Deborah Tidwell in 3-D

Introduction

By Julian Kitchen

Deborah Tidwell‘s scholarship and service have made her a prominent figure in the S-STEP community since its early days. Now an emerita professor of Literacy Education at the University of Northern Iowa, Deb has combined teaching and research in literacy and bilingual education with self-study research. She has published numerous self-studies, including important handbook chapters on methodology. As an editor, she has worked on Castle conference proceedings and three volumes of Self-Study and Diversity. Deb has also served on the S-STEP  board, including a term as Chair. At her university, she has served as department chair, director of the literacy clinic, and associate dean. Deb‘s engaging personality, playfulness and generosity of spirit have enriched the S-STEP community.

 

1st Dimension: Teacher Education

by Maggie J. Mnayer, University of Kansas

Recognizing the academic potential in her students is the gift that Deb freely gives to her students. As her graduate student and adjunct literacy course instructor, Deb’s ongoing guidance subtly shifted my identity from that of a secondary classroom educator into a postsecondary teacher educator. She peppered our conversations with comments such as “when you are working on your doctorate” or “as a doctoral student.” Deb shared her passion for the power of self-study to improve teacher education practice, encouraged me to attend conferences, guided me through the proposal writing and submission processes, and then attended my presentations to provide moral support and feedback. She continued to cultivate my desire to earn a doctorate and celebrated each milestone with me while here at the University of Kansas. In the truest sense, I would not be where I am today without the guidance, support, and encouragement of Deb Tidwell, for which I am deeply grateful!

2nd Dimension: Scholarship
by Svanborg R. Jónsdóttir, University of Iceland

I first met Deb Tidwell in the inclusive atmosphere of the Castle Conference in 2012. Even though my academic career was just starting, she immediately embraced me as an equal. I have since followed Deb’s academic scholarship, in which she integrates her teaching and administration with self-study in teacher education, as an example of how practice and scholarship become one in ontology and epistemology. Her teaching and research focus has been in literacy, multicultural and inclusive education. We collaborated on two chapters published in 2020 and 2021, that were hugely important for me. Her willingness to work on those studies with me opened new spaces of understanding and knowledge about self-study and the power that the language of visuals brings to making meaning in self-study. Doing academic work appears effortless and natural to Deb and her cheerful smile seem to permeate both working with her and the outcomes of her dedicated and thorough endeavors.

3rd Dimension: Community

by Hafdís Guðjónsdóttir, University of Iceland

Deborah Tidwell rocks! She is an important link in the S-STEP community, both professionally and socially. Deb has been involved in the community from the beginning taking an active part in shaping and developing the S-STEP community. She is one of the key members contributing to S-STEP for conferences as a reviewer, chair, discussant, author, and editor, attending S-STEP at AERA and all Castle conferences. My first memories of Deb are from the Castle conference. While her scholarship was impressive, she stood out for her creative and nurturing use of her beautiful photos to bring attendees together professionally and socially. In her term as S-STEP SIG Chair, she again brought together our community with her photos, memories and enthusiasm. Deb has always supported and nurtured members: co-authoring, co-presenting methodology workshops, inviting them to write chapters in books she edits. Deb has made a difference in our scholarly S-STEP community. Thank you, Deb!

 

The Last Word

by Deborah Tidwell, University of Northern Iowa

My professional life grew in both measurable and immeasurable ways when I became involved with self-study research methodology. Early in my research career, my doctoral program focused on experimental research design with quantitative measures for formally testing hypotheses, manipulating independent variables to examine the effects on dependent variables. However, in 1990, when I began teaching and researching as an assistant professor in a teacher education program, my interest evolved into asking different kinds of questions, examining my own practice as a critical aspect of understanding my work as a teacher educator. And it was through self-study, and the self-study community of researchers, that I found the quality of scholarship which truly impacts my understanding of teacher education. The mentoring and support provided by this scholarly community influenced my own engagement with other researchers and informed my understanding of what it means to be an effective scholar. Openly sharing ideas, working with critical friends, problem solving ways to represent data, and engaging in thoughtful discussions of analyses processes that lead to deeper understandings of practice have been the hallmarks for me in being a part of this amazing research community.