Shannon Christen

Originally from Cleveland, Shannon Christen (she/her) holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Master of Arts in English from Kent State University. She has experience teaching at both the high school and college levels. Currently, she teaches in-person and online Africana Studies sections of English courses (College Writing and Research Writing), online Africana Studies courses including Black Experience I and II and Flashes 101. 

Her primary research and specializations include rhetoric and composition, African American literature, writing, history and culture, social justice education and the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) with an emphasis on eLearning. 

One of the ways she provides citizenship to Kent State is by serving as a faculty hearing officer for academic cases in the Office of Student Conduct. 

Professor Christen is very passionate about teaching and learning.  Student belonging and success have always been at the forefront of her ever-evolving philosophy of education:

1. All students can be members of an intellectually diverse society with the ability to communicate effectively in everyday life.
2. All students can develop the critical thinking, reading, composing, research and multimodal skills necessary to participate successfully in the public sphere as students, workers, citizens and life-long learners.
3. Participation in a learning community fosters social, civic, emotional and intellectual belonging and growth.
4. Student-centered instructional materials, strategies and environments enhance learning.
5. Cultivating a welcoming learning space for all students fosters kindness and respect. 
6. Teaching is an art, as well as a craft, and the teacher-student relationship is at its heart.