Vitae

Dr. Michael E. Cena

Academic Degrees:

  • Ph.D. (1995) Curriculum and Instruction (Reading/Language Arts Emphasis), Utah State University, Logan, UT
  • Utah Administrative/Supervisory Endorsement in Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education (1990), Utah State University, Logan, UT
  • M.Ed. (1980) Curriculum and Instruction, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
  • B.S. (1975) Elementary Education and Music Education, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT

Current Teaching Licensure:

  • Utah Level 3 Elementary Education. Endorsements: Administrative/Supervisory, Basic Reading, Advanced Reading

Teaching and Administrative Assignments:

  • July 2012 - Present, Director for Bachelor of Integrated Studies, Weber State University, Ogden, UT
  • June 1998-July 2007, Chair, Department of Teacher Education (tenured), Weber State University, Ogden, UT
  • June 2003-June 2007, Technical Assistant for Utah's Reading First (US Department of Education Initiative), Utah State Office of Education, Salt Lake City, UT
  • July 2003, Appointed Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, Weber State University, Ogden, UT

Awards Received:

  • May 2004. President's Award and Student Membership Award, International Reading Association
  • October 2002. Excellence in Curriculum Leadership Award. Northern Utah Curriculum Consortium
  • May 2000. Hemingway Faculty Vitality Award, "Balanced Literacy: Putting the Pieces Together." Weber State University
  • May 1994. Exemplary Collaboration Award, "Site-Based Teacher Training Program, Weber State University
  • June 1998. An Apple for the Teacher: Excellence in Teaching Reading. Ogden Standard Examiner

Presentations for National/International Audiences:

  • “Literacy Strategies Using Informational and Narrative Texts.” Michael E. Cena. Session presented to the 2011 Annual Conference of the Utah Educational Library and Media Association Conference, Salt Lake City, March 2011.
  • “Teaching ELLA (English-Language/Literacy Acquisition) Students in Early Literacy Contexts: Issues, Instructional Frameworks, and Assessments.” Michael E. Cena, Judith Mitchell, Claudia Eliason, Penee Stewart. Symposium for the 55th Annual Conference of the International Reading Association, Chicago, IL, May 2010.
  • “Assessing Teacher Candidates’ Preparedness to Teach Reading with Teach Work Sample (TWS) Methodology. Michael E. Cena, Jack L. Rasmussen, & Michelle Nimer. Symposium for the 21st World Congress on Reading, International Reading Association, Budapest, Hungary, August 2006.
  • “Beyond Traditional Phonics Instruction: Word-Study Practices that Make a Difference.” Michael E. Cena, Claudia Eliason, Paul Pitts, Judith P. Mitchell. Symposium for the 49th Annual Conference of the International Reading Association, Reno, NV, May 2004.
  • “Monologues and Conversations: Issues and Needs for the Induction, Support, and Professional Growth of Teacher Education Faculty.” Paul Pitts & Michael E. Cena, 82nd Annual Meeting, Association of Teacher Educators, Denver, CO, February 2002.
  • “Putting the Pieces Together: Balanced Literacy Instruction Is Anything but Simple. Symposium. Janet Young, Judith Mitchell, Michael Cena, John Smith, Parker Fawson, Bradley Wilcox, Ray Reutzel, Verlinda Thompson, David Lund, Karen Atwood, and Bonnie Morgan. 18th World Congress on Reading, International Reading Association, Auckland, NZ, July, 2000.
  • " I Love a Story: Strategies for Engaging Readers with Multicultural Literature.” Session, Michael E. Cena and Judith P. Mitchell. 45th Annual Conference, International Reading Association, Indianapolis, IN, May, 2000.
  • “ Promoting Teacher Candidates’ Reflection Through Personal Strategic Action Planning, Roundtable Discussion. Michael E. Cena and Judith P. Mitchell, 44th Annual Conference, International Reading Association, San Diego, CA, May, 1999.
  • “Cognitive Learning Strategies and Their Application in Higher Education Classrooms.”    Poster Session, Fifth Annual Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, American Psychological Society, Washington, DC, May 1998
  • “ Three Learning Log Strategies for Promoting Teacher-Candidates’ Internalization of Literacy Methods.” Roundtable discussion. Michael E. Cena and Judith P. Mitchell, 43rd International Reading Association, Orlando, FL May, 1998
  •  “Creating a Climate for Elementary Literature Discussion.” Michael E. Cena, session presentation for 86th Annual Conference of the National Council of the Teachers of English, Chicago, IL. November 21, 1996
  •  “Developing Student Researching Skills with Expository Literature and Anchored Instruction.” Michael E. Cena and Judith P. Mitchell, session presented to the 88th Annual Conference of the National Rural Education Association, San Antonio, TX. October 13, 1996  

Professional and Community Service:

  • Teacher Education Department Chair Spring 1998-Spring 2007.
  • NCATE (National Council for Accrediation of Teacher Education) coordinator 1998-2002
  • Elementary Education Level 2 Coordinator 1996-1998
  • Masters of Education Program and Policy Committee 1998-2007
  • Teacher Education Admissions and Retention Committee 1996-2007
  • Moyes College of Education Curriculum Committee 1996-1998
  • Moyes College of Education Ranking and Tenure Committee—On-going service
  • Moyes College of Education Technology Committee 1996-1998
  • Weber State University Research, Service, and Profession Growth (RSPG) Committee 1996-1999
  • Weber State University Academic Resources and Computing Committee (ARCC) 1998-2000
  • Weber State University Faculty Senator, College of Education, 1998 to 2001
  • Weber State University Banner Advisory Council, 2003 to 2005
  • Weber State University Testing Center Advisory Committee 1999-2001
  • Weber State University Executive Board, Friends of the Stewart Library, 1995-1996
  • Weber State University 1996-1997 WSU Story Telling Festival (co-chair with Dian Wismer)
  • Weber State University Evaluation committee for Business Education Program, WSU College of Applied Science and Technology. 2002
  • State of Utah Reading First Consortium (2004-2007)
  • State of Utah Praxis Texting Steering Committee (2004-2006)
  • State of Utah Reading/Language Arts Endorsement Committee (1998-2002)
  • State of Utah Reading/Language arts Test Development Project Steering Committee (1998-1999)
  • State of Utah Reading/Language Arts Instructional Materials Advisory Committee (1998-2000)
  • State of Utah English Language Development Benchmarks for English Language Learners (1998-2000)
  • State of Utah Commission of Practitioners for No Child Left Behind (2001-2002)
  • State of Utah Study Committee, Family Life/Family and Human Development (1999-2000)
  • State of Utah Alternative Licensure Committee (2000-2002)
  • State of Utah Joint Liaison Committee for the Development of Title II Reporting and Teacher Improvement Initiatives (1999-2000)
  • State of Utah Peer Review Committee, Goals 2000 Initiative, 1998

Publications:

  • Ferraro, S., & Cena, M. E. (2006). The use of poetry in primary reading instruction. Utah Jorunal of Reading & Literacy, 10, 1-4.
  • Cena, M. E., Rasmussen, J. L., & Nimer, M. (2005). Continued Accreditation Report submitted to the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) for national accredition of WSU teacher preparation programs
  • Steele, A. C., & Cena, M. E. (2003). Learning to read in Italy. Utah Journal of Reading and Literacy, 7, 13-17.
  • Cena, M. E., & Mitchell, J. P. (1998). Ahcnored instruction: A tool for integrating content-areas with the language arts. Journal of Adult and Adolescent Literacy. 48, 559-561.
  • Lofgreen, M. A., & Cena, M. E. (1997). The internet: A treasury of literacy riches. Utah Journal of Reading and Literacy, 1, I22-25.
  • Cena, M. E. (1996). Creating thoughtful literaure discussion. Utah Journal of reading and Literacy, 1, 16-22.
  • Cena, M. E. (1995). Contract sharing: A novice and experienced teacher work together. Theorys and Practices in Supervision and Curriculum, 7, 16-21.

Grant Writing:

  • "Masters and Endorsement Soar High" (Project MESH), funded for $1.4M over 5 years beginning 2001, Office of English Language Acquision, US Department of Education (grant writer and principal investigator)
  • "Utah's Transition to Teaching." funded for $1.2M beginning in 2001 over a three-year period. US Department of Education in partnership with the Utah State Office of Education (grant writer participant)
  • "Utah's Reading Endorsement Project" funded $20,000 for three years beginning in 1998 through the Utah State Office of Education (administrator for Weber State University funds)
  • "Literacy Enhancement and Development Center." funded in 1997 for $10,000 by Weber State University's Research,Scholarship, and Professional Growth Committee (grant writer participant)