Carol M. Connor, Ph.D.

Dr. Carol M. Connor is an associate professor at Florida State University, College of Education, Reading and Language Arts, and a research faculty member of the Florida Center for Reading Research. Recently awarded the President's Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) and the 2007 APA Richard Snow Award, she completed her Ph.D. and was an assistant research scientist in Psychology at University of Michigan just prior to coming to Florida State. Her research interests focus on children’s learning in the classroom from preschool through third grade and the complex relation between children’s language and literacy skill development.

She is the principal investigator of two randomized control field trials funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute for Education Sciences and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. These studies examine the effects of individualizing literacy instruction for first, second, and third grade students based on their entering language and reading skills. The intervention combines the use of Assessment-to-instruction (A2i) software with intensive professional development. A2i, which is web based, supports teachers' efforts to individualize reading instruction using assessment to guide instruction and effective planning of small group instruction.