Teresa Coffman
Professor of Education | University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, VA, UNITED STATES
Dr. Coffman’s research focuses on educational theory, pedagogy and teacher preparation.
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Biography
Don’t walk into Teresa Coffman’s classroom and expect to see a typical lecture. The professor of education “flips” her classroom by asking students to read, explain and think about the material before taking it online and sharing reflections and videos through digital learning communities.
“Technology is a tool that can create an environment that really gets students thinking effectively,” says Dr. Coffman. “It provides a vast amount of new sources and possibilities.”
Named the 2014 Innovative Educator of the Year, Dr. Coffman pioneers innovative education in the classroom to inspire future teachers.
Last year, she led the creation of TeacherSpot, an open, online teaching community. Users can access methods of best teaching from other College of Education faculty members along with free and open access to resources, teaching tools, webinars and lesson plans.
Dr. Coffman also is the coordinator of the EdTech Conference, an annual event that brings together educators, education leaders and those interested in education to learn more about how technology is impacting teaching and learning.
Dr. Coffman’s areas of expertise and scholarly research include educational theory, pedagogy, technology in instruction and teacher preparation. Her articles have been published in the International Journal of Social Sciences, Virginia Educational Leadership, and Learning and Leading with Technology. Her professional work includes two published books, "Using Inquiry in the Classroom: Developing Creative Thinkers and Information Literate Students" (2nd Ed.) and "Engaging Students through Inquiry-oriented Learning and Technology." Dr. Coffman also has published four chapters in peer-reviewed textbooks and is an active presenter at state, national and international conferences.
Areas of Expertise (8)
Technology in Instruction
Teacher Preparation
Distance Learning
Curriculum Development
Instructional Design
Educational Technology
Educational Theory
Pedagogy
Education (3)
Capella University: Ph.D., Education 2004
San Francisco State University: M.A., Education (Instructional Technologies) 1997
Hood College: B.A., Psychology 1989
Media Appearances (3)
2021’s States with the Best & Worst School Systems
Wallet Hub online
2021-07-27
School financing is a state and local government responsibility and school quality is largely defined by individual states and localities.
States with the Most & Least Equitable School Districts
WalletHub online
2020-08-06
In order to provide further insight on how to promote equitability in education, WalletHub turned to a panel of experts.
Kansas teachers will get little required training on how to run classrooms online
The Mercury online
2020-07-13
“This has been an extremely stressful time,” said Teresa Coffman, a professor of education at the University of Mary Washington. “Teachers need a little bit of a break.”
Articles (5)
Using Brain-Based Learning Strategies in the Classroom
World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications2013-01-01
This research study examined brain-based learning within a framework of cognitive sciences. Brain-based learning involves a strategy that incorporates different learning styles and active learning techniques to enhance student engagement and achievement. The ...
Emphasizing Diversity Through 3D Multi-user Virtual Worlds
Handbook on Research on Transformative Online Education and Liberation: Models for Social Equality2010-01-01
Integrating three dimensional multi-user virtual worlds into the online classroom is an effective way to enhance instruction and provide real-world application to course content. This chapter explores virtual worlds and their ability to promote meaningful ...
Getting to the Heart of Technology Integration: Virginia's Instructional Technology Resource Teacher Program.
Learning and Leading with Technology2009-01-01
It all started with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Enhancing Education through Technology program, which both promote initiatives to give teachers, principals and administrators the power to integrate technology effectively into teaching and learning. ...
Utilizing Virtual Worlds in Education: The Implications for Practice
International Journal of Social Sciences2007-01-01
Multi-user virtual worlds are becoming a valuable educational tool. Learning experiences within these worlds focus on discovery and active experiences that both engage students and motivate them to explore new concepts. As educators, we need to ...
The New Literacy Crisis: Immigrants Teaching Natives in the Digital Age
Virginia Society for Technology in Education2007-01-01
Students today have never experienced life without email, and they may never use a printed set of encyclopedias. They have a natural level of comfort with technology that we must ...
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