Claire Lamonica
Claire Coleman Lamonica earned her B.S. in English Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia and her M.A. and D.A. in English Studies from Illinois State University. Over the course of a 40-year teaching career, she has taught English/language arts at every level from 9th grade through graduate school, specializing in the teaching of writing and the preparation of writing teachers. Currently, she is the Director of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology at Illinois State University. She joined the Center as assistant director in August, 2006, became associate director in 2008, and was named interim director in 2012 before being named director in 2013. As director of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology, Lamonica provides vision and leadership for the unit; works collaboratively to provide direction for the Center’s staff; performs administrative duties; contributes to the unit’s menu of programming, resources, and services; administers grants and awards; and serves as Chair of the University Teaching Committee. Her contributions to programming include workshops on course design, the support of developing writers, active learning, collaborative learning, and more. Prior to joining CTLT, Lamonica was a member of the Illinois State University English Department, where she served as Associate Director of Writing Programs (1998-2005), Coordinator of Clinical Experiences in English Education (2005-06), and co-director of the Illinois State Writing Project (1996-2006). She continues to teach the occasional graduate class and serve on dissertation committees for the department. Lamonica’s scholarly interests revolve around writing, the teaching of writing, and the professional development of teachers at all stages of their careers. She has authored and co-authored articles and book chapters on each of these topics and is currently involved in researching the long-term effects of Small Group Instructional Diagnoses on instructional practices. She is a frequent presenter at local, regional, and national conferences.