Megan Allen, PhD

Experience

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  University of Arizona

  Aug 2008 - May 2012

  Maintained caseload of 15 first-year students. Developed and delivered weekly group workshops based on topics relevant to student learning and success (e.g. time management, goal setting, academic planning, connecting to campus resources, resolving barriers to success). Met individually with students on a bi-weekly basis and tracked student progress through university information system. Graduated with Highest Honors from 4-year leadership development program. Emphasis on leadership skill development, community service, social justice education, team-building, career development, and event planning. 250+ hours of direct internship experience. Coordinated large scale fundraising event to support the Tucson Youth Poetry Slam. Teaching Assistant for Social Entrepreneurship undergraduate course. Special Recognition: Integrity Award (Spring, 2011); Highest Honors (Spring, 2012)

  • Peer Advisor

    Jun 2011 - May 2012

  • Blue Chip Leadership Program

    Aug 2008 - May 2012
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  U.S. Department of State

  Oct 2012 - Oct 2013

  Fulbright English Teaching Assistant

  U.S. Fulbright Student grant. ESL instructor; 15-18 instruction hours per week. Grades 1-6 (12-45 students per class). Independent preparation of all course curriculum and lesson plans. Evaluated student learning outcomes after each term. Demonstrated flexibility and ability to develop course with minimal resources and guidance. Special projects: Assisted in organizing and facilitating five English camps across Thailand centered on group-based interactive learning activities. Instructed English Club after school. Facilitated specialized language workshops for Thai teachers wanting to improve language competencies Show less

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  AUA Language Center

  Feb 2014 - Aug 2014

  Instructor, ESL

  Instructed Thai learners through 30-hour intensive English courses; 15-20 instruction hours per week. Prepared lesson plans and interactive classroom activities based on designated programmatic learning outcomes. Responsible for evaluating students at completion of each program level.

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  Pima Community College

  Jul 2016 - Oct 2019

  Instructor, Refugee Education Program

  The Refugee Education Program (REP) is a special program under the larger umbrella of Adult Basic Education. This program supports the ESL and literacy goals of learners from refugee backgrounds upon recent arrival in the United States. As an instructor I designed and implemented learner-centered and culturally responsive lesson plans emphasizing English skills to help individuals function independently on the job and in daily living; 8 instruction hours/wk. Establishing a supportive classroom environment that appreciates the diverse linguistic, cultural, and religious backgrounds and needs of learners was a central focus.Special Curricular Projects: • Designed and instructed new curriculum for new 'English for Citizenship' course providing contextualized English instruction for Naturalization • Designed and instructed new curriculum on 'ESL for Manufacturing Careers' in collaboration with The International Rescue Committee (IRC) • Conducted research on student absenteeism to develop program strategy for addressing issue • Presented instructional design work at various local and regional teaching events/conferences Show less

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  University of Arizona

  Aug 2016 - Jun 2018

  Student Success Counselor, Honors College

  Course Instruction• Instructor for HNRS 196H (10-units). Prepared and Implemented lesson plans emphasizing interdisciplinary learning and the Honors experience for first-semester Honors students. Student Advising • Counseled students on Honors policies and options to satisfy Honors graduation requirements• Guided students in the process of locating and securing meaningful engagement experiences in and out of the classroom (e.g. research, internships, study abroad, civic engagement) Supervision of Peer Mentor Program• Assisted in development and implementation of new Honors peer mentor program• Supervised 28 undergraduate mentors • Coordinated and facilitated three group meetings each month• Planned and implemented pre-semester training workshops to onboard mentors Show less

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  University of Arizona

  Jul 2019 - Dec 2019

  Research Associate, Education

  Research Assistant on NSF project focused on equity in STEMM (Award #1644899). Responsible for the coding and analysis of all student/instructor interviews. Project Title: Exploring how peer-collaborative math problem-solving courses and mentoring affect performance/persistence for HSI 2-year college and 4-year college transfer students.

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  University of Arizona

  May 2020 - Jul 2022

  Co-Pi on the 'Big Ideas, Interdisciplinary Thinking Project.' Project combines curricular innovation, educational research, and faculty coalition building. I design and evaluate new undergraduate courses that promote interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration through structured peer learning exercises and team-teaching across disciplinary backgrounds. This entails developing a research strategy and tools to assess student learning and experiences. 10+ conference presentations and one manuscript published on this work in an effort to share lessons learned and encourage others. Show less

  • Education Research Associate

    Jul 2018 - Jul 2022

  • Research Associate, Instructional Design

    May 2020 - Dec 2021
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  U.S. Department of State

  Mar 2022 - Dec 2022

  U.S. Fulbright Research Scholar, Chile

  This independently designed educational research project funded by the U.S. Fulbright Program brought together faculty from different universities across Latin and South America to co-create and co-instruct transnational undergraduate courses using the COIL methodology. Digital spaces and technologies were used to bring faculty and undergraduate students from different national contexts together to engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary peer learning activities. The project involved instructional design, faculty coaching/training, and research. Primary research methods include survey analysis, classroom observation, and qualitative analysis of student work. As Principal Investigator I examined the pedagogical implications of this cross-institutional curricular model to inform how higher education institutions can more effectively, and with the assistance of digital platforms/tools, embed transnational learning opportunities within the curricula. Show less

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  DC Public Charter School Board

  Oct 2023 - now

  Strategic Initiatives Fellow

  -Project manage the design and implementation of new accountability system for public charter schools in Washington D.C to evaluate and review schools’ performance in service of their mission and students. - Plan and facilitate cross-departmental planning meetings for functional managers and SMEs.- Support strategic design of organizational goals and OKRs for DC PCSB's 2024-2027 strategic roadmap. Designed and conducted S.W.O.T. analysis, strategic research on goal-setting frameworks, current state assesment, etc. Show less

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  Education Pioneers

  Oct 2023 - now

  Impact Fellow at DC Public Charter School Board

  Selected from 1000+ applicants to join a cohort of 35 emerging leaders to advance educational equity through data analysis and project management initiatives in collaboration with local education institutions.