onja Heer Yow, Ed.D.
sonja.yow@eku.edu
859-622-1425

Sonja Heer Yow, Ed.D.

Associate Professor and Associate Chair

Education

  • B.A. Geography and Secondary Education, University of South Carolina
  • I.M.A Geographic Education, University of South Carolina
  • Ed.D. Curriculum and Instruction, University of Kentucky

Research/Academic Interests

  • High-impact teaching and learning strategies
  • Social Studies education
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the classroom

Publications

Dr. Yow’s publications include the following:
  • Zuccaro Lang, Emily; Yow, Sonja Heer; and Mullins, Ricky, "The Quality Literature Quadrant (QLQ): A Reflective Tool for Examining Stereotypes in Texts" (2021). Pedagogicon ConferenceProceedings. 4. https://encompass.eku.edu/pedagogicon/2020/specialaudiences/4
  • Yow, S.H., (2020). Using a Balanced Formative and Summative Assessment Model of Teaching to Improve Student Learning Outcomes. Pedagogicon Conference Proceedings. 4. https://encompass.eku.edu/pedagogicon/2019/guidinggrading/4
  • Hodge C., Cox, W., Yow, S. and Townsend S. (2019, October 3). Using the Schoolgrounds and Drones to Stimulate Second-Graders’ Understanding of Maps and the Map-Making Process. NAPDS. https://napds.org/category/stories-from-the-field/
  • Yow, S.H. & Swan, K.O. (2009). If You Build It, Should I Run?: A teacher’s perspective on implementing a student-centered, digital technology project in his ninth-grade Geography. In Lee, J. & Friedman, A. (Eds.) Research on technology and social studies education, Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
  • Yow, S.H. (2009). Book Review of Global Perspectives in the Geography Curriculum: the Moral Case for Geography, by A. Standish (2009), New York, NY: Routledge. In Research in Geographic Education, San Marcos, TX: Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, pp. 115-116.

Associations/Affiliations/Work History

  • American Educational Research Association (AERA)
  • Kentucky’s American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (KAACTE)
  • Kentucky Association of Gifted Education (KAGE)
  • National Association for Family, School, and Community Education (NAFSCE)
  • National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE)
  • National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)

Awards/Accolades

  • 2020-2021 College of Education Faculty Teaching Award, Eastern Kentucky University
  • 2020-2021 Inclusive Excellence in Teaching Award, Eastern Kentucky University
  • 2008 Salvatore J. Natoli Award for Excellence in Geographic Education Research, National Council for Geographic Education
  • 1997 Julian J. Petty Award for Scholarly Excellence, Department of Geography, University of South Carolina