Alida Anderson

Last updated
Alida Anderson
NationalityAmerican
EducationPhD
Alma materUniversity of Maryland, Northwestern University, Colgate University
OccupationUniversity Professor
EmployerAmerican University
Known forEducational Research

Alida Anderson is a professor at the School of Education at American University in Washington, DC. [1] [2]

Contents

Education

Anderson attended Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC (1987), [3] and holds a BA, Art/Art History and Asian Studies, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, an MA, Learning Disabilities, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, and a PhD, Special Education, from the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. [1] [4]

Research

Anderson is a widely published academic researcher, [5] whose work focuses on multiple areas of research in special education and the arts, [5] [6] [7] as well as "cross-linguistic correlation of dyslexia." [8]

She is the co-editor of The Journal of the Arts and Special Education, [9] a publication of the Division of the Visual and Performing Arts of the Council for Exceptional Children. [9]

One of her 2019 co-authored publications, "International Report: Neuromyths and Evidence-Based Practices in Higher Education." [10] [11] [12] [13] (has been characterized as "this study includes not only answers to important research questions, but practice-oriented information that is useful for pedagogy, course design, and leadership, as well as for further research on this topic.", [10] and the earlier (2017) publication on the same general subject, "Dispelling the Myth: Training in Education or Neuroscience", [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] described as "the implications of these new findings are very relevant to the way we teach in the classroom.", [19] and also noted that this research affirmed "that neuromyth beliefs are remarkably prevalent, but that training in education and neuroscience helped to reduce these false beliefs." [15]

Her earlier research study, "Dance/Movement Therapy’s Influence on Adolescents Mathematics, Social-Emotional and Dance Skills", [20] has been described as "integrating dance and movement therapy into math lessons for students with learning disabilities, emotional/behavioral disabilities and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), [which] led to improvements in math as well as SEL [Social-Emotional Learning] skills, such as motivation, engagement, attention and self-regulation", [21] and concluded that "the findings were significant because students with those special needs often show anxiety toward learning math." [21]

Anderson was also the lead author in a 2020 seminal article titled "A Review of Online Dyslexia Learning Modules", which focused on discrediting the "Dyslexia Myth" of "Backwards Reading." [22]

She is the editor of the book "Arts Integration and Special Education: An Inclusive Theory of Action for Student Engagement." [23] [24] The book has been described as "the first book to posit explanations for how and why arts integration facilitates learning in students with language and sensory processing disorders and those at risk for failure due to low socioeconomic conditions." [25]

Anderson defines her interpretation of "arts integration" as “the use of an art form (drama, dance, visual arts, etc.) in combination with teaching of a content area (math, science, social studies, language arts, etc.), in which there are content learning objectives in the art form as well as in the content area.” [26]

In 2020 Anderson was credited as being one of the "thinkers" who, together with the Arts Education Partnership in Denver, Colorado, "began exploring intersections of arts education and literacies" that led to the eventual creation of an online resource [27] that "incorporates art and text to support different experiences and interactions as you explore the relationships between art, arts education and literacies." [27]

“There are multiple ways to express an idea—many of which are not linguistic. By expressing an idea through visual, auditory, kinesthetic and/or tactile sensory information, a child has more ways to map that concept onto language forms”. Dr. Alida Anderson in Psychology Today [28] [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dyslexia</span> Specific learning disability characterized by troubles with reading

Dyslexia, previously known as word blindness, is a learning disability that affects either reading or writing. Different people are affected to different degrees. Problems may include difficulties in spelling words, reading quickly, writing words, "sounding out" words in the head, pronouncing words when reading aloud and understanding what one reads. Often these difficulties are first noticed at school. The difficulties are involuntary, and people with this disorder have a normal desire to learn. People with dyslexia have higher rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental language disorders, and difficulties with numbers.

Dyscalculia is a disability resulting in difficulty learning or comprehending arithmetic, such as difficulty in understanding numbers, learning how to manipulate numbers, performing mathematical calculations, and learning facts in mathematics. It is sometimes colloquially referred to as "math dyslexia", though this analogy is misleading as they are distinct syndromes.

Irlen syndrome is a visual processing deficit related to a hyper-reactive visual cortex that can lead to a variety of documented physical and visual symptoms. Some skepticism of the concept still exists; however, current neuroscience research has successfully documented differences in brain function among this population versus those without the condition. Early research on Irlen syndrome produced mixed results; however, the overwhelming majority of studies conducted over the last 40 years have documented the benefits of using precision-tinted colored lenses to address a variety of related symptomology, including: reduction in physical symptoms that include headaches, migraines, eye strain, fatigue, and light sensitivity; and improved functioning and success in both academia and the workplace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Educational music</span>

Educational music, is a genre of music in which songs, lyrics, or other musical elements are used as a method of teaching and/or learning. It has been shown in research to promote learning. Additionally, music study in general has been shown to improve academic performance of students.

A reading disability is a condition in which a person displays difficulty reading. Examples of reading disabilities include: developmental dyslexia, And alexia,

The Master of Education is a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, school psychology, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in their field. Similar degrees include the Master of Arts in Education and the Master of Science in Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brain Gym International</span> Brain training and body movement programme

Brain Gym is a proprietary brain training and body movement programme. It is widely considered to be pseudoscience.

In clinical diagnostic and functional development, special needs refers to individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical, mental, or psychological. Guidelines for clinical diagnosis are given in both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the International Classification of Diseases 9th edition. Special needs can range from people with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, blindness, deafness, ADHD, and cystic fibrosis. They can also include cleft lips and missing limbs. The types of special needs vary in severity, and a student with a special need is classified as being a severe case when the student's IQ is between 20 and 35. These students typically need assistance in school, and have different services provided for them to succeed in a different setting.

Samuel Torrey Orton was an American physician who pioneered the study of learning disabilities. He examined the causes and treatment of dyslexia.

Arts integration differs from traditional education by its inclusion of both the arts discipline and a traditional subject as part of learning The goal of arts integration is to increase knowledge of a general subject area while concurrently fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the fine and performing arts. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts defines arts integration as "an approach to teaching in which students construct and demonstrate understanding through an art form. Students engage in a creative process which connects an art form and another subject and meets evolving objectives in both."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading</span> Taking in the meaning of letters or symbols

Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch.

The Arrowsmith School is a private school in Toronto, Ontario, for children in Grades 1 to 12 with learning disabilities. The original Arrowsmith School was founded in Toronto in 1980 by Barbara Arrowsmith Young. A second location was opened in May 2005 in Peterborough, Ontario. The Eaton Arrowsmith School, which is modelled on the Toronto school and founded by Howard Eaton, was opened in 2005 in Vancouver, British Columbia with two further branches established in Canada and one in the United States between 2009 and 2014.

Dyslexia is a reading disorder wherein an individual experiences trouble with reading. Individuals with dyslexia have normal levels of intelligence but can exhibit difficulties with spelling, reading fluency, pronunciation, "sounding out" words, writing out words, and reading comprehension. The neurological nature and underlying causes of dyslexia are an active area of research. However, some experts believe that the distinction of dyslexia as a separate reading disorder and therefore recognized disability is a topic of some controversy.

Kenneth R. Pugh is president, director of research, and a senior scientist at Haskins Laboratories in New Haven, Connecticut and professor in the Department of Psychology at University of Connecticut. He is also an associate professor in the Department of Linguistics at Yale University, an associate professor in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at the Yale School of Medicine, and director of the Yale Reading Center. Pugh is a cognitive neuroscientist and experimental psychologist who is best known for his work on the neural, behavioral and cognitive underpinnings of reading and other cognitive activities.

Educational neuroscience is an emerging scientific field that brings together researchers in cognitive neuroscience, developmental cognitive neuroscience, educational psychology, educational technology, education theory and other related disciplines to explore the interactions between biological processes and education. Researchers in educational neuroscience investigate the neural mechanisms of reading, numerical cognition, attention and their attendant difficulties including dyslexia, dyscalculia and ADHD as they relate to education. Researchers in this area may link basic findings in cognitive neuroscience with educational technology to help in curriculum implementation for mathematics education and reading education. The aim of educational neuroscience is to generate basic and applied research that will provide a new transdisciplinary account of learning and teaching, which is capable of informing education. A major goal of educational neuroscience is to bridge the gap between the two fields through a direct dialogue between researchers and educators, avoiding the "middlemen of the brain-based learning industry". These middlemen have a vested commercial interest in the selling of "neuromyths" and their supposed remedies.

The Kildonan School was a private coeducational boarding and day school in Amenia, New York for students with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities. It offered daily one-to-one Orton-Gillingham language remediation and a college preparatory curriculum for students in grades 2-12 and PG (post-graduate).

Usha Claire Goswami is a researcher and professor of Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and the director of the Centre for Neuroscience in Education, Downing Site. She obtained her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Oxford before becoming a professor of cognitive developmental psychology at the University College London. Goswami's work is primarily in educational neuroscience with major focuses on reading development and developmental dyslexia.

Multisensory learning is the assumption that individuals learn better if they are taught using more than one sense (modality). The senses usually employed in multisensory learning are visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile – VAKT. Other senses might include smell, taste and balance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Galaburda</span>

Albert Mark Galaburda is a cognitive and behavioral neurologist with a special focus on the biologic bases of developmental cognitive disorders. He is the Emily Fisher Landau Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School, the Director of the Office for Diversity, Inclusion, and Career Advancement at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, and co-director of the Harvard University Interfaculty Initiative on Mind Brain and Behavior, together with psychologist Alfonso Caramazza. He is best known for his development of the Geschwind–Galaburda hypothesis, which helps explain differences in cognitive abilities on the basis of sex hormones and immunological characteristics and their relationship to lateralization of brain function, as well as for his pioneering studies on the biological foundations of developmental dyslexia. Other work includes the anatomical organization of the auditory cortex in the brains of monkeys and humans and the neuroanatomical and neurodevelopmental bases of brain laterality and asymmetry. He attended the Six-Year Liberal Arts-Medicine Program at Boston University School of Medicine, graduating with an AB-MD degree in 1971, and completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a residency in Neurology at Boston City Hospital, now Boston Medical Center. He was trained in Medicine under Norman Levinsky and in Neurology under Norman Geschwind. He has published numerous scientific articles and books in the field of cognitive neurology, with a focus on learning disabilities and attention disorders, especially in adults.

Reid Lyon is a neuroscientist (neuropsychology), specialist in learning disorders, and researcher on the science of reading.

References

  1. 1 2 "Faculty Profile: Alida Anderson". American University. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  2. ↑ Strauss, Valerie (2013-12-13). "Guns, schools and the most important unplanned lesson for teachers". Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-12-26.
  3. ↑ "Sidwell Friends Fall 2018 Magazine". Issuu. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  4. ↑ "Class Notes". University of Maryland - TERP. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  5. 1 2 "Alida Anderson | PhD | American University Washington D.C., DC | AU | Department of Education, Teaching, and Health". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  6. ↑ "Education Research, Teacher Resources, and Professional Development Guidance". Informed Instructors. 2018-03-20. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  7. ↑ "New Paper Published by Liora Valero and Alida Anderson, PhD". www.labschool.org. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  8. ↑ "A 40-YEAR PARTNERSHIP for EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING". The Lab School of Washington. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  9. 1 2 "JASE Journal - CEC Division of Visual and Performing Arts Education". community.cec.sped.org. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  10. 1 2 "International Report: Neuromyths and Evidence-Based Practices in Higher Education". Online Learning Consortium. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  11. ↑ Howard Jones, Paul (2019-10-01). "Debunking Neuromyths: Eight Common Brain Myths Put Straight - What It Means to Do - 2019". British Neuroscience Association. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  12. ↑ Taylor, Timothy (2019-02-10). "Neuromyths about the Brain and Learning". BBN Times.
  13. ↑ Teschler, Lee (2019-11-06). "Learning about learning: Just about everything you thought you knew about education is wrong". Design World. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  14. ↑ MacDonald, Kelly; Germine, Laura; Anderson, Alida; Christodoulou, Joanna; McGrath, Lauren M. (2017). "Dispelling the Myth: Training in Education or Neuroscience Decreases but Does Not Eliminate Beliefs in Neuromyths". Frontiers in Psychology. 8: 1314. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01314 . PMC   5554523 . PMID   28848461 – via Harvard Library Digital Access.
  15. 1 2 "Belief in neuromyths is extremely common: A survey has shown that many educators, and even those with neuroscience training, believe in neuromyths -- common misconceptions about the brain and learning". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  16. ↑ Cochrane, Melissa (2017-08-10). "Belief in Neuromyths is Extremely Common". Neuroscience News. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  17. ↑ "Texas Center for Learning Disabilities: September 2017". Texas Center for Learning Disabilities. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  18. ↑ Scalise, Kathleen (2018-02-08). "Believe one neuromyth, believe them all | Brain CORE Blog". University of Oregon Brain Core Blog. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  19. ↑ "Dispelling the Myth: Training in Education or Neuroscience Decreases but Does Not Eliminate Beliefs in Neuromyths". University of Michigan. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  20. ↑ "Dance/Movement Therapy's Influence on Adolescents Mathematics, Social-Emotional and Dance Skills | ArtsEdSearch". Arts Ed Search. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  21. 1 2 "Report: Arts a vehicle for teaching SEL skills". Education Dive. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  22. ↑ Anderson, Alida; Sarlo, Gabrielle L.; Pearlstein, Hannah; McGrath, Lauren M. (2020). "A Review of Online Dyslexia Learning Modules". Frontiers in Education. 5. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2020.00118 . ISSN   2504-284X.
  23. ↑ Anderson, Alida (2014). Arts Integration and Special Education. Routledge. ISBN   978-0415744188.
  24. ↑ "Class Notes". TERP - University of Maryland. 2015-02-10. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  25. ↑ "Books, Music, and Film - Spring 2015". Colgate Scene - Colgate University. 2015-04-27. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
  26. ↑ Griffith, Mercy. "An Interview with Dr. Alida Anderson: How the Arts Empower Those with Disabilities". AMLIT. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  27. 1 2 "The Arts and Literacies". Arts Education Partnership. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  28. ↑ "How and Why the Arts Support Language Learning and Cognition | Psychology Today". www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  29. ↑ Sonnenshein, Sarina (2023-10-23). "The Role of Art in Child Development". The Mustang. Retrieved 2023-11-08.

Alida Anderson publications indexed by Google Scholar

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