Rebecca Fox

PhD, George Mason University
Associate Professor
Co-Director, Advanced Studies in Teaching and Learning

Contact Information

Send email to rfox@gmu.edu

Phone: (703) 993-4123
Fax: (703)993-9380

Rebecca Fox's website

George Mason University, Fairfax Campus
Robinson Hall A 451B
4400 University Dr.
MS 4B3
Fairfax, VA 22030

Profile

Rebecca K. Fox, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and the Co- Director of the Advanced Studies in Teaching and Learning Program in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.  Bilingual in French, she has been in the field of education for over 30 years, teaching all levels of French in grades K - university and English to adult English language learners. Dr. Fox holds a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Foreign/Second Language Education and Second Language Research from George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. She received her master's degree "with distinction" in French literature from George Mason University.

In her tenth year at GMU, Dr. Fox is affiliated with two CEHD programs. She is co-directs and teaches classes in the Advanced Studies in Teaching and Learning area, an advanced master's program aligned with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. She also teaches courses in Foreign/World Language Methods, Bilingualism and Language Acquisition Research, research methods and action research. She regularly mentors and works with doctoral students, and is actively involved in ongoing research with teachers in the P-12 setting.

Her research involves two primary areas: 1) the role of portfolios and the reflective portfolio process in teacher education; and 2) second language acquisition and foreign/world language teaching and learning, particularly the sub-themes of world culture, technology, language proficiency. She also studies the role of self efficacy and acculturation in adolescents with interrupted schooling (AIS). Her teaching in world language classrooms and work with both pre-and in-ervice teachers in the areas of advanced professional development and multilingual/intercultural education provide the context for her research, publications, and scholarly presentations. Her lines of research have greatly informed her teaching and are connected to her professional service, as well.

Specifically, In the area of second language acquisition, Dr. Fox conducts research on the language acquisition of adolescents with interrupted schooling and on the use of technology in the service of language learning. Her research on pre-and in-service portfolio development focuses on ways that portfolios might be used to measure program effectiveness, candidate (teacher) attitudes and dispositions, and program growth and development through portfolio evaluation. As a researcher for several NEA funded grants, she has examined the dimensions of portfolio development as evidences of teaching readiness, manifested in PDS and non-PDS program participants. Dr. Fox's research and scholarly writing includes numerous book chapters, research and journal articles and reports.

Dr. Fox is an active member of several professional organizations, among them the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF), and the American Education Research Association (AERA), where she regularly presents research at their professional conferences. She is currently serving as the Vice Chair of the Portfolio SIG of the American Education Research Association and is Past Chair of the ACTFL SIG on Research. She is currently serving on the national ACTFL NCATE Program Audit Board, and was recently Chair of the ACTFL/MLJ Birkmaier Award for the Outstanding Dissertation Committee and a member of the Pimsler Award Committee. Beginning in 2008, she was appointed Chair of the Student Standards Commission of the American Association of Teachers of French. In addition, she is a member of Golden Key, Phi Delta Kappa, and of Phi Beta Delta International Honor Societies.

Research Interests

  • Program portfolios in program evaluation and as performance assessment tools
  • Technology integration and implementation in the world language classroom
  • Adolescent English Language Learners with Interrupted Schooling
  • Intercultural communication and the role of culture in teaching and learning, including cultural influences on teacher communication styl

Recent Publications

  •  

    Fox, R., Kitsantas, A., & Flowers, G. (2008, Fall). English language learners with interrupted
    schooling: Do self-efficacy beliefs in native language proficiency and acculturation matter?  AccELLerate!,(1)1, pp. 14-16. Washington, D.C.: National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition. Available online at: http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/accellerate/AccELLerate1.1.pdf

  • Fox, R., White, C. S., Kidd, J. K., & Ritchie, G. V. (2008, January).Delving into teachers’ development through program portfolios: Case studies. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 2 (1). � Available online http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/ijsotl/issue_v2n1.htm

  • Strawn, C., Fox, R., & Duck, L. (2008, July/August). Preventing teacher failure: Six keys to success in moving beyond the "sink or swim" mentality. Clearinghouse.

  • Lassonde, C., Ritchie, G.V., & Fox, R. (2007) Getting to know teacher research: How teacher research can become your way of being. In C. Lassonde & S. Israel, Eds., Teachers taking action: A comprehensice guide to teacher research. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
  • Fox, R., Kidd, J., Painter, D., & Ritchie, G. (2007). The growth of reflective practice: Teachers’portfolios as windows and mirrors. The Teacher Educators Journal, Spring, pp. 13-25. Also available online (Fall, 2006) www.ateva.org.
  • Painter, D., Ritchie, G., & Fox, R. (2007). The growth of reflective practice: Planting the seeds. The Teacher Educators Journal, Spring, pp. 26-36. Also available online (Fall 2006) at www.ateva.org .
  • Fox, R., & Diaz-Greenberg, R. (2006). Culture, multiculturalism and foreign/world language standards in U.S. teacher preparation programs: Toward a discourse of dissonance. European Journal of Teacher Education (29)3, pp. 401-422.
  • Castle, S., Fox, R., & Souder, K. (2006). Does PDS make a difference? A comparative study of PDS and non-PDS teacher candidates. Journal of Teacher Education 57 (1), pp. 65-80.
  • Fox, R., & White, C.S. (2006). Course-based performance assessments for advanced degree work. In S. Castle & B. D. Shaklee (Eds.), Performance assessment along the continuum of teacher development. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Publications.
  • Fox, R., & Galluzzo, G. (2006). Summative portfolio assessment. In S. Castle & B.D. Shaklee (Eds.), Performance assessment along the continuum of teacher development. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Publications.
  • Castle, S., Reynolds, A., Fox, R.K., & Souder, K.O. (2005). Value added: Using PDS standards to provide context for research. In M. Levine & R. Trachtman (Eds.), Implementing PDS Standards: Stories from the field (pp. 35-58). Washington, DC: NCATE.
  • Akhmedova, M., Aliyev, M., & Fox, R. (2005). Assessment practices for the modern, active classroom. In G. Varrella, (Ed.), A handbook for educators: Modern perspectives on teacher training and middle level teaching (pp. 223-291). Baku, Azerbaijian & Washington, DC: International Research and Exchange Board (IREX).
  • Osterling, J.P., & Fox, R. (2004). The power of perspectives: Building a cross-cultural community of learners. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 7 (6), pp. 489-505.
  • Haley, M.H., & Fox, R.K. (2004). Examining language proficiency of teacher candidates. In G. Brauer & K. Sanders (Eds.), New visions in foreign and second language education (pp. 261-272). San Diego: LARC Press.
  • Haley, M.H., & Fox, R. (2001). Examining language proficiency of teacher candidates: A critical issue in teacher preparedness. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 5(3), 130-135.
  • Fox, R. (2002) Une visite virtuelle: Projet de communication (A culture based communication project for the post secondary setting). In N. Gadbois (Ed.), AATF Student Standards Commission: Communication,Goal One (pp. 38-43). New York: AATF.
  • Fox, R. (2001). The Professional development portfolio: A performance-based document. In P. Constantino (Ed.) Developing a professional teaching portfolio: Guidelines for educators (pp. 121-125). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Selected Recent Presentations

  • Fox, R., & Segretto.S. (2008, July). La technologie a l'avancement de la communication actuelle. Presentation at the 81st Annual Congres of the American Association of Teachers of French. Liege, Belgium.
  • Fox, R., White, C.S., Kidd, J., & Ritchie, G.V. (2008, March). Examining teachers' development and program effectiveness in an advanced master's degree program through portfolio reflections. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association Annual Meeting. New York City.
  • Isenberg, J., White, C.S., & White, R. K. (2007, June). Assessing continuing teachers' development using program outcomes, reflective writing, and interviews. Paper presented at the 5th International Conference on Teacher Education. Tel Aviv, Israel.
  • Fox, R., White, C.S., Kidd, J., & Ritchie, G. (2007, April). A study of the growth and change of teachers’ reflections and dispositions through program portfolios. Paper presented at the American Education Research Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
  • Fox., R., White, C.S., Kidd, J., & Ritchie, G.V. (2007, February). Capturing the growth of teachers' reflections and dispositions through portfolios: Strengthening program outcomes. Research presentation at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Association of colleges of Teacher Education. New York.
  • Fox, R., White, C.S., & Isenberg, J. (2006, October). Advanced professional development through university partnerships: Looking at teacher growth and change. Research presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Teacher Education in Europe (ATEE). Portoroz, Slovenia.
  • Fox, R., White, C.S., Kidd, J.K., Ritchie, G.V. (2006, April). Delving into teachers' development through program portfolios: Case studies. Proposal accepted for presentation at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
  • Fox, R. (2006, March). Portfolios building knowledge within and across standards and beyond. Presentation at the 53rd Annual NorthEast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. New York City.
  • Fox, R., White, C.S., Kidd, J.K., Ritchie, G.V., Zidon, M., & Greeves, S. (2006, January). Creating new visions through portfolio research: Reflective practice, portfolio evaluation, and program improvement. Research presented at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA. Symposium leader.
  • Fox, R. (2005, November). Professional portfolio development, teachers, and national standards. Research presentation at the 38 th Annual Meeting of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Baltimore, MD.
  • Fox, R., Bond, N., Gadbois, N., & Peru, J. (2005, November). Using technology to promote language learning for all students. Presentation at the 38 th Annual Meeting of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Baltimore, MD.
  • Fox, R., & Diaz-Greenberg, R. (2005, October). Implementing multiculturalism and world language standards in teacher preparation programs: A discourse. Paper presentation at the 30 th Annual Association for Teacher Education in Europe. Amsterdam.
  • Fox, R., White, C.S., Kidd, J.K., & Ritchie, G.V. (2005, September). Peering inside teacher dispositions: Program-based portfolios and teacher development. Paper presented at the Accreditation, Accountability, and Quality: An Institutional Orientation and Professional Development Conference. Arlington (Crystal City), VA: AACTE and NCATE.
  • Gadbois, N., Fox, R., Fredericks-Malone, C. (2005, July). Using the music of Carole Fredericks in the classroom, from start to finish. Presentation at the 78 th Annual Congr's of the American Association of Teachers of French. Quebec, Canada.
  • Fox., R., Kidd, J., White, S., & Painter, D. (2005, April). Program portfolios: From reflection to reflective practitioners. Paper presented at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Education Research Association, Portfolios and Reflection in Teaching and Teacher Education SIG. Montreal, Canada.

Other Information

Please visit Dr. Fox's professional web site at http://mason.gmu.edu/~rfox

This site contains course related information, technology-based resources for foreign and world language teachers, as well as extended information about research and development in portfolio research.