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Department of Education > Faculty > Dr. Victoria Chiatula

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Faculty Profile

Victoria Chiatula, Dr.

Assistant Professor of Education

122 Meier Hall
219-464-6987
Victoria.Chiatula@valpo.edu

Biography

Dr. Victoria Oliaku Chiatula is an Igbo from Anambra State, Nigeria. She has over 15 years of teaching and administrative experience within urban districts such as; Detroit, MI, Chicago, IL, and Gary, IN. Prior to joining the Valparaiso University's Department of Education, She was the Assistant-to-the-Superintendent for Gary Community School Corporation in Gary, IN. She has conducted International field research in Cape Town, South Africa. Her research focus is on infusing culture within educational pedagogy and policy to improve the academic performance of underachieving students. Personal interests include: Culturally responsive teaching, community based projects (domestic and international); integrating students' educational experiences with culture and the arts; writing, acting and directing culturally-based youth plays and performing interpretive story telling, urban teacher Induction/training.

Ph.D. - Loyola University of Chicago 2006
Type 75 - Loyola University of Chicago 2000
MA - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 1998
BS in Education - Valparaiso University 1995

Certifications

Illinois - Elementary, K-12

Illinois - Type 75, School Administration and Supervision

Areas of Specialization

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Culturally Relevant Curriculum Development and Implementation
Afrocentric Education
Comparative International Cultural Education and Policy

Courses Taught

Diversity Class: Home, School and Community Relationships

Math Methods: Elementary Math Pedagogy

Science Methods: Elementary Science Pedagogy

Curriculum: Curriculum & Assessment

Research Interests

Cultrually Relevant Pedagogy
Integrating Culturally relevant conceptual framework and pedagogical practices into curriculum design and instructional delivery models.

Comparative International Education & Policy Studies
Integrating African and African American educational epistemology & philosophy into students educational experiences from an African and African American frames of reference.

Urban Education Reform Initiatives
Empowering teachers with research-based urban educational reform initiatives such as critical pedagogy and invitational education to become more effective teachers with urban districts.

Urban Teacher Education Training and Mentoring Programs
Empowering new teachers with research-based tools and best practices in working in urban districts and improving the academic growth of underachieving students.

Publications

No Child Left Behind? An analysis of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Relevance of implementation for underachieving african american students., Dissertation Abstract International (ProQuest), May, 2006