Overview
As one of six departments in the College of Education, the Department of Curriculum and Instruction prepares socially responsible practitioner-scholars to work and learn within multicultural and multilingual contexts. The department is committed to responsive teaching, learning, and leadership in the fields of literacy, science, and social studies for all learners. More significantly, the department is committed to doing the work that equity, social justice, and anti-racism demand. Faculty lead innovative programs such as Social Justice summer camp and Educate Global experiences for students, to which this individual would have the opportunity to participate.
Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a comprehensive research university offering programs from the baccalaureate through the doctorate. Colleges include business, education, engineering and engineering technology, law, liberal arts and sciences, health and human sciences, and visual and performing arts. On-campus enrollment is approximately 16,000 students. The university also offers more than 200 off-campus courses each semester to students in communities throughout northern Illinois.
The main campus is located in DeKalb, 65 miles west of Chicago’s “Loop” and 40 miles southeast of Rockford with education centers in Rockford and Naperville. DeKalb/Sycamore, with a population of about 60,000, is a modern paradox, a rural/urban community. It is simultaneously recognized for its manufacturing and rich farmlands. The site of the first manufacturing of barbed wire and the development of hybrid seed corn are evidence of its diversified history. The blend of industry and agriculture, coupled with the cultural and recreational facilities of the university and supplemented by easy access to Chicago and Rockford, provide an enjoyable environment in which to live.
Position Summary
The department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education at Northern Illinois University (NIU) is pleased to announce a tenure-track position of Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Elementary Reading. Candidates should possess experience and a research focus in one or more of the following areas: foundational reading/writing skills, teacher education, literacy leadership and coaching at the elementary level, or other research areas related to elementary reading and writing.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Specific responsibilities for the qualified candidates include:
- Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in elementary reading and literacy
- Develop and teach in multiple formats and locations, i.e., on-campus, off-campus environments, face-to-face and online (synchronous and asynchronous)
- Maintain a strong record of scholarly publications and presentations
- Serve on and/or direct doctoral dissertations
- Assist in report writing and accreditation reporting
- Serve as needed on program, departmental, college or university committees
- Develop innovative undergraduate and graduate teacher education and professional development
- Participate in and cultivate school-university partnerships
The qualified candidate will also have the exciting opportunity to work, teach, and contribute across multiple programs, including undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. In addition, the responsibilities of this position may lead to transdisciplinary opportunities for teaching and other collaboration with social justice-oriented courses in curriculum and instruction.
Minimum Required Qualifications
- Earned doctorate in curriculum and instruction or related area (ABD candidates considered with an established defense date)
- Minimum of 3 years of elementary teaching experience
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience using technologies to support elementary literacy practices in and out of school
- Experience teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students
- Demonstrated record of membership and participation in relevant professional organizations
- Possess a scholarly record as evidenced by publications and presentations
- Demonstration of ongoing commitment to equity and social justice
Additional Requirements
- Demonstrate an ability to establish partnerships and research collaboratively with internal and external partners, including different college and university units, research centers, and community organizations.
Preferred Qualifications
- University teaching experience
- Experience working with school-university partnerships
- Demonstration of collaborative partnerships to facilitate innovative strategies and programs
- Experience with the use of recent technologies in instruction and assessment
- Experience in developing, securing, and administering grant funded programs
