About

Phil Poekert, Ph.D., is the Director of the UF Lastinger Center for Learning. As Director, he leads a large portfolio of research and service projects, including Math Nation and Flamingo Learning, which collectively serve over 1,000,000 children and 50,000 educators across 26 states each year. His work has centered on supporting and developing educators to become master teachers who implement research-based practices and leaders who help support the continuous professional learning of their colleagues. He has presented at numerous state, national and international research conferences and has published in national and international journals, including the Teacher Education Quarterly, Educational Leadership and Professional Development in Education. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Florida, his Master of Science for Teachers from Pace University, and his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from New College of Florida.

Research Interests

Professional Development, Teacher Education, Teacher Leadership

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 2005 - 2008
• Master of Science for Teachers, Pace University, New York, NY, 2001 - 2003
• Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy, New College of Florida, Sarasota, FL, 1997-2001

Professional Appointments

• Director, Lastinger Center for Learning, College of Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 6/2018 - Present
• Visiting Academic, Institute of Education, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland, 07/2022
• Visiting Scholar, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, 07/2019
• Assistant Director, Lastinger Center for Learning, College of Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 9/2015 - 5/2018
• Partnership Manager, Lastinger Center for Learning, College of Education, University of Florida, Miami, FL, 1/2014 - 8/2015
• Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Teaching and Learning, College of Education, University of Florida, Miami, FL, 1/2009 - 12/2013

Activities and Honors

• Top Principal Investigator at the University of Florida, 2023
• Top Principal Investigator at the University of Florida, 2022
• Pahara Institute Fellow, 2022
• Champion for Education, Florida Association of School Administrators, 2022
• Leadership Florida, Leadership in Education Program - Class III, 2017
• Leadership Florida, Connect Florida Program - Class VI, 2015 - 2016
• The Miami Foundation, Miami Fellows Program - Class VII, 2013 - 2014
• University of Florida, Outstanding Young Alumus, 2011

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Books / Book Chapters

• Swaffield, S. & Poekert, P. (Eds.) (2023). Leadership for professional learning: Perspectives, constructs, and connections. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-032-41297-9.

Articles

• King, F., Poekert, P., & Pierre, T. (2023). A pragmatic meta-model to navigate complexity in teachers’ professional learning. Professional Development in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2023.2248478
• Diaz, R., Poekert, P., & Bermudez, P. (2021). “The cookie”: A recipe for effective collaboration through communities of practice. Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/25783858.2021.1886835
• Poekert, P., Swaffield, S., Demir, E.(g), & Wright, S.(g) (2020). Leadership for professional learning toward educational equity. Professional Development in Education, 46(4), 541-562. DOI: 10.1080/19415257.2020.1787209

Presentations

• Poekert, P. (2022). Leadership for professional learning: A systematic review and conceptual framework. Australian Association for Research in Education, Adelaide, Australia.
• Swaffield, S., Poekert, P., Clarke, S., Patterson, C., Jones, K. (2022). The transformative potentional of leading professional learning differently: Developing thinking together. Australian Association for Research in Education, Adelaide, Australia.
• Poekert, P., & Alexandrou, A. (2018). The rise and fall of the Florida Teacher Leader Fellowship program: The phantom menace of professional learning. European Conference on Educational Research, Bolzano, Italy.
• Cavanaugh, C. & Poekert, P. (2021). Voices of Students, Families, Educators, and Leaders in Florida School Districts during COVID-19: A Two-Year Study. Digital Learning Annual Conference. Austin, TX.
• Block, S., Patton, K., Poekert, P., & Villanueva-Beard, E. (Chair). (2020). State of the Community Summit: Early Learning and Education. NaplesNEXT Ideas Festival. Naples, FL.

Other

• De León-Alejandro, J.D., Cugini, S., Paolucci, C., Jones, A., Poekert, P., & Sutter, L. (2021). Creating a Formula for Success: Recommendations from an Evaluation of Florida’s Mathematics Professional Development Landscape. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning. Available at https://lastinger.center.ufl.edu/wpcontent/ uploads/2022/03/Math-Landscape-Analysis-Report-2-1.pdf
• Zhao, P., Poekert, P., Cugini, S., Jones, A., Schroeder, C., & Cavanaugh, C. (2020). COVID-19 Virtual Listening Tour: Final Report. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning. Available at https://lastinger.center.ufl.edu/wpcontent/ uploads/2022/03/Virtual-Listening-Tour-2020-Report.pdf
• Clark, M. & Poekert, P. (2020, November 26). Make the Needs of Florida’s Teachers a Top Priority. Gainesville Sun. Available at https://www.gainesville.com/story/opinion/2020/11/26/mandy-clark-and-phil-poekertmake- needs-floridas-teachers-top-priority/6361627002/

Other Publications

• Poekert, P., Alexandrou, A., & Shannon, D. (2016). How teachers become leaders: The international validation of a theory of teacher leadership development. Research in Post-Compulsory Education. 21(4), 307-329.
• Poekert, P. (2012). Examining the impact of collaborative professional development on teacher practice. Teacher Education Quarterly, 39(4), 97-118.
• Poekert, P. (2012). Teacher leadership and professional development: Examining links between two concepts central to school improvement. Professional Development in Education, 38(2), 169-188.
• Poekert, P., Boynton, S., Castañeda, M., Diaz, R.M., Grosland, T., & Spillman, C. (2011). The professor as coach. Educational Leadership, 69.
• Poekert, P. (2011). The pedagogy of facilitation: Teacher inquiry as professional development in a Florida elementary school. Professional Development in Education, 37(1), 19-38.

Selected Links

• https://lastinger.center.ufl.edu/