Since starting her career in 1999, Dr. Julie Jones has had an exceptional journey in education. She has taught 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, and 9–12 grades in both general and special education. In 2012, she left the k12 world to join higher education in the area of special education: learning disabilities. In 2013, she came home to Converse, where she received her BA degree. Now, an associate professor at Converse University, Dr. Jones works with majors in the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences.

As an innovative educational development professional, Dr. Jones maintains an active research agenda with interests including instructional technology and pedagogy, always with a mix of creativity and play. She directs the capstone course in child and family studies, empowering Converse seniors to showcase the skills learned at Converse in health and community work across the upstate.

At the height of the pandemic, Dr. Jones and her colleague and Converse alumna, Jed Dearybury, published The Playful Classroom (Wiley Jossey Bass), which became an Amazon bestselling release and continues to impact classrooms across the world. In November, 2022, Dr. Jones expanded the work to a broader audience publishing The Playful Life: The Power of Play in our Every Day.

Before working on the We Are Playful book series, Dr. Jones was the editor of the Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina, and past-president of the South Carolina Association of Teacher Educators.

Curriculum Vitae

Read more about Dr. Jones’ activities and accomplishments.

Julie Jones, PhD

Scholarly & Research Activity

In addition to her research on play, Dr. Jones frequently speaks at events to help facilitate a smooth transition of the traditional classroom concept to a digital, one-to-one educational experience. She has also published articles in the fields of instructional technology, school leadership, and validated instructional practices for students who are at risk.

She is the author of the Amazon bestselling professional development book, The Playful Classroom (Wiley- Jossey Bass, 2020) and The Playful Life (Wiley- Jossey Bass, 2022).

Website

For more details about presentations and publications, please click here to visit Dr. Jones’ website.

Degrees

  • PhD - Clemson University
  • MA - University of South Carolina
  • BA - Converse College