Faculty Profiles

Dr. Rebecca West Burns

associate Professor, Elementary Education

Burns Headshot

Email: rebeccaburns@usf.edu
Phone: (813) 974-7078

Dr. Rebecca West Burns is an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning in the University of South Florida College of Education. Her research is aligned with national calls to transform teacher education by increasing clinical practice and school-university collaboration and is situated within clinically based teacher education where she targets three, sometimes interconnected, strands of research:

  1. Supervision
  2. School-University Partnerships
  3. Teacher Leadership

As a community engaged scholar, Dr. Burns seeks to understand more deeply such concepts as high-quality supervision to improve teacher learning, school-university partnerships to improve student achievement, developing teachers as teacher leaders and teacher educators, and other current issues in clinically based teacher education.

Her work has been published in peer-refereed journals such as “Action in Teacher Education,” “Phi Delta Kappa,” the “Peabody Journal of Education,” “School-University Partnerships,” “Teacher Education and Practice,” and “The New Educator.’ Most recently, she co-authored the second edition of Carl Glickman’s best-selling ASCD book, “Leadership for Learning: How to Bring Out the Best in Every Teacher” (2nd edition). She also recently published the book “Clinically Based Teacher Education in Action: Cases from Professional Development Schools” from Information Age Publishing with co-author, Eva Garin (Bowie State University) (2020). Dr. Burns has two more books under contract.
 
Identifying collaborators recognizes the contribution of practitioners to scholarly endeavors. Collaboration is a central feature and ethic of Dr. Burns's community engaged scholarship, and this commitment is noted by:
 
* = Denotes Graduate or Undergraduate Student
+ = Denotes School-Based or Community Partner (School Board Member, District Administrator, Principal, or Teacher)

Selected Publications

Burns, R. W., Haraf, S.,* Perrone-Britt, F.,+ Porter, M.,+ Bellas, A.,+ & Johnson, W.+ (2020). Making a difference: The influence of teacher leadership in an urban PDS on elementary students. School-University Partnerships, 12(4), 67-85.

Burns, R. W. & Badiali, B. (2020). The transformative nature of boundary-spanning roles: The case of a hybrid teacher educator in a professional development school context. The New Educator, 16(3), 187-206. DOI: 10.1080/1547688X.2019.1684605

Burns, R. W., Jacobs, J., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2019). A framework for naming the scope and nature of preservice teacher supervision in clinically-based teacher preparation: Tasks, high-leverage practices, and pedagogical routines of practice. The Teacher Educator, 55(2), 214-238.

Burns, R. W. & Badiali, B. (2018). Clinical pedagogy and pathways of clinical pedagogical practice: A conceptual framework. Action in Teacher Education, 40(4), 428-446

Yendol-Hoppey, D., Jacobs, J., & Burns, R. W. (2018, November). Improving teacher practice through supervision: What teachers need to know and how they come to know it. In S. Zepeda & J. Ponticell (Eds.), Handbook of Educational Supervision. Wiley.

Burns, R. W. (2018). Looking across the chapters: Reflections and enduring questions. In D. Hoppey & D.Y. Hoppey (Eds.), Outcomes of High-Quality Clinical Practice in Teacher Education, (pp. 249-262). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Burns, R. W. (2018). Teacher leader preparation and development in PDS: Themes and recommendations (Invited Chapter). In J. Hunzicker (Ed.), Teacher Leadership in Professional Development Schools. United Kingdom: Emerald Publishing.

Dennis, D., Burns, R. W., Tricarico, K., vanIngen, S., Jacobs, J., & Davis, J. & (2017). Problematizing clinical education: What is our future? In R. Flessner & D. R. Lecklider (Eds.), The power of clinical preparation in teacher education (pp. 1-20). Rowman & Littlefield Education in association with the Association of Teacher Education.

Flory, S. B., & Burns, R. W. (2017). Learning for all: Enhancing practice through clinically rich methods courses in physical education. The Teacher Educator, 52(4), 365-385.

Jacobs, J., Hogarty, K., & Burns, R. W. (2017, April). Elementary preservice teacher field supervision: A survey of teacher education programs. Action in Teacher Education, 39(2), 172-186. DOI:/10.1080/01626620.2016.1248300.

Burns, R. W., Jacobs, J., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2016). The changing nature of the role of the university supervisor and the function of preservice teacher supervision in an era of increased school-university collaboration. Action in Teacher Education, 38(4), 410-425.

Burns, R. W., & Badiali, B. (2016). Unearthing the complexities of clinical pedagogy in supervision: Identifying pedagogical skills of supervisors. Action in Teacher Education, 38(2), 156-174.

Burns, R. W., & Baker, W. *+ (2016). The boundary-spanner in professional development schools: In search of common nomenclature. School-University Partnerships, 9(2), 28-39.

Burns, R. W., Jacobs, J., Baker, W.,*+ & Donahue, D.*+ (2016). Making muffins: Identifying core ingredients of school-university partnerships. School-University Partnerships, 9(3), 81-95.

Burns, R. W., Jacobs, J., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2016). Preservice teacher supervision within field experiences in a decade of reform: A comprehensive meta-analysis of the empirical literature from 2001-2013. Teacher Education and Practice, 29(1), 46-75.

Burns, R. W. & Badiali, B. (2016). Framing conceptual, procedural, and emotional support for supervisors. Teacher Education and Practice, 29(2), 397-421.

Burns, R. W., & Badiali, B. (2015). When supervision is conflated with evaluation: Teacher candidates’ perceptions of their novice supervisor. Action in Teacher Education, 37(4), 418-437.

Burns, R. W., Yendol-Hoppey, D., & Jacobs, J. (2015). High quality teaching requires collaboration: How partnerships can create a true continuum of professional learning for educators. The Educational Forum: A Publication of Kappa Delta Pi, 79(1), 53-67.
Burns, R. W. & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2015). Supervision in the context of professional development schools and partnerships. In S. Zepeda & J. Glanz (Eds), Re-examining supervision: Theory and practice, (pp. 97-128). New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield.

Jacobs, J., Burns, R. W., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2015). The inequitable influence that varying accountability contexts in the United States have on teacher professional development. Professional Development in Education. 1-24.

Dennis, D. V., Jacobs, J., Burns, R. W., Davis, J. vanIngen, S., Tricarico, K., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2015). Hillsborough County Public Schools and the University of South Florida: Better Together. School-University Partnerships, 8(1), 7-12.

Burns, R. W. & Badiali, B. (2013). Preparing teacher educators in the professional development school context. In J. Perry & D. L. Carlson (Eds.), In their own words: A journey to the stewardship of the practice in education, (pp. 41-58). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Burns, R.W., Yendol-Hoppey, D., Badiali, B., & Nolan, J. (2013). Let’s learn together. The Kappan, 94(7), p. 26.

Burns, R. W. (2010). Desperate times call for drastic measures: How far would you go to teach a lesson in respect?. The Catalyst for Change: Journal of the National School Development Council (36)1.

Nolan, J., Badiali, B., Zembal-Saul, C., Burns, R. W., Edmondson, J., Bauer, D., Queeney, D., & Wheland, M. (2009, Fall). The Penn State-State College Elementary Professional Development School Collaborative: A Profile. School-University Partnerships: The Journal of the National Association for Professional Development Schools (3)2, pp. 19-30.

Teacher Leadership at USF

Dr. Burns coordinates the Teacher Leadership Graduate Certificate at USF and has created the Teacher Leader Academy concept, a unique program that develops teachers as teacher leaders to impact schools and K-12 students. This award-winning concept works with schools to transform graduate coursework teacher professional development to provide teachers with access and opportunity to advanced credentials.
 
One of the Teacher Leader Academies that she has lead since 2013 at Mort Elementary Community Partnership School was recognized with the following awards:

  • 2019 Elementary Professional Development School Achievement Award from the National Association for Professional Development Schools
  • 2018 Shirley S. Schwartz Urban Education Impact Award from the Council of Great City Colleges of Education
  • 2018 Campus-Community Partnership Award from the Florida Compact
  • 2017 Claudia A. Balach Teacher Research Award from the American Education Research Association Professional Development School Research Special Interest Group

In addition to Teacher Leadership at USF, Dr. Burns participates as faculty in the Elementary Education, Teacher Education, and Educational Program Innovation programs.

 Selected Publications on Teacher Leadership

Burns, R. W., Jacobs, J., Allsopp, D., Haraf, S.*, Baker, W.*+, Johnson, W. W., + Bellas, A.+, Perrone-Britt, F.+, Izzo, M.+, Hailey-Brown, L.+, Krein, D., & Wichinsky, L. (2019, September). Mort Elementary Community Partnership School: 2019 Exemplary Professional Development School Award Winner. School-University Partnerships, 12(2), 3-11.

Rinck, J+., Burns, R. W., Jacobs, J., & Allsopp, D. (2020). Breaking down barriers: Building a network of professional development schools across elementary, middle, and high school levels. In E. Garin & R. W. Burns (Eds.), Clinically Based Teacher Education in Action: Cases from Professional Development Schools (pp. 26-33). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Burns, R. W., Allsopp, D., Johnson, W. W., III+, Stuart, C.+, Saia, H.+, Brown, L.+, & Carswell, K. (2020). Mort Elementary Community Partnership School: Making a Twenty-Five Year Commitment. In E. Garin & R. W. Burns (Eds.), Clinically Based Teacher Education in Action: Cases from Professional Development Schools (pp. 159-165). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Burns, R. W., Johnson, W. W. III,+ & Hardin-Roberts, S.* (2017). The Mort Teacher Leader Academy: Developing teacher leaders for urban schools together. In D. Yendol-Hoppey, D. A. Shanley, D. C. Delane, & D. Hoppey (Eds.), Working together: Enhancing urban educator quality through school-university partnerships (pp. 129–148). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Awards and Recognition

Some of Dr. Burns’ other awards include:

  • Distinguished Alumni Award, Wilson School District (2020)
  • Kosove Graduate Teaching and Service Award, USF Kosove Society (2019)
  • USF Outstanding Community Engaged Teaching Award (2016)
  • Penn State University Alumni Association Early Career Achievement Award (2013)
  • American Education Research Association Professional Development School Special Interest Group Dissertation Scholar (2012)
  • Phi Delta Kappa Andrew K. Kozak Fellowship Award for Research, Leadership, and Service (2011)
  • Arthur Blumberg Scholar Award from the Council of Professors of Instructional Supervision (2010)
  • Outstanding New Graduate from the Pennsylvania State University College of Education Alumni Society (2005)

National Leadership

Dr. Burns is a nationally recognized scholar serving in leadership roles, including:

  • National Association for Professional Development Schools
    • Presidency (President-Elect, President, Past President, 2020-2023)
    • Policy, Advocacy, and External Relations Committee Chair (2017-2020)
    • Board of Directors (2014-2017)
  • American Education Research Association
    • Professional Development School Research Special Interest Group (Chair-Elect, Chair, Past Chair, 2013-2016)
  • Council of Professors of Instructional Supervision
    • President (2017)
    • Secretary (2016)
    • Co-Chair for the Council of Professors of Instructional Supervision Membership Committee 

She also has co-convened a Joint Task Force between the Association of Teacher Educators and the National Association for Professional Development Schools since 2015. She was one of the inaugural Clinical Fellows for the Association of Teacher Educators, and she has served on the Association of Teacher Educators’ Commission on Teacher Educator Education, Task Force on Field Experience Standards, and Commission on Practitioner Inquiry.