Charles Thomas

Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
Associate Professor

Contact Information

Send email to cthomas@gmu.edu

Phone: (703) 993-3137
Fax: NULL

George Mason University, Fairfax Campus
West Building 2006
4400 University Dr.
MS 6D2
Fairfax, VA 22030

Profile

Dr. Charles L. Thomas earned his Ph. D. from the Johns Hopkins University in Educational Psychology with specializations in human learning, assessment and psychometrics. His post- doctoral training includes a Summer Fellow at the American College Testing Program and American Psychological Association Fellow at the National Institutes of Health. He also has postdoctoral certification in clinical psychology. Earlier education includes a Masters of Arts in Education from St. Louis University and a BA in elementary education from Harris Teachers College in St. Louis, Missouri.

Prior to joining the GSE faculty, Dr. Thomas was on the faculty in the Educational Psychology Department at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in educational statistical methods, testing and measurement, and learning and cognition. He also was a Research Associate at the Teachers College, Columbia University where he directed a Ford Foundation-sponsored national study of the equal access to higher education for minority students. He also was a Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Educational Research and Evaluation at the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

As an Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Education, Dr. Thomas is responsible for instruction in courses in educational assessment and educational research methods. Dr. Thomas's research interests and scholarly activities include problems and theory related to educational program evaluation and student assessment. His publications include research articles in the Journal of American Evaluation, Educational Measurement, Review of Educational Research, and the Journal of Negro Education. He recently completed his three year term as a member of the Executive Board of the American Evaluation Association. He is a member of the advisory editorial boards of the American Journal of Evaluation and New Directions for Evaluation. He serves as a program evaluation consultant at the local and national levels, providing assistance to community health agencies, colleges and universities.

Recent Publications

  • Thomas, C. L. (in press). standardized tests, norm reference tests, criterion tests, consequential validity, equity, internal validity external validity, and reliability. In S. Mathison (Editor). Sage Encyclopedia of Evaluation. Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks, CA.
  • Thomas, C. l. (2002). Working in multicultural settings: Need and recommendations to the Task Force on Guiding Principles for Evaluators. Fairhaven, MA: American Evaluation Association.
  • Thomas, C. L. (2002). AvaliaHno educacional nos Estados Unidos: um impeto para a reforma da Escola P blica ( Educational assessment in the U.S.A.: An impetus for public school reform). In Associao de Professores de Portugues (Ed.), Portugue Association de Professores propostas para o futuro 3. Lisboa, Portugal: Associao de Professores de Portuguese.
  • Thomas, C.L. (2001). Diversity in evaluation: An annotated bibliography. Fairhaven, MA: American Evaluation Association.
  • Thomas, C. L. (2001). Working in multicultural settings: Need and recommendations for guiding principles for evaluators. Fairhaven, MA. MA: American Evaluation Association. (Web-based publication being revised for journal: New Directions in Evaluation)
  • Mathison, S., Mabry, L., Stake, R.E., Thomas, C.L., and Sanders, J.(2001). Postion statement on high stakes testing in preK-12 education. Fairhaven, MA: American Evaluation Association. (Web-based and hard copy publication)
  • Thomas, C.L. (2000). Commentary: Politics, context, and integrity. American Journal of Evaluation, 21, 269-273.

Other Information

Personal Interests

  • Educational Program Evaluation Theory and Practice
  • Educational Assessment
  • Minority Achievement

Courses Taught This Semester

No courses taught this semester.