FACULTY PROFILE
Dr. Christopher Dignam served as a K12 educator for nearly three decades as a teacher, principal, and superintendent of schools. Dr. Dignam began his career as a high school biology instructor and taught a variety of high school science content areas, including chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology, and advanced placement (AP) biology. Dr. Dignam also served as a district area science instructional coach and provided support to a portfolio of 24 diverse schools. Dr. Dignam later gained school leadership experience as an assistant principal, and eventually, middle school and high school Principal. Dr. Dignam soon after achieved community-wide leadership experiences as both an acting superintendent and finally, superintendent of schools.
In addition, Dr. Dignam has served as a university professor for graduate and adult studies for over fifteen years for educators pursuing a Masters degree diploma and licensure as principals and a Doctoral degree diploma and licensure as superintendents. Dr. Dignam joined Governors State University in January 2022 and instructs and supervises future leaders in the Principal Leadership Program and current leaders in the Interdisciplinary Leadership Program. Dr. Dignam is an accomplished guitarist who writes and records music in his home studio. He and his wife spend as much time as possible enjoying the outdoors and adjusting to their new life as empty nesters, as their twin daughters have moved away to attend college.
Dr. Dignam possesses a Bachelors of Biological Science degree with a double major in education, a Masters of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction, a Masters of Arts degree in School Leadership and Principal Licensure, a Doctor of Education degree in Teacher Leadership, and a Doctor of Education Licensure in the Superintendency. Dr. Dignam was awarded the Illinois Principal of the Year by the McCormick Foundation in 2014, the Principal Achievement Award for the outstanding academic growth of students and efforts as an exceptional educational leader in 2013 and again in 2015, and received the Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon as Principal at Lane Tech College Prep High School, which was awarded the distinction in 2012.
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PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Carl, K., Dignam, C., Kochan, M, Alston, C, & Green, D. (In Press). Discovering prompt engineering: A qualitative study of nonexpert teachers’ interactions with ChatGPT. Issues in Information Systems
Dignam C., Pennington, L. K., & Daifallah, A. (2024). Beyond the acronym: Interconnections of STEAM, the humanities, and digital citizenship. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences, 6(3), 452-480. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonses.686
Dignam, C. (2024). Harmonies on the string: Exploring the synergy of music and STEM. International Journal of Technology in Education and Science, 8(3), 491-521. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijtes.571
Dignam C., & Taylor, D. (2024). Beyond the acronym: Entwining STEAM education, self-regulation, and mindfulness. Journal of STEAM Education, 7(2), 159-190. https://doi.org/10.55290/steam.1473884
Pennington, L. K., & Dignam, C. (2024). Using choice and autonomy to connect students to content and increase engagement. Iowa Journal for the Social Studies, 31(2), 46-64. https://iowasocialstudies.org/
Tadros, E., Dignam, C., Grosholz, J., & Welshhans, E. (2024). We are all sentenced: The lived experience of mothers with an adult incarcerated daughter. Feminist Criminology, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/15570851241260912
Dignam, C., Gates, J., & Cooney, M. (2024). Governance and school district leadership: Addressing race based academic achievement disparity and board member perceptions. International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, 19(1), 62-79. https://www.icpel.org/ijelp.html
Dignam, C. (2024). Paints of the artist’s palette in STEAM teaching. International Journal of Academic Studies in Science and Education, 2(1), 20-41. https://doi.org/10.55549/ijasse.11
Dignam, C. (2024). Brushstrokes of thoughts and perceptions in science learning. International Journal of Academic Studies in Technology and Education, 2(1), 40-57. https://doi.org/10.55549/ijaste.33
Dignam, C. (2024). Beyond the acronym: Intersections of STEAM, cybernetics, and leadership nurturing. Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health, 10(2), 155–170. https://doi.org/10.55549/jeseh.700
Dignam, C. (2023). Utilizing digital autoethnography for STEAM education and leadership nurturing. In Dignam, C. & Hebebci, M. T. (Eds.), Current Academic Studies in Technology and Education 2023 (pp. 1-26). ISRES Publishing
Baughman, B., Dignam, C., & Ramadan, J. (2023). Nanotechnology: Nano measures with giga implications for education. In Dignam, C. & Hebebci, M. T. (Eds.), Current Academic Studies in Technology and Education 2023 (pp. 73-103). ISRES Publishing
Dignam, C. (2023). The aesthetics of experimentation: Conceptualizing and actualizing a STEAM program. In Dignam, C. & Hebebci, M. T. (Eds.), Current Academic Studies in Technology and Education 2023 (pp. 124-154). ISRES Publishing
Dignam, C. (2023). Canvases of professional erudition in STEAM education. International Journal of Academic Studies in Science and Education, 1(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.55549/ijasse.3
Dignam, C. (2023). Portraits of scientific inquiry and scientific literacy skills development in students. International Journal of Academic Studies in Technology and Education, 1(2), 94–112. https://doi.org/10.55549/ijaste.28
BOOK EDITOR
Dignam, C., & Hebebci, M. T. (Eds.). (2023). Current Academic Studies in Technology and Education 2023. ISRES Publishing. ISBN: 978-625-6959-35-4
Dignam, C. (Ed.). (2023). Proceedings of International Conference on Academic Studies in Science and Education 2023. ARSTE Organization. ISBN: 978-625-98670-0-7
Dignam, C. (Ed.). (2023). Proceedings of International Conference on Academic Studies in Science, Engineering, and Technology 2023. ARSTE Organization. ISBN: 978-625-98670-1-4
BOOK AUTHORSHIP
Dignam, C. (2022). Digital graffiti: Instructional leadership from vision to fruition. CANE Dubh Publishing. ISBN 979-8-9050515-1-3
Dignam, C. (2022). Recording greenlit: Reflections on the art of sound. CANE Dubh Publishing. ISBN 979-8-9850515-0-6
PEER-REVIEWED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Dignam, C. (2024, November 7-10). A(S+T+E+M) = Creativity: Expressions of art through the acronym. International Conference on Studies in Engineering, Science, and Technology, Istanbul, Turkey.
Dignam, C.(2024, November 4-5). Maestros of innovation: Leading the fusion of music and STEM from prelude to finale. International Conference on Education and Technology, Dublin, Ireland.
Dignam, C. (2024, October 25-26). Cultivating leadership: The art of leading and teaching aquaponics from seedling to scholar. World Conference on Educational Sciences, Marrakech, Morocco.
Dignam, C., & Baughman, B. (2024, October 17-20). Math counts: Numerical literacy for meaningful STEAM curricular offerings. International Conference on Engineering, Science and Technology, Chicago, IL, United States.
Dignam, C., & Hebebci, M. T. (2024, September 20-22). SPARK: Bridging STEAM and SEL for holistic growth. International Conference on Advances in Social Sciences, Education and Humanities (online conference).
Dignam, C., & Ramadan, J. (2024, June 20-23). The universal solvent: Dissolving and solving for the conservation of water. International Conference on Technology, Engineering, and Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
Dignam, C. (2024, May 2-5). From automatons to autonomous beings: The humanistic evolution of robotics and the pursuit of sentience. International Conference on Advances in Technology, Education and Science, Alanya, Turkey.
Dignam, C. (2024, May 2-5). Makerspace and the 5C’s of learning: Constructing, communicating, collaborating, critically-thinking, and creating. International Conference on Advances in Technology, Education and Science, Alanya, Turkey.
Dignam, C. (2024, April 27-30). Harmonies on the string: Exploring the synergy of music and STEM. International Conference on Research in Education and Science, Antalya, Turkey.
Dignam, C., & L. Pennington (2024, April 16-19). P-20 educational leadership: Facilitating culturally responsive preservice teacher and instructional leadership practices. International Conference on Humanities, Social and Education Sciences, San Francisco, CA, United States.
Pennington, L. & Dignam, C. (2024, February 7-9). Personalized learning: Connecting students to content through choice and autonomy. 16th Annual International Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, Blacksburg, VA, United States.
Dignam, C. (2023, December 21-24). Digital autoethnography: Employing innovative educational practices for pervasive learning and leadership nurturing. International Conference on Academic Studies in Science and Education.
Dignam, C. (2023, December 21-24). Portraits of scientific inquiry skills development: Creating conditions for engaging parents and supporting all learners. International Conference on Academic Studies in Science and Education.
Conrad, D., Dignam, C., & Smith, C. (2023, July 26-28). Leveraging leadership preparation to engage school district partnerships. International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership, HyFlex Conference, Orlando, FL, United States.
Dignam, C. (2023, May 17-20). Portraiture education: Utilization of personal artifacts in teaching leadership. International Teaching Learning Cooperative Lilly Conference, Austin, TX, United States.
INVITED PRESENTATIONS
Dignam, C. (2024, April 23). Interdisciplinary leadership: The advantages and actions for attaining a doctoral degree. New Leaders Mentor Program Presentation. Governors State University, University Park, IL, United States.
Dignam, C. (2024, April 18). Aesthetic experimentation: Rendering lived experiences through portraiture methodology. Governors State University Research Days 2024. Keynote Panel Presentation. Governors State University, University Park, IL, United States.
Smith, C., Kelly, A., & Dignam, C. (2024, March 22). Navigating the landscape: Artificial intelligence in higher education. Artificial Intelligence Summit. Governors State University, University Park, IL, United States.
Dignam, C. (2023, September 8). Portraiture education: Utilization of personal artifacts for teaching leadership. Governors State University Division of Education and Leadership. Governors State University, University Park, IL, United States.
Dignam, C. (2023, March 30). Portraiture education: Utilizing a digital online canvas for developing leadership. Governors State University Research Days 2023. Governors State University, University Park, IL, United States. https://opus.govst.edu/research_day/2023/ondemand/3/
Vujaklija, A. & Patterson, J. (Host). (2022, May 2). Discovering the portrait of a learner with Dr. Christopher Dignam. In Teaching and learning: Theory vs practice with Dr. Amy and Dr. Joi. Center for Community Media, Governors State University, University Park, IL, United States.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/discovering-the-portrait-of-a-learner/id1538507161?i=1000559488212