Dr. Kristen Driscoll’s research resides at the intersection of theory and practice in her collaboration with educators, children, and their families as she examines the ways educational policy at federal and state levels influence early literacy instruction and assessment in early childhood settings, elementary schools, and teacher education. This knowledge informs how she supports preservice teachers in developing equity-minded stances, racial literacy, and ways to advocate for children who are historically underserved in public schools, particularly when mandated literacy curriculum and assessment may not always leverage students’ literacies, languages, and cultural practices. This work has implications for literacy teacher education in course design elements that support preservice teachers in critical and reflective analysis of evidence-based literacy practices in their instruction, while utilizing justice-oriented pedagogy that centers children’s languages and literacies, especially those with racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse backgrounds.   

In a recent study, Dr. Driscoll investigated the role university coursework played in supporting preservice teachers in their literacy teaching trajectories, while teacher education programs and local schools grappled with shifts in literacy instruction to align with the Science of Reading. Dr. Driscoll is interested in the impact these shifts have on early literacy instruction and foundational reading skills, an area where her professional expertise lies as a former K-1 teacher. Dr. Driscoll taught first grade and kindergarten in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  

Dr. Kristen Driscoll earned a B.A. in Early Childhood Education in 2012 and an M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning with a Specialization in Literacy in 2015 from Coastal Carolina University. She recently graduated with a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction – Literacy Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. 

CI 465 Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Education I: This is the first of two courses that introduce preservice teachers to the basic principles, techniques, and materials for the early childhood literacy classroom. This course focuses on the linguistic and cultural factors of language acquisition and literacy in culturally diverse settings that support children from birth through kindergarten.

CI 466 Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Education II: This course is the second of two courses designed to acquaint preservice teachers with the theories, issues, and methods of effective early childhood literacy instruction. This semester focuses on literacy development in the primary grades (K-2).