Rate My Professor Jane Baker

Dr. Jane Baker is a Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education and Human Sciences, at Tennessee Technological University. She earned her Ph.D. in Exceptional Learning with a focus on Literacy from Tennessee Technological University and her M.A. in Elementary Counseling from the University of Louisville. Dr. Baker teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in early literacy, content methods, child development, family collaboration, and at-risk populations. She serves as Strand Leader for the Young Children and Families strand in the Applied Behavior Analysis concentration of the Exceptional Learning Ph.D. program, preparing professionals to support literacy and language development in young children.

Dr. Baker holds key leadership positions, including co-director of the Upper Cumberland Writing Project, a National Writing Project site that delivers professional development workshops to improve writing instruction across grade levels in the rural Upper Cumberland region. She is president of the Upper Cumberland Region Early Childhood Association and faculty advisor for TTU Best Buddies. Her work in STEM education includes collaborating on outreach at the Oakley STEM Center, hosting monthly events with themed STEM stations for K-12 students to build concepts in mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering. She co-authored 'Fab Fridays: Fostering Elementary Teacher Candidate Preparation Through Informal STEM Events' in the Journal of STEM Teacher Education (2020), demonstrating how informal STEM experiences enhance teacher candidates' pedagogical skills and self-efficacy. Dr. Baker received the College of Education and Human Sciences Teaching Award (2022-2023) and a Non-Instructional Faculty Assignment (2017-18). As project director for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission grant 'Shaping Early STEM Learning' ($199,435, 2012), she advanced early STEM initiatives. Her contributions impact teacher preparation, early literacy, family engagement, and STEM integration in education.