Researcher's Bios

Mirah J. Dow, BSE, MLS, PhD

Mirah’s teaching and research interests include foundations of information transfer, organization theory, inquiry and analysis, educational assessment, and information and technology literacy and the school library. Funded by a 2002-03 Emporia State University Research and Creativity Grant, Mirah conducted a study titled Cognitive Consequences of Internet-Based Teaching and Learning and Distance Education Students, which was awarded the 2003 ESU Research and Creativity Forum Faculty Award.

Mirah is primary investigator in the five-year, statewide study, “Kansas School Librarian, Technology and Instruction to Achieve Standards.” She served as co-chair of the 2005-06 Kansas School Library Media Standards Revision Committee. In addition to participating in the writing of the 2006 Kansas Library Media and Technology Model Standards, Mirah developed a model Eighth Grade Technology Assessment. Mirah is Coordinator of the School Library Media Program at the School of Library and Information Management and supervises school library media practicum and internship students. Mirah is a licensed Kansas teacher and school library media specialist.

Jacqueline McMahon Lakin, PhD

Jacqueline McMahon Lakin earned a B.S. ED in Social Studies, a M. ED in Educational Media and a PhD with a major in Educational Media and minors in Library Science and Higher & Adult Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is a Certified Public Manager, Department of Administration, State of Kansas. Dr. Lakin is an Information Management Educational Program Consultant, Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), Topeka, Kansas. Her current work includes representing over 900 school librarians, coordinating Library Media and Technology Standards writing committee, aligning these standards with Academic and Technical Standards and high school course codes. Also, she is examining the role school librarians play in generating the Kansas assessment results in mathematics, reading, science, social studies. This five-year mix-methods research projected is coordinated with Dr. Mirah Dow, Emporia State University, School of Library and Information Management. Previously, Dr. Lakin was a member of the Kansas Association of School Librarians Research Committee who developed the The Handy 5, an information problem-solving model for K-12 students. This model and its research study were published by Scarecrow Press in August 2001 and the 2nd edition was released in 2007.

Dr. Lakin serves as the KSDE representative to State Library of Kansas Library Commission. Prior to coming to KSDE, she managed the Educational Media graduate program at The University of Arizona and served as Supervisor, College of Education Instructional Materials Center, University of Missouri-Columbia. At the district, she was Media Director, Montgomery County R-11 Schools, Montgomery City, Missouri which included supervising a summer bookmobile program for the district. Dr. Lakin has taught for over sixteen years at the university level including seven years as an assistant professor at The University of Arizona, five years as adjunct faculty at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and is currently an adjunct faculty for Baker University School of Professional and Graduate Studies, Masters of Arts in Education. At both The University of Arizona and the University of Missouri-Columbia, she chaired and served on doctoral dissertation committees, assisting students in their research designs and literature reviews. Dr. Lakin has received recognition from the school library community that includes the AASL Highsmith Award to the KASL Research Committee to conduct a research study on the effectiveness of The Handy 5; the Vision Award, Kansas Association of School Librarians; Recognition for Service and Membership on the SLIM Advisory Council, Emporia State University; and the Special Service Award from Arizona Educational Media Association.