Norma Harper has been named dean of the School of Education at Shorter University.

Harper comes to Shorter from Charleston Southern University, where she serves as professor and dean of the School of Education.

Harper has served as dean at Charleston Southern since 2009; she served as director of Undergraduate Studies in Education at Charleston Southern from 2007 to 2009. In addition, she has taught at Brewton-Parker College, the University of Montevallo, Judson College, Alabama State University, and the University of Alabama. She also has six years of experience as a high school teacher.

After attending Enterprise State Junior College, Harper went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in curriculum and teaching and a Master of Education degree in curriculum and teaching, both from Auburn University, and the Doctor of Education degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Alabama. In addition, she holds the Alabama AA Teaching Certificate in Secondary Mathematics, Renewed B Certificate in Chemistry, and Georgia Level 7 Teaching Certificate in Secondary Mathematics and Chemistry.

Harper co-authored “Causes and Reduction of Mathematics Anxiety in Preservice Elementary Teachers,” which was published in Action in Teacher Education, and “Cooperative Group Learning in the Secondary Mathematics Classroom,” which appears in Cooperating Learning in Secondary Schools: Theories, Models, and Strategies by Peterson, Jon and Digby. She has made numerous academic presentations at regional and national meetings of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.