Faculty Spotlight: Sharon Dugdale
Sharon Dugdale begins and ends each work day with a bike ride or a brisk walk. In between, the quintessential Davis-ite tackles the daily joys and challenges of managing the academic side of the School of Education.
“Sharon brings the analytical strengths of a researcher, the passion of an educator, and a great sense of fairness to bear on every decision she makes in her role as a faculty member of the School and as our associate dean,” said Dean Harold Levine.
Dugdale arrived at UC Davis in 1990 from the University of Illinois. Her research addresses several interrelated themes in the areas of mathematics education, instructional technology and teacher development. Much of her work over the years has involved the impact of technology on mathematical content, teaching methods and learning strategies, including students’ development and use of mathematical ideas.
On one recent grant, Dugdale and Kurt Kreith, Prof. Emeritus in Mathematics, launched the California Mathematics Education Technology Site (CMETS), a multi-year initiative with a mission of helping teachers throughout the state make effective use of technology to enhance the teaching and learning of mathematics.
Sponsored by the California Mathematics Project, the project researched effective uses of technology, conducted teacher development institutes and prepared a cadre of teacher leaders who took increasing responsibility within the project and in their professional community.
In addition to playing a key role in research on mathematics education, Dugdale focuses her energy on reviewing and strengthening current programs, planning for new programs, and establishing well-reasoned and effective policies and procedures to support the growth of the School.
In her role as associate dean, Dugdale is enthusiastic about the School’s approach to building strategically in several areas. For instance, the School has added several new faculty in key areas of growth. Building on campus strengths in mathematics, science and agriculture, the School hired two new faculty focused on education in these areas last academic year. Dugdale notes the recent establishment of the agricultural education teaching credential within the School and the participation in a new statewide science/math initiative as crucial to the School’s ability to help address the shortage of qualified teachers in these areas.
The School is also recruiting for a new colleague in environmental science education, welcoming a new faculty member focused on testing and measurement, and partnering with the UC Davis MIND Institute in framing a faculty position in education and neurodevelopmental disorders. Other recent faculty hires have added strength in literacy and educational policy and particularly buttressed our programs in educational leadership.
“It’s an exciting time to be in the School,” said Dugdale. “With new faculty coming on board to support the continued growth in the quality and diversity of our programs, this is truly a special place to be.”
Dugdale said she was initially attracted to Davis for a number of reasons, including the “positive, active interest and involvement in education” of faculty across campus and the very positive connections to K-12 schools fostered by the CRESS Center.
The bike paths were also a key selling point. “For 20 years in Illinois, I had enjoyed living and working in an environmentally conscious, bicycle friendly university town,” said Dugdale. “I immediately felt very much at home bicycling to and from campus in Davis.”