Get to Know Me
My name is Oliver Dreon. I have been working at Millersville University since 2007. At Millersville, I work with preservice and practicing teachers at all grade levels. My teaching duties mainly focus on areas related to instructional technology, online teaching and science education. I have taught courses in elementary science methods, instructional technology, online teaching, and artificial intelligence. In addition to these courses, I have developed workshops for using online tools and digital storytelling in K-12 classrooms. At Millersville, I also served as the director of the University's Center for Academic Excellence from 2012 - 2020. Through the Center, I worked to build capacity across campus in online teaching, innovative pedagogy, and assessment.
My research interests may at first appear to be unrelated. I work with developing best practices for instructional technology, online pedagogy, and artificial intelligence in education, and study the development of beginning teachers. Overall, however, the common strand is an interest in understanding how different learning communities develop and what tools help to foster collaboration and communication amongst group members.
​
I was honored to be selected as the 2024 Teacher Educator of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges of Teacher Educators (PAC-TE).
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Education
Penn State University, University Park, PA December 2008
Degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Science Education
Dissertation topic: Enacting inquiry pedagogy: The experiences of beginning science teachers
Educational Supervisory Program
Millersville University, Millersville, PA May 2001
Master of Arts in Teaching Physics Education
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA August 1992
Thesis topic: Science Misconceptions of Middle School Students
Bachelor of Science in Physics
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA May 1991
Professional Experience
9/07 – Present. Professor
Millersville University, Millersville, PA.
9/95 – 8/07 Physics Teacher.
Cumberland Valley High School, Mechanicsburg, PA.
9/05 – 4/06 Research Assistantship.
Penn State University, University Park, PA.
1/03 - 5/04 Adjunct Professor.
Wilson College, Chambersburg, PA.
1/95 - 6/95 Adjunct Professor.
Seton Hill College, Greensburg, PA.
6/92 - 7/92 Instructor. CAST Program,
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA.
9/92 – 7/95 Teacher. Franklin Regional Senior High School, Murrysville, PA.
9/91 - 7/92 Intern Teacher. Falk Laboratory School, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.