Martha Dever, Ed.D.

Martha Dever

Professor of Early Childhood Education
Graduate and Undergraduate Faculty
Appointed 1993
Email: martha.dever@usu.edu
Phone (435) 797-0394
Office: Jones Education Building, Room 394

Education:

  • DOCTOR OF EDUCATION: Elementary/Early Childhood Education, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, August 1993
  • MASTER OF ARTS: Early Childhood Education, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, December 1989
  • BACHELOR OF ARTS, Elementary Education Western State College, Gunnison, Colorado, December 1970

Work Experience:

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY: Department of Elementary Education, Logan, UT

  • Professor of Elementary and Early Childhood Education - 2004-Present
  • Coordinator of Early Childhood - September 1994-Present
  • Associate Professor of Elementary and Early Childhood Education - April 1999-Present
  • Assistant Professor of Elementary and Early Childhood Education - September 1993-April 1999
  • Interim Department Head Department of Secondary Education - August 1999-July 2000
  • Interim Director Emma Eccles Jones Center for Early Childhood Education - September 1998-June 1990 August 2000-Present

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO: College of Education, Greeley, Colorado

  • Graduate Assistant September 1990-August 1993
  • Research Assistant, Elementary Science Implementation Project
  • Supervisor, Student Teachers
  • Instructor

COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE: Breckenridge, Colorado

  • Consultant and Early Childhood Education Instructor, September 1986-May 1990

SUMMIT COUNTY PRESCHOOL: Frisco, Colorado

  • Co-Director September 1985-May 1986

SUMMIT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

  • Frisco, Colorado
  • September 1971-June 1985
  • Tenured Classroom Teacher
  • Kindergarten, September 1972-June 1982
  • First Grade, September 1971-June 1972

Scholarly Interests:

  • Curriculum Integration
  • Multicultural Curriculum Development
  • Children's Play
  • Emergent Literacy
  • The Process of Teacher Change
  • Novice/Expert Teachers

National & International Publications:

Book

  • Dever, M. T. & Falconer, R. (2008). Foundations and change in early childhood education. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Selected Refereed Publications

  • Dever, M. T. (2006) Advocating for young children: A preservice teacher education project. Journal  of Early Childhood Teacher Education 27(4), 391-399.
  • Dever, M. T., Sorenson, B., & Brodrick, J. (2005). Using picture books as a vehicle to teach young children about social justice. Social Studies and the Young Learner 18(1), 18-21.
  • Burningham, L. & Dever, M. T. (2005) An interactive model to foster family Literacy. Young Children, 60(5), 87-94.
  • Dever, M.T., Sorenson, B., & Brodrick, J. (2005). Using picture books as a vehicle to teach young children about social justice. Social Studies and the Young Learner 18(1), 18-21.
  • Burningham, L. & Dever, M.T. (2005) Family literacy with at-risk populations: An interactive model. Young Children.
  • Dever, M. T. & Hager, K. D., & Klein, K. (2003) Building the university/public school partnership: A workshop for mentor teachers. The Teacher Educator.
  • Dever, M. T. & Burts, D. C.(2002).; An evaluation of family literacy bags as a vehicle for parent involvement. Early Child Development and Care, 172(4), 359-370.
  • Dever, M. T. & Burts, D. C. (2002, Winter) Using family literacy bags to enhance parental involvement. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 30(1), 16-20
  • Dever, M. T., Whitaker, M. L., & Byrnes, D. A. (2001, Spetember/October). The 4th R: Teaching ABOUT religion in the public schools. The Social Studies, 92(5), 220-229.
  • Burts, D. C. & Dever, M. T. (2001) Engaging teacher education students in an authentic parent education project. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 22(2), 59-62.
  • Dever, M. T. & Barta, J. J. (2001) Standardized entrance assessment in kindergarten: A qualitative analysis of the experiences of teachers, administrators, and parents. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 15(2), 218-231.
  • Cooper, J., & Dever, M. T. (2001). Socio-dramatic play as a vehicle for curriculum integration in first grade. Young Children 56(3), 58-63.
  • Dever, M. T. (2001). Family literacy bags: A vehicle for parent involvement an education. Journal of Early Education and Family Review, 8(4), 17-28.
  • Dever, M.T., Johnson, F.F., & Hobbs, D.E. (2000). A qualitative analysis of an intensive mentor-apprentice collaboration: MAC. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 33(4), 241-256.
  • Dever, M. T., & Hobbs, D. E. (2000, Spring). The Learning Spiral--Toward authentic instruction. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 36(3), 131-133.
  • Dever, M. T., Barta, J. J., & Falconer, R. (1999). Project Boxes: A curriculum development innovation for achieving developmentally appropriate practice in the primary grades. The NALS Journal, 23(1), 16-20.
  • Dever, M. T., & Hobbs, D. E. (1998). The evolution of a teacher: A two-year case study. Teacher Development, 2(3), 385-404.
  • Dever, M. T., & Hobbs, D. E. (1998). The learning spiral: Taking the lead from how children learn. Childhood Education, 75(1), 7-11.
  • Dever, M. T., & Barta, J. (1997, November/December) Giving thanks: Curricular opportunities for expanding young children's cultural awareness. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 10(2), 6-9.
  • Dever, M. T., & Jared, E. R. (1996, March). Remember to include art and crafts in your integrated curriculum. Young Children, 51(3), 69-73.

Selected Other Publications

  • Dever, M. T. High-Stakes to Low Stakes. Invited Submission. (2004) In: J. Lewis, K. Jongsam, A. Berger, Eds., On the frontline: Adocating effetively for your classroom, your school, your profession, Newark, DE: IRA.
  • Dever, M. T., Falconer, R., & Kessnick, Cami. Invited Submission, (in press). Implementing developmentally appreopriate practices in a developmentally inappropriate climate: Assessment practices in kindergarten. Dimensions of Early Childhood, S. Kontos & L. Dunn, Guest Editors.
  • Dever, M. T. & Burts, D. C. (2002). Using family literacy bags to enhance parental involvement. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 30(1), 16-20.

Curriculum Materials:

  • Dever, M. T. (1999). Family Literacy Bags: Assembly Materials. Curriculum materials disseminated nationally. Funded by: Utah Goals 2000, Subgrant-Red Year and Blue Year.
  • Dever, M. T. & Barta, J. (1995). A Project Box: Giving Thanks. Curriculum materials disseminated locally. Funded by: A Model for Implementation of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in the Primary Grades.

Grants:

  • Dever, M.T. Burningham, L. & Family Literacy Bags as a Parent Education Innovation: A Pilot Project. $15,000. Mineral Lease Funding Program, Utah State University. Spring '01. (Funded)
  • Dever, M. T. Using Family Literacy Bags in Box Elder, Cache, Logan, and Rich School Districts. Utah Goals 2000, Subgrant-Blue. $32, 309.00 Utah State Office of Education. Spring ‘01. (Funded)
  • Dever, M., & Monson, J. A Model for Implementation of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in the Primary Grades. $47,500 The Emma Eccles Jones Foundation. Spring 1995. (Funded)

Refereed & Invited Presentations:

National

  • Presenter (with Gary Carlson), No Child Left Behind: Giving Voice to Teachers of Young Children. American Educational Research Association. San Francisco, CA: Paper Presented April 2006.
  • Presenter( with Gary Carlson), No Child Left Behind: Giving Voice to Teachers of Young Children. American Educational Research Association. San Francisco, CA: Paper To Be Presented April 2006.
  • Presenter (with Sylvia Read & Becky Monhardt), Reading and writing non-fiction with young children. National Council of Teachers of English, Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN. November, 2004.
  • Presenter (with Renee Falconer), "I'm not prejudice but..." Taking another look at developing tolerance in young children. National Association for the Education of Young Children, Annual Conference, Anaheim, CA. November, 2004.
  • Presenter (with Lyn Burningham), Parent Education in an Urban Setting. Association of Childhood Education International, Annual Conference. Phoenix, AZ, to be presented April 2003.
  • Chair, Issues in Kindergarten Symposium, American Education Research Association, Early Education/Child Development SIG, Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, April 2002.
  • Discussant, Perspectives on Assessment in Early Childhood, Panel Discussion. Invited Presentation, Early Education/Child Development SIG, Business Meeting, American Education Research Association Annual Conference. Seattle, WA, April 2001.
  • Presenter (with D. Burts). Engaging Teacher Education Students in an Authentic Parent Education Project. Poster Session presented at National Association Early Childhood Teacher Educators, Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA, November 2000.
  • Presenter (with D. Burts). Using Family Literacy to Enhance Parent Involvement. Paper presented at National Association for the Education of Young Children, Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA, November 2000.
  • Presenter (with J. Barta, & R. Falconer). Mandating Kindergarten Readiness Testing: The Experiences of Early Childhood Educators in Utah. Paper presented at National Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference. Toronto, Ontario, Canada, November 1998.

State

  • Presenter. Responding to Young Children's Violent Play. Invited Presentation, Salt Lake School District, Salt Lake City, UT. Nov. 16, 2001.
  • Presenter. Responding to Young Children's Violent Play. Utah Inner-Institutional Early Childhood Conference. Salt Lake City, UT, March 3, 2001.
  • Presenter. Family Literacy Bags: A Parent Education Project. Box Elder, Cache, Logan, and Rich School District Inservices. Tremonton, UT and Logan, UT. August-September, 2001.
  • Presenter. Family Literacy Bags: A Parent Education Project. Utah Inner-Institutional Early Childhood Conference. Salt Lake City, UT, March 4, 2000.

Selected Activities & Service

National Committees:

  • Manuscript Reviewer, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2006-present.
  • Manuscript Reviewer, Early Education & Development. 2004-present.
  • Reviewer, Presentation Proposals for Annual Conference of National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators. 2002--present.
  • Invited Member, Advisory Network for Early Childhood Professional Practice, National Association for the Education of Young Children. 2003 to present
  • Committee Member, Infancy and Early Childhood Committee of Association of Childhood Education International. 1996-present.
  • Co-Chair (with Loraine Dunn) Program Committee, Early Childhood/Child Development SIG, American Educational Research Association. 2000-2002.

Other:

  • Manuscript Reviewer, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2006-present
  • Manuscript Reviewer. Early Education & Development. 2004-present
  • Manuscript Reviewer, Delmar Publishers
  • A Guidance Approach for the Encouraging Classroom, 3E. July 2001
  • Preschool Appropriate Practice, 2E. June 2001
  • Early Childhood Experiences in Language Arts, 7E. February 2001.
  • Introduction to Early Childhood Education: Infancy to 3rd Grade. January 2001
  • A Constructivist Approach to Outdoor Play in Early Childhood. August 2000.
  • An Introduction to Learning and Teaching Infants through Elementary Age Children. March 2000.
  • The Roles of the Teacher. September, 1999.
  • Curriculum for Young Children: An Introduction. February 1999.
  • Beginnings & Beyond, 5E. Gordon & Browne. August 1998.
  • Dynamics of Play. July 1998.
  • A Handbook to Promote Acceptance of Diversity and Prevent School Violence. October 1997.
  • Manuscript Reviewer, Allyn and Bacon, Introduction to Early Childhood Education: Infancy to 3rd Grade., January 2001; July 2001.
  • Manuscript Reviewer, Oxford University Press. Learning as a Community, Bartlett, Turkanis, & Rogoff (Eds), June 1997.
  • Manuscript Reviewer, Addison Wesley Longman. Play and Early Childhood Development 2/e. Johnson & Christie, March 1997.
  • President Elect, Faculty Senate, Utah State University, Logan, UT. 2001-02.

Selected Honors and Awards

  • Researcher of the Year, 2000-01. Department of Elementary Education. Nominated by Committee of Peers.
  • Nominee for Teacher of the Year, 1999. Department of Elementary Education. Nominated by Department Head.
  • Valedictorian’s Escort, 1998 Graduation Ceremony. Selected by Jamie Herin, 1998 Valedictorian, College of Education.
  • Selected for Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, by Julie P. Lentz, Utah State University Student, January 1998.
  • Dean's Citation for Excellence, University of Northern Colorado, 1993.
  • Colorado Graduate Fellowship, 1992-1993.
  • Colorado Graduate Fellowship, 1991-1992.
  • Faculty Scholarship, Division of Elementary, Middle School, Early Childhood Education and Reading, University of Northern Colorado, 1991-1992.

Professional Organizations

  • Association of Childhood Education International, 1994-present
  • Utah Association of Childhood Education International, 1994-present
  • National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators, 1998-present
  • National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1989-present
  • Cache Valley Association for the Education of Young Children, 1993-present
  • American Educational Research Association, 1999-present

Upcoming Deadlines

  • October 1
    Apply to the Teacher Education Program

  • October 1
    Apply for Student Teaching