Kennesaw State University
Department:
DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Position Title:
Assistant/Associate Professor of Elementary Literacy/Reading/Literacy Assessment/Language Arts Education
Position Qualifications/ Responsibilities:
Kennesaw State University (KSU) is among the largest campuses in the University System of Georgia. Over 23,300 commuter and residential students, including more than 1,700 from 136 countries, pursue degree programs at the baccalaureate, master, and doctoral levels through seven colleges. The university’s dedication to fostering excellence in public service brought it recognition from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities as one of the nation’s top publicly engaged universities. The American Council on Education selected KSU as one of eight institutions in the country for a study called “Global Learning for All.” KSU’s First-Year Experience has been named a “Program to Look For.” Recently, Kennesaw State was recognized as one of 40 institutions that have made the most promising and innovative changes. U.S. News and World Report placed KSU among the 70 “Up-and-Coming” institutions nationally. The university’s 328-acre campus is located approximately 20 miles northwest of Atlanta in Kennesaw, Georgia, which has been recognized on Money magazine’s “Best Places to Live” and “Best Places to Retire” lists.
The Bagwell College of Education (BCOE) is one of the largest and strongest teacher preparation units in the University System of Georgia offering bachelor, master, educational specialist, and doctor of education degree programs. All educator preparation programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and approved by Georgia’s Professional Standards Commission (PSC). As a member of the Renaissance Group, BCOE continues its advancement toward meeting the challenges of national and state reforms for teacher education as well as program expansion. The college received an $8.9 million Teacher Quality Partnership grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The BCOE houses an Educational Technology Center that provides professional learning, consulting, and service for Georgia educators in 11 school systems within metro Atlanta and North Georgia.
KSU’s conceptual framework for educator preparation is the Collaborative Development of Expertise in Teaching, Learning, and Leadership. This collaboration, including service and support units, is carried out both through the college’s five academic departments (Educational Leadership, Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Inclusive Education, Instructional Technology, and Secondary and Middle Grades Education) and in conjunction with other members of KSU’s Professional Teacher Education Unit (PTEU). PTEU, the university’s umbrella organization for preparing educators, includes twelve departments from five colleges all of which collaborate on the design, delivery, approval, and accreditation of all educator preparation programs. The PTEU serves as a model of university-wide responsibility for teacher education; field-based collaboration with practicing professionals and partner schools; infusion of technology for enhanced teaching and learning; and best practices for the inclusion of English learners and students with disabilities.
As one of the larger departments at KSU, the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education has more than 80 full-time and part-time faculty members. The department serves over 1,800 Elementary and Early Childhood Education undergraduate majors and over 100 graduate majors. It offers programs at the bachelor, master, specialist, and doctoral levels. Certification for pre-kindergarten to grade five is embedded in the undergraduate program. A newly developed Birth to Five Bachelor of Science degree program is also available. In collaboration with the College of Science and Mathematics, the Bagwell College of Education recently established the Advancing Teaching of Mathematics and Science (ATOMS) Center. Faculty in the BCOE work with KSU science and math faculty to offer professional development opportunities for P-12 teachers and learning experiences for P-12 students. Additionally, members of the faculty collaborate with other departments and local school districts to provide courses and expertise regarding the academic and social needs of English language learners (ELs) and students with special needs. The importance of collaboration regarding the needs of ELs has become more apparent as their number has increased in the state (approximately 400% over the past 12 years).
Position Description Reporting to the Chair of the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education, the Assistant/Associate Professor of Elementary Literacy/Reading/Literacy Assessment /Language Arts Education is expected to collaborate with faculty across the Professional Teacher Education Unit, teach elementary literacy courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, supervise and assist with field experiences, advise students at the undergraduate level, maintain an active research agenda (including an appropriate level of publications, professional presentations, and external grant proposals), model effective teaching practices, use instructional technology effectively, and participate in program development.
Required Qualifications
* Doctorate in Literacy/Reading/Literacy Assessment/ Children’s Literature/Language Arts Education or closely related field. Must have doctorate in hand for consideration at the associate professor level. If doctorate is not completed by August 1, 2011, candidate would begin employment at the instructor level and would move to the assistant professor level upon completion of the doctorate.
* Teaching experience with students in P-5 schools.
* Evidence of the ability to conduct scholarly activity at the assistant/associate professor level. Please refer to department, college, and university promotion and tenure guidelines at: http://www.kennesaw.edu/education/facultytenure.html
* Expertise in literacy assessment in the elementary and early childhood classroom.
* Commitment to working in an environment that fosters diversity and collaboration.
Preferred Qualifications
* Three or more years of teaching at elementary and/or early childhood levels in diverse settings.
* Expertise in writing, critical literacies and/or new literacies.
* Experience or expertise in teaching another elementary area (e.g., early childhood, math education, science, social studies, technology, educational foundations, special education, ESOL).
* Experience teaching at the university level.
* Experience teaching and developing online courses based on an articulated philosophy of teaching and learning.
* Scholarship, service, and/or experience related to urban issues or urban education.
* Doctorate in hand.
Application Procedure:
All materials must be submitted electronically as Microsoft Word or PDF documents to eecesearch@kennesaw.edu on or before January 7, 2011 to guarantee consideration. A complete application will include a letter expressing interest and addressing qualifications for the position and teaching philosophy; copies of transcripts (official transcripts are required before employment at KSU); a curriculum vita; and names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of five or more professional references. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
The search will continue until the position is filled.
For a detailed description of the university, college and department, please visit our home page at www.kennesaw.edu.
Date Position Available:
August 2011
This position is contingent upon budgetary allocation.
Policy Statement:
Kennesaw State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educator. Georgia is an Open Record State. AA/EOE.
Questions About Position Opening:
Questions about the position should be directed to Dr. Debra Coffey. E-mail: dcoffey1@kennesaw.edu Telephone: 770-499-3387
Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 09:35AM