Dr. Kenya-Mandeldove-Sadler, Leadership Coach with the UIC EdD in Urban Education Leadership program, recently received her doctoral degree from National-Louis University in Reading and Language. The title of her dissertation is Understanding the Professional Development Needs of Urban Teachers who are Integrating Technology into Literacy Instruction. Her mixed methods study was designed to collect data about teachers’ literacy competency, technical skills, pedagogical content knowledge, technology integration, and professional development preferences. These data were analyzed in order to make recommendations to decision makers around how to support teachers through professional development in integrating technology into their literacy instructional practices.
This research focus originated in her years as a teacher and school leader, and the increasing sense of urgency she experienced to support teachers’ efforts to integrate technology into literacy instruction. In turn, she came to UIC because its mission for developing urban leaders closely aligns with her values and the contributions she wishes to make to the leaders in the city where she was born and raised. The work of the UIC EdD program inspires and motivates her to continually grow as a coach and leader of leaders.