Meet our new faculty for 2009-10

Suzanne Colvin recently joined the faculty after serving as an elementary principal for 13 years. She completed her Ph.D. in 1987 at UF in curriculum and instruction. Her research focuses on the acquisition of symbolic representations of mathematical operations by first graders.

She has served on the Board of Directors for the SACS Accreditation Agency for Latin American Schools, conducting reviews of U.S. schools in Latin America. She and her family owned and operated K‐12 unit schools in South America.

In her new position, Colvin coordinates the elementary and secondary ProTeach programs and oversee UF’s Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) program in Duval County. She recently taught the course, “Transforming the Curriculum,” and supervised elementary interns. She will continue her supervision of interns and teaching in the fall.

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What most people don’t know about me: I am an avid reader of British historical mysteries and have no television, although I do own a DVD player and screen used to enjoy my favorite episodes of “Andy Griffith.”

Swapna Kumar

Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Teaching and Learning

Ed.D., Curriculum and Instruction, Boston University

Swapna Kumar teaches in the educational technology program. She had been an instructor and coordinator of online education since 2007 at the School of Education, Boston University, where she taught graduate courses on the use of the Internet/World Wide Web and Web 2.0 technologies in education. Her prior work experience includes faculty development in new technologies, training evaluation and teacher development.

Kumar’s dissertation focused on the use of online discussions to supplement classroom instruction in higher education.

Her research interests include the usefulness of online technologies to supplement classroom teaching and learning, online education, blended learning, professional development for teachers and faculty, collaborative learning, and online learning communities.

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What most people don’t know about me: My first brush with educational technology was at age 9, doing voiceovers for children’s radio programs. I was particularly good at imitating animals.

Raquel Munarriz Diaz

Professor-in-Residence, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Teaching and Learning

Ed.D., Curriculum and Instruction, Florida International University

Raquel Diaz serves as clinical assistant professor in STL’s Teacher Leadership for School Improvement (TLSI) program. In conjunction with the Lastinger Center for Learning, she serves as professor‐in‐residence in Miami‐Dade.

She has more than 20 years’ experience working in early childhood education and is National Board Certified in that specialty. Her doctoral dissertation studies addressed the role of language in early childhood mathematics. Integrating children’s innate process skills into the learning domains is the focus of her research. Diaz previously served as the Miami Science Museum’s Early Childhood Education Project Coordinator. She helped develop and disseminate ECHOS, an early childhood science curriculum.

Her service extends to the early childhood community as a member of the Early Learning Coalition of Miami‐Dade/Monroe Curriculum Task Force, and as chairperson of the Head Start Education Advisory Board.

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What most people don’t know about me: Although I cannot sing or hold a tune, I love to karaoke and pretend I am the next American Idol.

Philip Poekert

Professor-in-Residence, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Teaching and Learning and Lastinger Center for Learning

Ph.D., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida

Philip Poekert is a leader in Ready Schools Miami partnership between the UF Lastinger Center, The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and Miami‐Dade County Public Schools.

He also is teaching courses in STL’s Teacher Leadership for School Improvement graduate program and will design and facilitate ongoing, job‐embedded professional development for administrators and teachers within Miami‐Dade County and across the state.

Poekert’s doctoral dissertation focused on the impact of a collaborative professional development initiative, Ready Schools Miami, on teachers’ instructional practice.

He has an upcoming publication in Teacher Education Quarterly, and his research interests center on urban and multicultural education.

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Fast fact: Philip and his wife, Claudia, are preparing to purchase their first home in The Roads neighborhood of Miami.

Ph.D., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida

Jacqueline Zeig is a lecturer in reading education and director of America Reads. She previously served as a
Florida Literacy and Reading Excellence (FLaRE) and Reading First professional development regional coordinator for the Florida Department of Education.

She earned her Ph.D. and Ed.S. degrees from UF. Her dissertation, entitled “Reading Instruction During the No Child Left Behind Years: The First R Revisited,” examined the instructional practices and beliefs of Florida teachers and how they aligned with contemporary policies. Her research interests include designing effective differentiated instruction for at‐risk learners and teachers’ use of literature to extend the strategies and skills from the core reading program.

Zeig has co‐authored several research articles and a chapter, “Drawing to Learn: Visual Support for Developing Reading, Writing, and Concepts for Children At‐ Risk”, in the Handbook of Research on Teaching Literacy Through the Communicative and Visual Arts, Vol. II.

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Fast fact: Jacqueline had three children while working on her Ph.D.