Jan Lacina
Bezos Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Education | Senior Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Studies and Strategic Partnerships | Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX, UNITED STATES
Dr. Lacina's teaching and research interests focus on literacy leadership, children's literature, and early childhood teacher preparation.
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Biography
Dr. Jan Lacina holds the Bezos Family Foundation Endowed Chair of Early Childhood Education and is Senior Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Studies & Strategic Partnerships within the College of Education. She began her career as a Texas public school teacher, and has been employed at TCU since 2005.
Dr. Lacina has served in many leadership positions within higher education, such as Interim Dean, Early Childhood Program Coordinator, and Post Baccalaureate Graduate Program Coordinator. Since 2011, she has served as Associate Dean in TCU’s College of Education. In leadership roles she led programs to win national awards including the AACTE Best Practice Award in Support of Multicultural Education and Diversity, the AACTE/Southern Poverty Law Center Culturally Responsive Teaching Award, the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) Billy G. Dixon Distinguished Program in Teacher Education Award, as well as the Wisniewski Teacher Education Award presented by the Society of Professors of Education (SPE).
Dr. Jan Lacina is the recipient of both the TCU Dean’s Research and Creativity Award and the TCU Dean’s Award for Teaching. Most notably she received the 2023 International Literacy Association Jerry Johns Outstanding Teacher Educator in Reading Award as well as the 2023 Excellence in Action: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Social Justice Award for her leadership as an Associate Dean in Texas. Dr. Lacina holds an appointment as U.S. Ambassador for the United Kingdom Literacy Association through 2028.
Dr. Jan Lacina has served as Editor and/or Associate Editor for three major journals within her field, and authored more than 100 publications, including four books. She was Program Lead for the College’s learning by scientific design (LBSD) work, which focused on program improvement and tracking candidate learning outcomes. She is Program Coordinator for the College’s Holmes Scholars Program, a national program which provides mentoring and professional development opportunities for graduate students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
Areas of Expertise (4)
Literacy Leadership
Children's Literature
Early Childhood and Elementary Education
Teacher Education
Accomplishments (13)
Warren Faculty Fellow, Holocaust Museum of Houston (professional)
2024
International Literacy Association Jerry Johns Outstanding Teacher Educator in Reading Award (professional)
2023
Excellence in Action: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Social Justice Award presented by the Associate & Assistant Deans and Directors of Texas (ADoT) Colleges of Education (professional)
2023
Ezra Keats/Janina Domanska Research Fellowship, University of Southern Mississippi (professional)
2023
Dean’s Award for Teaching, Texas Christian University (professional)
2023
Finalist, TCU Michael R. Ferrari Award for Distinguished University Service and Leadership (professional)
2023
Notable Books for a Global Society Research Award, International Literacy Association (professional)
2022
Warren Faculty Fellow, Holocaust Museum of Houston (professional)
2022
College Nominee, Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement as a Teacher & Scholar (professional)
2014
Dean’s Award for Teaching, Texas Christian University (professional)
2013
College Nominee, Dean’s Research and Creativity Award (professional)
2012
College Nominee, Dean’s Research and Creativity Award (professional)
2011
Faculty Achievement Award for Teaching, Department of Elementary Education, Stephen F. Austin State University (professional)
2001
Education (4)
Harvard University Graduate School of Education: M.D.P 2011
University of Kansas: Ph.D. 1999
Texas Women's University: M.Ed., Elementary Education 1996
Baylor University: B.S., Education 1993
Affiliations (8)
- Journal of Early Childhood Education : Associate Editor, 2021-present
- The Reading Teacher : Co-Editor, 2015- 2021
- Journal of Research in Childhood Education : Editor, 2012-2014
- Journal of Research in Childhood Education : Associate Editor, 2009-2011
- Technology in the Classroom, published in Childhood Education : Columnist, 2003-2009
- Literacy, published by the United Kingdom Literacy Association : Editorial Board
- Journal of Research in Childhood Education : Editorial Advisory Board
- journal Dragon Lode, published by the International Literacy Association : Editorial Board
Links (2)
Media Appearances (2)
Real-Life Faces Of Education Reform
TCU Magazine online
2020-12-21
“Her work is very innovative, and her films constitute very serious scholarship, adding not only to the body of knowledge here in the College of Education, but also to the field of education and qualitative research throughout the country,” said Jan Lacina, professor of literacy and associate dean of graduate studies in the College of Education. She said that Huckaby uses filmmaking as an innovative method for researchers to connect with participants as well as a powerful way to share research outcomes.
Lead On: TCU Announces New Endowed Faculty Appointments
TCU News online
2021-09-09
Dr. Jan Lacina will be the inaugural holder of the Bezos Family Foundation Endowed Chair for Early Childhood Education.
Articles (5)
Motherhood, the Tenure Track, and Leadership
Teacher Reflections on Transitioning From K-12 to Higher Education Classrooms2022 The term glass ceiling became widespread with Christine Williams's article in The Wall Street Journal. She used the metaphor to describe barriers that women face in attempting to advance within corporate organizations. In the past, women were unable to reach top positions due to discrimination and gender-specific roles. More than a decade later, Williams reconsidered the glass ceiling metaphor and added the metaphor of a glass escalator to describe the challenges women face in female-dominated professions.
Literacy in Lockdown: Learning and Teaching During COVID-19 School Closures
Reading Teacher2020 Across the globe, students have been away from schools and their teachers, but literacy learning has continued. In many countries, students’ literacy proficiency is often measured via high-stakes assessment tests. However, such tests do not make visible students’ literacy lives away from formal learning settings, so students are positioned as task responders, rather than as agentive readers and writers.
Global Leaders' Views on the Teaching of Writing
English Journal2018 This is the best day of my life!” a tenth-grade girl exclaimed as we were transitioning from the teaching of writing to a break for lunch. No, she has not just met a pop star or a YouTuber that many teen girls are obsessed with this year; she’s excited about learning. This urban high school student expresses happiness about taking part in an annual writing camp held on my university campus.
Teacher as Decision Maker: A Framework to Guide Teaching Decisions in Reading
British Educational Research Journal2017-12-28
This department highlights literacy leaders across the globe who are working in the field of literacy education. It demonstrates how these literacy leaders are empowering educators in the field of literacy through their research.
Promoting Resilience Through Read-Alouds
YC Young Children2016 During outdoor recess, a group of first grade girls becomes upset and complains to their teacher that the boys will not them allow them to join a soccer game because "it's a boy's game." Their teacher, Mrs. Oviedo, recognizes the dispute as an opportunity to teach her students about dealing with conflict among peers. She uses a read-aloud to engage the children in conversations about feelings of discouragement and confidence.
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