Dr. Gary J. Skolits, Director
Assistant Professor
Institute for
Assessment and Evaluation
University of Tennessee
Phone: 865-974-2777
e-mail: gskolits@utk.edu
B.A., State University of New York (S.U.N.Y.)
M.S., Penn State
Ed.D., East Tennessee University
Dr. Skolits has served in higher education for over 20 years in the areas of strategic planning, academic administration, institutional research and assessment, and evaluation. In his current position as the director of IAE, Dr. Skolits manages assessment and evaluation projects for clients locally, statewide, regionally and nationally. Dr. Skolits is also lead faculty member for the Evaluation and Assessment Ph.D. program offered through the Educational Psychology and Counseling Department in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.
Prior to working for IAE, Dr. Skolits held such positions as Asstant Vice President for Academics/Dean for Institutional Research/Effectiveness at Walters State Community College, worked in corporate finance for North American Philips, community/regional planning for the Tennessee Valley Authority, and worked in the County Manager's office for Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Awards and Accomplishments
- Board of Examiners, Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence
- Tennessee Board of Regents - 1st Leadership Institute
- Director, SACS Self-Study (and co-chair of Steering Committee) for Walters State Community College
Dr. Stephanie Robinson,
Associate Director
Institute for
Assessment and Evaluation
University of Tennessee
Phone: 865-974-1922
e-mail: srobin20@utk.edu
B.A.,University of Florida
M.Ed., University of Florida
Ph.D., University of Florida
Dr. Robinson has worked in various education capacities for over 20 years. In her current position as the associate director of IAE, Dr. Robinson develops evaluation proposals, including evaluation designs, statements of proposed work, and multi-year budget projects. In conjunction with the director, she provides the administration and management of assessment and evaluation projects for clients locally, statewide, regionally and nationally. Her research interests include program and classroom assessment and evaluation, as well as use of technology in mathematics education.
Before joining IAE, she held the position of Associate Professor of Education at Carson-Newman College. Dr. Robinson's professional experiences also including teaching at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville as well as the University of Florida, Gainesville. She has a strong educational background in mathematics and has worked as a consultant for local, state, and regional agencies regarding curriculum development and mapping in mathematics to meet state standards and for teacher licensure. Her teaching interests include mathematics education, and classroom assessment.
Awards and Accomplishments
- Adjunct Faculty, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Theory and Practice in Teacher Education
- Chair, Teacher Education Assessment Committee (2004-2006), Carson-Newman College
- Chair, Graduate Studies in Education (2000-2003), Carson-Newman College
- Carson-Newman NCATE Steering Committee, Standard 2, Assessment System
- AACTE - American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education - member
- AEA - American Evaluation Association - member
- TACTE - Tennessee Association of Colleges for Teacher Education - member
- AILACTE - Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education - member
- School Science and Mathematics Referee Panel
Publications
Dr. Robinson's publication include various technical reports, peer reviewed articles and book chapter publications. A very brief list of her work has been listed below.
Robinson, S. & Adkins, G. (2003). Pre service teacher attitudes toward mathematics teaching, Carson -Newman Studies,X(2). Jefferson City, TN:Carson-Newman College.
Robinson, S. (2000). Mathematics program evaluation and improvement: A model for design and implementation Carson-Newman Studies, IX(3). Jefferson City, TN: Carson-Newman College.
Robinson, S. & Dessart, D. (1998). Random number generators: A mysterious use of algorithms. NCTM 1998 Yearbook, Algorithms. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Robinson, S. & Milligan, K. (1997). Technology in the mathematics classroom. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 14(1), 11-16.
Dr. Judith Boser
Senior Research Associate/Adjunct Faculty Member
Institute for
Assessment and Evaluation
University of Tennessee
Phone: 865-974-2137
e-mail: boser@utk.edu
B.S., Indiana State Teacher's College
M.S., Butler University
M.S. & Ph.D., University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Dr. Boser has worked with IAE from its inception in 1994. She has been engaged in evaluation activities for over 20 years at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Boser's professional experience includes teaching in public K-12 school systems, serving as evaluation coordinator for the teacher preparation program for the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, as well as evaluation work for the Institute.
Awards and Accomplishments
- Research Award for Contribution to Survey Research Methodology - American Educational Research Association SIG on Survey Research in Education
- Helen R. Watson Faculty Research Award - UTK College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences -
- Mid-South Education Research Association - Harry S. Bowman Award
Dr. Jennifer Ann Morrow
Assistant Professor
Educational Psychology and Counseling
University of Tennessee
Phone: 865-974-6117
e-mail: jamorrow@utk.edu
B.A.,University of Rhode Island
M.S., Rhode Island College
Ph.D., University of Rhode Island
Dr. Morrow, an assistant professor for the Educational Psychology and Counseling Department teaches courses for the Ph.D. program in Evaluation and Assessment. Her teaching interests include: program evaluation, research methodology, and statistics.
Dr. Morrow's research is focused on three main areas: program evaluation, student development, and teaching research methods and statistics. She has conducted program evaluations on K-12 and higher education, health promotion, and community-based programs. Dr. Morrow's work win student development includes: investigation of students' send of belonging, substance misuse, and college persistent work. She has conducted research concerning the effectiveness of utilizing peer mentors, web-enhanced pedagogies, and collaborative pedagogies in statistics and research methods courses.
Awards and Accomplishments
- Awarded over $450,000 in external funding over the past six years from local and federal agencies including the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of education.
- Published 10 articles in peer reviewed journals and has written over 25 technical reports
- Awarded the Office of Student Services and Leadership (OSAL) faculty of the Year Award in 2005 (Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA)
- American Evaluation Association (member)
- American Psychological Association (active in Divisions 2 and 5)
- Association for the Study of Higher Education
- National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
Publications
Harlow, L.L., Burkholder, G.J., & Morrow, J.A. (2002). Evaluating attitudes, experience, and performance in quantitative methods: A structural modeling approach. Structural Equation Modeling, 9, pp. 413-430.
Hoffman, M.B., Richmond, J.R., Morrow, J.A., & Salomone, K. (2002-2003). Investigating “sense of belonging” in First-Year college students. Journal of College Student Retention, 4(3), pp. 227-256.
Lewis, R.J., Griffin, J., Winstead, B.A., Morrow, J.A., & Schubert, C. (2003). Psychological characteristics of women who do or do not report a history of sexual abuse. Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, 26, 49-65. Reprinted in S.S. Lee (Ed.), Traumatic stress and its aftermath: cultural, community, and professional contexts (pp. 49-65), Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.
Cash, T.F., Morrow, J.A., Hrabosky, J.I., & Perry, A.A. (2004). How has body image changed? A cross-sectional study of college women and men from 1983 to 2001. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72(6), pp. 1081-1089.
Beckwith, H., & Morrow, J.A. (2005). Sexual attitudes of college students: The impact of religiosity and sexuality. College Student Journal, 39(2), pp. 357-366.
Mathews, A., Derlega, V.J., & Morrow, J.A. (2006). What is highly personal information and how is it related to self-disclosure decision making? The perspective of college students. Communication Research Reports, 23(2), pp. 85-92.
Harlow, L.L., Burkholder, G.J., & Morrow, J.A. (2006). Engaging students in learning: An application with quantitative psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 33(4), pp. 231-235.
Dye, G., Morrow, J.A., & Harlow, L.L. (2006). Personality and athleticism: Differences and relationships. Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 19, pp. 36-44.
Ackermann, M., & Morrow, J.A. (2007-2008) A principal components analysis and validation of the coping with the college environment scale (CWCES). Journal of College Student Retention,9(2), pp. 133-148.
Leary, C., Kelley, M., Morrow, J.A., Mikulka, P., (in press). Parental use of physical punishment as related to family environment, psychological well-being, and personality in undergraduates. Journal of Family Violence.
Dr. Russell L. French
Director emeritus/Professor emeritus
Institute for Assessment and Evaluation
University of Tennessee
Phone: 865-974-4243
e-mail: rfrench2@utk.edu
B.S., University of Cincinnati
M. Ed., University of Cincinnati
Ph.D., Ohio State University
Dr. French has been a member of the University of Tennessee faculty for 41 years. He was the founding director of IAE (1994). Officially retiring in 2005, Dr. French continues to work part-time for IAE, designing, directing, and implementing various evaluation projects.
Over his career, he has worked with over 500 school systems, institutions of higher education and state, regional, and national education agencies in a variety of capacities. His expertise includes program/project organization evaluation, design and implementation of personnel evaluation systems, and design of curriculum and instruction at both the P-12 and higher education levels.
Among his many projects have been:
- direction of the development and implementation of Tennessee's teacher and administrator career ladder program,
- direction of the development and implementation of Louisiana's beginning teacher assistance and assessment program,
- direction of the development and implementation of several iterations of Alabama's teacher and administrator evaluation programs (ongoing),
- direction of the multi-year evaluation of Kentucky's Teacher Quality Enhancement Program,
- direction of a comprehensive evaluation of WileyPLUS for the John Wiley and Sons Publishing Company (current),
- evaluation of South Carolina's teacher cadet program,
- evaluation of teacher performance pay initiatives in the states of Florida, North Carolina, Utah, and Virginia
Publications
Dr. French's publications include numerous refereed monographs, journal articles, book chapters, as well as a host of technical reports, personnel evaluation training materials (print and online), and online professional development modules and one film. A few of his publications are:
"Linking teacher quality to student achievement" Basic Education. Council for Basic Education. Washington, D.C. Vol. 46, Nov. 10, June 2002.
"A wondering worker in educational reform" Reforming a College. Richard Wisneski (ed.). Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York, 2000.
French, R., Kuligowski, B., & Holdzkom, D. (1993) "Teacher performance evaluation in the southeastern states: forms and functions." Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education (6). Boston, Kluwer Academic Publisher, pp. 335-358
Bobbett, G. C., French, R. L., & Achilles, C. M. (1991) "What factors really influence student academic performance: An analysis of the relationships among factors commonly reported in school district report cards," ERIC (ED340738),
English, F., Clark, D., Routh, M., French, R., & Schlecty, P., (1985). "Incentives for Excellence in America's Schools," ASCD, Alexandria, VA.
"Career Ladder Plans" Establishing Career Ladders in Teaching: A Guide for Policymakers, Paul R. Burden (ed.) Charles C. Thomas Publishers, Springfield, IL.,1987.
"Wha'd Ja Do At School Today?" (Film). with Drs. Elizabeth Lane and Marshall Perritt. Shelby County Schools, Memphis, TN, 1973.
Inside Classrooms: Studies in Verbal and Nonverbal Communication, Danville, IL: Interstate Publishers, 1977.
Dr. John R. Ray
Professor emeritus
Institute for Assessment and Evaluation
Phone: 865-974-4224
e-mail: jrray@utk.edu
B.A., University of Chattanooga
M. S., University of Chattanooga
Ed.D., University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Dr. Ray has been with IAE since its inception in 1994. He has more than 20 years of educational, research, and test development experience. Dr. Ray's work on various project has impacted state and national educational systems.
Awards and Accomplishments
- Directed of State Project on Development of Teacher Certification Tests for Initial Certification of Tennessee teachers ( with Memphis State University)
- Directed Development of Tennessee End-of-Course Tests in Mathematics for CTB/McGraw-Hill
- Educational Testing Service grant "Teacher Effectiveness as Determined by Teacher Education Institutional & Student Demographics."
Publications
Dr. Ray's publications include various technical reports, peer reviewed articles and book and book chapter publications. A very brief list of his work has been listed below.
"School Business Administration: A Planning Approach," Eighth Edition, Boston: Allyn & Bacon, Inc., [1st Edition 1973, 2nd Edition 1978, 3rd Edition 1984, 4th Edition 1992, 5th Edition 1995, 6th Edition 1998, 7th Edition 2001].
"Technology, Computers and the Special Needs Learner," Albany, NY: Tolman Publications.
Peevely, G., & Ray, J.R., (2001). Does equalization litigation effect a narrowing of the gap of value added achievement outcomes among school districts?" Journal of Educational Finance, Vol. 26., No. 4 , Spring 2001, pp. 463-476.
Ray, J.R. (1993). Minimum competencies: level of knowledge, Overview, Vol. 20, No. 1, January/February 1993, pp. 16-18.