David E. Low

LEBSE
Kremen School of Education and Human Development
Literacy
dlow@csufresno.edu

Academic Degrees: (Include teaching credentials, if any)

Professional Experience:

Faculty and Administrative Load: (Should total 12 units each semester)

Community Service

University/School Service

Professional Association Memberships

Publications (Selected)

Pandya, J. Z., & Low, D. E. (2020). Theorizing the addressive audience in children’s digital video production. Written Communication, 37(1), 41-68. doi: 10.1177/0741088319880509

Dallacqua, A. K., & Low, D. E. (2019). Cupcakes and beefcakes: Students’ readings of gender in superhero texts. Gender and Education. doi: 10.1080/09540253.2019.1633460

Low, D. E., & Pandya, J. Z. (2019). Issues of validity, subjectivity, and reflexivity in multimodal literacy research and analysis. Journal of Language and Literacy Education, 15(1), 1-22.

Dallacqua, A. K, & Low, D. E. (2019). “I never think of the girls”: Critical gender inquiry with superheroes. English Journal, 108(5), 76-84.

Low, D. E., & Jacobs, K. B. (2018). Literature circle roles for discussing graphica in language arts classrooms. Language Arts, 95(5), 322-331.

Low, D. E. (2017, Fall/Winter). Not to be “destoried”: How an academically marginalized student employs comics and multimodal authorship to claim a counter-identity. Ubiquity: The Journal of Literature, Literacy, and the Arts, 4(2), 6-56.

Low, D. E. (2017). Students contesting “colormuteness” through critical inquiries into comics. English Journal, 106(4), 19-28.

Jacobs, K. B., & Low, D. E. (2017). Critical questioning in and beyond the margins: Teacher preparation students’ multimodal inquiries into literacy assessment. English Education, 49(3), 226-264.

Low, D. E. (2017). Waiting for Spider-Man: Representations of urban school “reform” in Marvel Comics’ Miles Morales series. In G. A. Tarbox & M. A. Abate (Eds.), Graphic novels for children and young adults: A collection of critical essays (pp. 278-297). Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi.

Botzakis, S., Savitz, R., & Low, D. E. (2017). Adolescents reading graphic novels and comics: What we know from research. In K. A. Hinchman & D. A. Appleman (Eds.), Adolescent literacies: A handbook of practice-based research (pp. 310-322). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Campano, G., Ngo, L., Low, D. E., & Jacobs, K. B. (2016). Young children demystifying and remaking the university through critical play. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 16(2), 199-227. doi: 10.1177/1468798415577875

Low, D. E., & Campano, G. (2016). Multiliteracies, the arts, and postcolonial agency. In G. Campano, M. P. Ghiso, & B. J. Welch (Eds.), Partnering with immigrant communities: Action through literacy (pp. 92-102). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Ngo, L., Jacobs, K. B., Campano, G., Ghiso, M. P., & Low, D. E. (2016). Bidirectional learning in a school-university partnership. In G. Campano, M. P. Ghiso, & B. J. Welch (Eds.), Partnering with immigrant communities: Action through literacy (pp. 78-91). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Papers and Presentations (Selected)

Low, D. E., & Pandya, J. Z. (2019, December). Children as multimodal theorists. Part of the symposium “Multimodality in literacy research: Frictions, extensions, and possible futures.” Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Tampa, FL.

Beucher, B., Smith, A., & Low, D. E. (2019, November). Memes and social messages: Teaching a critical literacies curriculum on DAPL. Part of the panel “Critical community literacies and languages in indigenous contexts.” National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) annual convention. Baltimore, MD.

Low, D. E. (2019, November). A misfits’ medium? Reexamining literacy and identity in comics fandom. Part of the panel “Misfits, fatness and ‘those’ books: Graphic novels, comics, and teacher education.” National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) annual convention. Baltimore, MD.

Martínez-Cano, C., & Low, D. E. (2019, April). Constructing identities from shared affinities: Youth and the enactment of critical digital literacy. Part of the session “Critical digital literacies in a ‘post-truth’ era.” American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting. Toronto, ON.

Low, D. E., Juarez, S. W., & Becton, A. (2019, March). Dwelling in discomfort: A pedagogy for social change in preservice teacher and counselor education. 21st CSU Teaching and Learning Symposium. Fresno, CA.

Low, D. E. (2019, February). Students creating comics to engage in inquiry and social critique. California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) annual convention. Burlingame, CA.

Pandya, J. Z., & Low, D. E. (2018, December). Theorizing the addressive audience: Children’s conceptions of their viewers in digital video production. Part of the panel “Theorizing audience in children’s and youth’s digital media production.” Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Indian Wells, CA.

Low, D. E. (2018, December). Graphic narrative analysis of the research literature in education (GNARLED): Identifying the roots and branches. Part of the session “Approaches to studying graphic novels.” Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Indian Wells, CA.

Dallacqua, A. K., & Low, D. E. (2018, November). Superhero texts as resources for critical gender inquiry. Part of the panel “Teaching diverse graphic novels in pursuit of equity and justice.” National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) annual convention. Houston, TX.

Dallacqua, A. K., & Low, D. E. (2018, April). (Re)conceptualizing gender through comics: The inquiring, boundary-drawing, and empowering discussions of young readers. American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting. New York, NY.

Pandya, J. Z., & Low, D. E. (2017, December). Children’s perceptions of writing, choice, and audience in digital media production. Part of the symposium “Pedagogies of digital literacy: Teaching and learning after the ‘digital turn.’” Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Tampa, FL.

Dallacqua, A. K., & Low, D. E. (2017, December). Cupcakes and beefcakes: On students’ agentive readings of gender/sex/uality in superhero comics and related media. Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Tampa, FL.

Low, D. E. (2017, April). Spider-Man waits for Superman: School “reform” in Marvel Comics’ Miles Morales series. American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting. San Antonio, TX. (Accepted but withdrawn.)

Low, D. E. (2017, March). Mobilizing students’ organic critical literacies to democratize civics education. 33rd Annual Conference on Character and Civic Education. Fresno, CA.

Low, D. E., & Pandya, J. Z. (2016, December). Seeking more productive approaches to multimodal analysis. Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Nashville, TN.

Low, D. E. (2016, December). Multiliteracies, the arts, and postcolonial agency. Part of the symposium “Educational equity and literacy practices in the ‘transnational local.’” Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Nashville, TN.

Low, D. E. (2016, December). Perspectives on diversity and identity in graphica research. Part of the session “Approaches to studying graphic novels.” Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Nashville, TN.

Botzakis, S., Savitz, R. S., & Low, D. E. (2016, December). Adolescents reading graphic novels and comics: What we know from research. Part of the session “Can practice-based adolescent literacies research mobilize social transformation?” Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Nashville, TN.

Low, D. E., & Skrlac Lo, R. (2016, December). A misfit’s medium: Mobilizing diverse scholarly identities in discussions of graphic novels and comics in literacy education. Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Nashville, TN.

Jacobs, K. B., & Low, D. E. (2016, April). Critical questioning in and beyond the margins: Teacher preparation students’ multimodal inquiries into literacy assessment. American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting. Washington DC.

Low, D. E., & Pandya, J. Z. (2016, April). Developing a more productive blend: On the limitations of a ‘mashup’ approach to multimodal analysis. American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting. Washington DC.

Player, G., & Low, D. E. (2016, April). Redefining nonfiction reading and writing as a critical community practice. Part of the symposium “Immigrant families and literacies: Collaborative research and advocacy in a diverse faith community.” American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting. Washington DC.

Wylie, A., Low, D., Goto, K., & Pierson, S. (2016, April). Foodie university: Teacher observations and impressions of mindful eating lessons. California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics conference. Riverside, CA.

Jacobs, K. B., & Low, D. E. (2015, December). Exploring “the gaps” in literacy assessments: Employing multimodal texts to reimagine assessment practices within literacy teacher preparation. Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Carlsbad, CA.

Skrlac Lo, R., & Low, D. E. (2015, December). Imagining transactions: How graphic novels and comics expand our intellectual imagination. Literacy Research Association (LRA) annual meeting. Carlsbad, CA.

Low, D. E. (2015, April). At the boundaries of what can be said and what can be shown: Urban students creating comics to engage in social critique. American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting. Chicago, IL.

Low, D. E. (2015, April). Children reading and authoring comics to critically inquire into gender. Part of the symposium “Comics and critical engagement in literacy education and research.” American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting. Chicago, IL.

Grants and Research

Collaborative Works/Projects (with public schools, community agencies, etc.)

From 2015-16, Dr. Low invited a group of Indigenous schoolchildren to visit Fresno State’s campus weekly, seeking to make the university an accessible place for them. From 2016-20, we scaled up and Dr. Low met with children and youth in the FAIHP clubhouse. His prolonged work with these young people, many of whom are multiply minoritized in the schools they attend, was extremely rewarding on both personal and professional levels. Dr. Low’s estimated contributions to FAIHP totaled $4665 in the first part of 2016, and $14,600 annually in 2017 and 2018. The majority of these contributions consisted of time and material resources provided to Native children and youth served by FAIHP. Thousands of hours of tutoring was provided by Fresno State Liberal Studies majors enrolled in Dr. Low’s service-learning courses LEE 180T/LEE 109S.

Dr. Low has also contributed public service to the Kepler Neighborhood School in downtown Fresno by loaning an extensive graphic novel collection (200+ books) to the school library. In 2017-18 Dr. Low met with Kepler’s students (40+ per trimester, for three trimesters) who were participating in a weekly Visual Literacy Elective in their school library. As their frequent guest instructor, Dr. Low led workshops on reading and creating comics and manga as a form of personal expression.

Collegial Works/Projects (i.e., grants, articles, conference presentations, etc.)

Dr. Low participated in dozens of collegial and collaborative projects and practices during his first four years at Fresno State. He collaboratively designed LEE 180T/LEE 109S, LEE 244, and EDL 580T, and each of these designs or redesigns included significant collaborative components that resulted in well-constructed objectives, readings, and assignments. In addition, Dr. Low mentored probationary faculty within KSOEHD for the purpose of clarifying the Year-2 RTP binder. As a Canvas Early Adopter, Dr. Low made himself available to support colleagues as they migrated materials over from Blackboard. Other examples of collegiality took the form of conducting entrance interviews for the Multiple- and Single-Subject credential and FTRP programs, scoring FAST and CLPP exams and retakes for the Single-Subject program, organizing and participating in research and equity-related events, advising colleagues on their publications, hosting guests of the university, attending faculty presentations, working closely with colleagues across the university to initiate new programs, and participating in school/university networking events, team-building events, award ceremonies, and other social gatherings.

In terms of collaboration, Dr. Low participated in several other cross-disciplinary research studies with KSOEHD faculty. In particular, the cross-disciplinary partnership between Dr. Low and two KSOEHD colleagues – Dr. Alicia Becton (Counseling), and Dr. Sara Juarez (Special Education) – was quite fruitful, leading to an innovative presentation at the 2019 CSU Teaching and Learning Symposium. The formation of a cross-course project involving Dr. Low’s FYE students and Dr. Ignacio Hernández’s HEAL Master’s students was also especially meaningful. Drs. Low and Hernández gave guest lectures to each other’s classes, and our students corresponded with one another about their different locations on the academic trajectory.

Across Fresno State, Dr. Low has worked closely with colleagues in English, Chicanx Studies, and Women's Studies in their service to the Arne Nixon Center.

Professional Development

Since 2015 Dr. Low participated in over 60 professional development-related activities. Some of these are one-time faculty workshops and training sessions, while others are week- or semester-long learning communities. Many of these professional learning opportunities have directly translated to greater student engagement and achievement. As a DISCOVERe fellow, Dr. Low incorporated tablet-based learning into his FYE (First Year Experience) courses. As an attendee of the Service-Learning Course Redesign Summer Intensive, Dr. Low collaboratively developed LEE 109S, a Liberal Studies course in which future teachers work with Native American children to understand salient issues of cultural identity and literacy development. Dr. Low is an Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) partner, providing Fresno State students with free or discounted materials whenever possible. Finally, QLT training has allowed Dr. Low to hone his online pedagogy, along with being a Canvas Early Adopter.

As a teacher educator, one particularly valuable professional development experience Dr. Low has had is attending school walkthroughs facilitated by the Fresno Unified School District. These allow him valuable access and insights into the day-to-day happenings in local K-12 schools. An additional form of personal growth are the academic conferences Dr. Low attends. Dr. Low attended 15 conferences during the first nine semesters of his probationary period. Attending academic conferences allows Dr. Low to engage with regional, national, and international scholars as they present new scholarship. It cannot be overstated how deeply conference attendance serves to enhance Dr. Low’s knowledge of the field, keeping him connected to ever-evolving theoretical discourses.

Honors (Optional)

2018 - David H. Russell Award for Distinguished Research in the Teaching of English (conferred by the National Council of Teachers of English for a co-authored book)

2018 - Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Award

2017 - Edward B. Fry Book Award (conferred by the Literacy Research Association for a co-authored book)

2016 & 2017 - Outstanding Faculty Publication Award (conferred by CSU Fresno)

2015 - Morton Botel Award for Outstanding Commitment to Critical Issues of Identity in the Literacy Education of Adolescents and Young Adults (conferred by Penn GSE)

Download the PDF

This PDF is provided as a print-only reference document and may not be fully accessible to users of assistive technology. For more information, please visit Title II Rule on Digital Accessibility page.