Chatboards
Classifieds
Lessons
Jobs
Let’s Keep the “Fan” in Fan Fiction
By Nicole Luongo, Ed.D
By Nicole Luongo, Ed.D.
Saint Peter’s College, NJ
A group of fourth-grade students sat in the cafeteria during indoor recess looking out the window at the rain. One girl (pseudonym Lisa) asked, “Do you think this is what the weather is like in Forks?” Another one (Lainie) responded, “Let’s call Bella and ask her!” These youngsters continued this discussion about the popular book Twilight as if they knew the characters (Bella, Edward, and Jacob) and actually lived in the setting (the rainy Forks, Washington). As they talked, they shared passages from the books and pictures from magazines that contained actors who played the characters in the movie. Needless to say, these youngsters were fans of this story.
One of the youngsters (Bryan) extended this discussion to ask, “Hey, what do you think it would be like if Bella met Harry Potter? I bet if she did, Edward would be a thing of her past.” In unison, Lisa and Lainie responded, “No way!” Laughter ensued until one of students (Emma) claimed, “Actually, I saw that one online! This girl I know wrote a story called ‘When Harry Met Bella’. It was great! I’ll show you tonight if you want. Meet me and we’ll chat.” Once again, these students continued talking about these issues with excitement and eagerness.
They could not wait to get home, log on to their personal computers, and discuss this piece of
literature. Most likely, the story that Emma was referring to was an original piece of fan fiction
that one of her online “friends” from the website FanFiction.Net (http://www.fanfiction.net)
had written. Moreover, the way they would “chat” would be by using an instant messenger
program such as America Online Instant Messenger (AIM), Yahoo! Messenger, or Facebook
Chat.
That night, Emma logged on to her computer, into her AIM program, and into her personal
FanFiction.Net account. She found the fan fiction story she had been telling her friends about,
and copied the link to share it. Simultaneously, Bryan (AIM Screen name: BryGuy) logged into
his AIM program and saw that Emma (AIM Screen name: DogsLuvMe) was there. They started
chatting. Here is a script of their chat (be aware that some of this is online chat lingo):
BryGuy: Hey there
DogsLuvMe: Hi, B!! =) How ru?
BryGuy: Good. Did u ever find that link to that Harry P. story?
DogsLuvMe: I just emailed u the link… Go look and get back 2 me.
(pause)
BryGuy: Got it. Thx. Wow. Hey-this is pretty cool, but I see some mistakes. I’ll review
it. Get back to u later.
As this scenario portrays, literacy education does not end when the final school bell rings. In
fact, it may just begin at that time. As educators, we want students to love reading and
writing. We want literary excitement. Moreover, we want students to write for a purpose and
to collaborate with other writers. Yet, we often stifle these activities by not allowing them to
read and write what they want. They want to read Twilight and Harry Potter. They want to
write and produce plays about Bella, Jacob, and the Harry. Shouldn’t we find a way to promote
this interest in order to increase their literary skills and shared efforts?
By creating fan fiction stories, students can use traditional and “new” literacies. A fan fiction
story can be written using a pencil and paper or a computer and an Internet connection. The
latter just allows the story to be shared in a 21st century manner. In fact, developing and
sharing fan fiction stories can be both academic and social endeavors. By collaborating with
other individuals (both online and face-to-face) who share the same interests, students gain
confidence and learn about their own writing and reading styles. As 21st century literacy
educators, we must seek to enhance this interest using well-researched teaching strategies
as well as current technological tools. Above all, we should explore how to use new literacies
such as fan fiction and online discussion forums to enhance traditional literary instruction.
When examining the influence of fan fiction along with the collaborative nature of online
discussion and messaging forums such as the one Emma and Bryan used in the scenario, let’s
consider the following questions:
• What are new literacies?
• What is fan fiction?
• What are the major fan fiction genres and examples from K-5 classrooms?
• How can teachers use “new literacies” such as fan fiction writing to motivate elementary
students to read, write, and collaborate? Can teachers keep their students’ interest when this
“outside of school” phenomenon is brought into the classroom?
New Literacies
As we have seen in recent years, literacy instruction is changing. Teachers are no longer
simply handing out books, reading passages aloud, and having students answer
comprehension questions at the end of the chapter using a notebook and pencil (Lankshear &
Knobel, 2006). Now, educators are having students read online articles, email publishers or
authors, develop digital stories, and create podcasted recordings. Although reading books
and completing traditional literacy activities are still important features in today’s educational
system, Leu (2000) stresses that children need to be prepared for much more than simple
book literacies. Recently, there has been a pedagogical shift from traditional literacies to what
is being called “new literacies”. Many theorists (Castek & Bevans, 2006; Richardson, 2010)
claim that new literacies are required for participation in a digital world, and are vitally
important to all students’ futures.
Generally, “new literacies” is a term that refers to forms of literacy made possible by digital
technology developments such as the Internet (Lankshear & Knobel, 2006). Some recognized
examples of new literacies include instant messaging, blogging, creating wikis, interacting
using online social networking spaces, creating and sharing videos, podcasting, videocasting,
screencasting, photo sharing, emailing, digital storytelling, and reading, writing and
critiquing online fan fiction (Black, 2008; Gee, 2003; Jenkins, 2006; O’Brien & Scharber, 2008;
Prensky, 2006; Richardson, 2010). Research has shown that literacy practices are not separate
from individuals’ identities, and current students’ identities are closely correlated with today’s
digital environment (Gee, 2001). Moreover, certain theorists feel that students with teachers
who make thoughtful decisions about teaching them about new literacies will be at an
advantage (Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, & Cammack, 2004). Conversely, students with teachers who
have not yet accepted these new literacies will be at a disadvantage.
Since the phrase “new literacies” is quite new within the field of literacy studies, its definition
remains relatively open to interpretation (Leu, et al., 2007). In fact, new literacies has been
conceptualized in various ways by different groups of educators. The term has also been
called “21st century literacies”, “Internet literacies”, “digital literacies”, “new media literacies”,
“information literacies”, and “computer literacies” (Lankshear & Knobel, 2006). Richardson
(2010) maintains that “writing is no longer limited to text” (p. 153); in fact, students can write
in audio and video, and can publish in various formats for extended audiences. Leu, et al.
asserted that new literacies can take many roles, but are essential for current literacy
instruction.
In addition to pedagogical practices, elementary classroom physical environments have
changed to promote new literacies (Lankshear & Knobel, 2006; Leu, 2000). Slowly, classrooms
are becoming centers of networked information and communication technology (ICT). These
classrooms are no longer a group of desks in rows with a bookshelf in the back of the room.
They include interactive whiteboards, tablets, iPods, docking stations, listening centers, and
many other forms of ICT. Moreover, Leu feels that the advent and use of the Internet has
required us to fundamentally redefine our understanding of the literacy curriculum and
classroom.
Since 1994, computers with Internet connections have been installed in nearly every K-12
classroom in the country. This global network availability makes it possible for anyone to
develop and immediately share a new form of technological literacy to every person who
chooses to access it online (Coiro, Knobel, Lankshear, & Leu, 2008). In the world of education,
we have seen new literacies technologies such as blogs, wikis, games, podcasting, and social
networking sites enter the realm of teaching and learning. Lankshear and Knobel (2006) point
out that these innovations have changed the way we teach and the way our students learn.
Successful integration of technology into the classroom calls for a basic change in our literacy
teaching focus (Alvermann, 2002; Kist, 2007; Leu, 2000; Richardson, 2010). Yes, we still
need books. And, we still need to teach handwriting. However, there needs to be a change in
emphasis. In addition to traditional methods, we need to include current technology in our
literacy teaching. We can no longer leave the technology instruction to the computer teacher.
Technological literacies need to become part of our everyday instruction.
The technologies of literacy involve each of us; we must change our focus as rapidly as the
technologies of literacy themselves change. Anything less will shortchange our children,
denying them important opportunities during their journeys through life. Change happens in
the technologies of literacy; change must also happen throughout the literacy education
community. (Leu, para. 6)
Richardson agrees with this sentiment, and feels that all teachers must begin viewing
themselves as connectors, content creators, collaborators, coaches, and change agents. As
21st century literacy educators, it is our duty to bring these new literacies into our current
instruction.
Yet, many educators may not be ready for this change. Current technology-literate students
can pose a special challenge for traditional educators who grew up with and utilize print-
based forms of literacy (Black, 2008). Most likely, these educators are attempting to teach
using traditional and conventional materials such as paper, pencil, and overhead projectors.
However, today’s students are using technologies that allow them to communicate and write
in newer, state-of-the-art formats (Richardson, 2010). Independently, these youngsters are
blogging, podcasting, and creating wikis; they have social networking friends and online
buddies. In fact, the students are ready and eager to employ the media that they already use
when creating “after-school” projects for school-related assignments. Yet, some teachers are
not open to allowing learners to create and publish in the manner they choose. Instead, these
educators are still forcing the traditional book report and research paper.
Let’s think about some important questions. Are you one of these old-school educators? Are
you fighting this new literacies concept? Since these youngsters find digital writing activities
to be more attractive than the print-based ones, isn’t it important for literacy educators to
examine some of these media activities that young people find so engaging? Have you made
(or started to make) that switch to incorporate these new literacies into your lessons? Many
theorists (Jenkins, 2006; Lankshear & Knobel, 2006; Leu, 2000; Richardson, 2010) believe
that if you do not include these new literacies into present-day instruction, you will not be
meeting the needs of the society’s future citizens. Let’s face it– many of us teach the way
we were taught, and that happened decades ago. In order to meet the needs of modern
students, you must become educated in infusing new literacies in your teaching.
As far as present-day students are concerned, many of our instructional practices and
definitions of technology and literacy may be obsolete (Alvermann, 2002). We are teaching
our students the way we learned, but they are not learning the way we teach. In reality, we are
trying to teach these students about literacy practices that may no longer be applicable or
accurate. In order to stay relevant, teachers need to incorporate fresh ideas and concepts that
inspire students to want to read and write (Richardson, 2010).
Some classroom examples of new literacies include the use of rap music to teach poetry as well as digital storytelling to
help struggling readers and writers (Kist, 2007). In addition, there are numerous instances of
teachers attempting to blend new literacies with traditional literacy practices in the classroom
such as the aforementioned fan fiction writing. Kist asks the important question that we must
all ask ourselves, “Can new literacies indeed ‘fit’ into how we currently ‘do’ school?” (p. 44).
Leu (2000) claims that most educators have not yet begun the fundamental shift in focus
necessary to ensure our children’s success in a world where more reading will take place
online than within the pages of a book.
According to current national and state standards, many schools are actually requiring educators to examine and use new literacies to effectively teach 21st century learners (Grisham & Wolsey, 2009; Leu, & Kinzer, 2000). Currently, a
transformation is occurring as educators start to redefine their educational practices in many
arenas. For example, third-grade teacher Mrs. Scott started communicated after school hours
with some of her students using chat rooms and video conferencing when they needed extra
help. Also, she found that she could provide increased parent communication by offering an
ongoing online discussion board. And, rather than have a traditional parent-teacher
conference with every parent, she has found that some appreciate being able to talk to her
using a cell phone or participate in an online video conference (Cammack, 2002; King &
O’Brien, 2002; Kinzer, 2003). Moreover, Mrs. Scott discovered that these new literacies helped
her extend her student and parent discussions (and the students’ discussions with each other)
outside of school using instant messenger programs, interactive editing software, and other
forms of communication. By using these new literacies, Mrs. Scott is meeting the needs of
21st century learners in “their world”.
Since technology and new literacies change regularly, will we ever really be prepared to teach
21st century students in a manner that meets their needs? We can try by allowing ourselves
to be ongoing learners and new literacies advocates (Lankshear & Knobel, 2006). As you can
see from the examples in this article, this adjustment requires educators to start thinking
about literacy and other areas of teaching in an innovative and up-to-date manner. Likewise,
Leu (2000) asserts that teachers should expand their attention to include much more than
traditional literacies in all areas of instruction. New literacies instruction should not entirely
replace traditional teaching; instead, teachers should aim to build upon it and make it better.
What is Fan Fiction?
As was introduced at the beginning of this article with the discussion about Twilight and
Harry Potter, one of the places we can meet the needs of 21st century learners is in the world
of fan fiction storytelling. Fan fiction, or fanfic, is one of the new literacies where “fans write
and share fictional works based on the stories that capture their interests” (Shamburg, 2008,
p. 50). Fan fiction involves fans in writing, reading, sharing, and critiquing stories based on
books, television, movies, comics, and other forms of media (Black, 2005; Jenkins, 2006).
Although this form of fiction is based in the worlds created by the original authors, the young
fans extend, elaborate, or appropriate the text for their own purposes (Mathew & Adams,
2009). Indeed, fan fiction participants develop sequels, prequels, alternate endings, and
retellings through various points of view.
As described by Keesey (1994), the world of fan fiction is inhabited by a community of
authors and readers who work with a previously accepted piece of media. Essentially, fan
fiction writers and readers have developed their own community “unconstrained by time,
distance, age, or talent” (Schaffner, 2009, p. 614). Many critics argue that the point of
intersection between reader and text is the only true place where the work “exists” (Keesey, p.
128). Schaffner explains,
They write fan fiction, they leave comments, they draw and make vids and user icons. . . they
friend each other on LiveJournal and DreamWidth (a fan-operated blogging site based on
LiveJournal’s open source software) and follow each other on Twitter. And they do all of these
things because there is someone on the other end who loves what they love. (p. 614)
Usually, fan fiction works are not accredited endorsed by the original work’s author or
publisher, and are almost never formally published. Most of the fanfic that is created is
shared in online discussion forums and blogs. Since fan fiction writers assume that their work
is read primarily by other fans, they often presume that their readers have knowledge of the
“canon” universe (created by a professional writer) in which their works are based (Burns &
Webber, 2009; Mathew & Adams, 2009).
History of Fan Fiction
Though it has become popularized with the advent of the Internet, the phrase “fan fiction”
has been used to describe the practice since the 1930’s (Thomas, 2006). Then, the
expression became more popular in the 1960’s in the science fiction fandom world to
describe borrowed works published in various fanzines. However, fan fiction has never been
distinctively defined; in fact, it has become sort of a cult and underground phenomenon.
Coppa (2006) maintains that a comprehensive history of media fandom not yet been written.
A fandom refers to people who enjoy a specific story or character, and actively interact with
others; namely, a group of individuals who share interest in the same media (Pugh, 2005).
Correspondingly, a fanzine is a magazine of fan fiction, either in print or online. Many of the
fans in the 1960s were interested in movies and television shows such as Star Trek and Star
Wars (Jenkins, 2006). In fact, the modern phenomenon of fan fiction as an expression of
fandom and fan interaction was popularized and defined via Star Trek fandom and their
fanzines published in the 1960s. The first Star Trek fanzine, Spockanalia, was published in
1967 and contained some fan fiction. Early fanzines were produced using photocopy and
mimeograph machines, and were mailed to fans or sold at science fiction conventions.
Since the advent of the World Wide Web, fan fiction has become more popular and widespread
(Black, 2005; Pugh, 2006). In addition to traditional fanzines and conventions, fans have
developed and maintained online group electronic mailing lists and online searchable fan
fiction archives. In 1998, the non-profit site FanFiction.Net (http://www.fanfiction.net/) was
established. This site allows anybody to upload content for free, and gives fans the ability to
self-publish their fan fiction using an easily-accessible common online archive. Plus, it offers
fans the ability to review the stories directly on the site and provide feedback to the fan
fiction authors. Consequently, FanFiction.Net is quite popular and hosts millions of stories in
dozens of languages. Although there are other fan fiction sites, FanFiction.Net is widely
considered the largest and most popular fan fiction online archive. Additionally, blogging
services such as LiveJournal.Com (http://www.livejournal.com/) and Blogger.Com
(http://www.blogger.com/) have played a large part in the shift from electronic mailing lists
to blogs as a means for fan communication and the sharing of fan fiction.
More recently, fan fiction has gained certain academic attention in response to theorist Henry
Jenkins’s (1992) debate about its value for the development of children’s writing. Jenkins
observed that “not everything that kids learn from popular culture is bad for them: some of
the best writing instruction takes place outside the classroom” (cited in Thomas, 2006, p. 26).
This sentiment created a nationwide outrage as it spread quickly across the Internet. Jenkins
felt that through posting online fan fiction and receiving critical peer feedback, many
youngsters were gaining considerable insight into the writing process. Research has shown
that teachers can use the motivational force that is provided by a new literacy such as fan
fiction to engage students in reading and writing with care.
Although paper-based fan fiction has been around for decades (Jenkins, 1992), current fans
have started “meeting” in online spaces to publish, share, and critique each other’s texts.
Richardson (2010) emphasizes the importance of collaboration when he states, “the walls of
the classroom are literally made irrelevant by the creation of communities of learners that
span oceans, races, genders, and generations” (p. 148). This form of literary collaboration is
exactly what we strive for in education. Griffis and Jones (2008) point out that “fan fiction is
more than a collection of online reading. It is truly a part of the 2.0 experience, encouraging
participatory involvement by supporting and encouraging writing as well as reading” (p. 62).
Fan fiction sites provide free editorial assistance for writers who request it, using voluntary
editors called “beta-readers” (Pugh, 2005). Beta-readers are individuals who read and
comment on fan fiction stories before the author publishes them to the general public.
Furthermore, the online fan fiction sites provide an arena for online reviews and support.
Fan Fiction Genres & K-5 Examples
As we acknowledge this new literacy as an acceptable educational practice, we will ultimately
ask ourselves, “How can I use it in the classroom to improve my literacy instruction?” Over
the past several years, fan fiction has grown in popularity among teenagers (Black, 2008).
Some technology-literate educators have used this interest to promote fan fiction writing in
middle school and high school classrooms. Yet, can it be used to promote reading and writing
in the elementary grades? Can and will current elementary language arts teachers be able to
use this new digital literacy format to promote learning?
Although it seems like it could be a positive 21st century addition to literacy instruction,
some critics (Black, 2008; Chandler-Olcott & Mahar, 2003) argue that fan fiction should not
be introduced in a classroom setting. They claim that students protect what they enjoy
outside of school and do not want it to be institutionalized and monitored (Black, 2007; Kell,
2009). Since this sentiment could be true, teachers need to be aware that serious fan fiction
writers may not be receptive to having it become a required component of the language arts
curriculum.
However, on the elementary level, most fan fiction authors are still impressionable enough to
be flexible and allow their teacher to guide them in the writing and reviewing process. And
using the new literacies mindset that we have established, fan fiction could become an
established part of what each student accepts as part of learning how to read and write. Yet,
we need to be aware of this phenomenon and expect that some students may guard their
personal preferences and desires. All fan fiction writers develop stories from various
perspectives and from various motivational standpoints (Moore, 2005). Primarily, the authors
write to fill a need. Moore claims that two of the main needs are connection and community.
Fan fiction writers can involve themselves in various ways and on multiple levels. They can
participate in online discussions, join mailing lists, acquire and become beta-readers, send
and receive feedback, develop new viewpoints, and collaborate with other authors.
Furthermore, Moore claims that close friendships between readers and writers often form in
this Web 2.0 environment. As teachers of this new form of literacy, we must be aware that
writing fan fiction is an imaginative and collaborative effort.
Before you begin to plan fan fiction lessons, you will need to familiarize yourself with the
popular genres of fan fiction (Shamburg, 2008). Also, you must be prepared to educate your
students regarding the type of fan fiction that they will be reading and writing. Moreover,
your choice of genre will depend on the audience, presentation, and learning objectives. In
the world of fan fiction, “genre does not refer to a specific subject (such as mystery or
romance) or specific format (such as drama, poetry, or prose), but rather genre refers to the
concept of the original fiction” (Shamburg, p. 54).
Fan Fiction Genres
Please examine the following genres and examples (Almagor, 2006; Shamburg, 2008):
• Missing scenes. The missing scenes story allows the author to write scenes that were not
part of the canon (original story), but would be consistent with the original story. In essence,
the missing scene(s) would represent the facts and characters of the author in both fan
fiction and conventional literary terms. For example, a missing scenes story from Charlotte’s
Web could have Wilbur and Templeton getting in an argument or discussing the weather.
• Alternate perspective. The alternate perspective story is written from a different
viewpoint. For example, an alternate perspective piece of fan fiction might include a rewrite of
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from a munchkin’s perspective.
• Alternate universe. The alternate universe story allows the author to change a major
character, setting, or event in a story. This form of fan fiction allows the author to create a
“what if…” scenario. In an alternate universe story, the author could examine what would
have happened if The Gingerbread Man sprained his ankle. Or, what if the Gingerbread Man
landed in Hollywood?
• Alternate realities or crossover. The alternate realities story is written so that characters
from one story or world enter another story or world. The crossover story incorporates two or
more different sources. For example, an author may take The Diary of a Wimpy Kid’s Greg,
and place him in the universe of a Warriors novel to see what happens. Or, characters from
two or more stories may meet at a neutral location (as the student Emma described in the
introduction to this article).
• Sequel. The sequel story has the author extend the story to after the timeline of the
original material. In your classroom, you should encourage students to use identifiable
characters and settings from the canon to make the ending plausible and believable. There
are many sequels to the Harry Potter series simply because the books have ended, but a
student could write a sequel to basically any canon.
• Prequel. The prequel story has the writer develop events that would happen before the
timeline of the original material. For example, the student would hypothesize what happened
before the beginning of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. What was Charlie’s life like as a
baby or how did Willie Wonka start making candy?
• Self-insert. The self-insert story is written to include a representation of the author or a
close representation of himself. The author interacts with the characters. For example, a self-
insert story could be written by a child who takes part in the story of Judy Moody. This
student could befriend Judy or possibly become a nemesis of the character.
As you plan your fan fiction lessons, be aware that these genres can be combined or
modified to meet your curricular needs (Shamburg, 2008). For instance, a student could
develop a prequel from Charlotte’s Web where Fern grows up in an alternate universe such as
New York City. Even more popular, a child could create a self-insert sequel story where he or
she becomes part of the Twilight characters Edward and Bella’s future lives. As with any
educational activity, the learning objective should guide the instruction.
Some Final Thoughts
Emma and Bryan, the students introduced at the beginning of this article, continued their
online discussion the next night. Here is a script of their chat:
DogsLuvMe: Hi B. What’s up?
BryGuy: Nm. U?
DogsLuvMe: How did that edit of HP and Twi go? I saw ur postings back and forth all night
with the writer. Wow-he was not budging, but u made some great points. I may chime in
later. U ok with that?
BryGuy: Sure! You can’t even imagine. We really got into it, huh? haha. That fic is awesome
now.
DogsLuvMe: I know! I am logging in now. Will read and review. Ttyl
Over the next several weeks, Emma and Bryan recruited Lisa and Lainie to review and edit the
same fan fiction story. They started an online chat room with the fan fiction author, and
became engrossed in the writing. As they worked on this new literacies rewrite, they used
the traditional literacy skills they had previously learned in class. When they got stuck, they
even emailed their classroom teacher (Mr. Carson) for assistance. This online fan fiction
partnership is a perfect example of how new and traditional literacies can connect to make
learning exciting and relevant.
Like the children mentioned in this article, your students should use what they love to
enhance their learning. They are fans of books, but we often forget this fact as we try to force
their interests and likes. As teachers, we need to be prepared to teach using new literacies
such as fan fiction. Moreover, we need to educate our students on how to use these important
new literacy skills and strategies to prosper in today’s society. Let’s start developing lessons
that make learning real, relevant, and fun. When students are motivated by something they
love, they cannot get enough of reading and writing about it. We need to use this love to
acquire other new literacies as well.
Pause and Ponder
1. How can we use students’ outside interests in books and movies to increase motivation
in the classroom?
2. Can new literacies such as fan fiction ‘fit’ into how we currently ‘do’ school?
3. What ways can you think of to use fan fiction to enhance learning and literacy?
4. Is there a way to keep the “fan” in fan fiction while meeting the national standards for
reading and writing?
Take Action!
1. Find out what type of books, games, or movies motivate and inspire your students. At the
beginning of the year, give each student an interest survey asking what they enjoy to read,
watch, and play when they are at home. Use these interests to plan and develop engaging
lessons.
2. Sign up for fan fiction websites such as FanFiction.Net. Write and post some fan fiction
stories. Review other writers’ stories and post feedback. Act as a beta-reader. As you get to
know these sites, you will get a better idea how to bring this type of activity into the
classroom.
3. Familiarize yourself with other new literacies such as blogging, wikis, and online social
networking sites such as Facebook and Edmodo.
4. Encourage your students to examine fan fiction sites and act as beta-readers for other fan
fiction authors.
5. Instruct and assist your students in using various forms of media to create fan fiction
stories. These media forms could include podcasts, videos, and digital stories.
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__________________________
Nicole Luongo, Ed.D. is an Assistant Professor of Education at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, NJ. She teaches a variety of graduate and undergraduate online and face-to-face education courses. Also, she acts as a supervisor for student teachers. In the past, Dr. Luongo was a full-time elementary school teacher, where she taught grades 1, 2, and 4 as well as gifted and talented students in grades 1-6. Additionally, she has instructed various distance learning courses for the state of New Jersey Department of Education and Rutgers University and worked as an Educational Consultant for Vantage Learning in Newtown, Pennsylvania and CELT Corporation in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
