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Cheryl A. Wissick, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, |
Technology Projects
Free Web Tools: Web Toolboxes Wiki Eating Lunch- Interactive Demo Thematic Units PowerPoint: Creating Interactive Activities Photos for Concept Activities
Vita (in pdf format)
Biographical Information
I am a native of New York State and received my basic education in the Fairport Public Schools. I began my college career at Nazareth College of Rochester majoring in math, chemistry, and computers but I developed an interest in developmental and abnormal pyschology. I transferred to the University of Rochester receiving my baccalaureate degree in Psychology. With a desire to work with students with emotional and learning disabilities, I moved to Charlottesville, Virginia where I received my masters degree in Special Education from the University of Virginia.
In Charlottesville, I met my husband, Charles de Krafft, and began my professional career teaching for Albemarle County Schools. I spent nine years working as a resource teacher for students with emotional and learning disabilities. As the school district began to explore the use of computers and the computer language of Logo, I was given the opportunity to return to my interest in computers by becoming the instructional technology coordinator for the special services program. I provided administrative and assistive technology support for all the special education teachers in 20 schools. During my four years working with technology, I developed a number of computer modules for teachers and assistive technology applications for students with severe disabilities.After 13 years with the public school system, I returned to the University of Virginia as a full time doctoral student with Dr. John Lloyd as my advisor. I was interested in developing technology-based applications for students with disabilities and training teachers how to integrate technology into the curriculum. Under the direction of Dr. Mable Kinzie, I designed and developed an interactive computer & video-based program to train community living skills to students with moderate and severe disabilities.
After completing my Ph.D., my husband and I relocated to South Carolina where I began my career in higher education in a dual position of Assistant Professor in Programs in Special Education and Director of the Educational Technology. The Educational Technology Center has developed as a technology teaching center for faculty in the College of Education, a multimedia resource center for members of the university, and a software preview site the teachers in the state. As a faculty member, my expertise in technology has provided me with the tools to support and contribute to my department and program by teaching courses: Characteristics of Learning Disabilities, EDEX 531; Technology for Special Populations, EDEX 750; and Advanced Methods of Interactive Technologies, EDIT 703. Those courses have evolved over the years. I continue to teach EDEX 750 and also teach EDEX 785 a course focused on assistive and augmentative communication. I also teach the EDEX 790, assessment course, therefore no longer teaching EDEX 531. In addition I am involved with the new EDET - Educational Technology program, a joint program with USC-Aiken. For that program I teach online courses: EDET 735, Technology for Diverse Populations and EDET 722, Instructional Design and Assessment. All courses are taught online, web based through Blackboard.
I work closely with the teachers to develop World Wide Web based applications for students with mild and moderate disabilities. I developed Web Toolboxes to support QuickStarts for teachers using the Web. I am focusing my energies to locate FREE web tools to support Universal Design for Learning, differentiated instruction and making accommodations for all students. In an effort to promote the toolboxes and provide teachers with more information on aligning Web activities with curriculum standards, I wrote a column, Quickstarts, for the Journal of Special Education Technology Practice (SETP) I an Associate Editor of Journal of Special Education Technology (JSET) featuring articles on technology in the content areas.
I am affiliated with a number of professional organizations in both areas of instructional technology and exceptional children. I am actively involved with the Technology and Media Division of the Council for Exceptional Children. I served as Vendor Chair for the National Conference for four years and served as the Treasurer from 1997 - 2010. I assisted in the creation of the Association for Applied Interactive Multimedia. I have made presentations at numerous state, national, and international conferences and conventions. I also served as Treasurer and Board member to SETSIG, an ISTE special interest group. I have also contributed to the field of technology and special education with the development and formative evaluation of technology programs and through published journal articles.
The integrating theme in my research and teaching has been the use of technology to enhance the teaching of preservice teachers and increase the learning of students with disabilities. I have been involved in a number of different projects but the overriding goal has been the study of how we can best develop and integrate technology-based applications. In addition to my life as a faculty member, I have a busy life as a wife and mother. I have also enjoyed a close relationship with my family and enjoyed taking photos at family events like my dads's 80th birthday party: Family Album
© 1999-2010 University of South Carolina Board of Trustees URL: http://www.ed.sc.edu/caw/bio.html
Maintained by Dr. Cheryl A. Wissick, Associate Professor
Department of Educational Studies, College of Education.Last updated:
May, 2010
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