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University of North Dakota
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  • Cheryl Hunter
Cheryl Hunter

Cheryl Hunter

PhD Educational Leadership & Policy Studies
  • Professor, Education, Health & Behavior
    • nature-based curriculum and instruction; qualitative methodology and design; narrative research methods; critical ethnography; education leadership; gender, education and the environment

Contact Info

  • Email: cheryl.hunter@UND.edu
  • Office: 701.777.3431
  • Dept: 701.777.2171

Office Address

Education Building Room 240
231 Centennial Drive Stop 7189
Grand Forks, ND 58202-7189

Curriculum Vitae

  • Curriculum Vitae

Websites

  • Research on Gro.UND Learning Gardens

Biography

Welcome to my bio page. I am Cheryl Hunter, a field-based qualitaitve researcher deeply grounded in narrative inquiry. I approach storytelling as both a methodological tool and an epistemological stance. Across my work, I use personal narratives, ethnographic storytelling, and cultural reflections to give voice to marginalized experiences, challenge dominant discourses in education, and demonstrate emotional resonance in research and teaching. My use of narrative is not merely illustrative—it is central to how I engage participants and critique systems of power. I position narrative as a transformative force for empathy, agency, and social change.

As you review my full scope of work you will notice my work is interdisciplinary -blending education, anthropology, and sociology- to explore how individuals navigate complex social systems. You will find several key elements that connect my range of methodological work. I draw upon phenomenological intentionality, especially in my work in nature-based education where I emphasize the importance of designing learning experiences that are purposeful and reflective of human consciousness. I approach my research as embodied scholarship rooted in place-based and situated inquiry. My research highlights how knowledge is rooted in bodily experience, cultural practice, and emotional connection and use critical and feminist lenses to critique educational and institutional norms.

I am Editor-in-Chief of the Cicadian an interdisciplinary space for creative scholarship, publishing works exploring nature-based relationships, stories of place, belonging and dwelling, and experiential and embodied scholarship rooted in relationships with natural spaces. 

If you decide to take a course with me you will notice my teaching philosophy reflects my research values: it is relational, reflective, and narrative-driven. My teaching reflects an interpretive pedagogy approach I term Provocative Pedagogy, which is described in my Climate Literacy in Education and Legacy Magazine articles. Provocative Pedagogy promotes teaching that provokes action through place-based experiences, rather than stagnate classroom-based learning. My pedagogy is not about sterile delivery of content—it’s about cultivating spaces where learners feel seen, heard, and empowered to engage critically and directly with the world around them. As a reflection of my pedagogical approach, I work closely with my gradaute students to build community and authenticity in their own research and teaching practice.

Selected Publications

  • Lessons for Hopeful and Hungry Academics: Conviviality, Community, and Rootedness Inspired Through the Sharing of Food and Kitchen Stories (2025)
  • Provocative Pedagogy: What Interpretive Methods Offer in Traditional Education Spaces (2024)
  • Using Intentionality and Interactivity to Frame How We Teach Research Methods Online (2022)
  • Understanding Doulas and Childbirth: Women, Love, and Advocacy (2016)
  • Intimate Space within Institutionalized Birth: Women’s Experiences Birthing with Doulas (2012)
  • The Role of Storytelling in Understanding Children’s Moral/Ethic Decision-Making (2010)
  • On the Outskirts of Education: The Liminal Space of Rural Teen Pregnancy (2007)

 

TLPP

TL 539 College Teaching

EFR

EFR 500 Foundations of Educational Thought

EFR 505 Sociological Foundations of Education

EFR 506 Multicultural Education; EFR 507 Gender, Education and the Environment

EFR 509 Introduction to Applied Education Research

EFR 510 Qualitative Research Methods (Participatory Research Methods)

EFR 520 Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (Translational and Pluralistic Research Design)

EFR 525 Comparative and International Education

EFR 590 Special Topics:The Witch and the Wolf

EFR 590 Special Topics:Translational Qualitative Research

sustainability education

qualitative methodology and design

narrative research methods

gender, education and the environment

nature-based curriculum and instruction

critical pedagogy

educational leadership and advocacy

medical and ecological education

Below are a representative sample of the diverse span of her methodological, empirical and pedagogocal publications.

Hunter, J.E., Hunter, C. (2025). Lessons for hopeful and hungry academics: Conviviality, community, and rootedness inspired thru the sharing of food and kitchen stories. In Brewer, Jameson & Hayes II, Cleveland (Eds.), Food stories: Navigating the academy with cultural lessons from the kitchen. Gorham, ME: Myers Education Press.

Hunter, C. (2024) Provocative Pedagogy: What Interpretive Methods Offer in Traditional Education Spaces. National Association of Interpretation, Legacy Magazine 35(4)

Felege, C., Hunter, C. & Felege, S. (2022). Personal impacts of the undergraduate teaching assistant experience. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 22(2) pp.33-66 DOI:10.14434/josotl.v22i2.31306

Hunter, C., Hoffer, T., Hunter, J.E. (2022). Using Intentionality and Interactivity to frame how we teach research methods online. In Nind, Melanie (editor), Handbook of Teaching and Learning Social Research Methods. University of Southampton, National Center for Research Methods, UK

Felege, C., Romsdahl, R., Hunter, J.E., Hunter, C., & Ellis-Felege, S. (2019). Immersive field experiences lead to higher level learning and more translational impact on students. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 9(3), 286-296.

Johansen, L., Evanson, T., Ralph, J., Hunter, C., & Hart, G. (2018). Experiences of rural health nurses who commute to larger communities. Journal of Rural Health Nursing 18(2) pp. 224-264

de Silva, R., Gleditsch, R., Job, C., Jesme, S., Urness, B., & Hunter, C. (2018). Igniting student learning through teacher engagement in Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Multicultural Education 25(3&4), pp. 23-28

Felege, C., Hunter, C., Hunter, J., & Felege, S. (2018.) Pedagogy and practice in STEM field experiences: intersections of student and mentor identity and impacts upon student outcomes. Journal of Education for Teaching 44 (4) DOI: 10.1080/02607476.1450818

Felege, C., Hahn, E., Hunter, C., & Gleditsch, R. (2016). Bench, bedside, curbside, and home: Translational research to include transformative change using education research. Journal of Research Practice 12(2), pp.1-11

Hunter, C.,  & Kallio, A. (2016). Understanding Doulas and Childbirth: Women, Love, and Advocacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Gleditsch, R., Hahn, E., Molapo, T. & Hunter, C.A. (2016). Intercultural Competency in Social Studies Education Methods. Journal of Natural Inquiry and Reflective Practice 29:2, pp.105-120

Parson, L., Hunter, C. A., & Kallio, B. (2016) Exploring educational leadership in rural schools. Planning and Changing: An Educational Leadership and Policy Journal 47:1/2, pp.63-81

Molapo, T., Parson, L., Hunter, C., & Butz, J. (2016). Changes in principal evaluation standards: A case study of North Dakota. School Leadership Review 11:1, pp. 18-25

Hunter, C.A., Parson, L., Pearson, D., Kallio, B., Hung, S., & Houdek, S. (2015). The North Dakota Rural Principalship: Qualitative differences according to school enrollment. North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.

Hunter, C.A., Winkle-Wagner, R., & Ortloff, D. (2014). Out of our Comfort Zones: Teaching Qualitative Research at a Distance. The Qualitative Report 19:45, pp. 1-24

Kartoshkina, Y. & Hunter, C.A. (2014). Applying cognitive task analysis methodology in educational research. Journal of Research & Method in Education 4:5, pp. 51-57

Hunter, C., Pearson, D., & Gutierrez, A.R. (2014). Interculturalization and Teacher Education: From Theory to Practice. New York: Routledge / Taylor & Francis Group.

Winkle-Wagner, R., Hunter, C.A., & Ortloff, J.D. (Eds) (paperback 2013, 2009). Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice in Educational Research: Methods at the Margins. New York, NY: Palgrave MacMillan

Hunter, C.A. & Gutierrez, A.R. (2013). Learning language is ‘hard work’: Pre-service teacher reflections upon second language acquisition through cultural immersion. Journal of Pedagogy, Pluralism, and Practice 5:1, pp.1-23

Gutierrez, A.R. & Hunter, C.A. (2012). Learning about literacy outside the classroom: Pre-service teachers reflect on learning a second language through cultural immersion. Journal of Education for Teaching 38:5, pp. 629–632

Hunter, C.A. (2012). Intimate space within institutionalized birth: women’s experiences birthing with doulas. Anthropology and Medicine 19:3, pp. 315–326

Hunter, C. & Eder, D. (2010). The Role of Storytelling in Understanding Children's Moral/Ethic Decision-Making, Multicultural Perspectives, 12: 4, pp. 223 — 228

Hunter, C. A. (2007). On the Outskirts of Education: The Liminal Space of Rural Teen Pregnancy. Ethnography and Education, 2(1), pp.75-92

AWARDS and HONORS

Recipient (2016), Thomas J. Clifford Faculty Award for Graduate or Professional Teaching Excellence, UND. This award recognizes individual graduate or professional faculty who meet the highest standards in teaching as recognized by their students and peers.

Finalist (2013),Thomas J. Clifford Faculty Award for Graduate or Professional Teaching Excellence, UND

Recipient (2011), President's Award for Outstanding Paper, The Society of Gynecologic Surgeons

Diwadkar, G. and Hunter, C. (2011) Using cognitive task analysis to understand the critical components of performing vaginal hysterectomy. 37th Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeon's, San Antonio, TX. April 11, 2011

Cleveland Clinic Scholarship in Teaching Award (2010). This award was based upon collaborative research on the implications of using virtual technology for teaching communication skills to medical students.

Distinguished Educator Certificate (2009), Cleveland Clinic Academy. This award represents completion of a year-long faculty development training series and successful faculty teaching observations.

FELLOWSHIPS

Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University (2008-2009). The medical education fellowship provided the opportunity to hone my skills as a qualitative methodologist by consulting on multiple research projects with faculty. I completed an independent research project on the assessment of portfolios in medical education, participated in faculty development projects, evaluation projects and completed the Distinguished Educator Series.

John H. Edwards, Graduate Fellowship, Indiana University (2006-2007). The John H. Edwards Fellowship is one of the University’s most prestigious academic awards at Indiana University; a university-wide committee selects fellows of superior scholastic ability, intellectual capacity, good citizenship and character as demonstrated by a strong record of voluntary public service.

Spencer Foundation, Graduate Fellowship Discipline Based Scholarship in Education (2002-2003; 2003-2004). The Spencer Fellowship offered a unique opportunity to gain direct research experience with Sociology faculty and interdisciplinary research/study opportunities in collaborations between departments.

Cheryl Hunter received her PhD in History, Philosophy and Policy Studies at Indiana University with an emphasis in qualitative research methodologies. As a Spencer Foundation Fellow at Indiana University, she worked closely with Sociology faculty exploring education policy as well as the use of narrative methodologies. She was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Cleveland Clinic College of Medicine where she focused on the areas of curriculum design and instruction, research design, and the use qualitative assessment within the framework of medical education.

Ph.D. History, Philosophy and Policy Studies (2007)

Dept  of Education Leadership and Policy Studies

School of Education, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

Concentration: International and Comparative Education

Minor: Sociology

M.S. Elementary Education (1999)                                               

Indiana University, Bloomington                                                      

License Awarded 1997

B.A. Sociology (with Honors) (1995)

Butler University, Indianapolis, IN

DEPARTMENTAL SERVICE

Graduate Director, Qualitative Inquiry Certificate (2024- current)

Search Committee Chair (2022-2023), EFR Faculty Search Committee: Qualitative Methodologist position

Department Chair (2018-2022), Teaching, Leadership, and Professional Practice

Graduate Director (2023-2024; 2016-2017; 2014-2015), Educational Foundations and Research Department (EFR)

Search Committee Chair (2015-2016), EFR Faculty Search Committee: Program Evaluation position

Faculty Advisor (2012-2015), EFR Graduate Student Organization

Assessment Chair (2012- 2013), EFR Department Research Assessment Retreat

Website Coordinator (2011-2013), EFR

COLLEGE SERVICE

Tenure & Promotion Committee (current)

Finance Committee member (2024-2026)

Interim Dean (2023-2024)

Ad hoc Policy Committee Member (2022-2023)

Assistant Dean, Graduate Studies (2021-2022)

Chair, College Research Council (2016-2017)

College Research Council Member (2015- 2016)

Appeals Committee Member (2012-2015)

UNIVERSITY SERVICE

Co-Director, Gro.UND Learning Gardens (2024-current)

Outstanding Faculty Awards Committee (2017), Office of Instructional Development, University of North Dakota

Graduate Advocate (2016-2017), Dean of School of Graduate School, University of North Dakota

Senate Executive Committee (2015-2017), University of North Dakota

Co-Chair (2015-2016), Study of Practices for the Evaluation of Administration (SPEA), Ad Hoc Senate Committee, University of North Dakota

University Search Committee (2015-2016), Dean Search, School of Graduate Studies, University of North Dakota

Mentor (2015-2016), Alice T. Clark Faculty Mentoring Program

Senator (2014-2016), University Senate, University of North Dakota

Higher Learning Commission Committee (2011-2013), 2-C, University of North Dakota

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

Grand Forks Food Policy Council (2024-2026). Founding member of Grand Fork’s Food Policy Council.

Reviewer

  • The Qualitative Report (2012-2013; 2022-2024)
  • Research Methods and Education, Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group (September 2017)
  • Social Science and Medicine (September 2017)
  • Sociological Spectrum (2014-2015)
  • Medical Anthropology Quarterly (2014-2015)
  • Teaching and Learning: Journal of Natural Inquiry and Reflective Practice (2012-2013)
  • Comparative and International Education Society, SIG: Teacher Education and the Teaching Profession (2013- 2014)
  • American Education Research Association Division G - Social Context of Education: Education in Multicultural Contexts Within and Across Subject Areas (2013)

Committees

Chair (2019-2021), Excellence in Teaching Award Committee Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools

Chair (2018-2019), Outstanding Dissertation Committee, American Education Research Association-Qualitative Research SIG

Executive Committee (2018-2019), American Education Research Association-Qualitative Research SIG

Member (2017-2019), Excellence in Teaching Award Committee Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools

Member (2013-2017), Outstanding Dissertation Committee, American Education Research Association-Qualitative Research SIG

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Grand Forks Public Schools Summer Book Study (2014, 2015) I developed and facilitated a five-week book study for teachers in the Grand Forks Public Schools. I met with teachers for 2 hours each session over four weeks during each summer session.

Safe Kids Water Safety Committee (2012-2013) Altru Health and YMCA

GRO.UND (Grow UND) Learning Gardens was initiated on the campus of UND (and with the generous support of the CEHD) to develop ecological literacy and a sense of place in our schools and communities through sustainable and regenerative garden education. Learning gardens and place-based practices create a vehicle for community engaged stewardship and sustainability while addressing the social, economic and ecological needs of our community. We also believe that being outside and working together is what connects all of us, as humans on this planet. We live in a time when personally connecting to the earth by working alongside each other is even more necessary than ever before - and there is no place better than outside in nature.

Please viist our webpage GRO.UND LEARNING GARDENS

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

Women and Other Monsters by Jess Zimmerman

Bitch: On the Female of the Species by Lucy Cooke

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