Research Spotlight: Dr. John Lowdermilk
Q & A with Dr. Johnson Lloyd Lowdermilk, III, Department Chair and Professor of Human Development and School Services
What are your research interests and research achievements?
I bring many years of experience working in the healthcare settings and education, including teaching high school students with emotional, behavioral and medical disabilities. I also spent five years working in the Emergency Department. During the time, I had the opportunity to work with children with chronic illnesses including cancer, multiple disabilities, burns, psychiatric, and many other conditions. I also evaluated patients and provided treatment plans for these children and interacted with their families.
I continued my education while working as a Distance Education Developer at the University of Texas Tyler and later at Collin County Community College and the University of North Texas. During my employment at Collin County, I was one of the founding members of the Technology Learning Center, which provided technical expertise to faculty involved in teaching distance and online education classes. During this period, I spent time in Paris, France with UNSECO as well as Strafford-Upon-Avon working in children’s theater.
While attending the University of North Texas as a U.S. Department of Education Doctoral Fellow in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders and Assistive Technology Under Dr. Lyndal M. Bullock, I worked for Dr. Bullock’s Institute for Learning and Behavioral Differences as a developer of distance education classes. I also taught an undergraduate, distance education course in special education. I developed a graduate, online course in special education technology for UNT. He also spent a summer in Puerto Rico visiting autism schools.
After graduating from UNT, I joined the National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI) at the University of Kentucky as an American Institute of Research Post-Doctoral. As a Research Fellow under Dr. Ted Hasselbring, I was actively involved in special education, particularly working as a researcher for the National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI). I was also involved in teaching an undergraduate/graduate courses in special education technology and an introductory course on special education and graduate courses in characteristics of emotional and behavioral disorders, psychosocial and medical aspects of disabilities, and special education law. While at UK, I also developed a graduate level course about teaching children with chronic illnesses in the healthcare and public school settings and an online Introduction to Special Education course.
What are your current projects?
Starting August 2006, I accepted an Assistant Professor position at the University of Texas Pan American. I currently teach undergraduate and graduate courses that focus on (a) technology, (b) behavior, and (c) legal issues. Additionally, in January 2010, I was appointed as the Director of the Educational Technology Resource Center (ETRC) and the Curriculum Resource Center (CRC) within the College of Education. And, in the fall of 2012 I earned tenure and was promoted to Associate Professor. In the spring of 2014, I was elected Chair of the Educational Psychology Department. I am currently Professor of Special Education and Chair of Human Development and School Services at UTRGV. My current area of research includes the intersection of communication, technology, and social disparity. Below are a few of my funded contracts, grants, and selected publications.
Funded Contract
Lowdermilk, J., "Talbot Foundation," Sponsored by Talbot Foundation, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, $10,000.00. (September 2015 - Present).
Funded Grant
Lowdermilk, J. (Co-PI), Viren, V. (Co-PI), Peek, K. (Senior Personnel), "Develop an Affordable, Accessible, and Accelerated 100% Online Competency-Based Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Care and Early Childhood Studies," Sponsored by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, State, $233,576.00. (May 2019 - 2024).
Medrano, H., Lowdermilk, J., "UTRGV Early Head Start - EHS - CCP Program," Sponsored by Office of Headstart, Federal, $7,356,122.00. (September 1, 2019 - August 2020).
Lowdermilk, J., "Sid Richardson Foundation Grant," Sponsored by Sid Richardson Grant, Other, $50,000.00. (January 2012 - December 2013).
Selected Publications
Manusov, E., Diego, V., Smith, J., Garcia, J., Lowdermilk, J., Blangero, J., Williams-Blangero, S., Fernandez, F. (2019). UniMóvil: A Mobile Health Clinic Providing Primary Care to the Colonias of the Rio Grande Valley, South Texas. Frontiers in Public Health, 7(215). www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health#
Lowdermilk, J., Ramos, N., Pecina, J., Rangel, C.**, Nevarez, N.** (2019). Students with Emotional Disorders and their Television Viewing Habits: A Case Study. The National Social Science Technology Journal, 51(2).
Terry, V., Sandoval, A., Garza, J., Lowdermilk, J., Lerma, E., Lapka, S., Dingle, A., Manusov, E. (2018). What Drives Members of an Interprofessional Care Team: A Sense of Self. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405452618300697?via%3Dihub
Lowdermilk, J., Fielding, C., Mendoza, R., Garcia de Alba, R., Simpson, C. (2012). Selecting English Language Acquisition Technology. Journal of Special Education Technology, 27(1), 77–80.
Lowdermilk, J., Martinez, D.**, Pecina, J., Beccera, L.**, Lowdermilk, C. (2012). Behavior Breakthroughs: Future teachers reflect on a focused game designed to teach ABA techniques. Tech Trends, 56(3).
Beccera, L.**, Lowdermilk, J., Fielding, C., Pecina, J. (2011). Oh brave new screen that has such apps in it: Using the iPad to foster educational learning environments. The Journal of the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, 1(32), 13-18.
Lowdermilk, J., Fielding, C., Flores-Torres, L.**, Andrews, A., Beccera, L.** (2010). Communication and collaboration among providers. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 14(4), 25-30.
Lowdermilk, J., Fielding, C., Beccera, L., Pecina, J. (2009). Piecing together the future of virtual training: Second life and training professionals to work with children with emotional disorders. International Association for Development of the Information Society, 2, 433-437.
McBride, R., Simpson, C., Spencer, V., Lowdermilk, J., Lynch, S. (2009). Assistive Technology: Supporting Students in Inclusive Classrooms. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 45(4), 172-175.
Simpson, C. G., Robbins, M., Price, D. P., Spencer, V. G., Lowdermilk, J. (2008). Preschool teachers’ perception of technology. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 12(2), 3998-8l.
Lowdermilk, J., Fielding, C., Mendoza, R.**, Garcia de Alba, R., Simpson, C. L. (2008). Selecting English language acquisition technology. Technology in Action, 3(2), 1-4.