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About Comfort M Ateh

Comfort Ateh started off as an Agronomist graduating from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1997 with a PhD in Agronomy and later pursued education at the University of California Davis, graduating with a PhD in Science Education in 2011. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Secondary Education Program teaching Educational Measurement, Science Methods, Urban Education, and Classroom Management courses as well as supervising teachers in their clinical experiences. Comfort employs a systems approach in her research that focuses on critical issues like formative assessment, classroom management, and pre-service teachers’ foundational knowledge towards expert teaching.

Her first book, 'Science Teacher's Voices: Elicitation Practices and Insight on Formative Assessment' focuses on high school science teachers' elicitation practices and highlights the essence of and challenges in eliciting students' knowledge during instruction. The book presents cases examined through a video stimulating recall technique that gives voice to teachers to share their perspectives on their elicitation practices. Pre- and in-service teachers will benefit from the book in reflecting on their formative assessment practices in reference to the cases described. Professional development providers and teacher educators will also find the book as a resource in guiding teachers to enhance their formative assessment practices. Co-author of the book, ‘Agronomy, Grow with it’ published by the Society of Agronomy. Madison, WI. DOI: 10.2136/2016, which is a great resource for teaching and learning science at the middle grade level. Comfort enjoys collaborating with students and colleagues in exploring challenges in teaching and learning.

Positions

July 2022 - Present Associate Provost, Providence College ‐ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
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2016 - Present Associate Professor, Secondary Education Program: School of Professional Studies, Providence College ‐ Secondary Education
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2010 - 2016 Assistant Professor, Secondary Education Program: School of Professional Studies, Providence College ‐ Secondary Education
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Curriculum Vitae

Disciplines

Research Interests

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Professional Service and Affiliations

Present Member, Agronomy Society of America (ASA)
Present Member, American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Present Member, Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE)
Present Member, Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE)
Present Member, Association of Teacher Educators (ATE)
Present Member, National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE)
Present Member, National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
Present Member, Northeast Association for Science Teacher Education (NE_ASTE)
Present Member, Rhode Island Science Teacher Association (RISTA)
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Honors and Awards

  • Research Grant Award by Committee on Aid to Faculty Research ($2,750), 2013/2014
  • Research Grant Award by Committee on Aid to Faculty Research ($7,000), 2012/2013
  • Rhode Island Campus Compact Presidential Faculty Fellow, 2011-2012
  • Mary Cary Reflective Learner Award, School of Education, University of California, Davis, 2009-2010
  • Certificate of Recognition-Teacher of the Year Nomination 2008, Sacramento City Unified School District, 2008
  • Donorschoose.Org School Funding, 2008
  • Teacher Education Fellow, School of Education, University of California, Davis, 2007
  • The Riccobono Academic Resilience (RAR) Faculty Fellowship, 2020/21 academic year, May 1, 2020
  • The 2020 Marion and Jasper Whiting Foundation Fellowship ($6,559), April 2020
  • The School of Professional Studies 2019 Innovative Scholars Award Funds
  • The School of Professional Studies 2019 Summer Scholars Award Funds
  • Certificate of Outstanding Leadership towards the BATAAS Alumni Association. July 2019
  • Research Grant Award by Committee on Aid to Faculty Research ($5,300) 2018
  • Certificate of Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing - Awarded February, 2017 in recognition of the contributions made to the quality of the journal by The Editors of Teaching and Teacher Education, Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • Certificate of Reviewing Awarded October, 2016 in recognition of the review made for the journal by The Editors of Teaching and Teacher Education, Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • Interdisciplinary Faculty Seminar Fellow, Spring 2016
  • The School of Professional Studies 2015 Summer Scholars Award Funds
  • Certificate of Recognition – Contribution of Africans to the State of RI. Presented by the Chairman of the African Working Group for Mayor of Providence, RI
  • School of Professional Studies Innovative Grant towards research ‘Towards diversity, equity, and inclusion: Intentionality in teaching through a global lens. November, 2021.
  • Nominated in honor for the Black History Month Community Spotlight. Black History Month Community Spotlight, Representatives of the PC Student Body

Courses

  • Educational Measurement including Field Experience (EDU 401 & EDU 401L) 3 & 1 credits
  • Engaging Providence College-Friar Foundation: First Year and Beyond (EDU 471) 1.5 credits
  • Engaging Providence College: First Year and Beyond (EDU 471) 1 credit
  • Maymester Course, INT 379, Sustainability & Social Value (Ghana, Spring 2017; 2018 & 2019) 3 credits
  • Graduate School Urban Education Capstone Course (EDU 664) 3 credits
  • Food Politics Co-teaching with Biology Professor Dr. Maia Bailey (BIO 128) 3 credits
  • Independent Study: Engaging High School Students in English Language (EDU 471 Fall 2019) 3 Credits
  • Independent Study: Technology Tools in High School Mathematics Classrooms (EDU 471 Spring 2019) 3 Credits
  • Independent Study: Technology Use in a High School Mathematics Classroom (EDU 471 Spring 2019) 3 Credits
  • Independent Study: Assessment Through Blended Learning (EDU 471 Fall 2018) 3 Credits
  • Independent Study: Motivating Students in a Mathematics Classroom (EDU 471 Fall 2018) 3 credits
  • Independent Study: Enhancing Science Teaching, Elementary Levels (EDU741) 3 credits
  • Classroom management (EDU 449) 1 credit
  • Teaching Science in Secondary School including field experience (EDU 412 & 412L) 3 & 1 credits
  • Urban Education (EDU 471) revised to diversity proficiency core (EDU 211) 3 credits
  • Education Measurement (EDU 401 & 401L), Providence College, Fall 2010-
  • Urban Education (EDU 471), Providence College, Fall 2010-
  • Student Teaching Supervision (EDU 450) 9 credits, Providence College, Spring 2011-
  • Teaching Kids with special needs field experience (EDU 303L) 1 credit , Providence College, Spring 2012

Education

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March 2011 PhD, University of California, Davis ‐ Science Education
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December 2003 Certification, California State University, Sacramento ‐ Community College Faculty Preparation
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June 2000 Professional Teaching License in Biology, University of California, Davis ‐ Agriculture and Cross Cultural, Language, and Development
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May 1997 PhD, University of Wisconsin Madison ‐ Agronomy
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July 1988 University of Dschang, Cameroon ‐ Ingenieur Agronome: Crop Production
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July 1985 BS, University of Yaoundé, Cameroon ‐ Life Science
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Contact Information

Secondary Education Program
Providence College
Providence, RI 02918
cateh@providence.edu
401-865-2497 (office)
401-865-1021 (fax)

Email:

Education (9)

Agronomy (5)

Education Conference Presentations (19)