Resume

• 2015

  Fellow

  New Leadership Academy

  The New Leadership Academy Fellowship Program is a partnership between the National Center for Institutional Diversity (NCID) and the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE). Upon completion

  NLA Fellows are able to:\n\n- Recognize the challenges inherent in meeting the responsibilities associated with equity

  diversity

  and inclusion as overarching concerns in U.S. colleges and universities.\n- Acquire sophistication in re-envisioning values and institutional imperatives that translate into dynamic

  focus-driven organizations.\n- Gain specialized knowledge and tools necessary to provide highly effective leadership within and outside complex institutional settings.

  Higher Education Leadership

  The University of Michigan

  Ann Arbor

• 2002

  National Center for Educational Accountability at the University of Texas

  Austin

  TX.

  U.S.

  Coordinated the center’s efforts to help states expand their collection and use of student-level data for improving public schools through the investigation of best practices per No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation.

  States' Coordinator

  National Center for Educational Accountability at the University of Texas

  Austin

  TX.

• 2000

  Just for the Kids

  U.S.

  Directed development of higher education performance reporting system to promote educational reform in increasing student college participation and success in Texas public institutions of higher education.

  Director

  College Success Initiative

  Just for the Kids

• 1998

  Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

  cpse-K16

  Texas State University

  Texas

  Directed the evaluation of the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP)

  the state’s testing program used to validate the college readiness of first-time entering college students at Texas public institutions of higher education. Redesigned state database to collect more relevant information to guide program goals and objectives. Designed a college performance indicator system linking public colleges and high schools.

  Program Director

  Center for College Readiness

  Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

  U.S./Mexico

  Provided leadership and management as PI or co-PI on projects to improve public schools

  universities

  and colleges through the study of best practices

  educational policy research

  and program evaluation. Expertise derived from over 22 years of experience in the research and evaluation of educational programs and policy in grade levels Kindergarten through college. Fluent in Spanish

  and adept in SAS and in the design

  collection

  and analysis of large-scale data collections. Sample work is available upon request.

  CEO

  cpse-K16

  San Marcos

  Texas

  I prepared nontraditional students for careers through high-quality academic

  professional

  and technical programs. We also grant college credit for experiential learning such as work/life experience; credit for non-collegiate instruction; and credit by exam. OWLS offers one undergraduate degree — the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) and two graduate degrees — the Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies (MSIS) and the Master of Education with a Major in Management of Technical Education (MEd). I taught undergraduates in hybrid/blended format

  and graduates in online format. Please reference the Courses section in my LinkedIn profile further below for a list of these courses I developed and taught in the OWLS programs.

  Assistant Professor

  Texas State University

  Round Rock Campus

  I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational

  Workforce

  and Leadership Studies (OWLS) within the College of Applied Arts (CAA) at Texas State University

  a newly designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Our department prepares nontraditional students for careers through high-quality academic

  professional

  and technical programs. We also grant college credit for experiential learning such as work/life experience; credit for non-collegiate instruction; and credit by exam. OWLS offers one undergraduate degree — the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) and two graduate degrees — the Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies (MSIS) and the Master of Education with a Major in Management of Technical Education (MEd). I teach undergraduates in hybrid/blended format

  and graduates in online format. Please reference the Courses section in my LinkedIn profile further below for a list of these courses I have developed and teach in the OWLS programs.

  Associate Professor

  Texas State University

• 1995

  State Board for Educator Certification

  Texas

  Developed the accountability indicators for the state's Accountability System for Educator Preparation (ASEP); administered the ASEP across the state's 89 teacher preparation programs. Advised deans of education on ways to improve accountability performance; identified strategies

  policies

  and procedures to promote improvement and achieve institutional performance objectives. Produced the original research on certified and not certified teachers teaching in Texas public schools: Who is teaching in Texas Public Schools? (SBEC

  Spring 1998).

  Educational Policy Researcher

  State Board for Educator Certification

• 1992

  Ph.D

  Dissertation: The Effect of the Relationship Between Classroom Student Diversity and Teacher Capacity on Student Performance

  Educational Policy & Strategy

  The University of Texas at Austin

• 1985

  MSBA

  Thesis: IBM’s Strategic Planning Process

  Strategic Planning and Futures Research

  University of Southern California

  Human Relations for CATE Teachers (hybrid)

  Applied Interdisciplinary Research Methods II (online)

  Instructional Materials Development Technology (hybrid)

  Applied Interdisciplinary Research Methods I (online)

  Interdisciplinary Research Methods - Proposal (online)

  Effective Methods of Teaching and Learning (hybrid)

  Cooperative Occupational Education (Part 2) (hybrid)

  Leadership and Professional Development (hybrid)

  Cooperative Occupational Education (Part 1) (hybrid)

  Teaching and Training as a Profession (hybrid)

  Occupational Skills for 21st Century (online)

  Work-based Learning (hybrid)

  Technology of Teaching (online)

  Entrepreneurship (traditional

  f2f)

  Reflective and Experiential Learning Techniques (online)

  Life in Transition (online)

  Mgmt Business/Office Education Training (hybrid)

  Professional Practicum (online)

  Sloan-C Mobile Learning Mastery Series

  Online Learning Consortium

  Sloan-C Online Teaching Certificate

  Online Learning Consortium

  Exploring Competency Based Instruction

  Online Learning Consortium

  Leadership in Online Learning Mastery Series

  Online Learning Consortium

  Principles and Techniques of Fundraising

  Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

  Indiana University

  Instructional Design Mastery Series

  Online Learning Consortium

  Advanced Certification Program

  Online Learning Consortium

• 1981

  English

  Spanish

  Certificate

  Operations Research

  University of California

  Irvine

  MBA

  Management Information Systems

  University of California

  Irvine

• 1977

  BA

  Biophysics

  Tennis

  Trinity University

• The BBB Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics recognizes exemplary companies that strive to go above and beyond in their dealings with customers

  employees

  vendors and their community. In January 2014

  I served as one of three judges for this award from the Austin BBB.

  Austin Better Business Bureau (BBB)

  Judge

  McNeil High School offers Career and Technical Education (CTE) students with a course in Entrepreneurship. Students in this course learn about entrepreneurship but also develop a new business idea and write up a proposal for presentation to a panel of judges. Last December 2014

  I was one of four judges on this panel where 9 teams presented their business plan.

  McNeil High School

  Round Rock

  TX

  Advisory Board

  Williamson County Veterans Treatment Court is designed to address the risk factors that have led some of our veterans into behaviors

  decisions

  and actions resulting in their involvement in the criminal justice system. As a member of the Advisory Board

  my role is to assist in the ongoing evaluation of the program for fidelity implementation.

  Williamson County Veterans Treatment Court

  Advisor

  There are many military museums in the United States. These museums typically exhibit military hardware like vehicles

  tanks

  airplanes

  helicopters

  and artillery with some articles of clothing and equipment displayed on mannequins. This is an appropriate method to sharing the several segments of historical military artifacts. In comparison

  the HCMI collection focuses exclusively on the welfare of the warrior in the conduct of the mission. In so doing

  the collection consists of protective clothing like head covers

  gloves

  and cold weather apparel

  as well as equipment like helmets

  respirators

  body armor

  and ear protection

  which are relevant to the warrior’s survival in carrying out a mission to a successful outcome. Consequently

  the collection is unique among most museums in its content. As an advisor to the HCMI Executive Director

  I have served in developing a business plan to relocate the museum from Colorado to a suitable location.

  Heritage Collection Museum

  Inc. (HCMI) Relocation Project

  Teaching

  Teacher Training

  Policy

  Grants

  Community Outreach

  Analysis

  Program Management

  Curriculum Development

  Instructional Design

  Grant Writing

  Higher Education

  Leadership Development

  Leadership

  Curriculum Design

  Nonprofits

  Policy Analysis

  Research

  Staff Development

  Program Evaluation

  Program Development

  Creating a Sustainable University and Community through a Common Experience

  This article aims to provide an overview of Texas State University’s Common Experience

  an innovative initiative that engaged tens of thousands of people in shared consideration of sustainability as a single topic during academic year 2010-2011.

  Creating a Sustainable University and Community through a Common Experience

  Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain central topics in institutions’ efforts to address student veteran needs. From our experiences with student veterans

  we present the five principles of effective instructional practice identified by the National Research Council (NRC) within the context of college teaching. The purpose of this article is to inform faculty of the benefits of implementing these principles thereby increasing the likelihood of academic success for all students

  especially student veterans.

  Veterans in the College Classroom: Guidelines for Instructional Practices

  The Voluntary Framework of Accountability (VFA) launched in 2011 is the first national system of community college accountability. Sponsored by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in collaboration with the Association of Community College Trustees and the College Board

  the VFA will shortly report to the public on measures of student progress and learning outcomes

  and on measures of workforce

  economic

  and community development. The author of this paper proposes that AACC move beyond community college accountability toward creating and sustaining

  among college administrators

  a common culture of VFA data use to investigate best practices for institutional improvement. To advance this proposition

  the discourse presented centers on a proof-of-concept model using longitudinal data to illustrate its potential for community college administrators to identify best practices for improving institutional performance in first-year college retention.

  Beyond Community College Accountability: Using Data to Investigate Best Practices for Institutional Improvement

  The notion of English-language competency as a determinant of global economic development is rooted in the economics of language

  which is the study of the relationships among linguistic and economic variables. This article uses data to examine the question: To what extent can Brazil’s emergence as a global economy be attributed to workplace English-language competency?

  Workplace English Language Competency in an Emerging Global Economy—Brazil.

  This study contributes to the literature by examining in more detail the correlations among contextual factors defined by the teachers’ technical confidence

  lesson planning skills

  and the extent of IWB usage in mathematics classroom discourse.

  Factors Relevant to Elementary Teachers Using Interactive Whiteboards in Math Discourse

  This article advances a theory of educational productivity based on a paradigm of classroom diversification that defines a strategic view of the education production process. The paradigm’s underlying premise is that classroom student performance

  and the instructional interactions that produce such outcomes

  depend on economies derived from the learning relationships that exist across and among students in a classroom and on the technological fit between students’ learning needs and a teacher’s capacity. In addition to the conceptual classroom diversification framework

  measures of classroom student diversity and teacher capacity are presented

  followed by a discussion of the implications of the proposed classroom diversification paradigm for educational research

  policy

  and practice.

  Classroom Diversification: A Strategic View of Educational Productivity

  Accrediting entities

  the U.S. Department of Education

  and policy makers in a number of states are advocating for teacher education accountability by linking students’ performance on state-standardized tests to their teacher and the entity that prepared that teacher. Using student-level test data linked to new teachers and experienced teachers in the same school

  the authors explored a number of different ways to organize

  analyze

  and interpret the findings relative to criteria emerging from current accountability systems for teacher education programs. Among the approaches

  the authors introduce a model based on a construct of performance parity and discuss its implications for policy and teacher education programs within the context of today’s climate of accountability.

  Student Achievement and Preparation Program Accountability: A Study of Optional Approaches

  In light of the fact that policy makers are attempting to build accountability systems that will hold teachers

  and the teacher education programs that prepared them

  accountable for student achievement results

  failure on the part of teacher educators to repeatedly and assertively advocate for a significant role in shaping the accountability systems for teacher education programs and to structure them in ways that can lead to program improvement will undoubtedly be a missed opportunity with dire consequences that will take years

  if not decades

  to correct. The data analysis practices advocated in this article yield data that teacher preparation programs could use for program improvement. The authors use actual student achievement data collected through an earlier large-scale teacher induction study to demonstrate the ways in which the proposed data analysis approach could be useful to teacher educators interested in program improvement.

  In Search of Tools that Inform Practice: Utilizing Program Accountability Data to Guide Program Improvement

  For many years educators have looked at computer technology as a valuable resource for enhancing students’ learning in the classroom. This article presents the latest evidence that links the interactive whiteboard to higher levels of learning.

  Whiteboards are for Learning

  This study endorses an urgent call-to-action for researchers to move Hispanic families from outlier to mainstream family research. The top-15 ranked U.S. journals in the field of family studies published more than 8

  000 articles in the prior decade—the same time period when Hispanics were also the largest

  most rapidly growing ethnic group in the United States. This study contributes to the field of family studies by using quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze these articles per journal for empirical evidence that indicates the importance of Hispanic families within this literature. Further empirical evidence comes from extending the analysis to 2011. The evidence presented suggests insufficiency of Hispanic family research with regard to quantity

  quality

  relevance

  and recognized contributions to the field of family studies. The discourse includes examples and recommendations for averting another lost decade of opportunities for research relevant to the health and welfare of a growing U.S. Hispanic population.

  Averting Another Lost Decade: Moving Hispanic Families from Outlier to Mainstream Family Research

  This study presents the findings from the first-year evaluation of the Round Rock Independent School District’s (ISD) Digital Learning Classroom project

  an initiative focused on the improvement of English Language Learners’ (ELL) learning using interactive whiteboard (IWB) technology. An objective of the evaluation was to determine the extent IWB technology could foster performance parity in academic achievement between ELL and regular students

  that is

  reduce the student achievement gap between these two student groups in 3rd and 5th grade mathematics and reading. These grade levels and subjects were the primary focus of the project because students in grades 3 and 5 that do not pass the state’s standardized assessments in mathematics and reading cannot be promoted to the next grade level and therefore

  these are “high stakes” tests for students. A second evaluation objective was to determine whether and the extent to which the Digital Learning Classroom could increase ELL students’ academic learning relative to that of ELL students in traditional classrooms (i.e.

  without IWBs). Using a quasi-experimental design

  the results strongly indicate that IWBs can foster performance parity thereby closing the achievement gap between ELL and regular students while increasing ELL student achievement. Pedagogical implications for teachers of ELL students within the context of Digital Learning Classroom project implementation are presented

  as well as recommendations for future study of the Digital Learning Classroom in ELL classroom settings.\r\n\r\nKeywords: English Language Learners; Interactive whiteboards; Digital Learning Classroom\r\n

  The Digital Learning Classroom: Improving English Language Learners’ Academic Success in Mathematics and Reading Using Interactive Whiteboard Technology.

  In spring 2014

  I taught a technology in teaching course where graduate students explored Google Glass for mobile learning. From this teaching experience

  I gained insights and recommendations from the students’ proposals for innovative ways to integrate Google Glass in mobile learning activities that would result in authentic learning and assessment. I am now proceeding with the next steps to determine how Google Glass would work where students are learning environmental science in authentic field-based activities.

  S. Lopez

  Ph.D.

  Omar