DENTON (UNT), Texas – Jeanne Tunks, associate professor in the University of North Texas’ College of Education, will receive the 2013 Claudia A. Balach Teacher Researcher Award at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association in San Francisco on April 29 (Monday). She and her colleagues are being recognized for their action research study titled "Reading Non-Fiction Books as an Influencing Factor in Reading Achievement." Tunks also received the same award in 2012.

Tunks teaches courses to seniors at UNT who are preparing to teach elementary math. She also teaches doctoral seminars on change management and conference preparation. Tunks has international partnerships with the Institute for the Promotion of Science and Technology in Bangkok, Thailand, and with the Colegio Boston in Antigua, Guatemala. Her research is in the area of teaching and learning mathematics among under-represented populations, particularly Latino immigrant learners.

About UNT’s College of Education

UNT’s College of Education prepares students to contribute to the advancement of education, health and human development. Founded in 1890 as a teacher’s training college, UNT now enrolls more than 4,000 students in the College of Education, which consists of four departments — counseling and higher education; educational psychology; kinesiology, health promotion and recreation; and teacher education and administration. UNT’s College of Education certifies about 1,000 teachers a year — making it the largest producer of new teachers in the north Texas region. Students are also prepared for careers as researchers, counselors, leaders, physical activity and health promotion specialists, child development and family studies specialists and more.