LADISLAUS M. SEMALI

Office Address: 307 Keller Building

College of Education

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802

Telephone: (Office) (814) 865-2246

Education: Ph. D., University of California, Los Angeles, Graduate School of Education and Information

Studies, June 1991.

M.A. Degree, Communications, Stanford University, Stanford, California, June 1979.

M.A. Degree, Education, Stanford University, Stanford, California, June 1979.

Graduate Diploma, Communication Arts, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, June 1977.

B.A. Degree, Sociology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, 1976.

Professional Interests: Professor of Education and a member of the graduate faculty at the Pennsylvania State University,

Department of Learning and Performance Systems, specializing in Language, Media, and Adult Literacy

Education. Research interests: Social Science Education, Comparative and International Education,

multicultural issues, Adult Education, communications media and the use of technology to enhance

learning; Courses taught include graduate and undergraduate courses in: Issues in Language and Literacy

Education; Media Literacy in the Classroom; Perspectives in Intercultural Communication in

Multicultural Classrooms and Workplace; Cross-Cultural Research Methods in Education; Issues in

Indigenous and Ecological Literacies; Multicultural Education in Schools; Perspectives in African

Education; Indigenous Knowledges: Transforming the Academy, Comparative and International Adult

Education.

Employment and Teaching Experience: Professor of Education specializing in Comparative and International Education,

Language, Media and Adult Literacy Education at the Pennsylvania State University

(Assistant Professor, July 1992 to June 1998; Associate, July 1, 1998 – 2013; Professor—

July 2013—present).

Chair, Comparative and International Education at Penn State University, 2003 to

2010;

Founder and Co-Director of the Inter-institutional Consortium for Indigenous

Knowledge, 1995 – present; website: www.ed.psu.edu/icik/

Teaching Credential:

Communication Services and Related Technologies including video, computers and

printing, California Community Colleges, Department of Education, Sacramento, CA.

Instructor:

Graduate School of Education, University of California, Los Angeles, California, African

Education, winter 1988.

Instructor:

Linguistics Department / African Studies, University of California, Los Angeles,

California, Foreign area languages: Swahili, 1987-88; summer 1991.

Instructor:

Corat Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, Organizational Communication, Corat's Annual course for

Senior Administrators and Development officers, 1980-1985.

Instructor:

Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), Nairobi, Kenya, Development

Communication Studies, 1984-85.

Management and Research Experience: Administrative Fellow, Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, Penn State

University, 2002-2003.

Visiting Professor / Instructor, National Pingtung Institute of Commerce, Pingtung, ROC,

August 1999 - February, 2000.

Visiting Professor/ Instructor, Education Faculty of the University of Western Cape,

January -May, 2000.

Visiting Professor / Instructor, Tumaini University, July 2006- June 2007; June-August

2009;

Director, ICIK, (June 1995 - present); coordinates the activities of the Inter-institutional

Consortium of Indigenous Knowledge which provides an opportunity for faculty, staff

and students from any field of study to network with others who share a vision of the

academy as a place where multiple ways of knowing are valued and respected; promote

the development of curriculum and graduate courses university-wide that explore how

knowledges are generated and transferred without constructing hierarchies of values,

exclusion, domination or oppression.

Visiting Scholar, Universities of Botswana, Dar es Salaam, and Zimbabwe. Conducted

surveys and consulted local officials and educators about the use of indigenous

knowledge systems in the development of literacy materials. Organized workshops for

adult literacy coordinators, (Summer 1994)

Consultant, University of Georgia, Comparative Literature Department: Media

technology project: The development of video course materials for language and culture,

funded by the Department of Education, Washington, D.C., (Summer 1993).

Administrative Research Analyst & Database Manager, International Studies and

Overseas Programs (ISOP), University of California, Los Angeles. Using a broad

knowledge of microcomputers, I maintained data files and produced reports on student

enrollments and faculty information related to international and overseas studies. (Jan.

1990 - June 1992).

Research Associate, Graduate School of Education, University of California, Los

Angeles. Responsible for the data analysis of a Comparative Study on Adult Education

(including Literacy) in Canada, Tanzania, and Mexico. (October 1990 - July 1991).

Research Analyst, Ten Schools Project of the Los Angeles Unified School District--an

evaluation project of the curriculum designed for at-risk children (predominantly of

Latino and African-American descent) in elementary schools in South Central Los

Angeles, as a means to improve reading and writing as well as cultural literacy. (Oct.

1989 - Oct. 1990).

Education Specialist & Data Analyst, the Center for Academic and Inter-institutional

Programs, University of California, Los Angeles. Developed procedures for maintaining

the quality of Summer Institutes for teachers, K-college in all subject matters; curriculum

and instruction assessment, analyzed survey data; prepared data files for analysis;

conducted interviews; compiled and prepared reports and manuscripts. (1987 - 1989).

Research Fellow, field study on "Postliteracy education in Tanzania and the retention of

literacy skills in adults: The role of communication media." The Rockefeller Foundation,

New York, funded this project. (Sept. 1988 - Sept. 1990).

Director of Communications, AMECEA Communications, Nairobi, Kenya. Managed

operations including project management, new program development, follow-up on

grants, evaluation, research, workshops and training sessions for community radio

broadcasters, and journalists in Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and

Zambia. Also participated in the organization and establishment of the Catholic

University of Eastern Africa. (1979 -1985).

Journalist and editor, National Literacy Publications; evaluator of rural newspapers in

Adult Literacy, Ministry of National Education; Affiliated with the Adult Education

Directorate, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (1972—1973).

Professional Publications:

1. Articles Published in Refereed Journals

Stites, R. & Semali, L. (1991). Adult literacy for social equality or economic

growth? Changing agendas for mass literacy in China and Tanzania.

Comparative Education Review, Vol. 35, no. 1, 44-75.

Semali, L. (1993). The communication media in postliteracy education: New

dimensions of literacy. International Review of Education, 39(2), 35-48.

Semali, L. (1994). Rethinking media literacy in schools. Pennsylvania Educational

Leadership, 13(2), Spring, 11-18.

Semali, L. (1995, Spring). New dimensions of literacy: Can kids learn anything

from the television screen? Pennsylvania Educational Leadership, 14(2),

38-41.

Semali, L. (1995). The challenge for the year 2000: Universalizing primary

schooling in Africa. The review of education/pedagogy/cultural studies,

17(1), 43-54.

Semali, L. (1996, April) Indigenous education in Tanzania: A response to Arun

Agrawal. Indigenous Knowledge and Development Monitor, 4(1), 12-19.

Kreisler, A. & Semali, L. (1997, April). Towards indigenous literacy: Science

teachers learn to use IK resources. Indigenous Knowledge and

Development Monitor 4(2).

Semali, L. & Hammett, H. (1999). Critical media literacy: Content or process?

The review of education/Pedagogy/Cultural Studies 20(4), pp. 365-384.

Semali, L. (1999). Community as classroom: Dilemmas of valuing African

indigenous literacy in education. International Review of Education

45(3/4): 305-319.

Pailliotet, A., Semali, L., Rodenberg, R., Giles, J., and Macaul, S. (2000).

Intermediality: Path to critical media literacy. Reading Teacher Vol. 54,

No.2, 208-219.

Semali, L. (2001). Defining new literacies in curricular practice. Reading Online,

5(4).

http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=semali1/

index.html

Semali, L. & Fueyo, J. (2001, December/January) Transmediation as a metaphor

for new literacies in multimedia classrooms. Reading Online, 5(5).

http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=semali2/

index.html

Semali, L. (2002, December/January). Crossing the information highway: The web

of meanings and bias in global media. Reading Online, 6(5).

http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=s

emali3/index.html

Semali, L. (2003). Ways with visual languages: Making the case for critical media

literacy. The Clearing House: Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues,

and Ideas 76(6). 271-277.

Semali, L. (2004). Teaching Media Literacy through Analytical Frameworks.

Academic Exchange Quarterly, 8(2).

Semali, L. & Maretzki, A. (2004). Valuing Indigenous knowledge: Strategies for

transforming the academy. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and

Engagement, 10(1): 91-106.

Semali, L. (2005). Valuing Indigenous knowledge: Strategies for transforming the

academy. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 10(1):

91-106.

Semali, L. (2005). Desire and Decline: Schooling amid crisis in Tanzania. Review.

Comparative Education Review 49(4): 586-589.

Semali, L. Grim, B. Maretzki, A. (2007). Barriers to the inclusion of indigenous

knowledge concepts in teaching, research, and outreach. Journal of Higher

Education Outreach and Engagement, 11(2), 73-88.

Semali, L. Ackerman, R. et al. (2007). Developing excellence in indigenously-informed

research: Collaboration between African communities and the academy.

AlterNative--International Journal of Indigenous Scholarship, 8—23.

Semali, L. (2009). Indigenous knowledge, postcolonialism and indigenous education

politics in African perspective. Journal of Social Anthropology 6(1-2): 175-190.

Semali, L. (2010). Teaching the language of power and the politics of identity in the age

of globalization. In Shouhua Lin (Ed.), Studies in ELT and ESP. Kaohsiung,

Taiwan: Crane Publishing Co, pp. 15 –27.

Khanjan Mehta, K., Semali, L., Maretzki, A. (2011). The Primacy of Trust in the Social

Networks and Livelihoods of Women Agro-Entrepreneurs in Northern Tanzania.

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. Volume 11(6),

363—372.

Khanjan Mehta, K., Maretzki, A. Semali, L. (2011). Trust, Cell phones, Social Networks

and Agricultural Entrepreneurship in East Africa: A Dynamic Interdependence.

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. Volume 11(6),

373—383.

Semali, L. & Mehta, K. (2012). Science Education in Tanzania: Challenges and Policy

Responses. International Journal of Educational Research 53 (2012) 225–239.

Semali, L. & Tutaleni, A. (2013). The Use of Mobile Devices to Promote Postliteracy

Practices in Urban and Rural Contexts: The Case of Namibia and Tanzania.

Prospects—Quarterly Review of Comparative Education. (DOI 10.1007/s11125-

012-9254-6).

Khanjan Mehta, M., Alter, T., Semali, L., & Maretzki, A. (in press). AcademIK

Connections: Bringing Indigenous Knowledge and Perspectives into the

Classroom. Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship.

Semali, L., Baker, R., & Freer, R. (2013). Multi-Institutional Partnerships for Higher

Education in Africa: A Case Study of Assumptions of International Academic

Collaboration. International Journal of Higher Education 2(2): 53--66.

Semali, L., Hristova, A., & Owiny, S. (in press). Integrating Ubunifu, Informal Science

and Community Innovations in Science Classrooms in East Africa: A

Comparative Study. International Journal of Science Education.

Semali, L. & Asino, T. (in press). Decolonizing Cultural Heritage of Indigenous People

and their Knowledge from Images in Global Films. Decolonization: Indigeneity,

Education & Society.

Semali, L. (in press). The ispaces Framework for Rethinking a Culturally Responsive

Secondary Science Curriculum in Tanzania. Journal of Contemporary Issues in

Education.

2. Books

Semali, L. (1980). Manual on management for development workers:

Communications. Monograph. Nairobi: Corat Africa.

Semali, L. (1995). Postliteracy in the age of democracy. Bethesda, MD: Austin &

Winfield.

Semali, L. &. Pailliotet, A. (1999), (Eds.). Intermediality: The teachers' handbook

of critical media literacy. Boulder, CO: Westview/Harper Collins.

Semali, L. & Kincheloe, J. (1999), (Eds.). What is indigenous knowledge? Voices

from the academy. New York: Falmer Press.

Semali, L. (2000). Literacy in multimedia America: Integrating media education

across the curriculum: New York: Falmer Press.

Semali, L. (2002). Transmediation in the classroom: A semiotics-based media

literacy framework. New York: Peter Lang.

Lekoko, R. & Semali, L. (Eds.) (2011). Cases on Developing Countries and ICT

Integration: Rural Community Development. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

3. Parts of Books

Rust, V. & Semali, L. (1990). Communication technology promises improved

teaching. In V.D. Rust and P. Dalin (Eds.), Teachers and teaching in the

developing world. New York: Garland, pp. 281-303.

Semali, L. (1996). In the name of science and of genetics and of the Bell Curve:

White supremacy in American schools. In J. Kincheloe, S. Steinberg &

A.D. Gresson III (Eds.), Measured Lies. Bell Curve Examined. New York:

St. Martin's Press, 161-176.

Semali, L. (1998). Perspectives of the curriculum of whiteness. In J. Kincheloe, S.

Steinberg, N. Rodriguez & R. Chennault (Eds.), What Reign: Learning

and Deploying Whiteness in America. New York: Teachers College Press.

177-190.

Semali, L. (1998). Still crazy after all these years: Teaching critical media literacy.

In J. Kincheloe, & S. Steinberg (Eds.), Unauthorized Methods: Strategies

for Critical Teaching. New York: Rutledge. 136-151.

Semali, L. (1999). Literacy and Basic Education. In D. Wagner & B. Street (Eds.),

Literacy: An International Handbook. Boulder, Co.: Harper

Collins/Westview Press. 306-310.

Semali, L. (1999). Community as classroom: (Re)valuing indigenous literacy. In

Semali, L. & Kincheloe, J. (eds.), What is indigenous knowledge? Voices

from the academy. New York: Falmer Press. 95-118.

Semali, L. (1999). Critical viewing as response to Intermediality: Implications for

critical media literacy. In Semali, L. &. Pailliotet, A. (1999), (Eds.).

Intermediality: The teachers' handbook of critical media literacy.

Boulder, CO: Westview/Harper Collins. 183-205.

Semali, L. (2000). Implementing media literacy in school curriculum: A case

study. In Pailliotet, A. & Mosenthal, B. (Eds.), Reconceptualizing literacy

in the new age of media, multimedia and hypermedia, JAI/Ablex /Elsevier.

277-299.

Semali, L. (2001). The media curriculum of global values: The insidious cultural

pedagogy. In S. Steinberg, (Ed.). Multi/Intercultural conversations: A

reader. New York: Peter Lang. 361-379.

Semali, L. (2001). Unraveling the curriculum of global values. In P. Schmidt &

A.W. Pailliotet (Eds.), Exploring values through literature, multimedia

and literacy events. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Semali, L. (2002). The case of repressed native or indigenous languages. In L.

Soto (Ed.), Making a difference in the lives of bilingual and bicultural

children. New York: Peter Lang. 53-66.

Semali, L. (2002). Cultural Perspectives and Teacher Education: Indigenous

Pedagogies in African Context. In Elwyn, Thomas (ed.) World Yearbook

of Education. London: Kogan Page. 155-165.

Semali, L. (2004). Indigenous ways of knowing and critical thinking. In

Kincheloe, J. & Weil, D. (Eds.), Critical thinking and learning: An

encyclopedia for parents and teachers. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

167-171 .

Semali, L. (2005). Why media literacy matters in American schools. In Schwarz,

G. & Brown, P. (Eds.), Media literacy: Transforming curriculum and

teaching. National Society for the Study of Education. 35-54.

Semali, L. & Maretzki, A. (eds.) (2005). Indigenous Knowledge and the

Transformation of the Academy. The 2004 Indigenous Knowledges

Conference Proceedings.

http://www.ed.psu.edu/icik/2004ConferenceProceedings.html

Semali, L. (2006). Postcolonial Perspective in Constructing Teacher Knowledge about

HIV/AIDS. In Macedo, D. (Ed.), Humanizing Pedagogy through HIV/AIDS

Prevention: Transforming Teacher Education Knowledge (103-

133). Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers.

Askov, E. N., Kassab, C., Grinder, E. L., Semali, L., Weirauch, D., Longoria Saenz, E., &

Van Horn, B. (2007). Filling in the "Black Box" of Family Literacy: Implications

of Research for Practice and Policy. In Belzer, A. (Ed.), Toward Defining and

Improving Quality in Adult Basic Education (pp. 241-

254). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Semali, L. (2007). Challenges of rebuilding education in crisis: Access to universal primary

education in Africa. In D. Baker, A. Wiseman (Ed.), Education for all: Global

promises, national challenges (pp. 395-425). New York, NY: Elsevier.

Semali, L. (2008). Indigenous Education: Culturalism, Colonialism and Politics of

Knowing. In D. Mulenga (Ed.). Postcolonialism and Education. Challenging

Traditions and Disrupting Boundaries. Toronto: Palgrave Macmillan.

Semali, L. (2009). Cultural Perspectives in African Adult Education: Indigenous Ways of

Knowing in Lifelong Learning. In A. Abdi, (Ed.). International Adult Education.

Toronto: Palgrave Macmillan, 35-54.

Semali, L. (2009). Indigenous pedagogies and languages for Peace and development. In

Brock-Utne, Birgit and Gunnar Garbo (eds.), Language and power: Implications

of language for peace and development. Dar es Salaam:Mkuki na Nyota / Ann

Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Khanjan Mehta & Semali, L. (2009). WishVast: Building Trust and Social Capital

using Cellphones. Proceedings of the International Multiconference on

Computer Science and Information Technology, 375 – 381.

Mehta, K., Semali, L., Fleishman, A., Maretzki, K. (2010). Leveraging Indigenous

Knowledge to foster Developmental Entrepreneurship. Proceedings of NCIIA

Annual Meeting. NCIIA, pp.

Semali, L. (2011). Quest for Economic Empowerment of Rural Women Entrepreneurs in

Tanzania: ICTs Leapfrog the Digital Divide. In Lekoko, R. & Semali, L. (Eds.)

Cases on Developing Countries and ICT Integration: Rural Community

Development. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 91-102.

Semali, L. & Lekoko, R. (2011). Introduction: Why Study ICT Integration in Rural

Community Development? In R. Lekoko & L. M. Semali, (Eds.) Cases on

Developing Countries and ICT Integration: Rural Community Development.

Hershey, PA: IGI Global, pp. iii---vii.

Semali, L. (in press). Enhancing Quality Education in Tanzania’s Classrooms. In Zehlia

Babaci-Wilhite, Z. & Vuzo, Mwajuma, Comparative and International

Education: Voices of Tanzania.

4. Articles Published in Refereed Non-journal Publications

Semali, L. (1981). The need for research in communication in Africa. Social

Communication Yearbook.

Semali, L. (1994). Visual literacy in the digital age: Integrating visual literacy

across the curriculum. In Visual literacy in the digital age: 1993

conference readings. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech University, pp. 213-

221.

Griffin, R., Patterson, R., Semali, L. & Takakuwa, Y. (1995). Using symbols in

international business presentations: How well are they understood? In

Visual literacy, timeless images: 1994 conference readings. Virginia Tech

University.

Semali, L. (1996). Media representation of minorities and women. Eyes on the

future: Converging images, ideas, and instruction, 1996 conference

readings. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech University.

Semali, L. (1997). Quest of visual literacy: Deconstructing visual images of

indigenous people. In R. Griffin (Ed.), Vision Quest: Journeys towards

visual literacy. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech University, 247-256.

Semali, L. (1998). Community values, symbols, and images in visual media. In

Connecting with the Community: Exploring Resources for Visual Learning

& Expression. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech University.

Semali, L. & Maretzki, A. (2005). Indigenous Knowledge: The Future . . . (DVD).

WPSX, Public Broadcasting. University Park: Penn State University.

Semali, L. (2006). Photo language: Visual images and the postmodern

problematic. Visual Literacy Selected Readings. 55—61.

5. Articles In-house Organs

Semali, L. (1992). The impact of media use on literacy skills. In African

Educational Research Symposium proceedings. College of Education,

Ohio University.

Semali, L. (1994). The social and political context of literacy education for

pastoral societies. Eric Family Files, Bloomington, Indiana University.

Semali, L. (1996, October). Integrating contemporary and indigenous ways of

knowing: Using traditional stories to enhance literacy. Laser, 6-7.

Semali, L. (1997). Critical viewing in media literacy practice. ERIC.

Semali, L. (1998). Helping students to understand and detect bias in Media

Representations. Bridges.

Semali, L. Montecinos, V. Maretzki, A. Kalavar, J. Jaksch, M. Frazier, M. Chinoy, M.

Buzinde, C. Bradley, G. Ackerman, R. (2007). Teaming up in

Tanzania. Mosaic, 4(2), pp. 5-7.

6. Research reports to sponsor

Semali, L. & Stewart, T. W. (1990). Evaluation of the arts Core Team Program,

October 1989-June 1990. Final report of the Ten Schools Project. Los

Angeles, CA: Center for Academic Inter-Institutional Programs. Graduate

School of Education, University of California, Los Angeles.

Semali, L. (2005). Mapping Success: Family and Child Education Program. Final

report submitted to the Goodling Institute, Penn State University,

University Park. www.psu.edu.goodlinginstitute/.

Presentations & Professional Conferences:

7. International

Semali, L. (1993). Literacy, education and pastoral societies. Paper presented at

the Comparative and International Education Society Conference,

Kingston, Jamaica, March.

Semali, L. (1993, June). Prospects of education for remote area populations.

Paper presented at the Remote Area Development Studies Institute,

University of Botswana, Gaborone.

Semali, L. (1997). Language, Literacy, and Development of Indigenous Peoples:

Case Study. Paper presented at the Comparative and International

Conference, Mexico, March 19-23.

Semali, L. (1997). Rethinking schooling and education in the African context.

Discussant of Panel, CIES, Mexico, March 19-23.

Semali, L. (1998). Post-formal thinking and multicultural societies in transition:

race, gender and indigenous rights in Tanzania and US. Paper presented at

the World Congress, Comparative and International Conference, Cape

Town, South Africa, July 12-18, 1998.

Semali, L. (2000). Who is indigenous, who is not? Africa's indigenous peoples.

Paper presented at the Annual Conference, Centre of African Studies,

University of Edinburgh, 24-25 May.

Semali, L. (2004). Cultural Perspectives in teacher Education: The Dialectic of

the Local and the global in Indigenous Pedagogies. Paper presented at the

World Congress for Comparative Education Conference, Havana, Cuba,

October 22-26, 2004.

Semali, L. (2009). Teacher Identity Politics in English Language Teaching in the

Age of Globalization. Paper presented at the 2009 Conference on English

Teaching at the Department of Applied Foreign Languages, National

Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences Friday, May 1.

Khanjan Mehta & Semali, L. (2009). WishVast: Building Trust and Social Capital

using Cellphones. Paper presented at the International Multi conference on

Computer Science and Information Technology, Mragowo, Poland,

October 11 -16.

Semali, L. (2010). Exploring Visual Language of Film in “Milking the Rhino”:

Conflict between Globalization, Heritage Knowledge and Cultural

Identity. Paper presented at the International Visual Literacy Association

(IVLA), Limassol, Cyprus, September 29 – October 3, 2010.

Semali, L. (2011). The iSPACES Teaching Model: Integrating Indigenous

Knowledge, Entrepreneurship and Western Science across Secondary

School Curriculum. Paper presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the

Comparative and International Education Society, Montreal, Canada, May

1—5, 2011.

Semali, L. (2012). Teaching Comparative and International Education Worldwide:

The Global Dr. Jekyll and the Global Mr. Hyde: Teaching about the Cost

and Benefit of Civilization by Ali Mazrui. Organizer & Chair of the

Plenary Session at the 56th Annual Conference of the Comparative and

International Education Society, San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 23—27,

2012.

Semali, L. (2012). Postliteracy in the Digital Age: Implications for Literacy

Education and Curriculum Development in Tanzania. Paper presented at

the American Education Research Association Conference, Vancouver,

Canada, April 13-16, 2012.

7. National or Regional

Semali, L. (1990). Universal Education and Adult Dilemmas and Conflicts:

Which Way Out? Paper presented at the Comparative and International

Education Society Annual Conference, Anaheim, California, March 23-

27.

Semali, L. (1991). The Role of Communication Media in Postliteracy Education

in Tanzania and the Retention of Literacy Skills in Adults: The Case of

Tanzania. Paper presented at the Comparative and International Education

Society annual conference, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 19-23.

Semali, L. (1992). The politics of difference: Education for nationalism versus

ethnic identity in Kenya and Tanzania. Paper presented at the

Comparative and International Education Society Northeast Regional

Meeting, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 25-29.

Semali, L. (1992, December). The impact of media use on literacy skills. Paper

presented at the Eighth African Educational Research Symposium,

Athens, Ohio University, Ohio.

Semali, L. (1993, October). Visual literacy in the digital age: Integrating visual

literacy across the curriculum. Paper presented at the International Visual

Literacy Association, 25th Annual Conference, Rochester, New York.

Semali, L. (1993, December). The social and political context of literacy

education for pastoral societies and other marginalized transient societies.

Paper presented at the National Reading Conference, Charleston, South

Carolina.

Semali, L. (1993, November). Integrating arts and media literacies: A richer vision

of language arts. Paper presented at Pennsylvania Association for

Supervision and Curriculum Development, 44th Annual Conference,

Hershey, Pennsylvania

Semali, L. (1994, February). Teaching new literacies across the curriculum in

multimedia America. Paper presented at the Regional Meeting of the

International Reading Association, Washington, DC.

Semali, L. (1994). Basic Education and Literacy in Transient Societies: Validity

of Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Identity. Paper presented at the

Comparative and International Education Society Conference, San Diego,

California, March.

Semali, L. (1994). New technologies: Literacy, media & culture. Paper presented

at the Centre for Literacy Third Annual Event, Montréal, Canada, June 22

& 23.

Semali, L. (1994, October). Teaching the Media: English Teachers as Media and

Technology Critics. Paper presented at the International Visual Literacy

Association, 26th Annual Conference, Tempe, Arizona.

Semali, L. (1994, December). Teaching critical media literacy across the

curriculum in multimedia America. Paper presented at the NRC

Conference, San Diego.

Deegan, D., Fueyo, J., Myers, J., & Semali, L. (1994, November). Taking it

up/Taking it seriously: Critical literacy in pre-service teacher education.

Presentation at a panel of the National Reading Conference, San Diego,

California.

Semali, L. (1994, November). The changing dimensions of literacy: The waning

of the print literacy. Alternative Format Presentation at the National

Reading Conference. Exhibits: A Technology Museum: Examining

assumptions and directions.

Semali, L. (1995, March). Education and Globalization: Neoliberalism and

Structural Adjustment in African and Latin American Education.

Discussant of Panel, CIES, Boston, March 29-April 1.

Semali, L. & Stambach, A. (1995). Indigenous knowledge and cultural identity in

African contexts. Paper presented at the Comparative and International

Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, March 29-April 1.

Semali, L. (1995, April). Media literacy in schools: What literature teachers can

do? A paper presented at the Children's Literature Matters Conference,

University Park, Pennsylvania.

Semali, L. (1995). Diversity in the curriculum. Presentation at a panel of the

Penn State Education Summit, The Scanticon, University Park,

Pennsylvania, October 13-14.

Semali, L. (1996). Quest of Visual Literacy: Deconstructing Visual Images of

Indigenous People. Paper presented at the international Visual Literacy

Association, 27th Annual Conference, Cheyenne, WY, October 2-6.

Semali, L. (1996). Local Testimonies of Development in Tanzania. Paper

presented at the Regional Comparative and International Education

Society, The Penn State Scanticon, State College, Pennsylvania,

December 6-7.

Semali, L. (1997). Oral Literacy, Democracy and Development: Reclaiming

Indigenous Knowledge and Contemporary Innovation - A Case Study.

Paper presented at the Comparative and International Education Society,

Mexico City, Mexico, March 19 -23.

Semali, L. (1997). Community as Classroom: Agenda for Action. Paper presented

at the Indigenous Knowledge Conference, The Pennsylvania State

University, University Park, Pennsylvania, April 18-19.

Semali, L. (1997). Exploring Values across the Curriculum with Literature and

Mass Media. Paper presented at the International Reading Association,

Atlanta, Georgia, May 4-9.

Semali, L. (1997). Intermediality: Re/examining media literacy's implications for

theory, research and practice. Paper presented at the National Reading

Conference, Scottsdale, AZ, December 3-6.

Semali, L. (1998). Media literacy: Focusing the power of media languages. Paper

presented at the Children Matters Conference, Penn State Conference

Center, State College, PA, April 3-4.

Semali, L. (1998). Visual literacy in an information age: curriculum in schools.

Paper presented at the International Visual Literacy Conference, Athens,

GA, October 21 - 25.

Semali, L. (1998). Setting media literacy agendas: conversations about theory,

research, and practice. The 48th National Literacy Conference, Austin,

TX, December 2- 5.

Semali, L. (1998). Critical inquiry, literacy and voice within and through media

representation. Discussant. The 48th National Literacy Conference,

Austin, TX, December 2- 5.

Semali, L. (1999). Critical media literacy through telecommunication: Theory into

praxis. National Media Education conference, St. Paul, MN. June 27-30.

Semali, L. & Ma, Y. (2002, October). Understanding digitization and the visual

experience in the age of the Internet: Principles, practices and challenges.

Paper presented at the International Visual Literacy Association Annual

Conference, October 4-Brokenridge, Colorado.

Semali, L. (2003, March). Developing a national model of family literacy:

Building on the case of FACE. Paper presented at the National Conference

on Family literacy and the California Family Literacy Conference, March

16-18, Long Beach California.

Semali, L. (2003, October). Transmediation: Visual Language and the Postmodern

Problematic. Paper presented at the International Visual Literacy

Association Annual Conference, October 5-10, New Port, Rhode Island.

Semali, L. (2004, March). Finding Freedom in Indigenous Pedagogies:

(Re)constructing Identities, Epistemologies, and Postcolonial Spaces.

Paper presented at the Comparative and International Education

Conference, March 8-12, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Semali, L. (2004, May). Indigenous Knowledges: Transforming the academy.

International Conference on Indigenous Knowledges. Penn Stater, State

College, May 27-29.

Semali, L. (2004, October). Visual images and the postmodern problematic. Paper

presented at the International Visual Literacy Association, Manyane

Resort, South Africa, October, 7-10, 2004.

Semali, L.& Maretzki, A., (2004, October). Indigenous Knowledges: Transforming

the Academy. Penn Stater Conference Center. State College, PA.

Semali, L. (2005 March). Valuing Indigenous Knowledges: Strategies for

Engaging Communities and Transforming the Academy. CIES Annual

Conference at Stanford University. Stanford, CA, 22-26, 2005.

Semali, L. (2005 June). The power of place: Indigenous knowledge, sustainability

and transformation of the academy, Abingdon, VA. 19-24, June.

Semali, L. (2005 June). Critical Media Literacy as a tool for Curricular Integration.

Paper presented at the 21st Century Integration Summit for Teacher

Educators. Penn Stater, State College, 7-8, June).

Semali, L. (2005 October). Photolanguage: Visual Images and the Postmodern

Problematic. Paper presented at the 37th International Visual Literacy

Conference, Orlando, FL. October 17-20).

Semali, L. (2008). The language of Instruction in Tanzania’s Private Universities.

Dilemmas and Contradictions. Paper presented at the Implications of

Language for Peace and Development Conference. University of Oslo,

Norway, 2-3 May.

Semali, L. (2008) Gaining Equity: Developing Indigenously informed research

through community and academic partnerships. Paper presented at the

Comparative and International Education Annual Conference, Columbia

Teachers University, New York, 17-21 March.

Semali, L. (2009) Use of Participatory Action Research to Study Indigenous Social

Networks. Paper presented at the Comparative and International

Education Society Conference, Charleston, S.C., March 23-26.

Semali, L. (2009). Quest for Economic Empowerment of Rural Women

Entrepreneurs in Tanzania: ICTs Leapfrog the Digital Divide. Paper

presented at the IVLA 41st Annual Conference, DePaul University/Lincoln

Park Campus, Chicago, October 6-9, 2009.

Semali, L. (2010) Integration of Indigenous Knowledges in national Curriculum:

Engaging Diverse Stakeholders to Leverage Indigenous Knowledge in

Building a Science Curriculum—a Participatory Approach, Chicago,

March 1-5.

Semali, L. (2011). Developing the iSPACES Teaching Model: Rethinking a

Culturally Responsive Science Curriculum in Tanzania. Paper presented at

the American Education Research Association, New Orleans, April 8—12.

Semali, L. & Hristova, A. (2011). Ubunifu: A Comparative Case Study of

Informal Science Learning in Tanzania and USA. A paper presented at the

CIES regional Conference, November 28-29.

Semali, L. Stager, S., Asino, T., Hestres, A., Zaballero, L., Hristova, A. (2012).

Using New Media Technology to Promote Indigenous Knowledge:

Closing the vicious loop of outreach-in-reach imperative. Paper presented

at the 2012 Annual Retreat of the Inter-Institutional Consortium for

Indigenous Knowledge, Penn State University, University Park, PA,

October 5.

Semali, L. (2012). Mapping Visual Language and Empowering People’s Voices:

Conflict between Traditional Heritage and Cultural Identity, Paper

presented at the Annual Conference of the International Visual Literacy

Association, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME, October 10th –

13.

Semali, L. (2012). Indigenous People, Education and Knowledge and the

Worldwide Education Revolution. Paper presented at the 56th Annual

Conference of the Comparative and International Education Society, San

Juan, Puerto Rico, April 23—27.

Semali, L., Vavrus, F., Bartlett, L., & Freer, R. (2012). Global Partnership for

Education: Tensions in Partnerships with African Universities. Paper

presented at the 56th Annual Conference of the Comparative and

International Education Society, San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 23—27.

Semali, L., Asino, T., Stager, S. (2012). Analysis of CIES Presidential Addresses

on the Worldwide Education Revolution. Paper presented at the 56th

Annual Conference of the Comparative and International Education

Society, San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 23—27.

Semali, L. (2013). Relationship between Informal Science, Ubunifu and

Community Innovations in Science Classrooms in East Africa. Paper

presented at the American Education Research Association Conference,

San Francisco, CA, April 13-16.

Semali, L. (2013). Integration of Local Knowledge, Innovation, and Local History

of Science in Classrooms to Enhance Quality Education. Paper presented

at the 57th Annual Conference of the Comparative and International

Education Society, New Orleans, March 10-15.

Semali, L. (2013). Exploring Visual Stories, Consumption, Theories, Methods and

Pedagogical Practices. Paper presented at the 45th Annual Conference of

the International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA), Limasol, Cyprus,

August 30 – Sept. 4th.

Semali, L. (2013). Participatory field research that employs an inclusive model of

communication among scholars and practitioners from traditional cultures.

Paper presented at the 2013 Global Penn State Conference, University

Park, PA, 27-28 September.

Speaking Engagements/Consulting

Semali, L. Millenimania: Teachers meeting technology and media demands from

the edge of the millennium. Central Region of PMSA at Mt. Nittany

Middle School, State College Area School District, April 15, 1999.

Semali, L. Adult literacy in crisis: International perspectives. Adult Literacy

Education Colloquium, March 14, 1999.

Semali, L. Cross-cultural meanings of Shakespeare's As You Like It. National

Institute of Commerce, Pingtung, Taiwan, ROC.19 December, 1999.

Semali, L. Challenges of curriculum planning. Faculty of Education, University of

the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa, 11 April, 2000.

Semali, L. Semali, L. Teaching the language of power and the politics of identity

in the age of globalization, May, 2010.

Semali, L. Curriculum Reforms in Science Education in Tanzania. Science

Teachers on Tour to Tanzania, University of Georgia, Kitolie, Moshi,

Tanzania, 23 July, 2010.

Semali, L. “Education in Tanzania: Roadmap for New Curriculum Focus on

Teacher as Adult Learner and Change Agent.” Springlands Hotel, Pasua,

Moshi, June 23, 2011.

Awards

Excellence in Non-credit Program Development Award: The Mid-Atlantic Region

of the University Continuing Education Association.2005

National Science Foundation of Taiwan Award, 1999-2000

Penn State Continuing Education: Exemplary Program Award. 2005.

James G. Sucy Distinguished Service Award, International Visual Literacy

Association, October 2005

La Mar Kopp International Achievement Award, 2010.

Service to Learned Societies:

1) Service to Professional Organizations

a. Vice President, International Visual Literacy Association, 1995

b. President Elect 2004-2005

c. President, International Visual Literacy Association, 2004—2005.

d. Chair, Comparative and International Education Society, SIG –

Indigenous Knowledge and the Academy (IKA), 2007-present

e. Board Member, Comparative and International Education Society,

2008-2011.

2) Member of Professional Organizations

a. Comparative and International Education Society (CIES)

b. Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development

c. National Reading Conference (NRC)

d. International Reading Association (IRA)

e. National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

f. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE)

g. African Studies Association (ASA)

h. International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA),

Board Member, President, 2004-2005

i. The National Council of Educational Technology (NCET)

j. The Fulbright Association

k. Alliance for Media Literate America (AMLA)

3) Editorial Policy Memberships

a) Editor of Series: Indigenous Knowledge and Schooling. Garland

publishing. 1997 to present.

b) Member of Editorial Team. Indigenous Knowledge & Development

Monitor (The Netherlands), 1995 - 2004.

c) Member of Editorial Board. Taboo: Journal of Culture and Education,

(San Francisco, CA), 1999-2003.

d) Guest Editor. Reading Online, a peer-reviewed journal of the

International Reading Association, www.readingonline.org

e) Member of Editorial Board. Journal of Literacy Research, 2003-2004

f) Member of Editorial Team. The Reading Teacher, 2000-2003.

g) Member of Editorial Board. Comparative Education Review.2004-

2010.

h) Member of International Review Panel, International Development

Project, International Reading Association, 2004.

i) Member of Editorial Review Board, Journal of Literacy Research,

Volume 41, 2009.

3) Manuscripts Reviewed

1. Mosha, R. (Book Manuscript) The heartbeat of indigenous Africa. A

study of the Chagga educational system. New York: Falmer Press.

April 1999.

2. Gina Lucarelli. Preserving Local Knowledge through Discovery

Learning: Curricular Based on Local Wisdom, .June 2001

3. Wepner, Shelley & Cotter, Michelle. When Do Computer Graphics

Contribute to Early Literacy Learning? October 2001.

4. (Blind Review) Author unidentified: Everyday Texts: Using

Newspapers to Teach for Critical Literacy. Reading Teacher. January

2002.

5. (Blind Review) Author unidentified: The role of Metacognitive Ability

in Adult Low-Skilled Readers”. Journal of Literacy Research. June 20,

2002.

6. (Blind Review) Author unidentified: Adult Education and Internet

Research. Journal of Literacy Research. April, 2002.

7. (Blind Review) Author unidentified. Spreading the Word: School

activists navigating the media minefield. Equity & Excellence in

Education, Journal of the School of Education. November 2002.

8. (Blind Review) Author unidentified: Thinking and responding to

difference: pedagogical challenges for African education, Comparative

Education Review, (July 2003).

9. (Blind Review) Author unidentified: Using Dispositional Variables to

Predict Persistence in Adult Literacy Education. Journal of Literacy

Research, (October 2003).

10. (Blind Review) Author unidentified: English, a de facto language of

instruction in primary education: contradictions between policy and

implementation in Tanzania. Canadian Journal of African Studies,

(September 2003).

11. (Blind Review) Author unidentified. Private secondary education in

Uganda: Implications for Planning. Comparative Education Review,

(September 2003).

12. (Blind Review). Author unidentified. Reading interest and behavior in

middle school students Reading interest and behavior in middle school

students. Journal of Literacy Research (JLR). (February 2005).

13. (Blind Review). Author unidentified. “Evaluating a family literacy

program: What do parents Say.” Journal of Literacy Research. (May

2005).

14. (Blind Review) Author unidentified: Role of Education in promoting

female participation in development. Gender, Power and Difference

Special Issue, Gender and Education Association. (September 2005).

15. (Blind Review). Author unidentified: Memorization and learning in

Islamic schools. Comparative Education Review, (November 2005).

16. (Blind Review). Author unidentified: Critical literacy in the United

States: Context, research and practice (SAGE). November 2005).

17. “Evaluating a family literacy program: What do parents say” (Journal of

Literacy Research);

18. “Advocacy initiatives for literacy towards achieving Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs) in Bangladesh (Journal of Literacy Research);

19. “Comparability of the S.T.A.R., a classroom reading inventory and the

reading composite of the KETA” (Journal of Literacy Research);

20. “Traditional African models of education: Their relevance in the

modern world” (International Review of Education).

21. Critical Discourse Analysis in Comparative Education: A Discursive

Study of 'Partnership' in Tanzania's Poverty Reduction Policies.

Comparative Education Review. (May 2008).

22. Multiple literacies: Beliefs and Related Practices among Chinese

Kindergarten Teachers. (Journal of Literacy Research); January 2009.

23. Policy on the language of instruction issue in Africa - a spotlight The

Case of on South Africa and Tanzania” (Comparative Education

Review), July 2009.

24. Book Prospectus: Varieties of Narrative Analysis (SAGE); September

2009.

25. Social Capital and the Participation of formal Schooling among the

Maasai Pastoralist of Kenya; Comparative Education Review,

(October 2010).

26. Early Primary Literacy Instruction in Kenya; Comparative Education

Review; (October 2011).

27. Comparative Pedagogies and Epistemological Diversity: Social and

Materials Contexts of Teaching in Tanzania; Comparative Education

Review (April 2012).

Record of Committee Work at

University, College, and Department Levels

University Level

Administrative Fellow to Vice President and Provost, 2002-2003

Member of University Outreach Council, 2003-2004; 2004-2005.

Member of Faculty Senate, 2002 – 2006

Member of Faculty Staff Achievement Award Committee, 2004.

Chair, Faculty Senate Outreach Activities Committee, 2003-2004

Member of Faculty Outreach Award Selection Committee, 2003.

Member of Dr. James Robinson Equal Opportunity Awards Sub-committee, 2004.

Member of University Graduate Council, 1994-1997

Member of Graduate Research Committee, 1996-1997

College Level

Chair, Comparative and International Education, 2003 –2010.

Chair, Faculty Council, College of Education, 2001-2002

Member of the Faculty Council, College of Education, 1997-1999

Chair of the Awards Committee, College of Education, 1998-1999

Member of Task Force on Comparative and International Education to establish

The dual-title degree program, 1992-1997

Member of Dean’s Multicultural and Diversity Task Force, 1996-1997

Member of Committee on Education Research Policy, College of Education,

1994-1995

Member of Curricular Affairs, College of Education, 1993-1994

Member of Faculty Council, College of Education, 1993-1995

Member of Allegheny Media Consortium, representing College of Education,

1992-1994

Department Level

Chair, Curricular Affairs, Learning and Performance Systems, 2010-present.

Professor in Charge of Language and Literacy, 2001-2002

Sabbatical Year Leave, University of the Western Cape, 1999-2000;

Member, Awards Committee, Curriculum and Instruction Department. 2000-2001

Chair, Curricular Affairs, Curriculum and Instruction Department, 1997-1998

Member, Curricular Affairs, Curriculum and Instruction Department, 1996-1997

Member of Publications Advisory Board, Curriculum and Instruction, 1993-1995

Contributions to University’s Programs to

Enhance Equal Opportunity and Cultural Diversity

Professor in-charge, CIED Program at Penn State, 2003-2010.

Director, Inter-Institutional Consortium for Indigenous Knowledge, 1995-present

Conference Co-Chair, Indigenous Knowledges: Transforming the Academy

Conference, 2004

Conference Co-Chair, Connecting with the Community: Exploring Resources for

Visual

Learning and Expression Conference, 1997

Conference Co-Chair, Community as Classroom Conference, 1996

Conference Co-Chair, Indigenous Knowledge Conference, 1995

Revised: 8/15/13.