• Ed.D., Nova Southeastern University, 2007
• Ed.S., Mississippi State University, 1998
• M.Ed., University of West Alabama, 1999
• M.Ed., University of West Alabama, 1993
• B.S., Mississippi State University, 1985

Dr. Knight is a native of Meridian, Mississippi. She has 23 years of public school experience in the state of Mississippi during which time she served as a teacher in PK12 classrooms and Talented and Gifted education, district-wide Director of Federal Programs, Curriculum Director, and School Administrator. Her background and areas of emphasis include early childhood, elementary and gifted education, arts integration, instructional leadership, curriculum and instruction, federal programs, data analysis, school improvement, grant writing, and professional development. Currently, she  is serving as the UWA College of Education’s Director of Assessment and Evaluation and NCATE Coordinator, and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Instructional Leadership and Support.
 
She enjoys spending time with her family, playing with her twin grandchildren, riding 4-wheelers with her husband and Labrador Retrievers, reading, crafting, sewing, and shopping

IL 571, School Law
IL 574, Leading and Managing Learning Organizations
IL 575, Multidisciplinary Perspectives of Instructional Leadership
IL 578, Instructional Leadership Internship
IL 579, Instructional Leadership Internship and Residency
IL 651, Mentoring Strategies and Professional Learning Communities
IL 653, Standards Based Instructional Leadership
IL 654, Innovative Practices
IL 657, Problem Based Experiences I
IL 658, Problem Based Experiences II
TL 656, Standards Based Teacher Leadership

Faculty Senate
SACS Leadership Team
Julia S. Tutwiler of the Year Award Committee
UWA International Programs Committee

Leadership, Program Assessment and Evaluation, Arts Integration, Multiple Intelligences Theory, School Culture and Climate, Professional Learning Communities

Leadership Program Development, Accreditation Reaffirmation, Leaders are Like Shoes: 'Strutting' Your Way through Effective Leadership!

Contributing Author to:
Kouzes, J. M. and Posner, B. Z. (2010). The leadership challenge: Activities book. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.

• The University of West Alabama Online Programs Conference. Knight, D., (July, 26-27, 2012). “NCATE/CAEP: Preparing for Reaffirmation”., Livingston, AL

•  East Mississippi Center for Educational Development. Knight, D., (June 13, 2012). “What Great Principals Do Differently”., Meridian, MS

• The University of West Alabama. Knight, D., Miller,J. (May 21-24, 2012). Grant Writing Workshop., Livingston, AL

•  Tegrity User Conference. Grant, P., Knight, D., Miller, J., Stevenson, R., (April 18-20, 2012). “Straws, Sticks, and Bricks…Building a Strong Tegrity House”. Seattle, WA

•  Alabama Nurses Seminar. Knight, D., Miller, J. (April 3, 2012). “Leaders are Like Shoes!”. Livingston, AL

•  Alabama Nurses Seminar. Knight, D., Miller, J. (April 3, 2012). “Honey Pot of Change”. Livingston, AL

•  Alabama Independent Schools Association Conference. Fowler, R., Knight, D., and Minear, A., (September 26, 2011). “Introduction to Multiple Intelligences” and “Practical Implications of Multiple Intelligences Theory in the Classroom”. Livingston, AL

•  Alabama Independent Schools Association Conference. Knight, D., and Miller, J., (September 26, 2011). “Change: Lessons from Pooh and Friends”. Livingston, AL

•  The University of West Alabama-Promoting Innovative Ideas Through STEM Education Conference: Fowler, R., Knight, D., and Minear, A., (March 24, 2011). “Introduction to Multiple Intelligences” and “Practical Implications of Multiple Intelligences Theory in the Classroom”. Livingston, AL

•  The Julia S. Tutwiler College of Education Assessment Day. Fowler, R., Knight, D., and Minear, A. (March 15, 2011). “Multiple Intelligences Theory”. Livingston, AL

• National Staff Development Conference (NSDC) Annual Conference. Knight, D., & Miller, J., (December 4-8, 2010). “Differentiated Supervision: Connecting Teacher Growth to Student Achievement”. Atlanta, GA

• Alabama Counseling Association Annual Conference. Chism, M., Knight, D., Miller, J., Swain, D., and Thomas, E., (November 18, 2010). “The Principle of the Thing: Developing Principal and Counselor Relationships” and “A Study of Graduate Student Perceptions at the University of West Alabama”. Mobile, AL

• The University of West Alabama: PRAXIS Study Session. Knight, D., and Miller, J. (November 6, 2010). “PRAXIS Study Skills”. Livingston, AL

• Mid-South Educational Research Association. Harwell, D., Knight, D., & Miller, J. (November 5, 2010).   “Teacher Effectiveness”. Mobile, AL

• The University of West Alabama: Professional Development Workshop for Partnership Academies.  Knight, D. and Miller, J. (September 27, 2010). “LegalMania: A Fun Approach to School Law” and “The Arts are an ‘R; Too!”. Livingston, AL

• Leadership Challenge Forum 2010. Knight, D., & Miller, J., (August 5-6, 2010). “CHALLENGE THE PROCESS – Lessons from Pooh and Friends”. San Diego, CA

• Leadership Challenge Forum 2010. Knight, D., & Miller, J., (August 5-6, 2010). “Getting Extraordinary Things Done in Organizations! – How good leaders make a difference”. San Diego, CA

• National Staff Development Conference (NSDC) Summer Conference.. Knight, D., & Miller, J., (July 17-19, 2010). “Positive Partnerships between P12 Schools and Universities”. Seattle, WA

• East Mississippi Center for Educational Development. Mississippi State University. Knight, D., (July 1, 2010) “What Great Teachers Do Differently: Implementation of Best Practices for Classroom Teachers”. Meridian, MS

• East Mississippi Center for Educational Development. Mississippi State University. Knight, D.,  (June 3, 2010). “Classroom Instruction that Works –Implementing Marzano’s Strategies”. Meridian, MS

• 2010 AdvancEd-SACS/CASI National Conference. Fast Forward: Educating Beyond the Horizon. Knight, D., & Miller, J., (April 17-19, 2010). “From Good to Great Schools: What Great Principals do Differently”. Atlanta, GA

• 2010 AdvancEd-SACS/CASI National Conference. Fast Forward: Educating Beyond the Horizon. Atlanta, GA, April 17-19, 2010. Knight, D., & Miller, J., “The Honey Pot of Change: Lesson from Pooh and Friends”. (Accepted for presentation).

• Texas A & M Assessment Conference (TAMU). Harwell, D., Knight, D., & Miller, J., (February 22, 2010). “An Evolutionary Tale: Effective Faculty Involvement from Reluctant to Enthusiastic”, College Station, TX

•  Texas A & M Assessment Conference (TAMU). Harwell, D., Knight, D., & Miller, J., (February 23, 2010). “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed Something TRUE!”  , College Station, TX

• Texas A & M Assessment Conference (TAMU). Harwell, D., Knight, D., & Miller, J., (February 23, 2010). “Students as Test Creators!” , College Station, TX

• Alabama Counseling Association Annual Conference. Chism, M., Knight, D., Miller, J., & Smith, L., (November 19, 2009). “To Online or Not to Online…. That is the Question!” Birmingham, AL.

• 2009 LiveText National Collaboration & Assessment Conference. Harwell, D., Knight, D., & Miller, J., (July 13, 2009) “Effective Faculty Involvement: From Reluctant to Enthusiastic!” Chicago, IL.

• Paper presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Education (HICE). Knight, D., & Miller, J., (January 7, 2009). Arts Integration through Professional Development: A Project Implemented across the Curriculum in Kindergarten through Fourth Grade. Honolulu, HI.

• Paper presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Education (HICE). Knight, D., & Miller, J., (January 6, 2009) Teachers’ Use of Data to Improve Instruction and Student Achievement. Honolulu, HI.

• Paper presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Education (HICE).  Knight, D., & Miller, J., (January 5, 2009). The Principalship: Moving from Good to Great. Honolulu, HI.

• Hawaii International Conference on Education (HICE). Knight, D., & Miller, J., (January 5, 2009). ARTS Reach and Teach Students. Honolulu, HI.

• Russell Christian Academy. Knight, D., (Fall 2008). Preparing for SACS Accreditation: An Action Plan for Success. Meridian, MS

• Alabama Association of Professors of Educational Leadership (AAPEL). Knight, D., & Miller, J., (November 14, 2008). Planning, Lessons Learned, and the Implementation of New Programs. Montgomery, AL

UWA Teaching Excellence Grant

National Trainer – The Student Leadership Challenge
UWA Leadership Program Development Graduate
SREB Trainer – Root Cause Analysis