Plymouth State University
Skip Navigation
Faculty
Faculty

Dr. Kimberly M. Williams

Dr. Kimberly M. Williams

Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction

e-mail: kmwilliams3@plymouth.edu

Profile

Dr. Kimberly Williams received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from St. Lawrence University and her Master of Science and Doctorate from Syracuse University. She also has a certificate from the Program for the Analysis and Resolution of Conflict (PARC) program from the Maxwell school at Syracuse University. She has authored or co-authored four books and several articles, taught a variety of courses in education at the graduate and undergraduate level, and engaged in service at the local, state, and national levels.

She is an Associate Professor in the College of Graduate Studies at Plymouth State University. She also is coordinating the Masters Program in Elementary Education Her areas of teaching include:

  • Research Design
  • Contemporary Social Trends
  • Theories of Learning and Cognitive Development
  • Philosophy and Ethics in Education

Degrees and Education

1993-1997 School of Education, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. Ph.D. in Education Concentrations in Sociology of Education, Instructional Design and Development and Evaluation, and Research Methodology.

Dissertation title: Learning Limits: College Women Constructing Meaning about Drugs in their Relationships.

1991-1992 School of Education, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. Master of Science in Higher Education Administration. Concentration in Student Affairs.

Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. Certificate in Conflict Resolution from the Program for the Analysis and Resolution of Conflict.

1986-1990 St. Lawrence University Canton, NY. Bachelor of Science with Honors in Psychology. Magna Cum Laude.

Research Interests

  • School violence (prevention, intervention, assessment, safety, bullying and exclusion)
  • Neuroscience of learning (bio-psycho-social factors of the brain and learning)
  • Conflict resolution and problem solving

Recent Publications/Presentations

Selected bibliography of manuscripts published or accepted.

Books:

  • Williams, K.M. (February 2005). Socially Constructed School Violence. Peter Lang Publishing, Inc. Bel Air, Maryland. This book is part of a book series entitled: "Counterpoints: Studies in the Postmodern Theory of Education". The book is based on an ethnographic study conducted at an alternative education program for students caught with weapons in school.
  • Williams, K.M. (2003). The PEACE Approach to Violence Prevention: A Guide for Teachers and Administrators. Scarecrow Press: Lanham, MD This book is a resource for school personnel on how to prevent school violence based on a model that evolved from my research in this area.
  • Williams, K.M. (1998). Learning Limits: College Women, Drugs, and Relationships. Bergin & Garvey: Westport, CT. (paperback, 2000) This book is based on a qualitative study on college women and their drug use.

Book Chapters:

  • Contributed 3 entries for "school violence," "school security," and "truancy" to the International Encyclopedia of Education edited by David Crook and Gary McCullough from the University of London. Routledge (in press) Invited chapter in Re/thinking School Violence: New Directions in Research, Theory, Policy & Practice will be submitted to Open University Press/McGraw Hill in October 2006, with a view to publication in late 2007/early 2008.
  • Williams, K.M. (January 2001). The Importance of Ethnography in Understanding Violence in Schools. In J. Burstyn, G. Bender, R. Casella, H. Gordon, D. Guerra, K. Luschen, R. Stevens and K. Williams (Eds.), Preventing Violence in Schools: A Challenge to American Democracy. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum and Associates.
  • Williams, K.M. (January 2001). Frontin' It": Schooling, Violence, and Relationships in the 'Hood. In J. Burstyn, G. Bender, R. Casella, H. Gordon, D. Guerra, K. Luschen, R. Stevens and K. Williams (Eds.), Preventing Violence in Schools: A Challenge to American Democracy. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum and Associates.
  • Williams, K.M. (2001). What Derails Mediation? In J. Burstyn, G. Bender, R. Casella, H. Gordon, D. Guerra, K. Luschen, R. Stevens and K. Williams (Eds.), Preventing Violence in Schools: A Challenge to American Democracy. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum and Associates.

These chapters are from a book that I co-edited.

Copies of reviews and more book information available online from my website.

Peer-reviewed Articles and Presentations at Peer-reviewed Conferences:

  • Williams, K.M. (2006, September). Sustainability of School Violence Grant-funded Programs. Paper presentation and symposium at the Hamilton Fish National Institute on School and Community Violence's International Conference Persistently Safe Schools 2006: Collaborating with Students, Families, and Communities. Washington, DC.
  • Williams, K.M. (2006). Collaboration between elementary schools and community agencies to reduce violence: Can it work? Current Issues in Education, 9 (1).
  • Williams, K.M. (April 2006). Can We Sustain Violence Prevention Programs without Money? Compelling Results and Policy Implications from a Four-year Research Project Presented at AERA annual meeting in San Francisco, CA
  • Williams, K.M. (2005) Collaboration between schools and community agencies to reduce violence: Can it work? Proposal accepted for presentation at the American Education Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting Montreal, Canada, April 2005
  • Williams, K.M. (April 2004). A Violence Prevention Program and Elementary Students: Does it Matter if They Pay Attention? AERA Annual Meeting San Diego, CA April 2004.
  • Williams, K.M. & Corvo, K.N. (2004). "That I'll be Killed": Pre-service and In-service Teachers' greatest fears and beliefs about school violence. Journal of School Violence.
  • Williams, K.M. (April 2003) School-Street Intersection: Avoiding the mixing of "business with pleasure" to stay safe and do well in school. Paper presented at AERA Annual Meeting Chicago, IL. April 2003.
  • Williams, K.M. (January 2002). Determining the Effectiveness of Anger Management Training for Students at an Alternative School for Weapons Expulsion Journal of Urban Education, 37(1), 60-75.
  • Williams, K.M. (April 2002). Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Violence at the Annual Meeting of the American Education Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA Corvo, K.N. & Williams, K.M. (Spring 2002). Substance Abuse, Parenting Styles, and Aggression: An Exploratory Study of Weapon-carrying Students Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education
  • Williams, K.M. & Gaugler, K.L. (June 2002). Using Ethnography to Understand School Violence Presented at the Hamilton Fish National Institute's Safe Schools for the 21st Century Conference in Monterey, CA
  • Williams, K.M. (April 2001). Does Increasing Awareness of Putdowns Actually Reduce Violence: An Analysis of Two Rural Elementary Schools. (Paper presentation at 2001 American Education Research Association Annual Meeting in Seattle, WA) Williams, K.M. (March 2001). Ending School Violence. American School Board Journal. Vol. 188(3), 35.
  • Williams, K.M. (May 2001). Teaching Assessment Using the Internet: Time Saver or Killer? Conference on Instructional Technology. SUNY Geneseo, May 2001 Williams, K.M. (2001). The good, the bad, and the ugly: College students' reflections on assessment. SUNY Cortland Scholars\' Day
  • Williams, K.M. (August 2000). Review of the No Putdowns Program. The Collaborative to Advance Social and Emotional Learning Review of Programs
  • Williams, K.M. (2000). What Difference Does Family Make in the Lives of Youth at-risk of Violence. Paper presented at AERA annual meeting April 2000 in New Orleans, LA
  • Williams, K.M. (1999, September). Beyond the Violent Behavior Statistics: Ethnography of Life at the Weapons School. ERIC Clearninghouse on Urban Education. Teachers College, Columbia University Williams, K.M. (1999, April). Beyond the Violent Behavior Statistics: Ethnography of Life at the Weapons School. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in Montreal.
  • Williams, K.M. & Sidhu, R.S. (1999, April). Infusing Anger Management into the General Curriculum. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in Montreal.
  • Williams, K.M., Sidhu, R.S., Sprague, J. (1999, April). Alternative Education Sites as Violence Prevention. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in Montreal.
  • Burstyn, J., Williams, K., Cassella, R. & Stevens, R. (1999, April). Roundtable discussion of Schooling and Violence at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting in Montreal.
  • Burstyn, J., Williams, K., Cassella, R (1999, April). Roundtable discussion of Schooling and Violence featured on National Public Radio's "Best of Our Knowledge" hosted by Gregg Busby on WAMC program #450.
  • Williams, K.M. (1998, November). "Thuggin' It": Schooling, Violence, and Relationships in the 'Hood. American Educational Studies Association Conference (AESA), Philadelphia, PA.
  • Williams, K.M. (1998, November). What Derails Peer Mediation. American Educational Studies Association Conference (AESA), Philadelphia, PA.
  • Williams, K. (1996, November). The Drug Spectrum: College Women's Narratives about Drug Use in their Lives. Poster presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Annual Meeting, Memphis, TN.
  • Williams, K. (1996). College Women's Narratives about their Experiences with Drugs on Campus. Paper presented at the American Educational Studies Association (AESA) Conference, Montreal, Canada.
  • Williams, K. (1996). College Women's Relationships with Drugs on Campus. Paper presented at Syracuse University's Study of Gender in Education and Society, Syracuse, NY.
  • Burstyn, J.N & Williams, K.M. (1998, April). Research Synthesis: A Foundation for Violence Prevention. Presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting Conflict Resolution and Violence Prevention Roundtable, San Diego, CA.
  • Williams, K., Mooney, K., & Wallace, J. (1991, April). Predicting Problem Drinking in a College Population. Presented at the Eastern Psychological Association at Annual Meeting, New York, NY.
  • Williams, K. & Dody, W. (1990). Science Attitudes in Native American and Economically Disadvantaged White Students. Paper presented at Project Future curriculum writing workshop, Potsdam, NY.
  • Williams, K. (1990). The Correlates of Problem Drinking in a College Population: Risk Taking, Death Anxiety, and Age of First Drink. Paper presented at St. Lawrence University Annual Science Festival, Canton, NY.

Other Presentations:

  • Williams, K.M & Burstyn, J.N. (1998, November). A Whole School Approach to School Violence Prevention at Central New York Conference Violence in Our Schools: Challenges and Interventions
  • Williams, K.M. (1998, November). "Defining and Dealing with School Violence" Cayuga County School Board Association Annual Meeting
  • Williams, K.M. (1998, December). "Schooling and Violence: Promising Practices" Onondaga County BOCES Meeting for Alcohol and Drug Education Personnel

Associations, Boards and Committees

  • AERA American Educational Research Association (attended and presented at annual meeting 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, paper accepted for 2003, and reviewer for 2000-present)
  • Reviewer of proposals for two Special Interest groups:
    1. Neurosciences and Education
    2. Conflict resolution and violence prevention and cooperative learning
  • NCME (National Council on Measurement and Evaluation, new member 2001, attended conference in Seattle, WA 2001)
  • Attended workshops from the Center for School Success on brain development issues Fall 2006
  • AESA American Educational Studies Association (attended and presented at annual meeting 1998 and 1999)

Academic Distinctions

  • Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship (Awarded May 5, 2005) State University of New York College at Cortland
  • Award for Excellence in Teaching (Awarded May 5, 2004) State University of New York College at Cortland
  • Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship (May 9, 2002) State University of New York College at Cortland Professional Experience:Research Grants $75K extension from US Department of Education, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and Health and Human Services for assessing the effectiveness of the Syracuse City School District's Safe Schools, Healthy Students grant to determine sustainability of program (2005).
  • Evaluation of the Peaceful People program (Winter 2005) $570,000 Grant from the US Department of Education, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and Health and Human Services for assessing the effectiveness of the Syracuse City School District's Safe Schools, Healthy Students grant. Fall 2001-Spring 2004 (links to more information on the grant available on my website).
  • Preservice Teachers' Attitudes about School Violence. Summer Research Grant from Faculty Research Program 2001 SUNY Cortland 1999-2000 Grant received from Contact of Syracuse for the 1999-2000 academic year for $15,830. The research included a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the No Putdowns program as well as an examination of how elementary school children and teachers make sense of programs designed to reduce violence and bullying and promote collaboration and kindness.
  • Syracuse University. ($300,000 annual research grant provided by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention as a part of the Hamilton Fish National Institute on School and Community Violence www.hamfish.org run through George Washington University). (1997-1999)
  • Wrote proposals and semi-annual progress reports
  • Worked with seven-university consortium to develop national assessment strategies on school violence and provide information to the National Institute of Justice, The White House, and Congress, and others nationwide
  • Locally designed, conducted, and supervised qualitative and quantitative research on school violence
  • Designed and implemented a whole school approach to violence prevention at an alternative school for students in grades 6-12 caught with a weapon in school
  • Worked with teachers at the alternative school on curriculum integration, development, and infusion of conflict resolution and anger management strategies into their curricula
  • Facilitated and oversaw service learning for students in the school
  • Taught courses on anger management, community service, conflict resolution, violence prevention, and communication skills to teachers and students
  • Supervised staff working on the local violence prevention project
  • Presented findings at national conferences

Reputation in the field/ Reviews of work

  • Venturelli, P.J. (1998, September). Review of Learning Limits: College Women, Drugs, and Relationships in Choice, 36 (1).
  • Also reviewed in the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy
  • Review of Learning Limits: College Women, Drugs, and Relationships in Education Exchange Fall 1998 Article on the Syracuse University Violence Prevention Program entitled "Researchers Focus on 'Cultures of Violence'" in Education Exchange Spring 1998
  • Issue devoted to the work of the Violence Prevention Project. Spring 1999. Homework. A Quarterly Publication Partnering Educational Action and Research. The Study Councils at Syracuse University School of Education at Syracuse University.
Plymouth State University, 17 High Street, Plymouth, NH 03264-1595. Main Switchboard: (603) 535-5000.
A member of the University System of New Hampshire. ©2005-2008. All rights reserved.
This page was last revised: 6/30/2009