Mark T. Bittner

Asst. Lecturer/Co-Director UW Early Care and Education Center

marlee@uwyo.edu

Office:  (307) 766-4816

Fax: (307) 766-4093

 

 

Positions and Education

Assist. Lecturer, University of Wyoming, 2000-present

Assoc. Lecturer, University of Wyoming, 1991-2000

M.S. Child and Family Studies, Univ.Wyo, 1993

B.A. Elementary Education/Early Childhood Special Ed, Univ. Wyo, 1989

 

Professional Memberships

National Coalition for Campus Children’s Centers, Board Member/Chair Public Policy

National Association for the Education of Young Children

Society for Research in Child Development

Wyoming Early Childhood Association, Past-President

Laramie Early Childhood Association, Past-President

 

Instruction

Child Development Internship (FCSC 4130), Child Development Practicum (FCSC 3128), Child Development (FCSC 2121), Introduction to Early Childhood Education (EDEC 1020 – Spring 2002).

 

Research Interests

Most of my recent focus has been on the recruitment, retention, and involvement of males in the early childhood profession.  Along with my colleague, Dr. Margaret Cooney, we have formed focus groups in the past which have led to discussions on why men choose early childhood education professions and what barriers they are confronted with.  The result of this qualitative research has led to several state and national presentations as well as publications in the Journal of Early Childhood Education and Child Care Information Exchange.

In addition to this topic, I have also focused much of my time on advocacy for accessibility of quality child care for student parents attending programs of higher education.  As a member of the National Coalition for Campus Children’s Centers, we have worked at supporting legislation which gives financial assistance to student parents to access quality early childhood programs on campuses that they are attending.  With this support, it has been found that these student parents have greater results in graduating on time and with greater successes.  Their children, in turn, experience greater success in their early childhood programs and on into primary level education as a result of attending high quality early education programs.