Matthew Ulyesses Blankenship, M.Ed.

University of South Florida, Tampa

Department of Teaching and Learning
4202 E. Fowler Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33620

4825 Kanoy Drive

Lakeland, Florida, 33805
mublanke@mail.usf.edu
863-651-6212

Academic Degrees ____________________________

PhD,
University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Expected
Curriculum and Instruction, Reading and Language Arts

2016
Guiding Dissertation Question: What influences



secondary literacy teachers instructional decisions?

M.Ed., 2010 University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Educational Leadership



B.A., 2006 University of Florida, Gainesville, FL



English, British and American Literature



Areas of Research: Education Policy, Technology, and Adolescent Literacy

Teacher Certifications __________________

Florida Professional Teaching Certificate #1026902 expiring 6/30/2017

Educational Leadership (All Levels)

English for Speakers of Other Languages (K-12)

English (6 12)

Reading Endorsement

Social Science (6 12)

Professional Experience ________________

Assistant Principal Fort Meade Middle/Senior High School, Ft. Meade, FL.
of Curriculum

April 2014 - Current

Responsible for all aspects of curriculum design for the
school including teacher observation and feedback,
professional development, teacher and support
evaluations, master schedule, lesson planning
monitoring, pupil progression and records. Facilitator
for Polk County Public Schools Curriculum and
instruction meetings for administrators.

Dean of Students

Auburndale Senior High School, Auburndale, FL

August, 2011 April, 2014
Responsible for Advanced Placement Courses, Dual
Enrollment, Career Academies, Mentorship Coordinator,
In-Service Professional Development, College and
Career Lab, Academic Success Tutoring Program, Public
Relations, Community Involvement.

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Upward Bound
Adviser

Instructor

Polk State College, Winter Haven, FL

August, 2012 April, 2014
Provide one-to-one and small group mentoring to low
income and/or first generation students as they
progress through high school and transition to college.
Including tutoring and advisement.

University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Summer, 2011

LAE4414: Childrens Literature for Majors

Spring 2011

EDE 4942: Childhood Education Level I Internship

LAE4414: Childrens Literature for Majors

Fall, 2010

EDE 4942: Childhood Education Level II Internship

Adjunct Professor

Fall, 2011

Spring, 2012

Fall, 2008
Summer, 2011
Summer, 2012

Polk State College, Winter Haven, FL

Fall, 2008

REA0001: Developmental Reading I

SLS1101: College Success

REA0002: Developmental Reading II

Graduate Assistant University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Fall, 2011

LAE4414: Childrens Literature for Non Majors
Spring, 2012

Online Grader for Dr. Lippencott and
Summer, 2012

Mrs. Stewart

Summer, 2011
Florida Center for Instructional Technology,
Lesson Plan Creation / Review
Spring, 2011

Teacher

2006-2010

Online Reading Masters Course Revision / Creation

Auburndale High School, Auburndale, FL
Intensive Reading, 9 - 12, Reading, 9 - 12, AP Human
Geography, 9, English, 9 - 10, AP United States
Government, 12

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Research __________________________________________
Book Chapters

Blankenship, M.U., Margarella, E.E., Thomas, J., & Holmberg, A. (2015) Writing for
fluency: co-teaching to create scientific information texts (5th grade). In J.J.
Schneider (Ed.). Casework in K-6 writing instruction: Connecting composing
strategies, digital literacies, and disciplinary content toe the Common Core.
New York, NY: Peter Lang.


Articles
Blankenship, M. U. & Margarella, E.E. (Under Review - revised). Word level
analysis of Florida senate bill 736. International Journal of Education Policy
and Leadership.

Margarella, E.E. & Blankenship, M.U. (2015). Kindles in the classroom: a survey of
teachers and their perceptions of a mandated high school kindle initiative.
Journal of Technology Integration.

Blankenship, M.U. & Margarella, E.E. (April 2014). Technology and secondary
writing: a review of the literature. Contemporary Educational Technology.

Margarella, E. E. & Blankenship, M. U., Schenider, J. (2014). Research assistants
experiences: What pre-service teachers taught us about teaching writing.
The California Reader.

Blankenship, M.U. (2013). Eight ways to model technology use. Educational
Leadership, 70(7).

Blankenship, M.U. (2013). Group versus individual performance pay in education.

eJournal of Education Policy, Spring 2013.

Conference Presentations
Blankenship, M.U. & Margarella, E.E. (2015). Getting to the core: How independent
reading supports common core standards. Paper to be presented at the
International Reading Association Annual Meeting.
Margarella, E.E., Blankenship. M.U. (2014). When Technology Integration is Required,
Do Teachers Benefit?: Survey Results from a Mandatory High School Kindle
Initiative. Paper to be presented at the Literacy Research Association Annual
Meeting.
Margarella, E.E. & Blankenship. M.U. (December, 2014).Filling in the Gaps: What
Teachers Need to Successfully Integrate E-Books in the Secondary Classroom.
Paper to be presented at the American Reading Forum Annual Meeting.
Blankenship, M. U., Margarella, E.E. (2014 ). Independent Reading: Catching Students
Reading. Paper to be presented at the Florida Reading Association Annual
Meeting.

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Blankenship, M. U. & Margarella, E. E., (2014). The Act of Education: How Secondary
Literacy Teachers View Students Role in Reading Instruction. Paper to be
presented at the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers Annual
Meeting.
Margarella, E.E., Blankenship, M.U. (2014). Kindles in the Classroom: A
Survey of Teachers and their Perceptions of a Mandated Technology Initiative.
Poster presented at the University of South Florida Graduate Research
Symposium.
Margarella, E.E., Blankenship, M.U. (2014). E-Textbooks as a
Means for Collaborating and Connecting in the Secondary Classroom: A Survey
of Teacher Perceptions of a Mandated Technology Initiative. Paper to be
presented at the American Association for Teaching and Curriculum Annual
Meeting.
Blankenship, M. U. & Margarella, E. E., (2013). Technology and Secondary Writing: A
review of the literature. Poster presented at the NCATE accreditation poster
session.
Blankenship, M. U., Margarella, E. E., (2012). Technology and secondary writing: A
review of the literature. Paper session to be presented at the American
Reading Forum Annual Meeting.

Blankenship, M.U., Margarella, E.E., Dennis, D.V., (2012) Word level analysis of
senate bill 736. Poster presentation at Graduate School Symposium.
Margarella, E.E., Blankenship, M.U., Schneider, J.J., Dennis, D.V. (2012). Kindles in
the classroom: a survey of teachers' perceptions of a high school kindle
initiative. Paper session presented at Eastern Educational Research
Association.

Margarella, E. E., Blankenship, M. U., Schneider, J.J (2012). The adventures of
weather girl and cloud man: what pre-service teachers taught us about
teaching writing. Presented at Florida Educators Research Association.
Bennett, S.M., & Blankenship, M.U., Richards, J. (2012). Think Globally, Act Locally:
Civic Engagement and Participatory Cultures through Social Media by
Emerging Adults. Invited session at American Educational Research
Association Annual meeting.
Schneider, J.J., Welsh, J., Wolkenhauer, N., Margarella, E., Blankenship, M.U. (2012).
Using iMovie & iPads to teach composing across the curriculum. Paper
presented at the Annual Meeting of the Florida Educational Technology
Conference.

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Schneider, J.J., Allen, D., Blankenship, M.U. & Margarella, E. (December, 2010).
SnowWoww and the Climatation: From Fist Pumps to Fluency. Paper
presented at the Annual Meeting of the Literacy Research Association.

Funding _____________________________________________
2014

2010 2013

USF Graduate School Research Award, $500

Summer 2011

2010 2011

USF Graduate School Fellowship, $12,000 per year plus

full Tuition
USF Graduate School Fellowship, $3,500
USF College of Education Top-up Award, $4,000

Service ______________________________________________
Reviewer

Chair

2016 FERA Conference

PLC for Assistant Principals of Curriculum, Polk County
School Board. Organize monthly meetings for all
Secondary Assistant Principals in Polk County to grow
within current job role.

Reviewer

Reviewer

Reviewer

Assistant

2014 current, ASCD Book Reviewer

2014, American Reading Forum Manuscript
2014, AACTE Conference reviewer
Spring, 2013, University of South Florida, Tampa, CLiCK
Conference, Assisted in planning, created drama
backdrop PowerPoint

Presenter

Presenter

Presented at the NCATE Accreditation Poster Session

Spring 2012, St. Petersburg High School Guiding your
child toward success in Literacy through technology
integration

Presenter

Member

Fall, 2011, Auburndale High School Read Aloud /

Think Aloud Effective use in the content classroom

Editorial

Coordinator

Spring Summer, 2011, LAE4414 Course Review

Spring Summer, 2011, Journal of Reading Education

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Member

Fall 2010, CELS Retirement Committee

Awards and Recognition _________________

2014

Selected as a 2014 Emerging Leader by ASCD.

2014

6th Annual University of South Florida Graduate

Research and Postdoctoral Symposium: Selected
Winner for Excellence in Research. Awarded $500
Travel Grant

2010

Polk County Teacher of the Year Finalist

2010

VFW High School Teacher of the Year

2009 2010

Auburndale High School Teacher of the Year

2009

Mans Best Friend for Dedication,

Auburndale High School

2009

Polk County Committee of the Year, Member,

Literacy, Learning, and Leadership Team

2006 - 2010

Teacher Leadership Award, Auburndale High School

Professional Organization ___________

Member

Florida Association of School Based Administrators,

2014 present

Member
Member

Polk County Association of School Based Administrators,

2014 present

ASCD, 2009 present

Member

Florida Reading Association, 20011 - Present

Member

Member

Member

Member

Florida Education Research Association, 2009 present

Literacy Research Association, 2010 - present

Polk County Reading Council, 2007 present
Organization of Teacher Educators in Reading, 2011 - present

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