Education
Ph.D. Curriculum & Instruction: Early Childhood Education, University of South Florida, 2024
M.Ed. Early Childhood Education, Georgia State University, 2014
B.A. English Literature, Florida State University, 2012
Biography
Dr. Candice McKinnon is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Studies at California State University, Channel Islands. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with a concentration in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Florida, where her dissertation focused on how Head Start teachers’ used contemplative practices to manage their stress, self-awareness, and interactions. Dr. McKinnon also earned a M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from Georgia State University and a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Education from Florida State University.
Dr. McKinnon’s career in education spans over a decade, beginning as a first-grade teacher in Atlanta, Georgia and later as a PreK and Kindergarten teacher and coordinator in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Her international experience provided her with a unique perspective on early childhood education in diverse cultural settings. Dr. McKinnon was also a Head Start teacher in Tampa, Florida.
In academia, Dr. McKinnon has taught courses on early language literacy, math development, children with diverse abilities, and student teacher field experience. Her research interests focus on contemplative practices in early childhood, social-emotional learning (SEL), teacher and child well-being, leadership diversity, and international education.
Representative Courses Taught
- ECS 468 Early Numeracy & Literacy for Children Ages 3-8: Multicultural/Multilingual
- ECS 471F Preschool/Primary Student Teaching
Scholarship
Keywords
teacher and child well-being, mindfulness, social-emotional learning (SEL), contemplative practices, leadership diversity, early numeracy, early literacy