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USF Collaboration

The St. Lawrence Oral History Project was developed and supported by the University of South Florida Department of Childhood Education and Literacy Studies and the Laptop Initiative in the College of Education.

Jenifer Schneider, Ph.D.

Jenifer Schneider is an Associate Professor in Literacy Studies at the University of South Florida, Tampa. Her research focuses on the study of children’s writing development and effective writing instruction including the use of process drama and children’s literature. She has articles published in Research in the Teaching of English, Language Arts, The Reading Teacher, Journal of Teacher Education, and Research in Drama Education. She is also the co-editor of Process Drama and Multiple Literacies: Addressing Social, Cultural and Ethical Issues (Heinemann, 2006).

James R. King, Ed.D.

James R. King is a Professor in Literacy Studies at the University of South Florida. His research interests include struggling readers in early grades through middle school, qualitative research methodology, and critical theorizing and identity studies in educational contexts. His publications include Uncommon Caring: Learning From Men who Teach Young Children, published by Teachers College Press. His work has been published in Reading Research Quarterly, Journal of Literacy Research, Qualitative Studies in Education, Contemporary Ethnography, Journal of Adult and Adolescent Literacy, Reading Research and Instruction, as well as chapters in several edited volumes.

Vanessa Minick

Vanessa Minick is a doctoral candidate in the department of Childhood Education at the University of South Florida. She currently teaches Elementary Children’s Literature and supervises Level II Interns. In the past, she has taught undergraduate and Masters level courses in literacy education. Additionally she has extensive experience working on research grants and participating in research projects. Before becoming a student at the University of South Florida, Vanessa earned her B.A. in English and her M.Ed. in Elementary Education from the University of Florida. She was a teacher at Interlachen High School and taught primarily freshman and sophomore English classes. She also spent a half a year each in two different fifth grade classrooms and currently volunteers once a week at Independent Day School in Tampa.

Deborah Kozdras

After teaching elementary school for 11 years in Ontario Canada, Deborah Kozdras enrolled as a PhD student at the University of South Florida, where she currently works as a Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant. Her research projects focus on the use of new technologies in literacy; specifically, she studies semiotics and design elements that children use when creating digital texts (stories, e-newspapers, e-zines, and photo stories). Deborah has presented at a variety of Literacy conferences, including the International Reading Association, National Reading Conference, and College Reading Association. Deborah currently teaches undergraduate courses in reading and language arts at the University of South Florida.

James Welsh

James Welsh has a Masters in Reading from the University of South Florida. He is a former elementary teacher who currently works for the Florida Center for Instructional Technology at USF. As the Laptop Initiative Project Coordinator, James works with undergraduate and graduate students to help them integrate technology into their teaching. James also works with schools and districts to provide technology support and integration models. He has presented literacy and technology research at the local, state, and national levels.

B.J. Bryant

B.J. Bryant is working on a Masters at the University of South Florida (USF) in Instructional Technology. Previously he attended the University of Tampa (UT) where he learned a B.A. in Electronic Media Art Technology. He played baseball for UT and he won the National Championship senior year.

James Seaman

James Seaman is a graphic and web designer and illustrator for the Florida Center for Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida. He also works in the Laptop Lounge in the College of Education to provide instructional technology support to faculty and students. Most recently, he developed and implemented the College of Education 50th Anniversary website in conjunction with Dr. Lou Bowers.