Rate My Professor Melissa Comer

Dr. Melissa Comer is a Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction within the College of Education and Human Sciences at Tennessee Technological University, where she contributes to the Education faculty. She teaches literacy-related courses in both on-ground and online environments at the undergraduate and graduate levels and is involved with the 2+2 Program at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. in English Education and an M.A. in English Education from the University of Tennessee, as well as a B.A. in English with a minor in Education from Lincoln Memorial University. Dr. Comer maintains an active professional profile through multiple presentations, keynote addresses, interactive webinars, service activities, and diverse publications across journals, books, and reputable organizations.

Dr. Comer's research interests focus on adolescent literacy, teacher education, technology integration in literacy, content literacy, and Appalachian culture and linguistics. She has been recognized with the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Award for Excellence in Innovative Instruction and has received several grants, most recently the Faculty Academy grant supporting redesigns for online course delivery. Currently, she serves as editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Childhood Education, an online refereed journal. Key publications include her doctoral dissertation, "A national survey to determine the status of the design and teaching techniques of young adult literature courses in English teacher preparation programs" (University of Tennessee, 2024); "Teaching with a Twist: Embracing Appalachian (and Other) Dialects—Y’all Ready for This?" (2025); "A Reflective Study Investigating Looping in Higher Education as a Pedagogical Methodology Model" (2023); "A Deep Dive into Accreditation: Using Action Research to Assess and Evaluate a Teacher Education Program" (2022); and "Lessons Learned: Using the CAEP Accreditation Process as a Springboard for a Collaborative Literacy Action Research Project" (2022). She also participates in university governance, including service on the Academic Council and Faculty Senate.