Buchanan completed her doctoral studies at Purdue University in Early Childhood Education and also holds degrees in Child Development and in Business Management. Her research interests center around the concept of developmentally appropriate practices, both in primary grades and in teacher education. She's become particularly interested in the implications of digital technologies for early childhood curriculum and instruction and how new technology is best used with very young children.
Buchanan helps direct the PK-3 program at LSU, serves as an NCATE reviewer for Early Childhood Teacher Education Programs, and is a board member for the American Educational Research Association’s Child Development and Early Education special interest group.
Plummer, C., Buchanan, T., Kennedy, B., Rouse, L., & Pine, J. (in press), Broadening perspectives: A multi-disciplinary collaborative teaching and learning experience. The Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship.
Buchanan, T.K. & Blanchard, P. (2011). Ecological stewardship in the primary grades. Childhood Education. 87(4), 232-238.
Baumgartner, J.J., Buchanan, T.K., & Casbergue, R.C. (2011). Developmentally appropriate teacher education: "Practicing what we preach.” Theme Issue of Childhood Education, 2011 – Teacher Education Programs. 87(5), 332-336.
Buchanan, T. & Liggett, S. (2010). Making the primary grade curriculum relevant. Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal, 2(3), 151-166.
Baumgartner, J. & Buchanan, T. (2010). Supporting each child’s spirit. Young Children, 65(2). 90-94.
Baumgartner, J. & Buchanan, T. (2010). “I have HUGE stereo-types”: Using eco-maps to understand children and families. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 31(20), 173-184.
Buchanan, T.K., Casbergue, R.M., & Baumgartner, J.J. (2010). Consequences for classroom environments and school personnel: Evaluating Katrina’s effect on schools and system response. In R.P. Kilmer, V. Gil-Rivas, R.G. Tedeschi, & L.G. Calhoun (Eds.), Helping families and communities recover from disaster: Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath (pp. 118-139). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Kilmer, R.P., Gil-Rivas, V., Tedeschi, R.G., Cann, A., Calhoun, L.G., Buchanan, T., & Taku, K. (2009). Use of the revised Posttraumatic Growth Inventory for Children (PTGI-C-R) to assess positive changes post-Hurricane Katrina. Journal of Traumatic Stress. 22(3), 248-253.
Kim, Kyung-Ran & Buchanan, T. K. (2009). Teacher beliefs and practices survey: operationalising the 1997 NAEYC guidelines. Early Child Development and Care, 179(8), 1113-1124
Buchanan, T.K., Casbergue, R.C. & Baumgartner, J.J. (2009). Young Children’s Demonstrated Understanding of Hurricanes. In K. Cherry (Ed.), Lifespan Perspectives on Natural Disasters: Coping with Katrina, Rita and other Storms (pp. 3-26), New York, NY: Springer.
Buchanan, T., Burts, D.C., White, V.F., Bidner, J., & Charlesworth, R. (1998). Predictors of the developmental appropriateness of the beliefs and practices of first, second, and third grade teachers. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13(3), 459-483.
Selected Presentations
Rouse, L., Buchanan, T., Kennedy, C.B., Plummer, C. (2010, February). Making the road by walking: Emergent and responsive service-learning. Paper presented at the annual Gulf-South Summit on Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Through Higher Education, Athens, GA
Buchanan, T. (2010, April). Symposium: Research Methodology in Early Childhood Education. Symposium presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Denver, CO.
Buchanan, T. (2009, December). Making the primary grade curriculum relevant. Paper presented at the annual meeting for Ubiquitous Learning: An International Conference, Boston, MA.
Buchanan, T., Casbergue, R., Baumgartner, J., Donnelly, K., Miller, N., Lin, C., Becnel, H., Blake, M. (2009, November). Developmentally appropriate assessment in early childhood teacher education: “Practicing what we preach.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Washington, DC
Bamgartner, J., Buchanan, T., & Burnett, L. (2009, November). Developmentally appropriate connections between home and school: Multiplicity and overlap. Roundtable presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators, Washington, DC.
Kroeger, J., Buchanan, T., Lash, M. & Baumgartner, J. (2009, June). Being respectful and reciprocal: Teaching pre-service teachers to meet the meta-skills of Standard #2: Building family and community relationships. Invited paper presented at the annual National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development, Charlotte, NC.
Plummer, C. Pine, J., Rouse, L., Buchanan, T., Kennedy, C.B. (2009, February). Students explore disaster through experiential learning, research, and service to their university. Paper presented at the annual Gulf-South Summit on Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Through Higher Education, Baton Rouge, LA.
Selected Grants/Funded Projects
Buchanan, T. (2009). Investigating the Psychometric Properties of a Measure of Young Children’s Support Networks. $9,896, LA EPSCoR.
Pine, J., Kennedy, C.B., Buchanan, T., Rouse, L., Plummer, C. (2008). Ready Campus Course Integration. $25,000, Louisiana Campus Compact.
Buchanan, T.K., Burts, D.C., & Page, T. (2005). Early Childhood Educators’ Response to Katrina and Child Outcomes. $88,925, National Science Foundation
Buchanan, T.K. (2001). Jumpstart. $93,562.51, Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc. and Americorp.
Collins, D., Sciraffa, M., & Buchanan, T.K. (2001). LSU Child Care Center. $700,000, U.S. Department of Education, Child Care Access Means Parents in School.