Susan McKenney

Dr. S.E. (Susan) McKenney
Kamer
Telefoon
Email
Cubicus C314
053 – 489 2890
susan.mckenney@utwente.nl
Profile
After two years of teaching remedial mathematics and English to junior high school children, I spent 1988-1993 teaching in a daycare/pre-school in Pennsylvania, USA. The eight years of classroom teaching served me well when I moved to Holland and, in 1994, enrolled in this university’s master’s program on Educational and Training Systems Design. I have been fortunate to continue to work and study within the Department of Curriculum Innovation and Educational Design at this faculty, completing my PhD in 2001 and working now as an assistant professor. My doctoral research explored how the computer can play a supportive role in curriculum development within the context of secondary level science and mathematics education in sub-Saharan Africahttp://projects.edte.utwente.nl/cascade/seastudy/.
I remain interested the main themes that were addressed in my PhD study: exploring and supporting the interplay between curriculum development and teacher professional development. My past work has emphasized the supportive role of technology in curriculum and teacher development; in more recent work, I have been looking at these issues in the field of early childhood (educators of children aged 2-8), particularly in the area of language development. Much of my current work is carried out in collaboration with organizations in developing countries, but I also enjoy research and consultancy endeavors in the USA and the Netherlands.
Teaching
Bachelor program
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Sociology, pedagogy and andragogy
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Technology for educational design: Complex systems
Master program
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Introduction to the science of education and technology
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Computer supported curriculum development
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Models and strategies of curriculum development
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(Educational) Design methodology
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Curriculum, teacher and school development
Inter-university doctoral program
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Educational design research
Mentoring
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Guidance counselor to freshmen in the bachelor Educational Science and Technology program
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Advisor of Dutch and international bachelor and master’s students specializing in curriculum development, teacher development and technology use in the curriculum
Recent and ongoing research and consultancy activities
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Inhoudelijke leiderschap en het jonge kind: Case studies of innovative teacher teams who are improving the language arts curriculum in lower primary grades (SLO)
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ECENL: An explorative study into the status quo of early childhood research in the Netherlands, with an emphasis on the professional development of early childhood educators, sponsored by the National Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO)
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Taal in de Zaakvakken: Consultant on an explorative study on the added value of ICT in linguistic and (science) conceptual development, together with the National Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO)
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PictoPal: Primary investigator in an on-going set of studies on the use of technology to support early literacy development
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TRAITS: Coordinator and facilitator for the Training the Trainer for enhancing Skills program (TRAITS), aimed at capacity building among Amity Institute staff for education in India
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INDEED: Coordinator and facilitator for the Indian Dutch Exchange program on Educational Development (INDEED), aimed at capacity building among Pratham staff for (pre) primary education in India
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NITTT: Researcher and participant in World Bank study on Networking for Innovations in Teacher Training and Technology (NITTT)
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SPES: Consultant for Inter-America Development Bank project on Support for Primary Education in Suriname