Dr. Jen Scott Curwood is a Lecturer of Secondary English and Media Studies at the University of Sydney.  Her work has appeared in the International Journal of Learning and Media, Literacy, The Reading Teacher, English Journal, and the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. While Jen’s dissertation examined digital literacies and reform-oriented professional development, her research interests also include adolescent literacy, multimodality, and young adult literature.

Jen completed her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Her major area of emphasis was Literacy Studies, with minors in Composition and Rhetoric and Educational Psychology.  At the University of Wisconsin, Jen taught undergraduate and graduate courses, focusing on literacy, language development, and culturally relevant pedagogy. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, Jen was a public school teacher. She taught middle school and high school English, and she is licensed as a K-12 reading specialist.

She is affiliated with the Games, Learning, and Society research group and has worked as a videogame producer with Community KnowledgeBase and the Epistemic Games team. Previously, Jen chaired the Games, Learning, and Society Educator Symposium and served on the program committee for the Games, Learning, and Society Conference and the National Council of Teachers of English Assembly for Research’s Midwinter Conference.

Jen lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, Michael Curwood, and their twelve year old son, Cole.  When she’s not in the classroom or in the field, you’ll probably find her trail running, horseback riding, traveling, or curling up with a good book.