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Dr. Britt Baker
Adjunct Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Impact of academic/instructional coaches on student achievement
- Impact of ACT courses on test performance
- Impact of Teacher Mentors on newly hired teachers' performance
- Teacher morale in a school under transformation and how it impacts student achievement
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- Student data analysis
- Targeting areas of improvement and prioritizing professional development
- Leading professional development on instructional strategies based on data analysis
- Researching effects of best practices
Dr. Brian Bell
Adjunct Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Technology
- School Facilities
- Professional Development
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- Technology
- School Facilities
Dr. Rick N. Bolling
Adjunct Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Educational Leadership Styles
- Student Engagement
- College Access
- School Climate
- Student Achievement in Mathematics
- Academic Achievement of Subgroup Populations
- School Improvement Planning
- Teacher Evaluation
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- School Improvement Planning
- Student Engagement
- Student Achievement in Mathematics
- Academic Achievement of Subgroup Populations
Dr. Rebecca Burleson
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Special Education
- Early Childhood Education
- Families, Agencies, and Collaboration
- Distance Education Delivery
- Teacher Education
Preferred Research Methodology/Methodologies:
Areas of Expertise:
- Distance Education
- Teacher Preparation
- Families and Family Systems
Dr. Chessica Cave
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Teaching Strategies
- Literacy
- Professional Development
- Literature Circles
Preferred Research Methodology/Methodologies:
Areas of Expertise:
- Teaching strategies
- Literacy
- Professional Development
Dr. Vicki Clevinger
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Literacy Instruction
- Change Theories
- Literature Studies
Preferred Research Methodology/Methodologies:
Areas of Expertise:
- Instructional Strategies in Secondary Environment
- Classroom Management Techniques for Secondary Students
- Meeting Diverse Learners in the Classroom
- Establishing a Positive Climate for Learning
Dr. Edward L. Diden
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Developing Collaborative School Cultures
- Professional Learning Communities of Practice
- Principal Leadership in the 21st Century Context
- Place-Based Education
- Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Education
Preferred Research Methodology:
- Qualitative
- Mixed Methods
Areas of Expertise:
- Development of PLC Structures within Schools
- Leadership Development for Teacher-Leaders and Administrators
- Place-Based Learning
- The Impact of "Brain Drain" on Rural Communities
Dr. Joel "David" Effler
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Quantitative EEGs and Neurofeedback as Diagnostic and Treatment Modalities for Mental Disorders
- Universality and Diversity Issues in Counseling
- Transgender Theory
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- Neuropsychological Issues in Understanding Mental and Learning Disorders.
Dr. Cherie Gaines
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Rural Schools
- Teacher Leadership
- School Climate
- Social Justice
- Middle School Education
Preferred Research Methodology/Methodologies:
Areas of Expertise:
- Writing Development
- School Climate
- Teacher Burnout
Dr. Julia Kirk
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Adult learning theories
- Self-directed learning
- Instructional leadership
- Inclusive instructional practices
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Preferred Research Methodology/Methodologies:
Areas of Expertise:
- Leadership practices
- Adult learning
- Curriculum development
- Inclusive practices in curriculum and instruction
Dr. Anthony Maxwell
Adjunct Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Poverty
- Academic Achievement
- Family Structure
- Diversity
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- Poverty
- Academic Achievement
- Family Structure
- Diversity
- Data Analysis
- Educational Leadership
- Relationships for Success
Dr. John McCook
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- School Law Issues
- Special Education
- Section 504
Preferred Research Methodology/Methodologies:
Areas of Expertise:
- Special Education Law
- Section 504
- RTI
Dr. Justin McCulley
Adjunct Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Assessment Types
- Teacher Efficacy
- Impact of Leadership Practices
- Professional Development for Teachers
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- Curriculum Design and Implementation
- New Teachers
Dr. James R. Myers, Jr.
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Poverty and Academic Success
- Online Graduate Learning vs. Classroom Learning
- Special Education Students and Standardized Test Accommodations
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- Framework For Understanding Poverty
Dr. Adam NeSmith
Adjunct Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Social Studies Education
- Literacy
- Teaching Strategies
- Professional Development of Teachers
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- Literacy
- Teaching Strategies
Dr. Alexander Parks
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Social Justice
- Diversity and Equity
- LGBTQA Research
- Young Adult Literature
- Literacy
Preferred Research Methodology/Methodologies:
Areas of Expertise:
- Social Justice / Diversity Issues
- Young Adult Literacy
Dr. Scott Porter
Adjunct Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Instructional Leadership
- Executive Leadership
- Parental Involvement for Disadvantaged Families
- Middle Grades Education
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- Instructional Leadership
- Teacher and Administrator Evaluation
- School Resource Management
- Professional Learning Communities
Dr. Bethany Powers
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Mental Health/Counseling
- Cognitive Psychology/Brain Based Psychology
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- School Culture and Climate
- Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
- Behavior Coaching
- Social Emotional Learning/SEL curriculums: Conscious Discipline, Sanford Harmony, Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS)
- Adverse Child Experiences (ACES)
- Trauma Informed and Resiliency Practices
- Restorative Practices
- Conflict Resolution/Conflict Management
- Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI)
Dr. Chad Smith
Adjunct Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- School Financing
- School Safety
- Instructional Leadership
- School Culture
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- School Culture
- Professional Learning Communities
- School Improvement
Dr. Ashley Stanley
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- English as a Second Language
- Elementary Curriculum
- TN Ready
- Assessment
- Reading / Math Programs
Preferred Research Methodology/Methodologies:
Areas of Expertise:
- Elementary Curriculum
- TN Ready
- Math / Reading Programs
Dr. Mark Tichon
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Counseling Process and Outcome Research
- Neuroscience
Preferred Research Methodology/Methodologies:
Areas of Expertise:
- Career Counseling
- Evidence-Based Treatment for Behavioral Health Disorders
- Group Counseling
- Neuroscience
Dr. Susan Wagner
Full-Time Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Research Interests:
- Literacy
- Content Literacy: Social Studies
- Instructional Models
- Self-Directed Learning
- Pre-Service Teachers
- Hybrid Learning
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- Instructional Models: Cooperative Learning Models
- Literacy Instruction and Coaching
- Social Studies Instruction
- Content Literacy
- Self-Directed Learning;
Dr. Courtney L. Whitehead
Adjunct Faculty Member
Research Interests:
- Poverty
- Rural Education
- Middle School
- School Leadership
- Physical Education
Preferred Research Methodology:
Areas of Expertise:
- School Leadership
- "Creating a Reading Culture Within a Middle School"
