ECED PhD Program Information

Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education Department believes that students and faculty are reflective partners actively engaged in a continual learning process to gain the knowledge, skills and dispositions to be teachers, researchers, professionals and leaders in early care and education.

Students and Faculty:

• Engage in innovative and effective learning experiences that positively impact their lives as well as children, families and the global community.
• Advocate for the early care and education profession.
• Demonstrate excellence in early care and education through the understanding and application of theory, research and practice in a variety of real-world settings.
• Appreciate the uniqueness of each individual when preparing the teaching and learning environment.
• Honor the culture and diversity of ALL children and families within a changing global and technological society. 

Download the PhD in Early Childhood Education brochure

Inquire about availability of PhD Fellowships when applying. Typically fellowships are offered for 3-year periods.

• Spring & Summer 2021 Faculty Presentations & Publications

  ** Faculty noted in bold font.

  Dr. Atiles
  

  • Atiles, J. T., Dunlap, R. L., & Tester, M. (2021). Educators' responses to COVID-19: How Head Start addressed challenges and accommodated pre-service teachers completing the final practicum. Childhood Education: Innovations. 
  • Atiles, J. T., Almodóvar, M., Chavarría Vargas, A., Dias, M. J. A., Zúñiga León, I. M. (2021).  International responses to COVID-19: Challenges faced by early childhood professionals. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29(1). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2021.1872674.
  • Atiles, J. T., Lin, H., Buffington, J. & Larzelere, R. (2021). A measure of educators’ teaching styles. [In press]. Early Childhood Education, East Tennessee State University. Educational Research Quarterly ERQ060421001

  Dr. Broderick

  • Broderick, J. T., Sareh, N., Mensah-Bonsu, P (in-review). Teaching preschool teachers to converse productively with children. 
  • Broderick, J., Hong, S. B., & Yu, G. (2021). What are the developmental thinking processes of art educators and EC educators as they learn art as inquiry processes? A 10-week. 4-module Art as Inquiry workshop series pairing Reggio inspired preschool teachers with art educators who work with young children and Reggio inspired atelieristas. Initial findings will be presented at the virtual Association for Constructivist Teaching conference in the Fall.
  • Broderick, J. (2021). Review of Children, Art, Artists.  Innovations. 

  Consulting 

  
  Drs. Broderick and Hong are consulting with the CDES Laboratory at Fullerton College and Beverly Hills Church Preschool, in Alexandria, VA. Both schools are incorporating a Cycle of Inquiry Curriculum. 

  Dr. Evanshen

  • Keith, K., Edwards, S., & Evanshen, P. (2021). Academy for teachers: A win/win collaboration for preparing future teachers. In Chandler, P. & Barron, L. (Eds.). Rethinking school-university partnerships: A new way forward, Information Age Publishing.
  • Nyabando, T., & Evanshen, P. (2021). Second grade students’ perspectives of their classrooms’ physical learning environment: A multiple case study. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01183-4

  Dr. Ruth Facun-Granadozo

  • Facun-Granadozo, R., Olubowale, O., & Ejiogu, C. (March 2021). Clarifying cultural misrepresentations and promoting healthy social identities through texts. A paper presented at the virtual conference of the Southern Early Childhood Association.

  Grant

  • Cultural Competency Grants from the ETSU Office of Equity and Inclusion. For the provision of students in ECED 4161 and ECED 5440 with two books - one as a professional resource and another for teaching, and purchase materials to enhance the unit titled "Preparing Equitable Lessons for Students from Diverse Backgrounds".

  Dr. Lange

  • Lange, A. A., Rice, E., Howe, N., & Tian, Q. (2021). A Light Challenge: First Graders Engineer an Obstacle Course with Flashlights. Science and Children. 

  Grants and Contracts

  • 2020-2021. Lange secured a contract to complete training and reviews for the What Works Clearinghouse (https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/), a program through the US Department of Education. Subcontract with Developmental Services Group. $13,265
  • 2020-2021. Lange is co-PI along with Dr. Robertson in CUAI on a major RDC grant to support their early childhood-elementary STEM Collaboration project. $12,000
  • 2021. Lange submitted 3 grant proposals this winter: 2 to the National Science Foundation, and 1 to the Institute of Museum and Library Services. One of the NSF proposals and the IMLS proposal were submitted along with colleagues from science museums across Tennessee who are a part of the Science Alliance.

  Consulting

  • 2021. Expert Reviewer for NSF's DRK12 Elementary Science Synthesis Project. American Institutes of Research.
  • 2019-present. Expert Reviewer for early STEM content for theSTEMIE Center. https://stemie.fpg.unc.edu/

  Workshops/Presentations

  Preschool STEM Workshop series - virtual sessions. Preschool educators from over 15 states and 3 countries have attended the series. Beth Huber from Little Bucs shared videos of her teachers and children that we used in the light workshop!
  January 23, 2021. Light & Shadows.
  March 6, 2021. Data & Animal Cams. 
  April 24, 2021. Change & Transformation.
  
  

  
  
  
• Spring & Summer 2021  PhD Student Presentations & Publications

  ** Doctoral Students noted in bold font.

  Atiles, J. T., Almodóvar, M., Chavarría Vargas, A., Dias, M. J. A., Zúñiga León, I. M. (2021).  International responses to COVID-19: Challenges faced by early childhood professionals. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29(1). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2021.1872674..

  Facun-Granadozo, R., Olubowale, O., & Ejiogu, C. (March 2021). Clarifying cultural misrepresentations and promoting healthy social identities through texts. A paper presented at the virtual conference of the Southern Early Childhood Association.

  Broderick, J. T., Sareh, N., Mensah-Bonsu, P (in-review). Teaching preschool teachers to converse productively with children. 

  
  
  
  
  

Scholarships

• Clemmer College

  Clemmer College Scholarships 2016-17

  ETSU Main Campus - Warf-Pickel Hall

  Contact Information:
  Name: Dr. Kimberly Hale
  Phone: 423-439-7503
  Email: halekd@etsu.edu

  Applications for ALL Clemmer College Scholarships for the 2016-2017 academic year is due by March 1, 2016.

  Web Address (URL):
  https://www.etsu.edu/coe/coescholarship.php
   

  BARE-WADE SCHOLARSHIP

  • Criteria for Selection: *Demonstrated commitment to education
  • *Demonstrated good moral character
  • *Documented financial need

  CLAUDIUS AND KATHERINE EARNEST CLEMMER ENDOWMENT

  • Criteria for Selection: *Priority given to Tennessee Residents
  • *Junior, Senior, or Graduate in Teacher Education
  • *2.8 GPA or above
  • *Demonstrated financial need considered
    *Show potential for successful teaching career

  L. SCOTT HONAKER SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

  • Criteria for Selection: *Candidate must be nominated by a committee made up of
  • a member from each Clemmer College department
  • *Must be a graduate student
  • *Emphasis will be given to students graduate academic record; undergraduate GPA is reviewed but is of lesser importance
  • *Promise of future contribution to teacher profession

  NELLE JESSEE SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

  • Criteria for Selection: *Need Based
  • *Minimum GPA—2.5

  MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART

  • Criteria for Selection: *Mini grant presented to Special Education student
  • *Mini grant for faculty or student for research in the Child Study Center
  • *Mini grant for training opportunities to regular and special educators in rural settings

  HATTIE ELIZABETH VANOVER REED MEMORIAL APPALACHIAN SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

  • Criteria for Selection: *Resident of Appalachian region
  • *Working on degree in Clemmer College
  • *Documented financial need

  JOAN BRANDON HULL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

  • Criteria for Selection: *Must be an undergraduate or graduate education major
  • *Preference given to students from Greene County
  • *Must have a 2.8 GPA on high school or college work
  • *Documented financial need
  • *$1,000 per student if funds are available, otherwise
  • Clemmer College will determine awards

  ISABEL HAYES WILLIAMS SCHOLARSHIP

  • Criteria for Selection: *2.8 GPA on all College work
  • *Documented financial need considered
  • *Must show high potential for career in teaching

  MINORITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

  APPLICATIONS FOR CLEMMER COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 1 FOR THE NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR FROM:

  CLEMMER COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE

  Room 321 Warf-Pickel Room 105 Dossett Hall

  APPLICATIONS CAN BE PRINTED FROM

  https://www.etsu.edu/coe/scholarship.php

• School of Graduate Studies

  Scholarships, Grants, and Assistantships

  DEADLINES: All materials must be submitted by the following deadlines:

  • Fall Semester - July 1
  • Spring Semester - November 1
  • Summer Semester - April 1

  International Merit Scholarship

  Quillen Graduate Scholarship

  Regional Scholarships

  Program Specific Scholarships: See the Clemmer College Tab on this PhD Program Web Page

  Assistantship Information

  Research Grants

  Thesis and Dissertation Scholarships

• Diversity Scholarships

  Diversity Incentive Minority Scholarship

  For information please contact:

  
  Special Assistant to the President for Equity and Diversity
  Affirmative Action Director
  423.439.4445
  
  

  Southern Regional Education Board

  • Doctoral Scholars Program
  • The program’s goal is to produce more minority Ph.D students who seek careers as faculty on college campuses.

Program Graduates

• Ehichoya Edokhamhan 2023

  

  Ehichoya Edokhamhen

  Dissertation Title: Building Resilience: A Mixed Methods Exploration of Head Start Teachers Coping During the Covid-19 Pandemic. 
  
  

  Chair: Dr. Trivette

• Katherine Madison 2023

  

  Katherine Madison

  Dissertation Title: Exploration of Privilege and Demographics Associated with Teachers' Self-Efficacy in Culturally Responsive Classroom Management 
  
  

  Chair: Dr. Malkus

• Sonia Yoshisawa 2023

  

  Sonia Yoshizawa

  Sonia is currently the Pedagogista/Assistant Director. School name: St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Website: smes.org

  Dissertation Title: Sound and Music Opportunities in Toddler Learning Environments
  
  

  Chair: Dr. Facun-Granadozo

• Kristy Castanon 2023

   

  

  Kristy Castanon

  Dissertation Title: Perceptions of Primary Caregivers About Managing their Child's Transition to Kindergarten: A Mixed Methods Study

  Chair: Dr. Trivette

• Kara Boynewicz 2022

  

  Kara Boynewicz

  Kara is an Associate Professor in the Rehabilitative Sciences Program at East Tennessee State University.

  Dissertation Title: Early detection of atypical motor and neurobehavior development of infants exposed to opiates: A prospective study

  Chair: Dr. Trivette

• Guillermo Mendozo 2022

  

  Guillermo Mendozo

  Guillermo is Chief of Staff at Northeast State Community College.

   

  Dissertation Title: Examining Teachers Referral and Placement Decisions for Gifted and Talented Programs of Hispanic Children

  Chair: Dr. Sharp

• Tahani Ahmed 2022

  

  Tahani Ahmed

  Dissertation Title: An Investigation of the Relationship Between Teachers’ Personal Epistemologies and Their Self-Efficacy About Culturally Responsive Classroom Management
  
  

  Chair: Dr. Malkus

• Qiuji Tian 2022

  

  Qiuju Tian

  Qiuju (Daisy) is an Assistant Professor at Mercyhurst University.

  Dissertation Title: The Impact of an Integrated STEM Collaborative Approach on Early Childhood and Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Curricular Role Identity for Teaching Science.

  Chair: Dr. Lange

• Narges Sareh 2020

  

  Narges Sareh

  Narges Sareh is an Assistant Professor at East Tennessee State University.

  Dissertation Title: The relationship between the amount of time spend in block center and gender differences in preschool children’s spatial performance.

  Chair: Dr. Lange

• Randa Dunlap 2020

  Randa Dunlap is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood at the University of South Carolina, Aiken.

  Dissertation Title: Determining if Classroom Pets as part of an Empathy-Based Intervention Affect Public Elementary Students ' Empathy.

  Chair: Dr. Malkus

• Tara Voit 2020

  Tara Voit is currently an adjunct professor at Sante Fe Community College.

  Dissertation Title: Head Start Preschool Teachers’ Perceptions of Reggio Emilia
  Principles Practiced Within Their
  Own Setting: A Case Study.

  Chair: Dr. Broderick

• Tsitsi Nyabando 2019

  Tsitsi Nyabando is currently an Assistant Professor at Eastern New Mexico University

  Dissertation Title: Second Grade Students’ Perceptions of Their Classrooms’ Physical Learning Environment.

  Chair: Dr. Evanshen

• Michael Garrett 2018

  Michael Garrett is currently teaching in the Math and Statistics Department at ETSU.

  Dissertation Title: Seeing the World Differently. An Exploration of a Professional Development Model Bridging Science and Lay Cultures.

  Chair: Dr. Broderick

• Rebekah Taylor 2018

  Rebekah Taylor

  Dissertation Title: A Mixed Methods Exploration of East Tennessee Early Childhood Teachers’ Perceptions, Knowledge, Practices, and Resources of Critical Literacy.

   

   

  Chair: Dr. Sharp

• Hongxia Zhao    2018

  Hongxia Zhao is currently an Assistant Professor at New Mexico State University, Carlsbad.

  Dissertation Title: Examining Contributors to Preschoolers’ Classroom Engagement using Structural Equation Modeling.

  Chair: Dr. Trivette

• Stephanie Stephens 2018

  Stephanie Stephens

  Dissertation Title: Teachers’ response to infants’ nonverbal communication and use of response to facilitate a dialogue.

   

   

  Chair: Dr. Geiken

• Cathy Landy  2018

  Cathy Landy is currently working as a contractor for the Upper TN River Roundtable as a Save Our Streams coordinator

  Dissertation Title: The State of Outdoor Education in Northeast Tennessee: Preschool Teacher Attitudes Toward Outdoor Education.
  

  Chair: Dr. Malkus

• Jennifer Lynberg 2018

  Jennifer Lynberg

  Dissertation Title: Teachers and their perceptions about
  adaptive skill training within an Early Childhood comprehensive development classroom for students
  with intellectual disabilities.

   

  Chair: Dr. Trivette

• Brandie Maness 2018

  Brandie Maness is an Assistant Professor at University of South Carolina, Aiken.

  Dissertation Title: Preschool Teachers’ Perceptions of Children Prenatally Exposed to Drugs.

   

   

  Chair: Dr. Trivette

• Gina Wohlford 2018

  Ginal Wohlford is currently Superintendent of Norton City Schools, Norton, VA.

  Dissertation Title: Observation and Interpretation: Teachers’ beliefs and the impact of intervention on teachers’ meaningful conversations with children in preschool programs

  Chair: Dr. Broderick
  

• Michelle Johnson 2017

  Michelle Johnson is  an Associate Professor in the Nutrition Program, Department of Allied Health Sciences, ETSU. She is also Dietetic Intern Director.

  Dissertation Title: Design and Validation of a Scale for Preschoolers:
  Measuring Nutrition Knowledge, Beliefs, and Behaviors.

  Chair: Dr. Malkus

• Kim Austin 2017

  Kim Austin is currently an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at Southwest Virginia Community College.

  Dissertation Title: Parental Perceptions of Preschool Age Children’s Literacy Development in a Rural Appalachian Community.

  Chair: Dr. Hale

• Teresa Boggs 2016

  Teresa Boggs is an Associate Professor and the Director of Clinical Services for Speech-Language Pathology at ETSU.

  Dissertation Title: The effects of environmental modifications and visual supports in the home on engagement and challenging behaviors in children with autism.

  Chair: Dr. Evanshen

• Lori Hamilton 2016

  Lori Hamilton is currently teaching for an online program. 

  Dissertation Title: Teachers perceptions of intensive professional development in the Daily Five™ in literacy instruction: A multiple case study.

  Chair: Dr. Sharp

• Charity Hensley 2015

  Charity Hensley is an Assistant Professor at Emory & Henry College.

  Dissertation Title:  Use of the Physical Classroom Environment as a Teaching & Learning Tool Including the Impact of the Common Core State Standard Initiative in Kindergarten through Third Grade Primary Classrooms in Northeast Tennessee.

  Chair:  Dr. Evanshen

• Kim Cassidy2015

  Kim Cassidy recently is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at Shawnee State University in Ohio.

  Dissertation Title:  Determining if Grandparents as Primary Caregivers of Pre-K through Third Grade Students in Northeast Tennessee Perceive Delivery of Information and  Services as Effective in Decreasing Chronic Absence.

  Chair: Dr. Malkus

• Ruth Facun-Granadozo2014

  Ruth Facun-Granadozo is currently an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at East Tennessee State University.

  Dissertation Title: Developing Mastery in Phonemic Awareness and Morphemic Awareness: A Multiple Case Study of Preservice Early Childhood Educators.

  Link to article on Ruth's research in Illuminated, in the ETSU Graduate School student research magazine.

  Chair: Dr. Sharp

• Angie Baker2014

  

  Angie Baker is an Assistant Professor at King College.

  Dissertation Title: An Exploratory Critical Study of Questioning Strategies Posed by Early Childhood Teachers During Literacy Blocks.

  Chair: Dr. Sharp

• Helen Lane2012

  ETSU Early Childhood Faculty pose with Dr. Helen Lane, the first recipient of the ETSU Early Childhood Program PhD. Click here to read an article about Dr. Helen Lane receiving the first ETSU doctoral degree in Early Childhood in the Johnson City Press.

  Dissertation Title: Influences of Caregiver-Child Interactions and Temperament on Cortisol Levels of Toddlers in Full-Day Childcare.

  Chair: Dr. Gloeckler