Overview

Dr. Donna Sayman is a Professor in the department of Intervention Services & Leadership in Education at Â鶹ĆĆ˝â°ć State University. She joined Â鶹ĆĆ˝â°ć State University in 2010.

Information

Academic Interests and Expertise
  • Ph.D. in Occupational Education Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK – Ranked 7th by U.S. News & World Report for Vocational/Technical Education.                                                              Minor: Social Foundations of Education                                                                                            Dissertation: Man enough to care: Experiences of men working in the female dominated profession of nursing in the state of Oklahoma.
  • M.S. in Special Education Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK                                                        Minor: Emotional/Behavior Specialist                                                                                                            Thesis: Art Therapy for children with emotional disturbances
  • B.A. in Music Ministry Southwestern Assemblies of God College, Waxahachie, TX                              Minor: English Literature
Publications

           Refereed Journals –

            In Progress:

  • Sayman, D. (In Progress). Telling our stories for cultural understanding.
  • Sayman, D., Cornell, H., & Stone, J. (In Progress). Re-imagining Special Education: Alternate Pathways for Licensure                                                                                                                                      Under Review:
  • Sayman, D., Lewis-Chiu, C., & Lusk, M., (In review). Having those difficult conversations: Preparing your teacher candidates to be culturally responsive educators. Issues in Teacher Education.
  • Cornell, H. & Sayman, D., & Herron, J. (In review). Creating community: Sense of community in a Special Education online program. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education.
  • Lewis-Chiu, C., Lusk, M., & Sayman, D. (In review). From kum-ba-yah to heart-shaped discipline referrals: Examining the forces supporting the use of PBIS and the forces pushing against it. Journal of Special Education Leadership.                                                                                              Published:
  • Sayman, D. (2019) Returning thanks: Re/Defining identity and family in the search for my father. Special issue on Family Methodology for Vitae Scholasticae: The Journal of Educational Biography.
  • Sayman, D., & Carrero, K.C. & Lusk, M.E., (2018). A different level of caring: Navigating the intersections of caring between men and women who teach special and general education. The Advocate-Journal of the Kansas Association of the Teacher Education, 23(6), Article 2.
  • Zolkoski, S., Sayman, D., & Chiu-Lewis, C. (2018). Considerations in promoting parent and family involvement. Diversity, Social Justice, and the Educational Leader, 1(2), pp. 1-16.
  • Sayman, D., Chiu, C.G., & Lusk, M. (2018). Critical incident reviews of alternatively certified special educators. Journal of the National Association for Alternative Certification, 13(1), pp. 3-14.
  • Lusk, M.E., Lewis-Chiu, C., & Sayman, D. (2018). Lessons learned: An action research project in culturally responsive writing instruction for secondary students with emotional and behavior disorders. The Journal of Teacher Action Research, 4(2)
  • Chiu, C. G., Sayman, D., Carrero, K. C., Gibbon, T. C., Zolkoski, S., & Lusk, M. (2017). Developing Culturally Competent Pre-Service Teachers Multicultural Perspectives, 19(1). doi: 10.1080/15210960.2017.1267515.
  • Sayman, D., & Lusk, M. (2016). What every student teacher in general education needs to know about Special Education. Illinois School Journal, 95(2), pp. 127-147.
  • Stone, J., Sayman, D., Carrero, K.C., & Lusk, M.E. (2016). Thoughts on Dewey’s Democracy & (Special) Education. Journal of Thought, Fall-Winter, pp. 3-13.
  • Lusk, M., Sayman, D., Zolkoski, S. Carrero, K.C., & Chiu, C. G. (2016). Playing well with others: Co-Teaching in higher education. The Journal of the Effective School Project, 23, 52-61.
  • Sayman, D. (Fall 2015). “I was scared to be the stupid”: Latinas in residential academies of science and math. Multiple Voices for Ethnically Diverse Exceptional Learners, 15(2), 22-36.
  • Sayman, D. (2015). The Disability Studies Reader 4th ed. Edited by Lennard J. Davis. New York: Routledge, 2013. iv; 577 pp. $61.87. (Paperback). Book Review. Educational Studies, 51(1), 89-92.
  • Sayman, D. (Spring 2015). “I still need my security teddy bear” Experiences of an individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Learning Assistance Review, 20(1), 77-98.
  • Sayman, D., & Lusk, M. (2014). Envisioning success: Results from an exceptionalities awareness campaign at an urban serving Midwest University. Selected Papers from the 25th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning. 179-213.                                                            Retrieved from:
  • Sayman, D. (2014). Fighting the trauma demons: What men in nursing want you to know. Nursing Forum. doi: 10.1111/nuf.12073
  • Sayman, D., & Krutka, D. G. (2013). A Freirean analysis of the post high school experiences of a young woman with Asperger Syndrome. Journal of Philosophy and History of Education, 63, 181-194.
  • Sayman, D. (2013). Quinceañeras and Quadratics: Experiences of Latinas in statesupported residential schools of science and math. Journal of Latinos and Education. 12(3), 215-230.
  • Sayman, D. (2012). Staying with the mainstream group: Pathological effects of labels in special education. Journal of Philosophy and History of Education, 62, 61-80.
  • Sayman, D. (2011). Navigating the contradictions: Relationships between male and female peers in nursing. Journal of Philosophy and History of Education. 61(1) 151- 162.
  • Sayman, D. (2011). Fractured voices: School experiences of students with exceptionalities and bullying. Journal of intergroup Relations, 35(1), 61-78.
  • Sayman, D. (2010). “These aren’t as risquĂ© as the firemen” Calendars as recruiting campaigns for men in nursing. Journal of Philosophy and History of Education. 60, 61-66.
  • Sayman, D. (2010). How to build a delinquent: An analysis of the emotionally disturbed label in special education. Power Play: A Journal of Educational Justice. 2(1), 22-37.
  • Sayman, D. (2008). Plays well with others: Should women conduct research in masculinity studies? Journal of Philosophy and History of Education. 58, 141-146.
  • Sayman, D. (2007). Virginia Woolf meets Gaylord Focker: (Re)-visiting gendered Occupations through an outsider class. Journal of Philosophy and History of Education. 57, 141-145.
  • Sayman, D (2007). The elimination of sexism and stereotyping in occupational education. Journal of Men's Studies. 15(1), 19-30.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Non-Peer Reviewed
  • Sayman, D. (2017) ZOOM Into Better Emotional Engagement! WSU – IDT Blog. Retrieved from: https://blogs.wichita.edu/idtgroup/5536-2/                                                                                                  Book Chapter 
  • Sayman, D. (2012). My journey into qualitative research. In J.M. Meloy (Ed.). Twenty-first Century Learning by Doing (3rd. ed.) (pp. 27; 57-8; 82-3; 131-2; 145-6; 177; 189; 217). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.                                                                                                            Refereed Proceedings 
  • Ausburn, L.J., Fries, C., Mahan, M., Martens, J., Sayman, D., Steele, D., Washburn, E., & Washington, A. (2009). Gender issues in desktop virtual reality learning environments. In Proceedings of the 2009 Academy of Human Resource Development International Conference in the Americas. Washington, D.C.
  • Ausburn, L.J., Fries, C., Mahan, M., Martens, J., Sayman, D., Steele, D., Washburn, E., & Washington, A. (2009). Gender and desktop virtual environments: Considerations for teaching and learning. In Proceedings of the 7th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education, pp. 3294-3313. Honolulu, HI
Professional Experience

            Â鶹ĆĆ˝â°ć State University, Â鶹ĆĆ˝â°ć, KS

  • Associate Professor/Program Chair for High-Incidence Special Education Fall 2010-Present 
  • Graduate Coordinator for Special Education Fall 2015-Present                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC) Division for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners (DDEL)
  • Children and Youth Action Network (CAN) Coordinator June 2014-June 2017                                                                                                                                                                                                                Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 
  • Teaching Assistant/Adjunct-Social Foundations & Special education FA 2008 – SU 2010                                                                                                                                                                                          Tecumseh High School, Tecumseh, OK 
  • High-Incidence Special Education Teacher 2001-2010                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Capitol Hill High School, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Low-Incidence Special Education Teacher 1997 – 2001 United High School, Laredo, TX
  • Generalist Special Education teacher 1992-1997 S

             PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION

  • Certified in the state of Oklahoma in the following area: Special Education: Registry in Emotional Disturbance, Learning Disabled, and Developmentally Disabled.

            PROFESSIONAL SERVICE:

  • CEC’s Legislative Conference as the DDEL CAN Coordinator. (2014-2016).                                           Invited Presentation
  • Kansas Legislative Educational Planning Committee (LEPC) concerning preparation of future educators and dyslexia training. Topeka, Kansas, (November 13, 2012)                                            Invited Reviewer – Conference proposals:
  •  American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) 2015 conference reviewer 
  • AERA - Division G - Social Context of Education- 2010-Present 
  • Division G - Section 2: Education in Multicultural Contexts within and Across Subject Areas for the 2015-Present Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association 
  • AERA- Division G - Social Context of Education- 2014-Present 
  • Division G - Section 4: Social Context of Education Policy, Politics, and Praxis for the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association 
  • AERA - Division J - Postsecondary Education/Division J - Section 6: Society, Culture, and Change for the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association 
  • AERA -Division K - Teaching and Teacher Education 
  • Division K - Section 4: Multicultural, Inclusive, and Social Justice Frameworks for Teaching and Teacher Education in PK-16+ Settings for the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association
  • AERA - Committee on Scholars and Advocates for Gender Equity in Education (SAGE) for the 2013- 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association
  • AERA -SIG-Critical Educators for Social Justice for the 2013-2015 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association
  • AERA - for SIG-Critical Examination of Race, Ethnicity, Class and Gender in Education for the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association 
  • AERA - SIG-Disability Studies in Education for the 2015-Present Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association 
  • AERA - SIG-Foucault and Education for the 2015-Present Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association 
  • AERA - SIG-Hispanic Research Issues for the 2013- 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association
  • American Men's Studies Association (2012) For the 20th Annual Interdisciplinary Conference of the Minneapolis, MN. 
  • Council for Exceptional Children’s (CEC) - Program Advisory Committee (PAC) Conference – 2014 – 2015
  • Council for Exceptional Children – Teacher Education Division (2012-2015) – Conference Reviewer.

Invited Reviewer for Journals

  •  Multiple Voices for Ethnically & Diverse Exceptional Learners (Fall 2014-Present_ 
  • Gender & Society (2011 – Present)
  • Journal of Philosophy & History of Education (2011- Present) 
  • Nursing Forum – (2011 – Present) 
  • American Men’s Studies Conference Publication- (2011)
Awards and Honors
  • WSU College of Education Research Award for 2014-2015 
  • Featured Scholar TED website – June 2014 -
  • Nominated for The Best Paper Award for the 25th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning. March, 2014. 
  • Nominated January 2014 – WSU College of Education research Award 
  • Nominated for Research award at WSU – Fall 2013
Areas of Service

            PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS:

  • Chiu-Lewis, C., Sayman, D., & Lusk, M. (2019). It Works Way Better Than Yelling Your Head Off": Strengths and Needs of Teachers Implementing PBIS. Research & Policy Conference on Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Behavioral Health. Tampa, FL, March, 2019.
  • Cornell, H., Sayman, D., & Herron, J. (2019). Sense of Community in a Special Education Online Graduate Program. American Educational Research Association (AERA), Toronto, CA, April, 2019.
  • Sayman, D, Cornell, H., & Stone, J. (2019). A Narrative Review of Alternative Certification Programs: Lessons Learned from Program Development. Presentation. Council for Exceptional Children, Indianapolis, IN. January 2019.
  • Sayman, D. (2018). “She’s trying to teach us about racism again”: Examining the Effectivity of Multicultural Competence in a Graduate Special Education Course. National Association of Multicultural Educators Conference (NAME). Memphis, TN, November 2018.
  • Cornell, H., Sayman, D. & Stone, J. (2018). Re-imagining Special Education: Alternate Pathways for Licensure. ATE-K Conference, Emporia, KS, April 2018.
  • Sayman, D. (2018). “I never thought about racism before”: Examining the Effectivity of Multicultural Competence in a Graduate Special Education Course. Council for Exceptional Children, Tampa, FL, February 2018.
  • Sayman, D., Chiu-Lewis, C., & Lusk, M. E. (2017). Challenges of Alternatively Certified Special Educators: A Review of Critical Incidents. Council for Exceptional Children, Boston, MA, April, 2017.
  • Sayman, D., Carrero, K.C., Lusk, M. E., Zolkoski, S. (2016). Recruiting and Retaining Special Education Personnel through Caring Inventories. Council for Exceptional Children, St. Louis, April, 2016.
  • Stone, J., & Sayman, D. (2016) First-Year general Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Preparedness for Working in Inclusion. Council for Exceptional Children, St. Louis, April, 2016.
  • Zolkoski, S., & Sayman, D. (2016). Promoting resilience through parental involvement in schools. Council for Exceptional Children, St. Louis, April, 2016.
  • Sayman, D. (2015). “Sometimes I Feel Very White; But Usually I Feel Mexican”: Exploring the Land in the Middle – Napantla- of Biracial Latina Resilience. National Association of Multicultural Education (NAME) conference. New Orleans, LA, October 1-4, 2015.
  • Sayman, D., & Lusk, M.E. (2015). “I advocate for myself”: One University’s Campaign to Increase Enrollment for Individuals with Disabilities. American Educational Research Association (AERA), Chicago, IL, April 16-20, 2015.
  • Carrero, K., Lusk, M, & Sayman, D. (2015). “I Want Chips”: Teaching Text Messaging to Students with Autism. Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). San Diego, CA, \ April 19-12, 2015.
  • Carrero, K., Lusk, M, & Sayman, D. (2015). Navigating the seas: Tales of collaborative practices between special and general teacher educators. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Conference. February 27-March 1, 2015, Atlanta, GA.
  • Patterson, J., Whitener, M, Bailey, L., John, A., & Sayman, D. (2014) Critical Disabilities Theory: Critical Voices from Advocates in a Marginalized Field. American Educational Studies Association (AESA), Toronto, ON. October 29-November 2, 2014
  • Sayman, D. (2014). “I’m bi-racial. So I’m kinda of like a melting pot” Latinas and resilience in education." American Educational Studies Association (AESA), Toronto, ON. October 29-November 2, 2014
  • Sayman, D. (2014). Mestiza Consciousness and Resilience in Gifted Education for Latinas, Society of Philosophy & History of Education, San Antonio, TX, October, 2014.
  • Carrero, K., Lusk, M, & Sayman, D. (2014). Co-Teaching in higher education teacher preparation programs: Breaking with tradition? International Conference on College Teaching and Learning, Palo Verde, FL, March, 2014.
  • Sayman, D., & Lusk, M. (2014). Envisioning success: Results from an exceptionalities awareness campaign at an urban serving Midwest University. International Conference on College Teaching and Learning, Palo Verde, FL, March, 2014.
  • Morningstar, M., Lusk, M., Sayman, D., Carrero, K., Lewis, C., Hathcote, A., Hogan, K., Zolkoski, S., Howerter, C., & Spencer, M. (2013). Co-Teaching in Higher Education: Special Educators Working Together for Our Students. Teacher Education Division of Council for Exceptional Children, (TED), Ft. Lauderdale, FL, November, 2013.
  • Sayman, D. (2013). “Student teachers perceptions of working with diverse students through a critical disability framework.” Society of Philosophy & History of Education, Oklahoma City, OK, September, 2013.
  • Sayman, D. (2013). "Latinas in residential schools of science and math: The search for equity," American Educational Research Association (AERA), San Francisco, CA, April, 2013.
  • Sayman, D. (2013). “Latinas and gifted education: Challenges and concerns in their own voice.” Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). San Antonio, TX, April, 2013.
  • Sayman, D. (2012). “We have a pretty, advanced future”: Latinas and gifted education” Council for Exceptional Children - Teacher Education Division, Grand Rapids, MI, November 2012.
  • Sayman, D. (2012). “I’m not that brave”: College experiences of an individual with Asperger Syndrome. Council for Exceptional Children - Teacher Education Division, Grand Rapids, MI, November, 2012.
  • Sayman, D., & Krutka, D.G. (2012). “They are just as scared as you” Post-high school experiences of an individual with Asperger Syndrome. American Association of Curriculum & Teaching, San Antonio, TX, October, 2012.
  • Sayman, D., & Krutka, D. G. (2012). A Freirean analysis of identity for individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome. Society of Philosophy & History of Education, St. Louis, MO, September 2012.
  • Sayman, D. (2011). Questioning the categories of (dis) ability in special education: Is it time for an equitable change? Critical Questions in Education, Kansas City, October 2011
  • Sayman, D. (2011). “You have to find your own way”: Exploring the post-high school experiences of individuals with disabilities. Society of Philosophy and History of Education. San Antonio, TX, September, 2011.
  • Sayman, D. (2011). “Contracting with Omar the Tentmaker: Masculinity and Men in Nursing.” American Men’s Studies Association, Kansas City, MO, April, 2011.
  • Sayman, D. (2010, October). “How dare they portray us like that”: Media images of men in nursing. American Educational Studies Association, Denver, CO, October, 2010.
  • Sayman, D. (2010, September). “Pot Lucks, baby showers, and nursing: Experiences between male and female peer communication in nursing”. Society of Philosophy and History of Education. Oklahoma City, OK, September, 2010.
  • Sayman, D. (2010). "I'm not a comfort type nurse": Experiences of men in the nursing Profession. American Education Research Association. Denver, CO. April, 2010
  • Sayman, D. (2009, September). “’A few good men’” or “’Are you man enough?’” An analysis of calendars as recruiting campaigns for men in nursing.” Society of Philosophy and History of Education Conference. St. Louis, MO, September, 2009.
  • Ausburn, L.J., Fried, C., Mahan, M., Martens, J., Sayman, D., Steele, D., Washburn, E., & Washington, A. (2009, February). “Gender issues in desktop virtual reality learning environments”. Academy of Human Resource Development Conference in the Americas. Washington, D.C. February, 2009.
  • Ausburn,L.J., Fries, C., Mahan, M., Martens, J., Sayman, D., Steele, D. Washburn, E. & Washington, A. (2009, January). “Gender and desktop virtual reality environments: Considerations for teaching and learning”. Hawaii International Conference on Education. Honolulu, HI, January, 2009.
  • Fries, C., Mahan, M., Martens, J., Sayman, D., Steele, D., Washburn, E. & Washington, A.(December, 2008). “Career and technology education considerations for gender differences in desktop virtual reality performance and perception”. Career and Technical Education Research Conference, Charlotte, N. C. December, 2008.
  • Ausburn, L.J., Ausburn, F.B., American Horse, M., Braithwaite, P., Calhoun, P., Cooper, J., Dotterer, G., Jennings, C., Kroutter, P., Mahan, M., Sammons, G., Sayman, D., Steele, D., Washburn, E., Williams, S. (December, 2008). “Opening the Magic Window: Creating, Using, and Researching Desktop Virtual Reality in Career and Technical Education”. Career and Technical Education Research Conference. Charlotte, N. C. December, 2008. 
  • Sayman, D. (2008, October). “I’m a man, I’m a nurse, and I would love to talk with you!” Experiences of men working in the female-dominated profession of nursing.” American Educational Studies Association (AESA). Savannah, GA, October, 2008.
  • Sayman, D. (2007, October). “In bed with the enemy: Women conducting research in masculinity”. American Educational Studies Association (AESA). Cleveland, OH, October 2007.
  • Sayman, D. (2007, September). “Plays well with others: Should women conduct research in masculinity studies”. Society of Philosophy and History of Education (SOPHE). Oklahoma City, OK, September, 2007.
  • Sayman, D. (November, 2006). “Embracing pathology: A reading of the emotionally disturbed label through a Foucauldean analysis”. American Educational Studies Association (AESA). Spokane, WA, November, 2006.
  • Sayman, D. (2006, November). “Embracing the society of outsiders: Virginia Woolf meets GregFocker”. The American Educational Studies Association (AESA). Spokane, WA, November, 2006.
  • Sayman, D. (2006, October). “Qualitative research experiences: Reflections, insights and discoveries of beginning qualitative researchers”. The American Association for Teaching and Curriculum (AATC). Charlotte, N.C., October 2006.
  • Sayman, D. (2006, September). “Virginia Woolf meets Gaylord Focker: (Re) – visiting gendered occupations through an outsider class”. Society of Philosophy and History of Education (SOPHE). San Antonio, TX, September, 2006.
  • Sayman, D. (2006, January). “Qualitative possibilities: Unfolding qualitative inquiry projects at OSU”. Oklahoma Educational Studies Association (OESA). Stillwater, OK. January, 2006.
  • Sayman, D. (2006, January). “A misuse of power: A Foucauldean analysis of the emotionally disturbed”. Oklahoma Educational Studies Association (OESA). Oklahoma State University. Stillwater, OK - January, 2006. 

Invited Lecturer 

  • Sayman, D. (2011, August) “First year experiences of a pre-tenured faculty” New Faculty Orientation, Â鶹ĆĆ˝â°ć State University.
  • Sayman, D. (2009, June 18). “Conducting qualitative research on men in a female-dominated occupation” SCFD 6990 contemporary issues in gender and education. Doctoral Seminar. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK.
  • Sayman, D. (2009, October 26). “Methodological consideration in qualitative research” SCFD 6123 – Qualitative Research I. Oklahoma State University, OK.
Other Interests

            PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

  • American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2010- Present 
  • Council for Exceptional Children – Council for Children with Behavior Disorders (CEC-CCBD) 2010-Present 
  • Society of Philosophy and History of Education (SOPHE) 2007 – Present 
  • National Association of Multicultural Educators (NAME) 2014-Present