Faculty Research Profiles: Marilyn Johnston-Parsons

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Professor

Curriculum & Instruction
325 Education Building
1310 S. 6th St. MC 708
217 244-3577
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Research Biography

My current research interests include educational reform related to teacher education and social studies education particularly related to issues of social justice and diversity. I use socio-cultural, post-colonial, and post-structural feminist perspectives to frame my research. I am currently working on a project in an urban Chicago school working collaboratively with teachers to integrated social studies and content area writing.

I recently published a book with teachers from an urban school in Columbus, Ohio. The book, entitled Success Stories From a Failing School: Teachers Living Under the Shadow of NCLB, describes the ways in which learning successes happen daily in a school that is labeled "failing" by their test scores. The teachers describe the pressures and effects of narrowly defined accountability measures on their professional identities and teaching practices.

I am also interested in collaborative research methodologies, urban education, action/teacher research and self-study. I regularly do action research/self-studies of my own teaching.

Degrees

  • Ph.D., Cultural Foundations, University of Utah, 1997
  • M.A., Education, California State University, Long Beach, 1969
  • B.A., Elementary Education, California State University, Long Beach, 1964

Key Professional Appointments

  • Professor, Curriculum & Instruction, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2005--
  • Department Head, Curriculum & Instruction, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2005-2006
  • Professor, Integrated Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University, 1999-2004
  • Section Head, Integrated Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University, 1998-2001
  • Associate Professor, Integrated Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University, 1991-1999
  • Assistant Professor, Integrated Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University, 1988-1991
  • Associate Adjunct Professor, Teacher Education, Michigan State University, 1987-1988
  • Associate Professor, Curriculum & Instruction, University of Utah, 1986-1988
  • Assistant Professor, Curriculum & Instruction, University of Utah, 1979-1986

Activities & Honors

  • member, Board, John Dewey Society, SIG within AERA, John Dewey Society, 2006-2009

Grants

  • Principal Investigator, US/Indonesia Teacher Education Consortium (USINTEC) Workshops, National Science Foundation (Ohio State University), 2007

Selected Publications

  • Johnston-Parsons, M., Wilson, M., Bernardi, J., Bowling, M., Karl, M., Lloyd, E., McCualsky, M., et al. (2007). Success stories from a failing school: Teachers living under the shadow of NCLB. Charlotte, NC: Information Age.
  • Johnston-Parsons, M., Lee, Y. A., & Thomas, J. M. (2007). Students of color as cultural consultants: A self-study of race and social justice issues in a teacher education program. Studying Teaching Education, 3(1), 67-84.
  • Johnston, M. (2006). The mirror and the lamp: Action research and self studies in the social studies. In K. Barton (Ed.), Research methods in social studies education: Contemporary issues and perspectives (pp. 57-83). New York: Information Age.
  • Saud, U., & Johnston, M. (2006). Cross-cultural influences of educational reform: A case study of Indonesian teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 32(1), 3-20.
  • Johnston, M., & Thomas, M. (2005). The benefits and burdens of ETS portfolio evaluation on early career principals in Ohio. Educational Administration Quarterly, 43(4-5), 368-386.