the Curriculum and Instruction faculty in 2010 where he serves as Department Chair and Professor of Literacy.  In 2011, he received additional responsibility in the College of Education as Associate Dean for International Engagement and director of the Office for International Engagement. Dr. Fawson has taught in elementary grades as a classroom teacher.  He has broad experience working with teachers of struggling readers in high poverty settings including elementary schools in both urban and rural environments.  He has been as a reading consultant for numerous educational organizations.  Dr. Fawson is active in providing professional service to national reading organizations in various capacities including his service as editor of Literacy Research and Instruction.  He has authored and co-authored many refereed research reports and professional articles.  He is co-author, with D. Ray Reutzel of Your Classroom Library:  New Ways to Give It More Teaching Power and La biblioteca de aula:  Formas de potenciar su valor educativo, both published by Scholastic, Inc. Dr. Fawson has also been highly involved in developing international engagement opportunities for education students where he has placed student teachers and graduate students in New Zealand, Chile, the Philippines, and Rwanda and is exploring similar opportunities in China and Ecuador.

Dr. Henry (vita in Word) joined the faculty in 2007 as an assistant professor of early adolescent literacy. She came to Lexington from Connecticut where she began her career as a middle school teacher. Dr. Henry has a B.S. in special education and an M.A. in education from the University of Connecticut where she also earned a Ph.D. in Cognition and Instruction with an emphasis on literacy and technology. Dr. Henry has served on the advisory board with readwritethink.org for the International Reading Association since 2003. Her research interests include the new literacies of online reading comprehension at the middle school level and social equity issues related to the digital divide.

KATHY HEINEMAN, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT ASSOCIATE I

Kathy came to the Curriculum and Instruction department in September 2007 after working two and half years in the Office of Field Placement.  She is the Business Manager for the Curriculum and Instruction department where she is responsible for departmental ledgers, payroll, DOEs, Grants, and various other responsibilities.  She has a B.S. degree in Technology Management from The University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio.
 

GEORGE G. HRUBY,  Ph.D., University of Georgia 

George Hruby (vita in PDF) is the Executive Director of the Collaborative Center for Literacy Development (see CCLD’s website), and associate research professor of literacy education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Dr. Hruby  came to UK in 2010 from Utah State University where he taught teacher professional development courses in learning theory, reading psychology, and literacy instruction methods. In addition to his Ph.D. in Reading Education, he holds a BA in English from Syracuse University, and an M.Ed. in Language Education from the University of Georgia. He spent several years in workplace literacy and training design before being certified as a high school English teacher. Dr. Hruby also taught developmental college reading, and worked with elementary students in a reading clinic. His scholarship relates to analytic and critical syntheses of interdisciplinary research literatures relatable to literacy education, most recently educational neuroscience. His work has appeared in such journals as Reading Research Quarterly, and Journal of Adolescent and Adult Education, and in several research handbooks. He is the program chair and past president of the Brain, Neurosciences, and Education Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association, and is on a number of editorial boards. 

 LINDA S. LEVSTIK, Ph.D., The Ohio State University

Dr. Linda S. Levstik (vita in Word) joined the faculty in 1982. She came to Lexington from Columbus, Ohio where she was a consultant for teacher education program assessment with the Ohio Department of Education. Dr. Levstik holds a B.S. from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and taught in public and private schools in Ohio. She holds the M.S. degree from The Ohio State University. Her areas of academic interest and expertise focus on teaching and learning history. She was awarded the Jean Dresden Grambs Distinguished Career Research Award in 2007 for her scholarship in history education.

CHRISTINE A. MALLOZZI, Ph. D., University of Georgia

Dr. Mallozzi (vita in PDF) joined the faculty in 2009 as an assistant professor of literacy education. She earned a Ph. D. in Reading Education, with certifications in women’s studies and qualitative research, from The University of Georgia. Dr. Mallozzi taught fifth and sixth grades in Cincinnati, Ohio while earning her M. Ed. in Literacy Education from the University of Cincinnati.  She was awarded the 2009 Carol J. Fisher Award for excellence in research from the University of Georgia and the 2007 Outstanding Student Research Paper from the Georgia Educational Research Association. Dr. Mallozzi’s research interests include teacher education, middle grades reading education, feminist theories, and discourse analysis.

 HUAJING XIU MASKE, DPhil, Oxford University, England

Dr. Maske is the Director of the University of Kentucky Confucius Institute.  She joined the faculty in 2011 as a clinical associate professor.  Dr. Maske received her DPhil in Chinese Art History from Oxford University, England, her M.A. in International Cultural Exchange from Peking University, and her B.A. in English Literature from the University of International Relations, Beijing, China. Dr. Maske has taught Asian art history and Chinese culture at Simmons College in Boston.  Over the past fifteen years, she has trained U.S. K-12 teachers in teaching about China and has helped Chinese teachers develop effective methods to teach Chinese language in American classrooms.  In addition, in 2000, she founded and developed Massachusetts' first public school Mandarin Chinese language program.  She wrote a K-6 curriculum on integrating Chinese and Chinese culture.  In November 2005, her Chinese language and culture K-8 program was featured on the television news show ABC World News Tonight.  It has also been covered in U.S. newspapers such as the Boston Globe.
Dr. Maske's research interest focuses on the interaction in art and culture among China, Japan and Europe in the 1920's and 1930's.  Another focus of her research is Chinese art education and the establishment of Chinese art institutions.  Recent topics of research include Chinese women artists before and during World War II, as well as contemporary Chinese art and its art market. Dr. Maske is collaborating on the creation of a series of curricular materials on Chinese language teaching and ways to uilize Chinese art in the teaching of Chinese language and culture.
 

JOAN M. MAZUR, Ph.D., Cornell University

Dr. Joan Mazur (vita in word) joined the faculty in 1993 as an assistant professor in the Instructional Systems Design program. She had worked for six years at the Interactive Multimedia Group at Cornell University while pursuing her graduate degrees. Dr. Mazur holds a Masters in Educational Philosophy from Cornell and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from that same institution. After obtaining her B.A. in English from SUNY Geneseo in upstate New York she taught secondary English at several rural and inner city schools. Dr. Mazur's current research interests focus on interface designand the use of interactive multimedia to support learning, research, and teacher professionalism in a variety of instructional contexts.

 
BETTY McCANN, Staff Support Associate II 

Betty is the assistant to the Director of Graduate Studies Office with tasks related to admissions, recruitment and scholarship, and other financial assistance for Graduate Students.  She has a A.A. in Business Adminstration, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN, 1984.

KRISTEN PERRY, Ph.D., MIchigan State University

Dr. Perry (vita in Word) joined the faculty in 2007 as an assistant professor of elementary literacy. She earned a BA in English from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and a Ph.D. in Learning, Technology & Culture, with a specialization in Literacy, from Michigan State University. Dr. Perry began her career teaching in multi-age elementary classrooms in Denver, Colorado, and also served for two years in the Peace Corps in Lesotho in southern Africa. Her research interests include literacy as a socio-cultural practice, multiple literacies, family and community literacy, and African refugee communities.

MARGARET RINTAMAA, Ed.D., University of Kentucky

Dr. Rintamaa (vita in Word) joined the faculty in 2006 as a research assistant professor for the Collaborative Center for Literacy Development.  In 2012, she transitioned to clinical assistant professor and chair of the Middle School Teacher Education program faculty in Curriculum and Instruction.  Dr. Rintamaa began her career as a science and language arts middle school teacher.  She holds a B.A. from Emory University and an M.S. in education from the University of Kentucky.  She earned her doctoral degree from the University of Kentucky with an emphasis on mentoring beginning teachers and the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program.  Dr. Rintamaa teaches courses in middle level education and classroom management and discipline.  Dr. Rintamaa also serves as the Director for the Bluegrass Writing Project.

ROSETTA F. SANDIDGE, Ed.D., University of Kentucky

Dr. Sandidge (vita in Word) is associate dean for associate dean for accreditation, assessment, and planning.   She holds a bachelor’s degree in vocational home economics education from Texas Christian University and an M.S. and Ed.D. in vocational education from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Sandidge is an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Her areas of academic interest and research include teacher assessment, teacher induction, classroom management, and gender equity. She began her career at the college in 1983.

 
MARY C. SHAKE, Ed.D., SUNY Albany

Dr. Shake (vita in PDF) joined the faculty in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the Fall, 1985, having spent one year as Academic Staff at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. Dr. Shake holds a M.S. degree in Reading from the State University of New York at Albany, and a B.S. degree in Elementary Education and Home Economics from St. Joseph College in Connecticut. Dr. Shake's areas of academic interest include classroom literacy instruction, education reform, and teacher preparation for diverse classrooms. Dr. Shake is Director of Graduate Studies for the department. She is also the reading and writing program faculty chair.

 
DOUGLAS C. SMITH, Ph.D., Arizona State University

Dr. Smith (vita in PDF) joined our faculty in 1987. His primary assignment is in our Instructional Systems Design program where he teaches instructional computing and electronic authoring. His research interests include the roles of education technologists, gender equity, and computer based instruction. Dr. Smith also coordinates the business content core for the master's with initial certification program. Dr. Smith is chair of the business and marketing education program faculty.

GERRY SWAN, Ph.D., University of Virginia, Charlottesville 

Dr. Swan (vita in Word) joined the faculty in 2007 as an assistant professor of Curriculum and Instruction. He began his career with teaching experience at a boarding school in New Hampshire. Teaching in a one-to-one computing environment sparked his interest in the use of technology in education. Dr. Swan holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University and a Ph.D. in Instructional Technology from the University of Virginia. Dr. Swan's research interests include use of interactive media with instruction and computer managed instruction/research.

KATHLEEN OWINGS SWAN, Ph.D., University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Dr. Swan (vita in Word)  joined the faculty in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the fall 2004.Dr. Swan came to the university after completing her doctoral degree in social studies education at the University of Virginia.  A former social studies teacher, she researches ways of effectively integrating technology into the K-12 social studies classroom. She is the recipient of the National Technology Leadership Award in Social Studies Education co-sponsored by the College and University Faculty Assembly (CUFA) and the Society of Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009. Her research has appeared in the International Journal of Social Education, Social Education, The Social Studies and Journal of Research on Technology in Education and is the co-creator of the Historical Scene Investigation Project (www.hsionline.org), the Digital Directors Guild (www.ddguild.org), Digital Docs in a Box (www.digitaldocsinabox.org) and Econocast (www.econocast.org).  She is also the advisor for the Social Studies Assessment, Curriculum and Assessment Collaborative (SSACI) at the Chief Council of State School Officers (CCSSO) and is the co-editor of the Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education -- Social Studies.

MARY ANN VIMONT, M.Ed., University of Kentucky

Mary Ann Vimont (vita in PDF) joined the faculty in 1980 and is an Associate
Professor in the College of Education and Director of the Economic Education Center sponsored by the Kentucky Council at the University of Kentucky. She is also Director of Student Activities, Alumni, Community Affairs & Public Relations for the College. Ms. Vimont's background is in teacher training and curriculum development. She has studied and visited many educational programs in Europe and Asia.
Ms. Vimont worked several summers in a Teacher Center in Great Britain and is a charter member of the International Association for the Awareness of Economics for Young Children.
 

Emeritus Faculty and Retired Staff

RONALD K. ATWOOD, Ed. D., Florida State University

Dr. Atwood (vita in Word) joined the faculty in 1966. He holds a B.S. and M.A. degree from Murray State, an M.S. from New Mexico Highlands and the Ed.D. from Florida State. His specialization is science education, elementary and middle school levels. Conceptual change and alternative conceptions are Dr. Atwood's recent research interests.

WILLIS JOHNSON, Ed.D., Temple University

Dr. Johnson (vita in PDF) joined the faculty in August, 1997. A native of Richmond County, VA, raised and schooled in Philadelphia, PA, moved to Kentucky from Houston, TX in 1977. His degrees in mathematics education are from Temple University. His twenty years at Murray State University provided many opportunities to grow and to serve teachers throughout the country and world. Dr. Johnson has served in a variety of leadership roles with the Kentucky Department of Education, the Kentucky Council of Teachers of Mathematics, School Science and Mathematics Association, and systemic initiatives in both mathematics and science education grants funded by the National Science Foundation. His interests are technology applications to enhance teaching. Dr. Johnson served as the editor of Kentucky Journal for Teachers of Mathematics.

J. TRUMAN STEVENS, Ed.D., University of Virginia

Dr. Stevens (vita in PDF) joined the faculty in 1972 and was an associate professor of Science Education. Dr. Stevens received his B.S. from Georgetown College and his M.Ed. and Ed.D from the University of Virginia. His areas of academic interest include science teacher education (elementary, middle, and senior high schools), development and implementation of innovative methods and materials in science classrooms, science teaching and the development of reasoning (problem solving), safety in the science classroom, curriculum development, and science games and simulations.

 

ANGENE H. WILSON, Ph.D., The Ohio State University

Dr.Wilson taught secondary social studies methods and supervised student teachers. Her research interests are international experience. Dr. Wilson was a Fulbright Scholar at the University College of Education, Winneba, Ghana for Spring, 1997.