COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Department of Secondary and Middle School Education

Kelly McNeal, Ph.D.

Office:   V4010
Phone:   973-720-2911
Email:   mcnealk1@wpunj.edu
Office Hours:   Fall 2012- Thursday 3:00-5:00pm and 9:00-10:00pm and by appointment

Department: Secondary and Middle School Education
Position: Assistant Professor
Area Specialization: Urban Education

Academic Degrees and Certifications
  • Ph.D. - Language, Literacy & Learning - Fordham University
  • MS. Ed - Fordham University
  • BA - American Studies - Rutgers College
Professional Experience
  • Regular Education Teacher and Learning Disability Teacher / Consultant (LDT-C) - State of New Jersey - 10 years
  • Highly Qualified in Math, Language Arts, and Social Studies
Current Teaching and Administrative Responsibilities
  • CISE 450 - Reckoning with the Past & Preparing for a Future in Education
  • CIRL 335 - Literacy, Technology and Instruction
  • CISE 325 - Teaching as Learning
Other Collegiate Assignments

Secretary and Executive Committee Member of the William Paterson University Senate

Political Coordinator, Local 1796 American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

Advisement

Assigned Release Time (ART)

Post-Baccalaureate Task Force 
Professional Affiliations and Activities
  • Editor (2011) Journal of Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research
  • Associate Editor (2011) Journal or Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research
  • Core Team Member of the NJ Department of Education's Schools to Watch
  • Returned Peace Corps Volunteer 
Current Research Interests
  • Urban Education, Literacy, Graphic Novels

Publications

Books

McNeal, K. (July 2009). Accreditation, teacher education, and virtual for-profit universities: Critiquing external quality reviews.  Saarbrücken, Germany: VDM Verlag. ISBN-13: 978-3639179781. Nominated for the 2010 AERA Outstanding Book Award. 

Book Chapters

McNeal, K. & Lawrence, S.A. (September 2009). An introduction to the academic  uses of comics and graphic novels: Description of a professional development  workshop for English and literacy teachers, In B. Culligan (Ed.) The changing landscapes of literacy: Building best practice, Dublin: Reading Association of  Ireland.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications

McNeal, K. (2012). (Editor). Journal of Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research. Los Angeles: American Educational Research Association (AERA) Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research Special Interest Group.

McNeal, K. & Malu, K. (submitted for review). Using comics and graphic novels to promote English language learning. English Teaching Forum.

McNeal, K. (2011). (Associate Editor). Journal of Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research. Los Angeles:  American  Educational Research Association (AERA) Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research Special Interest Group.

McNeal, K. & Lawrence, S.A. ( 2009). Teachers from the “neighborhood”:  Standardized testing as a barrier to certification of minority candidates. Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research Yearbook. Los Angeles:  American  Educational Research Association (AERA). Urban Learning, Teaching, and Research Special Interest Group.

 Lawrence, S.A., McNeal, K., & Yildiz, M. (March 2009). Experiences in summer   program help adolescents merge technology, popular culture, reading, writing for academic purposes.  International Reading Association’s Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (JAAL).

 Yildiz, M, & McNeal, K. (2008-2009).  Issues and trends: Participatory culture.  Perspectives: The New York Journal of Adult Learning, 7(2), 47-49.  

McNeal, K., & Lawrence, S. A. (December 2007).  Graphic novels for instructional  purposes. Perspectives: The New York Journal of Adult Learning, 6(1), 28-31.

McNeal, K. & Mele Robinson, H. (May 2006). A critical literacy strategy for adult learners. Perspectives: The New York Journal of Adult Learning,4(2), 28-30.