Barbara O'Donnell

Dr. Barbara O'Donnell is a Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's School of Education, Health and Human Behavior. She joined SIUE in 2002 after previous faculty appointments at Eastern Illinois University and the University of Northern Iowa. With 15 years of pre-college teaching experience, she now directs the Master of Science in Education Program and serves as Assistant Director for the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources initiative.

Education:

• Ed.D. in Education (1999, University of North Dakota)
• M.S.Ed. (1997, Western Illinois University)
• B.S.Ed. (1971, Illinois State University)

Research Expertise: Her scholarship spans innovative education frameworks including STEM pedagogy, social sciences curriculum design, assessment methodologies, critical thinking development, and primary source integration. She actively leads workshops on maker education, design thinking, and visual learning strategies for K-12 educators.

Awards & Grants:

• Teaching with Primary Sources Grant ($75,000, Library of Congress)
• Excellence in Undergraduate Education Grant ($7,765, SIUE)
• Travel Study Award for El Salvador partnership development

Service Leadership: Dr. O'Donnell chairs SIUE's Graduate Council on Assessment, served two terms on the Illinois State Licensure Board, and held presidential roles in the Illinois Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Her international work includes establishing teacher exchanges with Universidad Gerardo Barrios in El Salvador.