Betsy DiSalvo Osborne, Ph.D.

Program Coordinator: Secondary Social Studies

Service Assistant Professor

Portrait of Betsy standing in woodburn circle

elizabeth.osborne@mail.wvu.edu ALH 604-L Office Hours: Allen Hall Office on M, W, F; Woodburn Hall Office T, Th, F Download CV

Degrees

Ph.D., Educational Theory and Practice, West Virginia University
M.A, Curriculum and Instruction, Radford University
B.A., Middle School Education: Social Studies and English; Certification in Appalachian Studies, Radford University

Awards

Graduate Student of the Year for the School of Education, College of Applied Human Sciences, 2023

Research Interests

Historically Silenced Voices in K-12 Social Studies Curriculum
Disrupting & Decentering whiteness
Race and Identity within Appalachia
Justice-Centered Education
Phenomenological and Critical Methodologies

Committees and Memberships

Vice-Chair, West Virginia Civics Coalition, 2023

Biographical Sketch

Betsy graduated from WVU in 2023 with her Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Practice. Her research interests aim to unpack the implicit biases within educational systems. Her dissertation focused on the phenomenon of disrupting whiteness, which explored how social studies educators disrupt whiteness in their classrooms. Betsy's commitment to inclusivity led her to investigate curriculum for K-12 spaces, striving to create learning environments that celebrate diversity and challenge systemic oppression and inequities within education.

With a strong foundation as a former middle school social studies teacher, Betsy has dedicated her professional life to supporting social studies educators, empowering them to develop a more comprehensive understanding of society's complexities. When working with preservice educators, she enjoys assisting students in cultivating critical thinking skills, compassion, and advocacy for social justice in their classrooms.