Aaron Rife, Ph.D.

Aaron Rife, Ph.D.

Aaron Rife, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Program Chair, Middle/Secondary History Government Education

School of Education · College of Applied Studies

Corbin Education Center 152
Main Campus

Overview

Dr. Aaron Rife is an Associate Professor and the Program chair of Middle/Secondary History Goverment Education in School of Education at Wichita State University. He joined Wichita State University in 2014.

Academic Interests and Expertise

Education

  • Ph.D. Social and Cultural Studies, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, August 2014 Dissertation: Shifting Identities in South Kansas City: Hickman. Mills School District’s Transformation from Suburban to Urban. 
    • Doctoral Advisor: Dr. John Rury
    • Major Areas: Foundations of Education
    • Minor Areas: History, Sociology
  • M.S. Foundations of Education, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, December 2008    Master’s Thesis: Sumner Kigh School, A History
  • B.A. History Teaching/Secondary Education, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, April 2002

Academic Interests

  • Desegregation and Resegregation of American Education
  • Urban Education
  • Teacher Training and status of the profession

Areas of Teaching Interest

Courses Taught

  • CI 321 Introduction to Diversity: Cultural Issues
  • CI 425J History/Government Methods I
  • CI 427 History, Philosophy, Ethics of Education
  • CI 427 TAP—History, Philosophy, Ethics of Education
  • CI 435J History/Government Methods II  
  • CI 436J History/Government Methods III
  • CI 701 Foundations of Education
  • WSUD/FYED 102B First Year Seminar: Race and Ethnicity

Teaching Interests

  • History, Government, and Social Studies Methodology
  • History of American Education
  • Race and Educational Opportunity
  • American Educational Philosophy

Publications

Papers and Presentations

Publications-Journal Articles (peer-reviewed)

  • Rife, Aaron.  “Shaking the Rattle: De-Professionalization of Teaching and the Danger of Submitting to the Neo-Liberal Vision of School.” Journal of Philosophy and History of Education 70, no. 1 (2020/21). 17-32
  • Rife, Aaron.  “We Are All in This Together: Teacher Preparation, Lesson Planning, and Aiding Classroom Teachers During an Emergency School Shutdown.” The Advocate 26, no. 1 (2020)
  • Rife, Aaron. “Desegregation and Re-segregation in the Air Capital of the World: The Case of Wichita USD 259.” Journal of Philosophy and History of Education 69, no. 1 (2019). 51-61
  • Rife, Aaron. “Missing the Signs: Imperfect Allyship and the Re-examination of Personal Biases.” Kansas English 100, no. 1 (2019). 23-26
  • Rury, John and Aaron Rife. “Race, Schools and Opportunity Hoarding: Evidence from a Post-War Metropolis.” History of Education 47, no. 1 (2018, online in 2017), 87-107
  • Rife, Aaron. “Creating Success from the Midst of Adversity: Sumner High School and Community Identity.” Journal of Philosophy and History of Education 60, no. 1 (2010) 251-256

Publications-Newsletter Articles

Publications—Opinion/Editorials

  • Rife, Aaron.  “Voucher-based education programs do not solve our problems.”  Wichita Eagle, July 4, 2021.

National Presentations

  • Rife, Aaron. “TikTok and the Classroom:  Distractions and Dangers, Pedagogy, and Insight into the Teaching Profession.” Popular Culture Association Conference, Virtual Conference, April 2022
  • Rife, Aaron.  “Talking About Structure in Education: The Legacy of Emphasizing Positivity in Diversity Education While Downplaying Deep Inequality.”  Association of Teacher Educators Conference, Chicago, IL, February 2022
  • Rife, Aaron. “Education in the Post-Post Apocalypse: Nurture and Care in Horizon: Zero Dawn.” Popular Culture Association Conference, Virtual Conference, May-June 2021
  • Rife, Aaron. “Shaking the Rattle: A History of the De-Professionalization of Teaching.” Society of Philosophy and History of Education (SOPHE) Conference, Oklahoma City, OK, September 2019
  • Rife, Aaron. “Flying Under the Radar: Desegregation and Re-Segregation in the Air Capital of the World.” Society of Philosophy and History of Education (SOPHE) Conference, St. Louis, MO, September 2018
  • Rife, Aaron. “Practicum on Graduate Student Teaching Concerns.” Panelist, History of Education (HES) Conference, Providence, RI, November 2016
  • Rife, Aaron. “Suburban vs Urban Identity: Municipal and School Boundary Battles in South Kansas City, 1961-1984.” American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference, Washington D.C., April 2016
  • Rife, Aaron. “African-American Suburban Settlement, Education, and Geospatial Differentiation.” History of Education Society (HES) Conference, St. Louis, MO, November 2015
  • Rife, Aaron, Jim Granada, and Anh Tran. “Bridges to Opportunity: Overcoming Barriers to College
    Access.” Prepárate College Board Conference, New Orleans, LA, March 2015
  • Rife, Aaron. “Read My Lips! Schools and Taxes in South Kansas City; 1950-2000.” American Educational Research Association (AERA), Philadelphia, PA, April 2014
  • Rife, Aaron. “Demography and the Economics of Race in ‘Suburban’ Kansas City.” American Educational Research Association (AERA), San Francisco, April-May 2013
  • Rife, Aaron. “Ivory Towers and Trenches: Teacher Preparation and Occupational Socialization.” Society of Philosophy and History of Education (SOPHE) Conference, St. Louis, MO, September 2012
  • Rife, Aaron. “Achievement Culture among Sumner High: Identity and Adversity.” American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference, Vancouver, April 2012
  • Rife, Aaron. “Sumner High School, Black Leadership and Community Identity.” History of Education Society (HES) Conference, Boston, MA, November 2010
  • Rife, Aaron. “The Bud Had a Bitter Taste, but Sweet Indeed is the Flower: Sumner High School and Community Identity,” Society of Philosophy and History of Education (SOPHE) Conference, St. Louis, MO, September 2009

Regional and Invited Presentations

  • Rife, Aaron. “Racial Inequality and Wichita.”  College of Applied Studies Professional Development 
    Seminar, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, November 2020
  • Rife, Aaron and Shareika Fisher. “Getting off on the right foot: Group discussion about serving first-
    year students.”  Academic Resources Conference, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, June 2020
  • Rife, Aaron. “Forced Busing, Magnet Schools, and the Unexamined Danger of School Choice in 
    Wichita, Kansas.”  School of Education Faculty Meeting, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, November 2018
  • Rife, Aaron. “Teaching Truth and Inquiry in a Time of Resistance.” Wichita Public Schools USD 259  
    District Social Studies In-Service, Wichita, KS, February 2018
  • Rife, Aaron. “Wrestling the Elephant in the Room: Teaching About Race and Ethnicity with Courage.” Kansas Association of Teachers of English (KATE) Conference, Wichita, KS, October 2016

Professional Experience

Faculty/Teaching Experience

  • July 2019-present –  Faculty Coordinator, Wichita State University First-Year Seminar Program 
  • April 2020-present – Associate Professor, Wichita State University.  School of Education, Middle/Secondary History/Government Education Chair
  • 2014-2020 – Assistant Professor, Wichita State University.  School of Education,
    Middle/Secondary History/Government Education Chair

K-12 Teaching Experience

  • 2004-2008 – World History and Spanish teacher, USD 338 Valley Falls, KS
  • 2003-2004 – Spanish teacher, Muscatine High School, Muscatine, IA
  • 2002-2003 – History and Spanish teacher, faculty sponsor of school drama club and film club, A University for Children, Springville, UT

Awards and Honors

Awards and Honors

  • 2022 – Technology Innovation Award (WSU College of Applied Studies)
  • 2021 – Wichita State University Excellence in Teaching Award
  • 2020 – Emory Lindquist Teaching Award (WSU College of Applied Studies)

Grants

Grants

  • Fall 2011, Spring 2012 – Mary Oyster O’Guin Scholarship, School of Education Merit Scholarship Graduate Award, University of Kansas                                                           
  • Fall 2011, Spring 2012 – Mary Oyster O’Guin Scholarship, School of Education Merit Scholarship Graduate Award, University of Kansas                                                            
  • August 2008 – School of Education Merit Scholarship Graduate Award, University of Kansas

Areas of Service

Service to the University and College

  • First-Year Seminar Faculty Coordinator
  • Middle/Secondary History/Government Education Programs, School of Education chair
  • University Residency Committee chair
  • Accreditation Steering Committee member
  • Initial Licensure Teacher Program Committee member 
  • School of Education Faculty Personnel Committee member
  • Middle/Secondary Education Program Committee member

Service to the Profession

  • Kansas Council for the Social Studies Board member
  • Kansas State Department of Education History, Government, and Social Studies Higher Education Standards Revision Committee member
  • National Resource Center First Year Experience Conference submission reviewer
  • Journal of Philosophy and History of Education Editorial Board member

Additional Information

Additional Information

  • American Educational Research Association
  • Association of Teacher Educators
  • History of Education Society
  • Society of Philosophy and History of Education  
  • National Council for the Social Studies
  • Kansas Council for the Social Studies
  • Kansas Association of Teacher Educators