Kathryn Obenchain

• Ph.D. — Curriculum and Instruction (Social Studies), Purdue University, West Lafayette (1997)
• M.S. — Curriculum and Instruction (Social Studies), Purdue University, West Lafayette (1994)
• B.A. — History, Hanover College, Hanover (1982)

• 2023 – 2024
  Associate Dean
  Innovation Initiative
  College of Education, Purdue University
• 2018 – present
  Professor
  Social Studies Education
  Curriculum and Instruction, Purdue University
• 2017 – 2023
  Associate Dean
  Learning, Engagement & Global Initiatives
  College of Education, Purdue University
• 2014 – 2018
  Associate Professor
  Social Studies Education
  Curriculum and Instruction, Purdue University
• 2011 – 2014
  Assistant Professor
  Social Studies Education
  Curriculum and Instruction, Purdue University
• 2009 – 2011
  Assistant Professor
  Social Studies Education
  Curriculum and Instruction, The University of Texas at Austin
• 2009, Spring
  Visiting Professor/Senior Fulbright Scholar
  Faculty of Psychology & Educational Studies
  Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
• 2003 – 2009
  Associate Professor
  Social Studies Education
  Educational Specialties, University of Nevada, Reno
• 1997 – 2003
  Assistant Professor
  Social Studies Education
  Educational Specialties, University of Nevada, Reno

• EDIT Editorial Activities
• Social Studies Research and Practice, manuscript reviewer (2006-present)
• Editorial Board Member (2017-2025)

Books

• deOliveira, L., Obenchain, K.M., Kenney, R. H., & Oliveira, A. W. (Eds.). (2019). Teaching the content areas to English language learners in secondary schools. Switzerland, AG: Springer. (https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783030022440)
• deOliveira, L. & Obenchain, K. (Eds.). (2018). Teaching history and social studies to English language learners: Preparing pre-service and in-service teachers. London: Palgrave Macmillan. (www.springer.com/us/book/9783319637358)
• Obenchain, K. M. and Pennington, J. P. (2015). Educating for critical democratic literacy: Integrating social studies and literacy in the elementary classroom. New York: Routledge.
• Obenchain, K.M. & Morris, R.V. (2015). 50 Social Studies Strategies for K-8 Classrooms.(4th ed.). Pearson Education.

Book Chapters

• Piedmont, E., Obenchain, K. (2024). Chapter 7: The uprising of the 20,000: Examining social movements through historical fiction. In P. Greathouse, M. Hundley, & A. Hosteler (Eds.), Exploring History with Young Adult Literature: Middle School, Volume 1, pp 107-134. Lanham, MD: Rowmann & Littlefield.
• Obenchain, K. M., Pennington, J. L. & Bardem, M. (2019). Intersecting goals in an elementary social studies design project: Confessional tales of teacher and researcher relationships. In B. C. Rubin, E. B. Freedman, & J. Kim (Eds.), Design Research in Social Studies Education: Critical Lessons from an Emerging Field, pp 157-178. New York: Routledge.

Articles

• Piedmont, E. & Obenchain, K. (in press). Should children work?: Teaching about the past and present of child labor in the United States. Social Studies & the Young Learner.
• Johnson, C.S., Suh, Y., Obenchain, K., Broome, J. (2023). Guest editorial: Rethinking in-service social studies teacher professional development in polarizing times, pp. 93-96. In C. S. Johnson, Y. Suh, K. Obenchain, J. Broome (Eds.). Rethinking In-Service Social Studies Teacher Professional Development in Polarizing Times, 18(2).
• Callahan, R., Obenchain, K., Rico, J., Ochoa, C., Desantos-Quezada, A. Civic identity: Media, belonging, & Latinx youth in the 2020 US Presidential election. Global Studies in Culture and Power.
• Obenchain, K., Callahan, R. Ochoa, C., Rico, J., Desantos-Quezada, A. Empathy & civic engagement: Latiné youth motivating change in an anti-immigrant America. Latino Studies.
• Lu, C., Obenchain, K., Zhang, Y. (Online First). Exploring teachers’ inclination towards adopting inquiry-based learning in social studies: Insights from teacher professional identity. Teaching and Teacher Education.
• Obenchain, K., Oudghiri, S. & Phillion, J. (2020) Critical approaches to study abroad: Challenging dominant discourses, Theory Into Practice, DOI: 10.1080/00405841.2020.1743547
• Newton, J., Oudghiri, S., Obenchain, K., & Phillion, J. (2020) Preservice teachers’ understandings of social justice within the context of study abroad programs, Theory Into Practice, DOI: 10.1080/00405841.2020.1739956
• Pennington, J. L., Obenchain, K. M., Carter, H. & Bedford, M. (2019). “We have the right to stand up”: Elementary students’ conceptual understandings of civic virtue and engagement. Education, Citizenship & Social Justice, 19(1), 3-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1746197919886857
• Callahan, R. & Obenchain, K. (2017-2018). Toward fully realizing immigrant students’ civic potential. American Educator,41(4), 10-11, 41-42. (www.aft.org/ae/winter2017-2018/callahan_obenchain)
• Obenchain, K. M., Pennington, J. L., Bedford, M., Carter, H., & Magee, M. (2016). The students are listening: Elementary education’s responsibility to young citizens beyond the rituals of democratic citizenship. Teachers College Record (commentary). Date Published: October 12, 2016 www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 21680.
• Obenchain, K., Balkute, A., Vaughn, E., White, S. (2016). High school teachers’ identities: Constructing civic selves. The High School Journal, 99(3), 252-278.
• Callahan, R., Obenchain, K. (2016). Garnering civic hope: Social studies, expectations, and the lost civic potential of immigrant youth. Theory and Research in Social Education, 44(1), 36-71. DOI: 10.1080/00933104.2015.1133358
• Ives, B., Alama, M., Oikonomidoy, E., Obenchain, K. (2016). Applying intergroup contact theory to social distance data from ethnic Hungarians and Romanians in Romania. Journal of Contemporary European Studies, DOI: 10.1080/14782802.2015.1117966.>
• Obenchain, K. M., Alarcón, J. A., Ives, B., Bellows, E., Alama, M. (2014). Hungarian youth in Transylvania discuss hybrid notions of civic identity: Making the case for cultural preservation and multilingualism. The High School Journal, 98(1), 43-63.
• Obenchain, K. M. & Callahan, R. M. (2014). Building the civic potential of immigrant youth. Social Education, 78(4), 179-182.
• Pennington, J. L., Obenchain, K. M., Brock, C. H. (2014). Reading informational texts: A civic transactional perspective. The Reading Teacher, 67(7), 532-542.
• Obenchain, K. M., Bellows, M. E., Bernat, S., Smith, B. (2013). Romanian youths’ civic identities: 20 years after the revolution. Journal of International Social Studies, 3(2), 32-52.
• Callahan, R., Obenchain, K. (2013). Bridging worlds in the social studies classroom: High school teachers’ practices and Latino immigrant youths’ civic and political development. Youth Engagement: The Civic-Political Lives of Children and Youth. Sociological Studies of Children and Youth, volume 16, pp. 97-123. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing.
• Callahan, R., Obenchain, K., (2012). Finding a civic voice: Latino immigrant youths’ experiences in high school social studies. The High School Journal, 96(1), 17-32.
• Pennington, J. L., Obenchain, K. M., Papola, A., Kmitta, L. (2012). The common core: Educational redeemer or rainmaker? Teachers College Record, Date Published: October 12, 2012. www.tcrecord.org ID Number: 16902.
• Obenchain, K. M., Pennington, J. L. (2012). We elect a president: Using literature to teach decision-making skills. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 25(1), 17-21.
• Ives, B., Obenchain, K., Oikonomidoy, E. (2012). Ethnic attitudes of Hungarian students in Romania. Educational Studies, 48(4), 331-346.Obenchain, K., Orr, A., Davis, S. H. (2011). The past as a puzzle: How essential questions can piece together a meaningful investigation of history. The Social Studies, 102(5), 190-199.
• Obenchain, K., Pennington, J., Orr, A. (2010). Angela: On a critical curve. Theory and Research in Social Education 38(4), 298-326.
• Ives, B., Obenchain, K., Oikonomidoy, E. (2010) Cultural attitudes of Romanian youth.International Journal of Education 2(1),1-18.

Invited Publications

• Pennington, J. L. & Obenchain, K. M. (2015). Primary sources as informational texts: Visual literacy as a mode of comprehending and composing. The Oklahoma Reader, 51(2), 23-31.
• Obenchain, K. M. & Callahan, R. M. (2014). Building the civic potential of immigrant youth. Social Education, 78(4), 179-182.