School Education

DAVID A. GAMSON

***D Rackley Building

Department of Education Policy Studies

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802

814-***-**** (phone)

******@***.***

EDUCATION

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, Stanford, CA

Ph.D. in Education, 2001

M.A. in American History, 1998

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

M.A., with Merit, in English Literature, 1991

BOWDOIN COLLEGE, Brunswick, ME

A.B. in History, Minor in English Literature, 1985

Magna Cum Laude; Honors in History

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, University Park, PA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION POLICY STUDIES

EDUCATIONAL THEORY & POLICY PROGRAM (EDTHP)

Professor-in-Charge, EDTHP (2007-08, 2009-11)

Professor-in-Charge, Education & Public Policy Program (Spring 2012)

Associate Professor of Education, 2007-present

Assistant Professor of Education, 2001-2007

Instructor of Education, 1998-2001

Selected courses developed and taught:

EDTHP 115 Education in American Society (2002-03, 2007)

EDTHP 200 Education and Public Policy (2010, 2011)

EDTHP 394 Professional Development in Education and Public Policy (2012)

EDTHP 430 History of Education in the United States (1999-2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011)

EDTHP 500 Educational Theory and Policy Proseminar (1998, 2004, 2011)

EDTHP 518 Analysis of Educational Policy in the U.S. (2001)

EDTHP 533 Social History and Educational Policy (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012)

EDTHP 536 History of Educational Thought (2002, 2005, 2008, 2011)

EDTHP 597A/B City Schools and Urban Districts (2006, 2012)

EDTHP 597A Teachers, Curriculum, and Classrooms (1999)

EDTHP 597 Historical Perspectives on Instructional Leadership (1999)

HIED 554 History of American Higher Education (2000)

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, Stanford, CA

Teaching Assistant, 1994-97

THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MINNESOTA, Minneapolis, MN

Teacher, History and Social Studies, Grades 6-12, 1991-93

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

Gamson, D. A., The Importance of Being Urban: Designing the Progressive School District, 1890-1940

(under contract, University of Chicago Press).

Baker, D., Knipe, H., Cummings, E., Collins, J., Gamson, D., Blair, C., Leon, J. (2010) One

Hundred Years of Elementary School Mathematics in the United States: A Content

Analysis and Cognitive Assessment of Textbooks from 1900 to 2000. Journal for Research in

Mathematics Education 41 (4): 383-423.

Gamson, D. (2009). Democracy Undone: Reforming and Reinventing the American School

District, 1945-2005. in Wong, K. and Rothman, R. (eds.) Clio at the Table: Using History to

Inform and Improve Education Policy. (Peter Lang): 79-90.

Eslinger, P.J., Blair, C., Wang, J., Lipovsky, B., Realmuto, J., Baker, D., Thorne, S., Gamson,

D., Zimmerman, E., Rohrer, L., Yang, Q.X. (2009). Developmental shifts in fMRI

activations during visuospatial relational reasoning, Brain and Cognition 69: 1-10.

Blair, C., Knipe, H., and Gamson, D. (2008). Is There a Role for Executive Functions in the

Development of Mathematics Ability? Mind, Brain, and Education 2 (2): 80-89.

Gamson, D. A. (2007). From Progressivism to Federalism: The Pursuit of Equal Educational

Opportunity, 1915-1965, in Carl F. Kaestle and Alyssa Lodewick (eds.), To Educate a

Nation: Federal and National Strategies for School Reform (University Press of Kansas): 177-201.

Gamson, D. A. (2007). Historical Perspectives on Democratic Decision Making, 1920-2005.

In Moss, Pamela A. (ed.), Evidence and Decision Making: The 2007 Yearbook of the National

Society for the Study of Education (NSSE): 15-45.

Blair., C., Knipe, H., Cummings, E., Baker, D., Gamson, D., Eslinger, P., & Thorne, S. (2007).

A Developmental Neuroscience Approach to the Study of School Readiness in Robert

C. Pianta, Martha J. Cox, and Kyle L. Snow (eds.), School Readiness and the Transition to

Kindergarten in the Era of Accountability, (Brookes Publishing).

Blair, C., Gamson, D., Thorne, S., & Baker, D. (2005). Rising Mean IQ: Cognitive Demand

of Mathematics Education for Young Children, Population Exposure to Formal Schooling,

and the Neurobiology of the Prefrontal Cortex, Intelligence 33: 93-106

Gamson, D. A. (2004). The Infusion of Corporate Values into Progressive Education:

Professional Vulnerability or Complicity? Journal of Educational Administration 42 (2): 137-

159.

Gamson, D. A. (2003). District Progressivism: Rethinking Reform in Urban School Systems,

1900 1928, in Paedagogica Historica 39 (4): 417-434.

Mintrop, H., Gamson, D., McLaughlin, M. W., Wong, P. L. & Oberman, I. (2001). Design

Cooperation: Strengthening the Link Between Organizational and Instructional Change in

Schools, Educational Policy 15 (4): 520-546.

David A. Gamson curriculum vitae, page 2 of 7

February 2012

SELECTED REFEREED PAPERS

Gamson, D.A., Eckert, S., & Knipe, H. (2012). Rethinking the Decline of the Academic

Curriculum: A Cognitive Analysis of Twentieth-Century Elementary School Reading and

Mathematics Textbooks. Paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the History of

Education Society, Seattle, WA, November, 2012.

Gamson, D.A. (2012) Reforming and Reinventing the American School District, 1931-2011.

Paper to be presented at the Seventh Biennial Conference on Policy History, Richmond,

Virginia, June 9, 2012.

Gamson, D.A., Lu, X., Eckert, S., Knipe, P., & Hammershlag, P. (2012). Rereading Our Past:

The Cognitive Demands of the Reading Curriculum, 1900-2010. Paper presented at the

annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, B.C., April

16, 2012.

Gamson, D.A. (2011) A Unique Federal Effort at Fundamental Reform: ESEA Title III,

1965-1972. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the History of Education Society,

Chicago, IL, Nov. 4, 2011.

Eckert, S. & Gamson, D.A. (2011). Revisiting and Reanalyzing Twentieth-Century Reading

Textbooks. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research

Association, New Orleans, LA, April, 2011.

Gamson, D.A. & Knipe, H. (2011) The Changing Cognitive Complexity of Elementary

School Mathematics Textbooks, 1890-2000. Paper presented at the Third Biennial

Conference of the International Mind, Brain, and Education Society, San Diego, CA, June,

4, 2011.

Gamson, D.A. & Leon, J. (2008). Cycles of Standardized Assessments in the U.S.: Their

Impact on School Districts, 1896-1976 presented at the annual meeting of the American

Educational Research Association, New York, NY, April 2008.

Eslinger, P., Robinson-Long, M., Blair, C., Wang, J.L., Realmuto, J., Baker, D., Gamson, D.,

Zimmerman, E., Yang, Q., Rohrer, L. (2008). Altered Activity of Neural Systems

Underlying Calculation in Math Learning Disability: A Case Study presented at the annual

meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco, CA, April 12, 2008.

Knipe, H., Cummings, E., Baker, D., Gamson, D., and Collins, J. (2007) An Historical and

Cognitive Analysis of the Content of Twentieth Century Elementary Mathematics Texts.

Presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association,

Chicago, IL. April 2007.

Gamson, D. A. (2006) Reinventing the American School District, 1925-1975, Paper

presented as part of an interactive symposium Revisiting the One Best System: School

Districts, Democracy, and Educational Reform, 1925-1985 to the annual meeting of the

American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA, April 9, 2006.

Gamson, D. A., Cummings, E., Knipe, H., Baker, D., Blair, C., Thorne, S., (2006) The Fall

and Rise of Intellectual Rigor: The Case of School Mathematics, 1890-2000 Paper

presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San

Francisco, CA April 10, 2006.

David A. Gamson curriculum vitae, page 3 of 7

February 2012

Baker, D., Blair, C., Gamson, D.A., Thorne, S. (2005). Rising Fluid IQ and the

Neurodevelopmental-Schooling Hypothesis, Paper presented at the annual meeting of the

American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada, April 11, 2005.

Gamson, D. A. (2004) The District Undone: Reforming and Reorganizing the School District,

1935-1983, Paper presented at the annual meeting of the History of Education Society,

Kansas City, MO, November 5, 2004.

Gamson, D. A. (2004) The Ethics of Equal Educational Opportunity: Examining the Roots

of Instructional Equity, 1920-1975, Paper presented at the Ninth Annual Ethics and

Values in Educational Leadership Conference, October 2, 2004.

Gamson, D. A. (2004). The School District Door to Equal Opportunity: Historical

Reflections on Democracy and Equity in Local School Systems, 1945-1975. Paper

presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association,

San Diego, CA, April 13, 2004.

Gamson, D. A. (2004). Democratic Schooling, Instructional Leadership, and the Evolving

Notions of Equitable Education in Oakland, California, 1917-1965. Paper presented at the

annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA,

April 14, 2004.

Gamson, D. A. (2004). The District is in the Details: Examining the Evolution of Educational

Responsibilities in Santa Clara County, California, 1958-1970. Paper presented at the

annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA,

April 14, 2004.

Gamson, D. A. (2003). Vulnerability or Complicity? Reexamining the Diffusion of Corporate

Values and Educational Innovations. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Ethics

and Values in Educational Administration, State College, PA. October 17, 2003.

Gamson, D. A. (2003). Defining Democracy: Equality and Opportunity in the Progressive

Era, 1890-1930 Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational

Research Association, Chicago, IL. April 21, 2003.

Gamson, D. A. (2002). Reinterpreting Curriculum Reform, 1920-1950: What were the

accomplishments and outcomes of the curriculum revision movement? Paper presented at

the annual meeting of the History of Education Society, Pittsburgh, PA. November 2002.

Gamson, D. A. (2002). Reforming and Reorganizing the School District: The Case of

California, 1935-1972. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American

Educational Research Association, New Orleans, Louisiana. April 4, 2002

Gamson, D. A. (2001). Rethinking Progressivism: The Civic Perspective. Paper presented at

the annual meeting of the History of Education Society, New Haven, CT.

October 20, 2001.

Gamson, D. A. (2001). Revisiting the Alum Rock Voucher Experiment. Paper presented at

the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle, WA.

April 2001.

Gamson, D. A. (2001). Progressive Education in the Urban West, 1890-1940. Paper

presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association,

Seattle, WA. April 2001.

David A. Gamson curriculum vitae, page 4 of 7

February 2012

Gamson, D. A. (2000). What Students Knew and Were Able To Do: The Quest for Academic

Standards Past and Present. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American

Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA. April 2000.

Gamson, D. A. (1999). Teaching with Primary Sources. Paper presented as part of an

interactive panel on the Teaching the History of American Education at the annual

meeting of the History of Education Society, Atlanta, GA. October 1999.

Gamson, D. A. (1999). The Challenge of Going to Scale: A Historical Perspective on the

Dissemination of Education Reforms. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the

American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada, April 1999.

ACADEMIC HONORS AND AWARDS

William L. Boyd Graduate Student Mentorship Award, Department of Education Policy

Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 2012

National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2004-06

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Advanced Studies Fellowship Program at Brown University, 2002-05

Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, 1996-97

Commonwealth of Australia Postgraduate Scholarship, University of Sydney, 1990

Graduated Magna Cum Laude; Honors in History, Bowdoin College, 1985

National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, Young Scholars Program, 1984

GRANTS RECEIVED

Principal Investigator, Democracy Undone: Educational Reform and the Civic Purposes of

Education, 1960-2012. Research Initiation Grants Program, College of Education, The

Pennsylvania State University ($9,000), 2011-12.

Principal Investigator, Re-reading Our Past: The Cognitive Demands of Reading and Reading

Comprehension, 1890-2005. The Spencer Foundation ($468,750), 2008-11.

Investigator, The Increasing Cognitive Demand of the American Mathematics Curriculum,

1890-2005. The Spencer Foundation ($298,425), 2005-08.

Investigator, Cognitive Demand and the History of School Mathematics, Children, Youth, and

Family Consortium at The Pennsylvania State University, Level II grant ($15,000), 2003-05

Principal Investigator, The District Undone: Reorganizing, Reforming, and Reinventing the

School District, 1925-2005. National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation ($50,000) 2004-06.

Principal Investigator, Sustaining Local Democracies: Reforming and Redesigning the School

District, 1950-2000. The Spencer Foundation & The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

($50,000), 2002-05.

Principal Investigator, Explaining the Rising Curve : The Mathematics Curriculum and the

Mysterious Rise of Mean IQ Scores. Research Initiation Grant, College of Education, The

Pennsylvania State University ($9,000), 2003.

David A. Gamson curriculum vitae, page 5 of 7

February 2012

Principal Investigator, District by Design: A History of the American School District.

Research Initiation Grant, College of Education, The Pennsylvania State University. ($8,500), 2001.

Principal Investigator, Educational Frontiers: A History of Education in the American West,

1849-1920. ($35,000), The Spencer Foundation, 2001.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

THE NOYCE FOUNDATION, Palo Alto, CA

Education Consultant, 1997

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY, San Jose, CA

Education Consultant, 1995-96

SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION, San Francisco, CA

Education Consultant, 1994-96

THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS, Philadelphia, PA

Education Program Graduate Intern, 1994

FANLIGHT PRODUCTIONS EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTARIES, Boston, MA

Director of Distribution and Marketing, 1986-87

ACTION FOR CHILDREN S TELEVISION (ACT), Cambridge, MA

General Manager/Assistant to the President, 1985-86

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP AND SERVICE

Contributing Editor, American Journal of Education

Annual Meeting Planning Committee/Book Exhibit Coordinator, History of Education

Society, 2005-08

Steering Committee Member, American Educational Research Association SIG: Districts in

Research and Reform 2005-2011

Awards Committee Chair, Districts in Research and Reform SIG, American Educational

Research Association, 2008, 2009

Co-Chair, Districts in Research and Reform SIG, AERA (2009-11)

Reviewer, History of Education Quarterly

Reviewer, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis

Reviewer, American Journal of Education

Reviewer, History of Education Society annual meeting paper proposals

Reviewer, American Educational Research Association annual meeting paper proposals

Division F: History and Historiography & The District Central Office in Research and

Reform SIG

David A. Gamson curriculum vitae, page 6 of 7

February 2012

Chair, Educational and the American West, paper panel at the History of Education Society

annual meeting, Philadelphia, PA, October 24, 2009.

Discussant, Rethinking School Districts: Urban and Suburban District Responses to Social

Transformation in the Decades Following World War II, Symposium presented at the

History of Education Society annual meeting, November 2005.

Member, American Educational Research Association, Organization of American Historians,

History of Education Society

Fellow, Pennsylvania Education Policy Fellowship Program/Institute for Educational

Leadership (1999-2000)

David A. Gamson curriculum vitae, page 7 of 7

February 2012

Contact this candidate