Faculty

Dr. Lauren CumminsProfessor

"I want my students to walk away with new and fresh ideas for a new paradigm in education, gaining skills in using technology in authentic and engaging ways and transforming classrooms/schools and districts into learning communities where students become entrepreneurs of their own learning."

Degrees Held:

Ed.D. in Curriculum Development and Systemic Change – Nova Southeastern University, 2000

Career Highlights:

• Began teaching online in 2010. Instrumental in developing the first totally online program in the College of Education at YSU—a graduate program in Early Childhood Education
• Quality Matters Reviewer and Master Reviewer

Recent Publications

Cummins, L.& Marian, J. (Spring 2019) A graduate course in digital teaching and learning and its impact on 21st century technology integration for classroom teachers. The Ohio Journal of Teacher Education, Vol 22(1), pp. 5-26.*

Cummins, L., DeSalvo, R. & Brown, L. (Fall 2017). Moving down the Yellow brick road: The new paradigm of digital teaching and learning for teacher preparation. The Ohio Journal of Teacher Educators, 31(2), Ohio Association of Teacher Educators, 109-122.*

Books

Cummins, L. (1993). Healthy Choices, Healthy Lives: An Early Childhood Drug-Abuse Prevention Program. Fearon Teacher Aids.

Honors

• Research Professorship—6 release hours, 2015-16
• Master Reviewer—Quality Matters, June 2013
• Distinguished Faculty Award – Teaching—YSU, April 2013
• 4 hours release—OEA Professional Development Release Time: SimSchool Innovations, March 2012
• Quality Matters approves 3 distance education courses, Nov. 2011
• Faculty Innovator of the Year Award—Ohio Board of Regents, March 2011

*Peer reviewed.

In which online degree program do you teach?

• M.S.Ed. Teacher Education – C&I – Digital Teaching & Learning

• Links to share?

  https://sites.google.com/site/ohioate/home/publications/journals

• Which classes do you teach online?

  TCED 6905: Introduction to Digital Teaching and Learning; TCED 6906: Designing Curriculum for Digital Teaching and Learning; TCED 6908: Digital Learning Environments; TCED 6932: Action Research in Urban and Rural Education

• What do you want students to take away from your classes?

  I want my students to walk away with fresh ideas for a new paradigm in education, gaining skills in using technology in authentic and engaging ways and transforming classrooms/schools and districts into learning communities where students become entrepreneurs of their own learning.

• What advice would you give to those considering the online M.S.Ed. Teacher Education – Curriculum and Instruction – Digital Teaching and Learning program?

  • - Get comfortable with technology if you are not already because you want to focus on content when you are in the course and not on the technology
  • - Communicate with your professor when in doubt
  • - Plan time for being in the course as you would being in class AND times when you complete assignments; these should be 2 distinct times
  • - Manage your time well

• What do you think is the biggest challenge that teachers and educators face today?

  Teaching authentically and effectively to promote lifelong learners living in a digital world

• Why did you start teaching?

  I began to teach in the field of early childhood education because I felt a passion for educating young children who needed great foundations that propelled them forward as lifelong learners.

• What is the one book you think everyone should read?

  "World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students" by Yong Zhao

• Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students might not know.

  I love to paint when I get a chance. I am madly in love with my husband, have a labradoodle that I adore, and love any kind of fruit!