Dr. Jennifer Killham
Assistant Professor, Child and Adolescent Development
Dr. Killham is an assistant professor in the Master of Science Child and Adolescent Development program, Co-Director of the Center for Learning Innovation, and the main pathway contact for undergraduates looking to continue on for graduate studies.
Dr. Killham is a voice-centered relational methodologist with a strong belief in what Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot refers to as “seeing the good” in students, communities, and collaborators. She is deeply committed to supporting divergent thinkers, disenfranchised learners, working parents, first-generation college students, returning students, and any student questioning “Is the college classroom a place for me?”
In order to amplify the next generation of professional voices, Dr. Killham strives to spark intellectual curiosity and nurture high-impact engagement. In her teaching, she specializes in adolescent development, research methods, and writing instruction. For the last 10 years, Dr. Killham has taught online, combining the use of technology, critical pedagogy, and relational-cultural theory.
Her research focuses on the culture of online collaborative learning environments. As a technology optimist, she examines technology’s ability to transform and emancipate in developmentally appropriate ways. She is also a longtime collaborator with the Interactive Communications & Simulations at the University of Michigan and the Institute of Innovation in Education.
In addition to her role in academia, Dr. Killham works closely with game developers and high-tech professionals. As part of this initiative, she started an international organization called The Volunteer Experience™, a volunteer community that is especially eager to make the game development industry a better, more inclusive space place!
Dr. Killham is the series co-editor for Teaching and Learning Online, a book series with Information Age Publishing. She also has served on the Journal of Behavior and Social Sciences Editorial Review Board since 2017.
What is one book you think everyone should read?
Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh
What is your favorite movie or TV show?
Drive to Survive
Educational Background
- Ph.D. in Social and Cultural Foundations in Education, Emphasis in Learning Sciences
- Dissertation Topic: Online Games & Simulations with Adolescents
Publications
Books
- Allaire, F. & Killham, J. E., (2022). Teaching and Learning Online: Science for Early Childhood and Elementary Grade Levels. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
- Allaire, F. & Killham, J. E., (2022). Teaching and Learning Online: Science for Secondary Grade Levels. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
- Jette, K. & Killham, J. E. (Eds.). (2016). Real Life Issues of Tweens to Teens: A Human Development Perspective. New York, NY: Pearson.
Articles
- Killham, J. E., Estanga, L., Ekpe, L., Mejia, B. (2021). The Strength of a Tigress: An Examination of First-Generation College Latina Students’ Tenacity During the Rapid Shift to Remote Learning. Journal of Research on Technology in Education.
- Killham, J. E., Saligman, A., & Jette. K. (2016, October). Unmasking the Mystique: Utilizing Narrative Character-Playing Games to Support English Language Fluency. International Journal of Game-Based Learning.
- Killham, J. E. & Chandler, P. (2016, March/April). From Tweets to Telegrams: Social Media to Promote Historical Thinking Skills. Social Education.
Book Chapters
- Feng, A., Killham, J. E., Sweda, S., Mangahas, A., Sebastiani, I. (2022). Empty Halls: A Polyvocal Account of Pandemic Teaching. Corona Chronicles 3.0: Learning to Live Living to Lead with COVID. DIO Press Inc.
- Killham, J. E., Bell, J., Emmelhainz, P., Cox, S., Buultjens, L., & King, R. (2018). Nurturing Our Youngest Citizens: Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality in the Pre-K Curriculum. It’s Being Done in Social Studies: Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality in the Pre/K-12 Curriculum. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
- Killham, J. E. (2017). How Has Social Media Provided Communities of Color a Platform for Sharing Counternarratives? In Race Lessons: Using Inquiry to Teach About Race in Social Studies. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
- Killham, J. E. & Chen, M. (2016). The Power of Feedback: Teachers and Parents Providing Social Motivations in Game-Based Learning. In Game-Based Learning and the Power of Play: exploring evidence, challenges and future directions. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Scholars.
Presentations
- Killham, J. E. (2019, April). Mindful Listening: Using Polyvocal Case Histories to Increase Authentic Pedagogical Engagement. Paper presented at the annual conference for the American Educational Research Association, Toronto, Canada.
- Killham, J. E. (2018, December). Promoting an Ethic of Care Through Teacher Reflection: A Technology-Based Action Research Study. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education, Sydney, Australia.
- Killham, J. E. (2018, December). An Educator’s Self-Reflective Journey with I-Poems. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education, Sydney, Australia.
- Killham, J. E. (2018, June). From Bystander to Upstander: Galvanizing Jewish Youth Through an Online Character-Playing Simulation. Presented at the Irish Conference on Game Based Learning, Cork, Ireland.
- Killham, J. E. (2017, June). Improvisational Mentoring: A Framework for Creative Teaching in Character-Playing Games. Presented at the Irish Conference on Game Based Learning, Cork, Ireland.
Awards / Honors
- LaFetra College of Education Remote Teaching Award, Spring 2021
- McGraw Hill Award, Conference on Academic Research in Education, 2017
- Outstanding Service Award, 2014
- Exemplary Scholarship for the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2013
Additional Information
Courses Taught
- ASCD 500 – Academic Writing
- ASCD 503 – Educational Psychology
- ASCD 530 – Motivation in Education
- ASCD 550 – Human Development
- ASCD 551 – Studies in Attachment
- ASCD 557 – Teaching Adults
- ASCD 570 – Adolescent Development
- ASCD 575 – Adolescents and Risk
To explore the scholarship and creative works of University of La Verne faculty, please visit the Research Works profiles hosted by Wilson Library.
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