Information
Faculty
Ilene R. Berson, Ph.D., NCSP
Professor, Coordinator of Early Childhood Programs (B.S., M.Ed., Jamaica M.A., and Ph.D.)
Research interests focus on prevention and intervention services for young children at imminent risk for socio-emotional challenges associated with child maltreatment and other traumatic events. Dr. Berson leads collaborative reform initiatives, forging linkages between early childhood, child welfare, and health care systems, as well as international studies on the engagement of young children with digital technologies.
Jolyn Blank, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Coordinator of Partnership with USF Preschool for Creative Learning
Research interests include arts and inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning and early childhood teacher education.Recent work has focused on understanding school micro-cultures, exploring early childhood teachers’ theories about what constitutes good teaching, and the personal, cultural, and institutional contexts that shape and reshape these perceptions.
John Manning, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor, Coordinator of ECE M.Ed. Program
Research interests include issues of institutional power that impact the quality of care in childcare settings, as well as exploring the roles of adults in the lives of children. Current projects include childcare globalization, medication use in preschool settings, and the impact of folk psychology on college students’ views of child development.
Heejeong Sophia Han, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Co-Coordinator of Early Childhood Undergraduate Program
Research agenda aligns with the major theme of sociocultural influence on teaching and learning, with a specific focus on early childhood teacher education,young children's literacy and social development, and multicultural education