Hope Smith Davis is the Dean of the School of Education and Associate Professor of Secondary Education/Reading & Literacy. She earned her doctorate in P-16 Literacy from the University of Cincinnati in 2009, where she also coordinated online certification and licensure programs in postsecondary literacy instruction and special education, and served as Visiting Assistant Professor in Special Education/Literacy
Prior to her appointment as dean, Dr. Davis served as the interim dean from 2017-2019, and was the chairperson for the departments of Teacher Education, Elementary Education, and Secondary & Foundations of Education from 2014-2017. She has also served as the program coordinator for Special Education. Her administrative work has focused on programmatic assessment for evaluation and accreditation, and collaborative community outreach.
Dr. Davis' teaching and research interests include assessment practices, literacy instruction, and the role metaphoric language plays in participant conceptualizations of the complex ideas surrounding K-16 instruction.
Formerly a high school English/Language Arts teacher, Dr. Davis also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and English/Journalism from Miami University (Oxford, OH), and a Master’s degree in Secondary Education from Xavier University (Cincinnati, OH).
Educational Background
- B.A. Political Science; English/Journalism, Miami University (Oxford, OH)
- M.Ed. Secondary Education, Xavier University (Cincinnati, OH)
- Ed.D. P-16 Literacy, University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH)
Classes Taught
- EDUC E-535: Elementary Curriculum
- EDUC E-545: Advanced Teaching of Reading in the Elementary School
- EDUC E-591: Research Project in Elementary Education
- EDUC H-520: Education and Social Issues
- EDUC M-420: The Student Teaching Seminar: Understanding Schools
- EDUC M-464: Methods of Teaching Senior High/Junior High Reading
- EDUC P-407: Psychological Measurement in the Schools
- EDUC P-507: Assessment in the Schools
- EDUC K-362: Team Approaches to Educating Students with Disabilities
- EDUC S-503: Junior High/Middle School Curriculum
- EDUC S-514: Advanced Study in the Teaching of Reading in the Junior High and Secondary School
- EDUC S-530: Secondary Curriculum
- EDUC S-591: Research Project in Secondary Education
- EDUC X-504: Diagnosis of Reading Difficulties in the Classroom (Spring, 2012)
Research Interest
Research focuses on participant conceptualizations of literacy, learning, and educational contexts. Research methods include ethnographic and other forms of qualitative data collection, metaphor and discourse analysis, and mixed-methods analysis of survey data. Current and previous research projects include:
- An Investigation of the Use of Literacy Strategies to Teach Mathematics in an Undergraduate Mathematics Course Designed for Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers (with Dr. Anne Brown)
- Perceptions and Use of Instructional Practices to Teach Qualitative Literacy in a General Education Undergraduate Mathematics Course (with Dr. Anne Brown.)
- An Examination of the Conceptual Metaphors and Metaphoric Linguistic Expressions used by Teachers and Principals to frame the Role of Principal in K-12 Settings (with Dr. Michelle Bakerson and Dr. Bruce Watson)
- Reading and Learning in a High School Scripted Reading Intervention Class (Dissertation study)
- Teaching and Learning in a Developmental Reading and Basic Writing Class: A Metaphor Analysis Study (conducted in conjunction with a research team at the University of Cincinnati)
- An Analysis of the ‘Not Passing’ (NP) Grade from Student and Teacher Perspectives (University of Cincinnati, Center for Access and Transition)
- Metaphor, Identity and Scripted Reading (Pilot Study for Dissertation Research)
Campus/Community Service
Past and Current
- South Bend Education Foundation Board member
- South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce Education Advisory Roundtable member
- WNIT Education Counts Advisory Board member
- The St. Joseph County Juvenile Justice Center Educational Advisory Board Member
- Indiana University Education Council IUSB Representative
- IU South Bend Faculty Senate Assessment Committee Member
- IU South Bend Faculty Senate Faculty Welfare Committee
- IU South Bend School of Education Student and Faculty Awards Committee Member
Professional Service
- College Reading and Learning Association Journal Manuscript Reviewer
- International Reading Association College Literacy and Learning SIG Journal of College Literacy and Learning Reviewer; Awards Committee Chair
- National Reading Conference/Literacy Research Association: Field Council Representative for the State of Indiana; Journal of Literacy Research
Recent Publications
Publications (Peer-Reviewed)
Watson, A.B., Davis, H.S., & Bakerson, M. (2014). Why don’t they do what I say? The different ways principals and teachers conceptualize time. Paper published in the conference proceedings for the Hawaii University International Conferences on Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences: Honolulu, HI. (See presentation reference below)
Davis, H.S., & Brown, A.E. (2013). The quantitative literacy connection: Is literacy instruction the key to teaching mathematical habits of mind? In P. Dunston, S.K. Fullerton, C.C. Bates, P.M. Stecker, M.W. Cole, A.H. Hall, D. Herro, & K.N. Headley (eds.) 62nd Annual Literacy Research Association Yearbook (pps. 172-185). Altamonte Springs, FL: Literacy Research Association.
Davis, H.S. (2013). Discussion as a bridge: Strategies that engage adolescent and adult learning styles in the postsecondary classroom. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 13(1), 68-76.
Armstrong, S. L., Davis, H. S., & Paulson, E. J. (2011). The subjectivity problem: Improving triangulation approaches in metaphor analysis studies. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 10(2), 151-163.
Davis, H. S. (2009). Reading the script: How students and teachers understand reading in the context of a scripted intervention class. American Reading Forum Annual Yearbook [Online], Vol. 29.
Journal Publications (Invited)
Davis, H. (2005). Teachers as activists: Opening the classroom doors to correct the lessons of the past. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy 2(1), 36-41.
Book Chapters (Edited)
Davis, H.S., Watson, A.B., & Bakerson, M. (2015). Crowdchecking conceptual metaphors: How principals and teachers frame the principal’s role in academics through metaphor. In G. Low & W. Wan (eds.) Elicited metaphor analysis in educational research (pp 139-166). Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing Co. Refereed
Sage, S., Davis, H. S., Young, L. J. (2013). Equity and justice in the classroom. In R. L. Smith & D. Skarbek (Eds.), Professional teacher dispositions: additions to the mainstream (pp. 103-124). Washington, D.C.: Rowman & Littlefield.
Smith, R.L, Smith, K., Shepherd, T., Skarbek, D., Williams, E., McHatton, P. A., McCray, E., Parrish, P., Hahn, K., Roberts, C., Woodard, R., Watson, B., Horvath, M., Sage, S., Davis, H.S., & Young, L. (2013). Teaching vignettes for discussion and reflection. In R. L. Smith & D. Skarbek (Eds.), Professional teacher dispositions: Additions to the mainstream (pp. 141-156). Washington, D.C.: Rowman & Littlefield.
Davis, H. S., & Williamson, P. (2010). Building word recognition. In P. Williamson & C. Carnahan (Eds.), Quality literacy instruction for students with autism spectrum disorders (pp. 253-285). Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing.
Recent Presentations
Davis, H.S. (April 2015). Summer Literacy Enrichment Experience for Struggling Middle School Students. Paper presentation to be included in the symposium, Toward justice: An illustrative example of a university/school partnership designed to advance an agenda for transforming Black education (M. Lynn, facilitator). To be presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
Davis, H.S. & Douglas, K. (December 2014). Sight-Reading Miscues: A Disciplinary Literacy Approach for Music Instruction. Round table paper presentation submitted to the American Reading Forum Annual Conference, Sanibel Island, FL.
Watson, A. B., Davis, H.S., & Bakerson, M. (January 2014). Wait! That’s not what I said! Paper presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Education: Honolulu, HI.
Watson, A.B., Davis, H.S., & Bakerson, M. (January 2014). Why don’t they do what I say: Leaders communicating effectively with staff. Presentation at the Hawaii University International Conferences on Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences: Honolulu, HI. (See Published Conference Proceedings above.)
Davis, H.S. (2013, August). Designing a Problem-Based Learning Task From Start To Finish. Half-day session with faculty and staff at the Delaware Area Career Center, Delaware, OH.
Davis, H.S. (2013, February). Classroom Talk that Teaches – Ways to Model and Elicit Academic Language and Discussion. Presentation given at the Department of Mathematical Sciences Annual Instructional Retreat, Indiana University South Bend: South Bend, IN.
Davis, H.S. (2013, January). Introduction to Inquiry-based Learning. Half-day professional development workshop presented to faculty and staff at the Delaware Area Career Center, Delaware, OH.
Davis, H.S. (2012, December). Rubrics and performance rating scales. Assessment Boot Camp Seminar presented for the University Center for Excellence in Teaching, Indiana University South Bend: South Bend, IN.
Davis, H.S. (2012, December). The quantitative literacy connection: Is literacy instruction the key to teaching mathematical habits of mind? Paper presented at Literacy Research Association/National Reading Conference (LRA/NRC) Annual Meeting: San Diego, CA.
Davis, H.S., & Brown, A.E. (2012, May). Teaching Quantitative Literacy in a General Education College-level Math Course. Presented at the College Literacy and Learning Special Interest Group meeting, International Reading Association (IRA): Chicago, IL.
Davis, H.S., & Brown, A.E. (2012, November). The Quantitative Literacy Instruction: Opportunities and Insights from a General Education Math Course. Presented at the College Literacy Research Association (CRLA) Annual Meeting: Houston, TX.
Watson, A. B., Davis, H.S., & Bakerson, M. (April 2013). The principal wants it when? An analysis of principals’ and teachers’ conceptions of language used to connote time-sensitive actions. Midwest Conference on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: South Bend, IN.
Watson, A. B., Davis, H.S., & Bakerson, M. (Accepted, January 2014). Wait! That’s not what I said! Paper to be presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Education: Honolulu, HI.
Watson, A.B., Davis, H.S., & Bakerson, M. (Accepted, January 2014). Why don’t they do what I say? Leaders communicating effectively with staff. Paper to be presented at the Hawaii University International Conferences on Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences: Honolulu, HI.