FRIDAY October 22, 2010

Conference Presenters [back to top]

Janet Zadina, Ed.D., is a cognitive neuroscientist, reading specialist, and former high school and community college instructor. She received her doctorate in the College of Education at the University of New Orleans, conducting her award-winning dissertation research on the neuroanatomy of dyslexia through collaboration with Tulane University School of Medicine. She continued her postdoctoral education with a Fellowship in Cognitive Neuroscience in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at Tulane University School of Medicine where she researched neuroanatomical risk factors for developmental language disorders through MRI brain scans. She is currently engaged in neuroscience research as an Assistant Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at Tulane and in Psychology at the University of South Florida. Dr. Zadina is author of Six Weeks to a Brain-Compatible Classroom – a workbook for educators, among other books. She is the founder of Brain Research and Instruction and has presented keynotes and workshops internationally on brain research and instruction.

Presentation:  Using Brain Research to Orchestrate Learning: The Multiple Pathways Model

History [back to top]

The Mid-Atlantic College Reading Association (MACRA) includes reading and writing faculty from community and four-year colleges. Faculty from Maryland community colleges initially formed this organization as the Maryland Community College Reading Association in 1974. In 1991, the Maryland group decided to expand its membership to include the five neighboring states (New Jersey, Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia and Pennsylvania) and changed its name to the Mid-Atlantic Community College Reading Association. As membership increased, we found our rolls included many faculty from four-year colleges and universities. At our annual conference in 1997, we changed the name to more accurately reflect the interests, needs, and diversity of our membership.

Each fall MACRA holds a two-day conference in Ocean City, Maryland. This conference features a noted authority in reading or a related field. The second day is devoted to colleague interchange on topics such as

• Critical Reading
• Learning Disabilities
• Vocabulary Development
• Study Skills
• Reading/Writing Connections
• Textbook Readability
• Computer Assisted Instruction
• Reading in the Content Areas
• English as a Second Language for teachers of reading or related fields.

Past Topics [back to top]

Dr. Teresa H. Filbert 2009 The Digital Cave: Literacy In and Beyond the 21st Century

Dr. Shelley A. Chapman  2008 Theory Like Theatre: Viewing Our Educational Practice Through Different Lenses

Dr. Jennifer Cuddapah 2007 Transforming Teaching through a Multiple Strategies Approach

Dr. Dee Tadlock 2006 Transforming Poor Readers to Excellent Readers: Relying on the Plasticity of the Brain

Dr. Rita Smilkstein 2005 Brain-Based Learning

Dr. Beth Holmberg 2004 Critical Reading, Writing, and Thinking: Research Findings and Implications for Developmental Education

Dr. David Caverly 2003 Integrating Technology into Developmental Reading: Past, Present and Future

Dr. Catherine Wambach 2002 A High Feedback Model for Teaching General Psychology

Dr. Anne Goodsell Love 2001 Collaborative Learning Strategies

Past Presidents [back to top]
1998-99  Ken Kerr Frederick, Community College
1999-00  Marci Dawson, Prince George's Community College
2000-01  Eva Griffin, AASCU
2001-02  Patricia J. Bozeman, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
2002-03  Eric Reitz, Community College of Baltimore County
2003-04  Ann Ritter, Baltimore City Community College
2004-05  Sandy Jones, Community College of Baltimore County, MD
2005-06  Nancy Cannon, Cecil Community College, MD
2006-07  Lisa Tittle, Harford Community College
2007-08  Betsy Gooden, Community College of Baltimore County, Dundalk
2008-09  Judy Josephson,  Community College of Baltimore County, MD