College of Education and Human Development - George Mason University
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Graduate School of Education - George Mason University

Our Graduate School of Education is the alma mater for one third of teachers and administrators in Northern Virginia’s world-class school systems. Each year, more than 3,000 graduate students enroll in our innovative academic programs, which include advanced study for teachers and school leaders, instructional design and technology, and a renowned PhD in Education program that is among the largest in the country.

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School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism - George Mason University

The School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism (SRHT) offers exciting, career-ready majors in dynamic fields such as athletic training, tourism and events management, health and physical education, kinesiology, sport management, and recreation management. SRHT features renowned faculty, cutting-edge research, six laboratories and centers, and a diverse student body of more than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year. Each major requires one or more internship or clinical experiences, ensuring that students graduate not just with a transcript but with a resume that demonstrates their professional aptitude and skills.

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Areas of Study

How will YOU make an impact?

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Our Philosophy

At George Mason University, our aim is not to be the best university in the world, but the best university for the world. We accept our responsibility to serve others, to help our students succeed, to enrich the life of our community, and to contribute to solving some of the most complex problems of our time.

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Dr. Brenda Bannan teaching in classroom
About CEHD

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) inspires undergraduate and graduate students to promote learning and development across the life span. Innovative, inclusive, and cutting-edge, the college and its two schools prepare professionals who improve lives and make a difference for our community and for the world.

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Students

One of the goals of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) is to provide all students with personalized, high-quality experiential learning opportunities, both regionally and globally with multiple pathways and delivery formats that will enable all graduates to pursue meaningful lives and successful careers.

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Research of Consequence
Research

The college’s innovative research and pace of performance has resulted in a research portfolio that has grown dramatically compared to peer institutions, with annual expenditures exceeding $16 million annually. This research of consequence, undertaken by faculty in both schools, advances knowledge in the learning and developmental sciences, benefiting the greater community in Virginia and beyond.

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Ward, Allison

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PhD, University of Virginia
Assistant Professor
Literacy and Reading

Contact Information

Send email to Dr. Ward-Parsons

Phone: (703) 993-5257
Fax: (703) 993-5300
Email: award12 (@gmu.edu)

George Mason University
Fairfax Campus
Thompson Hall 1603
4400 University Dr.
MS 4B3
Fairfax, VA 22030

Research Interests

Drawing from my background as a kindergarten teacher in a Title I urban school, I am interested in improving the literacy outcomes for all students, particularly in the areas of vocabulary and academic language development through interactive reading and related activities. Students need excellent teachers who are supported with effective professional development and ongoing support from literacy specialists and instructional coaches, and so my research also explores aspects of teaching and leadership. I enjoy collaborating with others to advance my research agenda. I currently have multiple projects in various stages of data collection and analysis:

1. I'm investigating literacy coaching development, examining the processes through which teachers learn to become literacy leaders.

2. I'm exploring the types and amounts of elementary reading instruction in schools with colleagues Kristin Conradi Smith at the College of William and Mary and Margaret Vaughn at the University of Idaho.

3. I'm exploring elementary students' engagement to read fiction and nonfiction with a diverse team of researchers across the United States.

4. I'm investigating the effects of longitudinal literacy professional development with a diverse team of Mason colleagues and recent Mason graduates.

5. I'm exploring adaptability in teachers' instruction as a way to build their awareness of effective teaching that meets students' identified needs. This work is part of a larger research agenda led by Mason colleague Seth Parsons.

In order to be a more effective professor, I find it important to study my own teaching and learning through self-study. Much of my research employs design-based research methods, surveys, and qualitative methods.

Recent Publications

Parsons, A. W., Parsons, S. A., Malloy, J. A., Marinak, B. A., Reutzel, D. R., Applegate, M. D., Applegate, A. J., Fawson, P. C., Gambrell, L. B. (in press). Upper elementary students’ motivation to read fiction and nonfiction. Elementary School Journal.

Parsons, S. A., Vaughn, M., Scales, R. Q., Davis, S. G., Gallagher, M*., Parsons, A. W.  Pierczynski, M.*, & Allen, M. (in press). Teachers’ instructional adaptations: A research synthesis. Review of Educational Research.

Parsons, S. A., Malloy, J. A., Parsons, A.W., Burton, E. P., & Burrowbridge, S. C. (in press). Sixth-grade students’ engagement in academic tasks. Journal of Educational Research. doi:10/1080.00220671.2016.1246408

Parsons, A. W., & Hjalmarson, M. (2017). Design-based research in self-study: Online instruction. Studying Teacher Education, 13, 331-349. doi: 10.1080/17425964.2017.1365699

Malloy, J. A., Parsons, A.W., Marinak, B., Applegate, T., Applegate, M., Reutzel, D. R., Parsons, S. A., Fawson, P., Roberts, L., & Gambrell, L., (2017). Assessing (and Addressing!) Motivation to Read Fiction and Non-Fiction. The Reading Teacher, 71, 309-325. doi: 10.1002/trtr.1633.