Faculty Research Profiles: Arlette Ingram Willis

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Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Student Academic Affairs Office
120 Education Building
1310 S. 6th St. MC 708
217 333-2267

Professor

Curriculum & Instruction
307 Education Building
1310 S. 6th St. MC 708
217 333-1668
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Research Biography

My research interests are drawn from critical theory and applied to the history of literacy, trends and issues in reading research preservice literacy education. My research projects have focused on: the application of a critical pedagogy in preservice teacher education courses that use multicultural literature, the history of African American Literacy, and a critical history of literacy in the United States.

My current projects include a naturalistic study of a critically framed preservice literacy course and a ethnohistorical study of the Calhoun Colored School.

A goal for my current and future research is to apply understandings and knowledge through the application of critical theory to help create more democratic, emancipatory, and socially just schooling environments.

Degrees

  • Ph.D., Education, Ohio State University, 1990
  • M.A., Education, Ohio State University, 1975
  • B.S., Elementary Education, Kent State University, 1974

Key Professional Appointments

  • Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Illinois, 2002--
  • Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Illinois, 1997-2002
  • Assistant Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Illinois, 1991-1997

Activities & Honors

  • Officer, National Conference on Research in Language and Literacy, 2008-2009
  • Academic Leadership Program Fellow, Council on Institutional Cooperation, 2003-2004
  • University Distinguished Teacher/Scholar, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2002-2003
  • Funding Board Member, Dissertation Fellowship Program, The Spencer Foundation, 2002-2003
  • Associate Editor, The New Advocate, 2002-2003
  • Reviewer, Institute of Education Sciences, 2002
  • Campus Award for Excellence in Guiding Undergraduate Research, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001
  • University Scholar Award, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2000
  • Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Honorable Mention, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2000
  • Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, College of Education, 2000
  • Distinguished Scholar Award, College of Education, 1999
  • Outstanding Researcher, American Educational Research Association, 1998
  • Center for Advanced Study Fellow, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997-1998
  • Faculty Fellow, College of Education, 1995-1996

Selected Publications

  • Willis, A. I. (2008). Critical race theory and literacy. In B. Street and N. H. Hornberger (Eds.), Encyclopedia of language and education (2nd ed., pp. 15-28). New York: Springer Science + Business Media.
  • Willis, A. (2007). Hemlock in the furrows: A critique of reading comprehension research and testing. New York: Teachers College Press.
  • Willis, A., Montovan, M., Burke, L., Hunter, C., Herrera, A., & Hall, H. (in press, scheduled for release in 2008). On Critically Conscious Research: Approaches to Language and Literacy Research. New York: Teachers College Press.
  • Willis, A., Garcia, G., Barrera, R., & Harris, V. (Eds.). (2003). Multicultural issues in literacy research and practice. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Willis, A., & Harris, V. (2003). Afterword. In A. Willis, G. Garcia, R. Barrera, & V. Harris (Eds.), Multicultural issues in literacy research and practice (pp. 289-296). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.