Kelly Harper, PhD
graduate programs
undergraduate programs

Kelly Harper, PhD
Assistant Professor, Education
Co-Director of The JUSTICE Program

(Justice for Underserved Students: Teacher Preparation for Inclusive Classroom Environments)

Highest Degree Awarded:
PhD in Curriculum and Instruction; Boston College

Years at Canisius: Since 2008

Courses Taught
Personal Interests
Favorite thing about Canisius
Research Interests
Recent Research

Courses Taught:
  • EDCH 543 Elementary Math Instruction
  • EDE 317 Elementary Math Instruction
  • EDCH 615 Research Methods in Childhood Education
  • EDE 311 Science in the Schools
  • EDCH 540 Childhood Learning and Development
  • ECCH 493 Student Teaching
  • EDE 493 Student Teaching
Personal Interests:
  • Traveling
  • Learning more about Education apps for iPad
  • Photography
Favorite thing about Canisius:
The Canisius community is a wonderful place intellectually and spiritually. My students’ energy, passion and commitment to their future work as educators is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. Opportunities to witness their growth in the field as well as collaborating with them on research endeavors is equally prized.

Research Interests:
  • Early intervention in Literacy 
  • Response to Intervention
  • Structuring Tutoring Experience for Low-Performing Students in Mathematics 
  • Critical Literacy and Multicultural Children’s Literature
  • Culturally relevant and critical pedagogy
  • Teacher Research
  • Website Accessibility
Recent Research:
Harper, K. (2009). Can We Read a Happy Book Next?: Using Children's Literature to Move Beyond our White Space. In M. Cochran-Smith & S. Lytle (Eds), Inquiry as Stance: Practitioner Research and the Next Generation. New York: Teachers College Press’ Practitioner Inquiry Series.

Harper, K. A. & DeWaters, J. (2008). A Quest for Website Accessibility in Higher Education Institutions. The Internet and Higher Education. 11(3-4), 160-164.

Jackson, R. & Harper, K. (2005). Teacher planning for accessibility: The universal design of learning environments.  In D.H. Rose, A. Meyer, & C. Hitchcock (Eds), The universally designed classroom: Accessible curriculum and digital technologies (pp. 101-123).  Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

Jackson, R., Harper, K. & Jackson, J. (2005). Teaching for accessibility: Effective practices, classroom barriers.  In D.H. Rose, A. Meyer, & C. Hitchcock (Eds), The universally designed classroom: Accessible curriculum and digital technologies (pp. 125 - 147 ).  Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.

Donnell, K. & Harper, K. (Summer 2005). Inquiry in Teacher Education: Competing Agendas.  Teacher Education Quarterly.