Faculty:School of Education

Shelley Fairbairn, Ph.D., is a veteran English as a second language (ESL) teacher and an associate professor in the Drake University School of Education in Des Moines, Iowa. Her teaching foci include preparing pre-service teachers to design effective lesson plans and assessments for K-12 students and empowering both pre- and in-service teachers to meet the needs of English language learners through linguistically and culturally responsive practice. Prior to joining the Drake University School of Education faculty, Dr. Fairbairn concurrently taught English as a second language courses for the Drake University International Center and served as a K-12 ESL teacher in two Des Moines area school districts.

Dr. Fairbairn’s international experience includes three years of teaching English as a foreign language in Jakarta, Indonesia and one year of teaching ESL and ESL certificate courses at the Regional Language Centre in Singapore. More recently, she has conducted teacher professional development sessions and workshops in China, Canada, and across the U.S., often with Stephaney Jones-Vo, co-author of Differentiating Instruction and Assessment of English Language Learners: A Guide for K-12 Teachers (Caslon Publishing) and Engaging English Learners through Access to Standards (Corwin). Her scholarly work has focused primarily on effective assessment and instructional practices for ELLs, but is moving into the realm of equine-assisted learning.

Education
B.M.E., M.A., Oral Roberts University; Ph.D., University of Iowa

Education
B.A., M.A., University of Iowa
Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Honors & Professional Memberships

Honors
Director of Graduate Programs, Teaching and Learning
Coordinator of Educational Programming in Ghana
West Des Moines School Board vice President

Professional Membership
International Literacy Association (ILA)
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Areas of Expertise
Comprehension
Social Emotional Learning
Literacy Conferences
Elementary Writing Instruction
Early Childhood Literacy Development

Courses Taught
Effective Teaching
Reading Research and Theory
Writing Research and Theory

Education
B.A., Augustana College; M.A.T., Iowa State University; Ph.D., Iowa State University

Areas of Expertise
Science Teacher Education
Natures of Science & Technology Instruction
Epistemological Belief Instruction

Courses Taught
Advanced Qualitative Research Methods
Technology and Organizational Leadership
Inquiry and the Natures of Science, Technology, & Engineering
Methods of Engineering and Technological Design
Elementary Science Methods
Secondary Science Methods
Educational Technology
Educational Psychology

Education
B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Iowa State University

Honors & Professional Memberships
Department Chair, Teaching and Learning

Professional Membership
Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
American Educational Research Association

Areas of Expertise
Mathematics Education
Technology Education
Her recent interests include supporting pre-service teachers in their reading of curriculum materials and developing teachers’ capacity to be responsive to children’s mathematical thinking.

Courses Taught
The Teaching of Mathematics
Educational Technology
Mathematical Practices Equity in Mathematics Teaching
Algebra and Geometry for Elementary and Middle School
Measurement and Statistics for Elementary and Middle School
Academic Research and Writing

Education
B.A., M.A.E., Truman State University
Ph.D., Iowa State University

Honors & Professional Memberships
2019 Drake Sabbatical Research Fellow
2016 Research Excellence Award, Graduate College, Iowa State University
2014 Teaching Excellence Award, Graduate College, Iowa State University
American Education Research Association
International Literacy Association
Literacy Research Association
National Council of Teachers of English

Areas of Expertise
My areas of interest involve adolescent literacy and technology in literacy education. My research focuses on the potential of digital tools to support effective literacy instruction, especially when situated in professional development for teachers. I am also interested in the nature of reading in digital spaces, particularly how secondary students locate and make sense of conflicting information. My work has appeared in such journals as the American Educational Research Journal, Reading Research Quarterly, and Teachers College Record.

Courses Taught
Literacy Assessment & Instruction I
Secondary Reading & Interdisciplinary Curriculum
Academic Research and Writing
Issues in Adolescent Literacy
Secondary Reading Methods
Models of Effective Literacy