DR. CYNTHIA CARVER

A member of the Oakland University faculty since 2010, Dr. Carver is helping to prepare a new generation of school leaders as program coordinator for the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership. Combining interests in teacher development with instructional leadership, her research focuses on the policy, preparation, and practice of leadership by teachers and principals for learning-oriented schools. She is currently completing a study of teacher leadership within the Galileo Academy, a nationally-recognized teacher leadership preparation program in the Detroit metro area. She also supports the development of teacher leadership within the acclaimed Avondale/Oakland University Partnership.

Courses Taught

• EL 530: Theories & Techniques of Leadership
• EL 560: Curriculum & Professional Learning for School Improvement
• EL 609: Teacher Leaders in the Education Profession
• EST 517: Teacher as Highly Effective Instructor

Professional Interests

• Teacher Leader Policy, Preparation & Practice
• Instructional Leadership/Leadership for Learning
• Teacher & Principal Learning & Development
• Qualitative Research

Select Publications

Berg, J. H., Carver, C. L., & Mangin, M. M. (2013). Teacher Leader Model Standards: Implications for policy and practice. Journal of Research on Educational Leadership. 

Carver, C. L. & Meier, J. M. (2013). Gaining confidence; managing conflict: Early career conceptions of teacher leadership during graduate coursework. The New Educator, 9(3), 173-191

Carver, C. L. (2012). Developing leadership content knowledge during school leader preparation. International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, 7(3).

Carver, C. L. (2010). Mentors coaching principals in instructional leadership: The case of Rebecca and Ramon. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, 13(2), 39-46. 

Current Service Leadership

• Coordinator, Avondale Research Collaborative
• Past-President, Learning Forward Michigan
• Co-Chair, AERA Division K, Section 2: Teacher Leadership

Recent Grants

Enhancing the educational leadership internship. (2012). Career Services, Oakland University (with S. Klein). $2,500

Designing a responsive curriculum for teacher leader learning: Teacher leader and principal perspectives. (2011) SEHS Research Grant, Oakland University. $3,478   

Building capacity for algebra teaching, learning & leading. (2008) Teacher Quality Partnership Grant. Michigan Department of Education (with B. Herbel-Eisenman and M. Steele). $200,000