Faculty Research Profiles: Nancy Hertzog

Developed by the Research Opportunities Office in BER.

Search All Faculty Research Profiles

Associate Professor

Special Education
276F Education Building
1310 S. 6th St. MC 708
217 333-0260

Director, University Primary School

University Primary School
Special Education
98 Children's Research Center
51 Gerty Dr. MC 672
217 333-3996
Edit My Data

Section Links


Research Biography

At the core of my research program is the question, "In what ways can teachers challenge all children in inclusive elementary classrooms?" This question ties two thrusts of my research program together: interest in instructional strategies that challenge all children; and interest in gifted programming practices. Beginning with my introduction into research methodology, I have been approaching this broad research question systematically by looking at instructional practices which have typically been designed for students regarded as gifted, and I have been examining the impact and perspectives of gifted programming practices from the students and families who have been involved in them.

Motivating my research agenda is a strong personal commitment to examine the existing problems in the field of gifted education, especially what I have termed, "the educational malpractice" of arbitrarily labeling a child "gifted." From an instructional perspective, if I can demonstrate that specific techniques work to challenge children in diverse settings, would giftedness be an educationally useful construct? Although my research agenda is specific to classroom practices and the effectiveness and impact of gifted programs, it has potentially profound implications for changing current practices and re-conceptualizing the field of gifted education. A common thread of my publications is to redefine education by its pedagogy rather than by labeling its participants.

Degrees

  • Ph.D., Special Education, University of Illinois, 1995
  • M.A., Gifted and Talented Education, University of Connecticut, 1981
  • B.A., Elementary Education, Wittenberg University, 1977

Key Professional Appointments

  • Associate Professor, Special Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004--
  • Director, University Primary School, University of Illinois, 1994--
  • Assistant Professor, Special Education, University of Illinois, 1997-2003
  • Visiting Assistant Professor, Special Education, University of Illinois, 1994-1997

Activities & Honors

  • Board Member, Roeper School, 2006-2009
  • Faculty Service Award, College of Education, 2006-2007
  • Guest Editor, Gifted Child Today, 2006-2007
  • President-Elect, East Central Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children, 2005-2007
  • Board Member, Chair, Advocacy Committee, Illinois Association for Gifted Children, 2005-2006
  • President-Elect, East Central Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children, 2004-2005
  • Program Chair, SIG on Research on Giftedness, American Educational Research Association, 2003-2005
  • Exemplary Curriculum for Young Children, National Association for Gifted Children, 2002
  • Leader, Project-Approach, Stratton Elementary School, Champaign, IL, 2000-2004
  • Spitze-Mather Award, College of Education, 1999
  • Hollingworth Award, National Association for Gifted Children, 1999
  • Exemplary Early Childhood Curriculum Award, Curriculum Division, National Association for Gifted Children, 1999
  • Curriculum Award, University Primary School, 1997-2001
  • Research Brief of the Year Award, Research and Evaluation Division, National Association for Gifted Children, 1994

Grants

  • Principal Investigator, Hardie Faculty Fellow: Targeting Differentiation Through Collaborative Inquiry, Bureau of Educational Research, 2008
  • Co-Principal Investigator, Preparing Leaders in Access by Design (PLAD), U.S. Department of Education, 2006
  • Principal Investigator, Community Grant, East Central Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children, 2005
  • Principal Investigator, Internet Interact, PT3 TALENT: Technology Across Learning Environments for New Teachers, 2003

Selected Publications

  • Hertzog, N. B. (2008). Gifted students in early childhood. Practical strategies Series (F. A. Karnes & K. R. Stephens, Eds.). Prufrock Press, Waco: TX.
  • Hertzog, N. B. (in press). Ready for preschool. Prufrock Press.
  • Linn-Cohen, R., & Hertzog, N. B. (2007). Unlocking the gate to differentiation: A qualitative study of two self-contained gifted classes. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 31(2), 227-259.
  • Hertzog, N.B., (in press). The arbitrary nature of giftedness. In L. Shavinina (Ed.) Handbook on Giftedness. Springer Science.
  • Hertzog, N. B. (2007). Transporting pedagogy. Implementing the project approach in two first-grade classrooms. Journal of Academic Achievement, 18(4), 530-564.

Selected Links