Information
Faculty
Roger Brindley, Ph.D.
(University of Georgia)
Professor
Dr. Roger Brindley is currently the Associate Vice President for Global Academic Programs at the University of South Florida and is part of the leadership team in USF World responsible for helping this National Research I university further develop international partnership and policies as the university seeks to broaden international engagement and extend international teaching and research endeavors. His research focuses on teacher beliefs and practices.
Danielle Dennis, Ph.D.
(University of Tennessee)
Assistant Professor
Dr. Dennis’ research agenda focuses on literacy assessment, educational policy related to literacy and teacher education, and teacher development. Her current work focuses on a longitudinal analysis of Florida’s mandatory third-grade retention policy. She is also examining the role of Professional Learning Communities in the Response to Intervention process. Dr. Dennis is the coordinator of the USF Partnership Schools and the Elementary Education Program Coordinator.
Audra Parker
Associate Professor
(University of Georgia)
Audra Parker, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Childhood Education. She holds a Doctoral degree in Elementary Education from The University of Georgia, as well as a Master's degree in Elementary Education and a Bachelor of Arts in History from The University of Virginia. Her research interests include preservice teacher education at the undergraduate and graduate level, teacher practices in grades 4-8, and young adolescents middle school experiences. Current research projects include investigations of MAT students' developing beliefs about teaching, pre-service teachers identification of critical incidents during field experiences, and the role of peer observations in pre-service teachers' professional development. Dr. Parker teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in classroom management and instructional planning and supervises pre-service teachers' field experiences.
Nancy Williams, Ph.D.
(Louisiana State University)
Associate Professor
Dr. Nancy Williams earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, Reading and Language Arts Education from Louisiana State University in 1989. She has been a faculty member at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, the University of Houston, and was the chair of the Education Department of Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA. Presently, Dr. Williams is an associate professor, coordinator of the masters programs, and advises Reading and Elementary MAT students in the Department of Childhood Education. Her research interests include preparation of literacy teachers and vocabulary teaching and learning. Her work has been published in The Reading Teacher, Action in Teacher Education, and in other journals and books about literacy and teacher preparation.
In addition to a long standing interest in vocabulary, Dr/ Williams’ current research focuses on transdisciplinary teaching and learning, teacher preparation as it relates to literacy, and accountability.
Diane Yendol-Hoppey, Ph.D.
(Pennsylvania State University)
Professor
Diane Yendol-Hoppey, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Childhood Education. She holds a Doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction from The Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on facilitating student learning through enhanced prospective and practicing teacher learning, collaborative school improvement efforts, and enhanced job-embedded teacher professional development (e.g., teacher research, mentoring, induction, coaching, professional learning communities). Yendol-Hoppey has co-authored four books in the area of professional development as well as published over 50 research studies which have appeared in such journals as Teachers College Record, Journal of Teacher Education, and Educational Researcher. Dr. Yendol-Hoppey teaches graduate courses in teacher education, teacher research and job-embedded professional development which include topics such as supervision, mentoring, coaching, lesson study, learning communities, and other innovations related to teacher learning.