Headshot of Ren Bryan

Ren Bryan

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Education

Department: Education and Wellness

Office and address: Mooney, office 204 2105 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244

Phone number: (336) 278-2908

Professional Expertise

education, education policy, professional development for teachers

Brief Biography

Ren Bryan is the former Associate Director of the North Carolina Teacher Academy, a professional development organization for North Carolina Teachers.  She was a classroom teacher in North Carolina public schools in the areas of secondary social studies, special education, gifted education, and instructional technology, earning National Board certification in adolescent-young adult social studies in 2000. She was recognized as the North Carolina Secondary Social Studies Teacher of the Year in 1994 by the North Carolina Council for the Social Studies.

 

    Education

    EdD 2008 Curriculum and Instruction University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

    MEd Special Education 1997 Elon University

    BA Sociology 1973 North Carolina State University

     

    Employment History

    North Carolina Teacher Academy 1999-2011, Technology Fellow, Associate Director, 2009-2011

    Alamance Burlington Schools 1973-1976, 1986-1999,

    Elon University 1997-present

    Courses Taught

    Technology in Teaching and Learning CIS 220

    Instructional Technology in the Classroom MED 523

    Foundations of Gifted Education MED 562

    Advanced Seminar III, Teacher Leadership MED 561

    Teaching Diverse Learners

    Educational Assessment

    Why Were These Books Banned, GST 415

    Research

    Impact of Instructional Technology Professional Development on Teaching Practice and Student Performance, 2008

    Publications

    Bryan, R., Hollingsworth, H., Knight-McKinna, M., Policy and advocacy concepts and processes: innovative content in early childhood teacher education, Early Child Development and Care, December 2015.

    Presentations

    Using Technology to Meet Individual Learning Styles Learning Styles Institute       

    Teaching in the 21st Century Classroom  NCDPI   

    Lighting Up Young Faces:  Making Success a Priority for English Language Learners        NSCI           

    Teachers Teaching Teachers: A Model for Staff Development  NSDC           

    Integrating Technology into Middle School Social Studies  NCETC                       

    Integrating Technology into the Curriculum  NCETC                       

    NAEP Assessment Process NCCSS                       

    Personal Information

    Professionally I have been a life-long educator.  Personally I have been a life-long wife and mother of four children ( and now six grandchildren) who anchor my life. I take great pleasure in working in my garden and enjoy watching things grow.

    Professional Development

    Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners in the Regular Classroom

    Integration of Technology into the Curriculum (North Carolina Teacher Academy)

    LearnNC, Carolina Online Teaching

    SAS InSchool, Curriculum Pathways

    Reading 3D Diagnostic Assessment (Wireless Generation)

    SmartBoard Certification

    Blackboard Online Course Management Certification

    Adult Learning and Coaching (Paideia Institute)

    Assessing the Impact:  Evaluating Staff Development (JoEllen Killion)

    Data Analysis and School Portfolio Development (Victoria Bernhardt)

    Frameworks for Working with Children of Poverty (Ruby Payne)

    Motivating Students to Succeed (PEAK Learn, Spence Rogers)

    Meeting the needs of English Language Learners in the Regular Classroom (Kathleen Kenfield)

    COLT Online Course Development

    WebQuest Design and Development (Bernie Dodge)

    Portfolio Assessment (print and electronic)

    Integrated Unit Development (Roger Taylor model)

    Learning Styles (Dunn and Dunn model)

    Cooperative Learning (Johnson and Johnson model)

    Awards

    North Carolina Social Studies Teacher of the Year 1997 NCCSS