Bethany Vosburg-Bluem

Bethany Vosburg Bluem

Phone
614-823-1334

Email
bvosburgbluem@otterbein.edu

Office
Roush Hall 443

Associate Professor
Department of Education

Bethany (Dr. B.) is a former high school teacher who taught social studies and coached soccer for 14 years in Kettering, OH. She currently enjoys teaching a variety of students through the general methods courses for the AYA program as well as the PreK-12 social studies methods courses. Her research interests and passion revolve around deepening her knowledge about sustainability education and sharing it with others. What Dr. B. loves most about what she does here at Otterbein is her work with students both in and out of the classroom. Outside of Otterbein she enjoys being outdoors, watching sports, going to concerts, reading and spending time with her friends and family. Bethany also volunteers her time with a local community group called Sustainable Westerville.

Education

  • Ph.D., Social Studies Education and Global Education, The Ohio State University, 2012
  • M.Ed., Education, Wright State University, 2001
  • Secondary Teaching Licensure, Integrated Social Studies, Wright State University, 1992
  • B.S., Psychology, Wright State University, 1988

Research, Creative, & Professional Work

  • Teacher Education
  • Social Studies Education
  • Intersection between Educating for Sustainability and Social Studies Education

Publications

  • Vosburg-Bluem, B., Crocco, M., and Passe, J. and (Eds.). (2022) Teaching Environmental Issues in Social Studies. Civic Sustainability Thinking and Action for the 21st Century. NCSS Bulletin. Silver Spring, MD: National Council for the Social Studies.
  • Kumler, L. and Vosburg-Bluem, B. (2014). Climate change in the social studies classroom: A “why” and how to” guide using the C3 framework. Social Education, 78(5).
  • Downey, L., Gentile, S.J., Hollweg, K.S., Hubbard-Sanchez, J., Johnson, C., Kumler, L., LaRocque, L., Poppleton, K., Shiflett-Fitton, D. Shuttleworth, J., Vosburg-Bluem, B. (Eds.). (2013) Advancing Climate Change Environmental Education: Resources and Suggestions. Ithaca, NY: EECapacity, Cornell University Civic Ecology Lab, and North American Association for Environmental Education.
  • Mhlauli, M., Vosburg-Bluem, B., Merryfield, M. M. (2010) Natural disasters in the lives of women living in poverty in southern Africa. The Human Impact of Natural Disasters: Issues for the Inquiry-Based Classroom. (pp. 37-42), Silver Spring, MD: National Council for the Social Studies.
  • Warnick, B., Vosburg-Bluem, B., Dawson, H. & Smith, D. (2008). Student communities and individualism in America. Educational Studies, 44:(pp 168-191).
  • Affiliations & Awards

  • National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
  • Ohio Council for the Social Studies (OCSS) - Central Ohio Regional Representative
  • Sustainable Westerville (SW) - Chair
  • Environmental Education Council of Ohio (EECO)
  • American Middle Level Educators (AMLE)
  • United States Partnership for Education for Sustainability (USPESD)