Mary Ziegler, Ed.D.

Assistant Professor

Since my first job after college as an employment counselor in Chicago’s inner city, I have been captivated by the ways that adults learn to make changes in their lives. Over the years, the work I have done as a teacher, administrator, community developer, and organizational consultant has helped me to focus my interest not only on individual change, but group and organizational change as well. I pursued a doctorate at Columbia University in adult education because the program emphasized the transformative learning that individuals and groups do in the course of their development and the potential that adult education has to contribute to the betterment of society as a whole – a concrete connection with my personal and scholarly interests. While pursuing my doctorate, I joined the staff at the UT Center for Literacy Studies in 1994 as a research associate and became director two years later. In this leadership role and through the work of an outstanding staff, the Center has received major state and federal grants. This led to national recognition for excellence in linking theory with practice, especially in professional development for teachers who work with adult students and in research in adult literacy including action research with practitioners. Although I continue to work on grants at the Center, I found an intellectual “home” when I recently joined the faculty in the Educational Psychology and Counseling Department to pursue my scholarly interest in adult education and teach courses in the field. I enjoy teaching immensely and continually learn from the many talented non-traditional and traditional-aged age students who are drawn to the adult education and collaborative learning programs. My research interests are eclectic but are primarily in the area of adult literacy, organizational development, and transformative learning. Studies that I conducted through grants have led to publication on different themes that concern the adult learner such as engagement, motivation, and persistence. My current research projects include a qualitative investigation of the organizational development of literacy programs and the use of narrative in transformative learning. I serve on two editorial boards for scholarly journals and continue my involvement in state and national literacy initiatives. Writing proposals for grants is an ongoing aspect of my research. When I am not working, I enjoy sailing on Lake Lanier with my spouse who lives in Atlanta, hiking in the mountains, reading novels, and spending time with family and friends.

Updated 12/03/2007

Contact Information

1122 Volunteer Boulevard
521 Jane and David Bailey Education Complex
Knoxville, TN 37996-3452

Phone: 865-974-0453
Fax: 865-974-0135
Email: mziegler@utk.edu

Contact EPC

525 Jane & David Bailey Education Complex
1122 Volunteer Boulevard
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-3452

Phone: 865-974-8145
Fax: 865-974-0135