Richard C. Anderson (born 1934) is an American
educational psychologist
An educational psychologist is a psychologist whose differentiating functions may include diagnostic and psycho-educational assessment, psychological counseling in educational communities ( students, teachers, parents, and academic authoriti ...
who has published influential research on children's
reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spelling ...
,
vocabulary
A vocabulary is a set of familiar words within a person's language. A vocabulary, usually developed with age, serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge. Acquiring an extensive vocabulary is one of the la ...
growth, and story discussions that promote thinking. He is the director of the Center for the Study of Reading and professor emeritus at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Univ ...
. Anderson is a past president of the
American Educational Research Association
The American Educational Research Association (AERA, pronounced "A-E-R-A") is a professional organization representing education researchers in the United States and around the world. AERA's mission is to advance knowledge about education and p ...
.
Anderson is also professor at
Beijing Normal University and
National Taiwan Normal University
National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU; ), or ''Shīdà'' is an institution of higher education and normal school operating out of three campuses in Taipei, Taiwan. NTNU is the leading research institute in such disciplines as Education and ...
and president of
China Children’s Books.
Biography
Anderson was born in River Falls, Wisconsin.
A former teacher and school administrator, Anderson was educated at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
, earning his AB in American history in 1956, AMT in social-science education in 1957, and EdD in educational psychology in 1960.
He has served as president of the
American Educational Research Association
The American Educational Research Association (AERA, pronounced "A-E-R-A") is a professional organization representing education researchers in the United States and around the world. AERA's mission is to advance knowledge about education and p ...
and has been elected to the
National Academy of Education
The National Academy of Education (NAEd) is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization in the United States that advances high-quality research to improve education policy and practice. Founded in 1965, the NAEd currently consists of over 300 elect ...
. With colleagues Anderson has published 200 books and articles, notably ''Becoming a Nation of Readers'' (with
Elfrieda "Freddy" Hiebert, Judith A. Scott, Ian A. G. Wilkinson), one of the most widely read books of all time in the field of literacy. Anderson's current research interests include approaches to classroom discussion that promote children’s social and intellectual development; comparative analysis of learning to read Chinese and English; and reading and public policy.
Honors
Fellow, American Psychological Association, 1966;
Fulbright Hayes Fellowship, University of Leeds, Leeds, England, 1971 1972;
Palmer O. Johnson Award, in 1974 and again in 1979, from the American Educational Research Association for outstanding research paper;
Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, 1979 1980;
Elected to National Academy of Education, 1979;
Distinguished Research Award, International Reading Association, 1982;
President, American Educational Research Association, 1983;
Chairman, National Academy of Education—National Institute of Education Commission on Reading, 1984–85;
Fellowship, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, University of Tokyo, 1987;
Oscar O. Causey Award, given annually by the National Reading Conference for outstanding contributions to reading research, 1987;
University Scholar at the University of Illinois, 1988;
Honored by Benchmark School at its 20th anniversary for exceptional contributions to the school, 1990;
Elected to the Reading Hall of Fame, 1991;
William S. Gray Citation of Merit, the highest honor of the International Reading Association, 1992;
Distinguished Contributions to Educational Research Award, American Educational Research Association, 1994;
Outstanding Service to the Field of Education Award, given annually by Lehigh University, 1994;
First Guy Bond Visiting Professor, University of Minnesota, 1996;
Edward L. Thorndike Award, given annually by the American Psychological Association for distinguished career-long contributions to the psychological study of education, 1997;
Canterbury Fellowship, University of Canterbury, 1999;
Sylvia Scribner Award, from the American Educational Research Association, which honors current research that represents a significant advance in understanding of learning and instruction, 2006;
Gallery of Scientists, Federation of Associations of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, recognizing eminent senior scientists who have made lasting and important contributions to the sciences of mind, brain, and behavior, 2011;
Richard C. Anderson Legacy Lecture and Celebration, University of Illinois, 2012;
Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award, University of Illinois, 2012;
Boyd Lubker Visiting Scholar, Western Kentucky University, 2013;
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Richard C.
1934 births
Living people
Harvard Graduate School of Education alumni
Educational psychologists
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty
People from River Falls, Wisconsin
American expatriates in China