Dawn Mollenkopf
Contact Information:
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Teacher Education Department, College of Education B-188
Kearney, NE 68849
mollenkopfdl@unk.edu
(308) 865-8362
Office Number: B188
I am an Assistant Professor here at UNK, and I direct the Early Childhood Unified endorsement program and the new Early Childhood specialization in the Curriculum and Instruction Master's program. I am a native Oregonian, but I came to the Midwest to attend the University of Kansas where I graduated with the Ph.D. in Special Education Policy Integration with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education in 2002.
Since coming to UNK, I have managed a couple of grant funded projects: one, which assisted low income preschools in developing quality literacy programs for their children, and the second, which helped early childhood teachers across the state to finish Early Childhood college degrees. I am on the board of the Nebraska Association for the Education of Young Children as President-elect, and I continue to support policy efforts which help improve the quality of early childhood programs in Nebraska. Although I am busy, I make it a priority to have time for my students.
Education:
Ph.D. Special Education Policy Integration. University of Kansas. (2002)
Secondary Emphasis: Early Childhood Education
M.S. Special Education--Cross-Categorical Disabilities K-12. University of
Oregon. (1989)
Most Recent or Selected Publications:
Published articles in peer reviewed journals
Mollenkopf, D., Elliott, M, & Monden, K. (in press) Effects of a professional development model on preschool teachers' literacy practices in Early Reading First classrooms: Journal of Research Methodology, 21(3).
Mollenkopf, D. (in press) Creating Highly Qualified Teachers: Maximizing university resources to provide professional development in rural areas. Rural Educator, 30(2).
Funded Grants:
U.S. Department of Education; $1,756,000 (2004-2007). Nebraska Early Childhood Educator Professional Development. Co-Primary Investigators: Mollenkopf, D., and Potthoff, D.
U.S. Department of Education; $2,143,566 (2002-2006). Topeka's Prepared Preschoolers: Co- Primary Investigators: Mollenkopf, D. and Bailey, J.
Professional Organizations
2004-2005: Nebraska State Early Childhood Policy Study Leadership team
2006-2007: Nebraska Early Childhood Core Competencies Leadership team
2006-present: Advisory Council for Kearney Public Schools Bright Beginnings
Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI)
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and Division of Early Childhood (DEC)
International Reading Association (IRA)
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE)
Phi Kappa Phi
Phi Theta Lambda
Favorite Links
www.naeyc.org
www.nncc.org
www.zerotothree.org
www.nde.state.ne.us/ECH/ECH.html