Photo of Petra Robinson

Petra A. Robinson, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Director, Faculty Affairs & Professional Development, College of Human Sciences & Education 

294 Charles E. Coates Hall

Baton Rouge, LA 70803

E-mail: petrar@lsu.edu

Phone: (225) 578-5753

Fax: (225) 578-5755

Biographical Summary

Petra A. Robinson, PhD. Is Associate Professor in the School of Leadership and Human Resource Development and Director of Faculty of Affairs & Professional Development in the College of Human Sciences & Education. She is also a Faculty Fellow with the Office of Academic Affairs and the Learning and Teaching Collaborative.

Dr. Robinson earned her PhD in Educational Administration and Human Resource Development with a focus on Adult Education from Texas A & M University. She has received several awards for her work such as the Commission of Professors Early Career Award, the LSU Alumni Association Rising Faculty Research Award, the CHSE Advocate for Diversity Award, and the Tiger Athletic Foundation Undergraduate Teaching Award.

She has presented at several national and international conferences, authored peer-reviewed journal articles, and white papers on these topics and she has published fice books, most recently, The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (9th ed.) Routledge and Global citizenship for adult education: Advancing critical literacies for equity and social justice. Routledge.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree: Bachelor of Science, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Nova Southeastern University, 1996

Master’s Degree: Master’s in International Business Administration, Nova Southeastern University, 1997

PhD: Educational Administration and Human Resource Development, Texas A&M University, 2011

Research Interests

Dr. Petra A. Robinson maintains a very active research agenda and has published several articles, book chapters, and co-edited books. With research interests including colorism, critical literacies, social justice, diversity and equity in higher and adult education, Dr. Robinson’s research interests include:

  • Critical literacies across the lifespan in global higher and adult education and organizational contexts
  • Lifelong learning and professional development
  • Colorism
  • Critical literacies
  • Diversity, equity, and social justice in higher and adult education
  • Global citizenship
  • Professional development in the academy

Selected Publications

Robinson, P. A., & Scott, J. (2021). Immigrants and the politics of belonging: Learning in the shadows. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. 2021(170), 33- 43. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20423 

Robinson, P.A., Stojanović, M., Robinson, Z.Z., & Russo Lyons, R. (2021). Pandemonium, panic, and the pandemic: Implications for human resource development from an unplanned shift to online learning. European Journal of Training and Development. Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print.

Stojanović, M., & Robinson, P. A. (2021). Interculturality at a US university. International faculty’s experiences with intercultural communication. Journal of Multicultural Education. Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print.

Robinson, P. A., Allen-Handy, A., & Burrell-Craft, K. (2021). Critical media literacy and Black female identity politics: A Conceptual framework for empowerment, equity, and social justice in education. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 13(1), 79-91. 

Robinson, P.A., & Stojanović, M. (2021). The burden of alleviating the burden during a pandemic: Emotional literacy as a tool for online course design, adaptation, and evaluation.  eLearn Magazine, 2021(4)

Robinson, P. A., & Stojanović, M. (2020). In search of support: A snapshot of what’s advertised for African American veterans in US flagship universities. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2020(166), 51-68. 

Robinson, P. A., & Barbel, P. A. (2020). Colorism and skin bleaching: Implications for advancing multiple critical literacies for equity and social justice. In K. M. Woodson (Ed.), Colorism: Investigating a global phenomenon, with implications for research, policy, and practice (324-336). Fielding University Press.

Stojanović, M., & Robinson, P. A. (2020). Non-native English-speaking students’ perceptions of culture, language, and academic success: Narratives of graduate students in the Southern United States. In S. Keengwe (Ed.), Handbook of research on diversity and social justice in higher education (pp. 181-201). IGI Global.

Mellieon, H., & Robinson, P. A. (2020). The new norm: Faculty perceptions of condensed online learning. American Journal of Distance Education.

Robinson, P. A., & Henriquez-Aldana, J. (2020). Making lemonade from the lemon of cultural taxation: Developing global citizens who think critically, and who promote diversity and social justice. In S. Keengwe (Ed.), Handbook of research on diversity and social justice in higher education (pp. 1-18). IGI Global.

Banda, R.M., Flowers, A., & Robinson, P.A. (2017). Numbers don’t lie: Problematizing faculty diversity at Hispanic Serving Institutions. Journal for Multicultural Education, 11(4), 250-263. 

Robinson, P.A. (2015). The Scholarship of Engagement: A Reason to Cross the Ivory Tower’s Moat. In F.A. Bonner II, R.M. Banda, P.A. Robinson, C.W. Lewis and B. Lofton, Priorities of the Professoriate: Engaging Multiple Forms of Scholarship Across Rural and Urban Institutions (pp. 149- 158). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Robinson, P.A. (2014).  Real Men Don’t Bleach: Contradiction in Contemporary Notions of Gender Identity among Bleachers in Jamaica. National Journal of Urban Education and Practice, (7) 3, 232-246.

Robinson, P.A., & Alfred, M.V. (2014). Transformative Learning Experiences in Family Literacy Programs. International Journal of Literacies, (20) 2, 1-10.

Bonner, F.A. II, marbley, a. f., Evans, M., & Robinson, P.A. (2014) Triple Jeopardy: A Qualitative Investigation of the Experiences of Nontraditional African American Female Students in One Hispanic Serving Institution. Journal of African American Studies, 1-16. DOI: 10.1007/s12111-014-9287-4.

Stoddart, D., Robinson, PA. & Alfred, M.V. (2014). Exploring the Influence of Indigenous Caribbean Music in Shaping the Anglophone Caribbean Identity. National Journal of Urban Education and Practice, (7) 3, 281-297

Books

Robinson, P. A., Williams, K. V., & Stojanović, M. (Eds.). (2021). Global citizenship for adult education: Advancing critical literacies for equity and social justice. Routledge. 

Knowles, M., Holton, E. F., Swanson, R., & Robinson, P. A. (2020). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (9th ed.). Routledge.

Robinson, P. A., Bryant, A., Allen, A., & Lewis, C.W. (Eds.). (2019). Global issues and urban schools: Strategies to effectively teach students in urban environments around the world. Information Age Publishing.

Bonner, F. A. II, Banda, R. M., Robinson, P. A., Lewis, C. W., & Lofton, B. (Eds.). (2015). Priorities of the professoriate: Engaging multiple forms of scholarship across rural and urban institutions. Information Age Publishing.

Bonner, F. A. II, Marbley, A. F., Hughes, R. L., Tuitt, F., & Robinson, P. A. (Eds.) (2015). Black faculty in the academy: Narratives for negotiating identity and achieving career success. Routledge Publishing.

Selected Presentations

Robinson, P. A., & Robinson, Z. Z. (2020, October 27-30). Memes and messaging: Using social media tools for promoting critical literacy skills [Paper presentation]. The American Association of Adult and Continuing Education 2020 Virtual Conference.

Stojanović, M., & Robinson, P. A. (2020, October 27-30). Interculturality and intercultural communication: Non-native English-speaking faculty members’ experiences in an English-speaking environment [Paper presentation]. The American Association of Adult and Continuing Education 2020 Virtual Conference.

Park, S., & Robinson, P. A. (2020, October 27-30). The effect of academic coaches on non-traditional student performance in an intensive online learning program [Paper presentation]. The American Association of Adult and Continuing Education 2020 Virtual Conference.

Robinson, P. A., & Barbel, P. A. (October 2019). Contesting traditional gender roles among men who bleach in Jamaica [Paper presentation]. The Association of Black Sexologists and Clinicians International Lecture Series IV, Havana, Cuba.

Stojanović, M., & Robinson, P. A. (2019, September 17-19). Brain drain, brain gain: Why do non-native English-speaking students decide to enroll at a graduate school in the Southern United States? [Paper presentation]. European Society for Research on the Education of Adults 2019 Conference, Belgrade, Serbia.

Robinson, P.A. & Williams, K. V. (November, 2016).  Cultural taxation or organizational citizenship? International Conference on Urban Education, San Juan, Puerto Rico.  

Robinson, P.A., & Williams, K. (April 2015). Developing Critical Consciousness and Media Literacy through Curriculum Design. American Association of Blacks in Higher Education Conference, Charleston, South Carolina (Paper Presentation).

Robinson, P.A. (November 2014). Critical Media Literacy: Critical Media Literacy: A Tool for Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum. International Conference on Urban Education, Montego Bay, Jamaica. (Paper Presentation)

Robinson, P.A. (April 2014). Colorism and the Curriculum: Lessons from Skin Bleachers in Jamaica. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Paper Presentation).

Banda, R., Flowers, A. & Robinson, P.A. (April 2014). The Need for Diverse Faculty at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs): A Qualitative Document Analysis of the Need for Diverse Hires. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Paper Presentation)

Robinson, P.A. & Rice, D. (March 2014). Best Practices for Teaching Diversity and Social Justice. American Association of Blacks in Higher Education Conference, Atlanta, Georgia. (Paper Presentation)

Grants

Robinson, P.A. & Rizzuto, T. (2015). Ready. Set. What Next? Readiness Assessments and the Adult Learner’s Path to an Online Degree. Academic Partnerships Faculty Research Grant.  ($3,000).

Robinson, P.A. (2014). Measuring Andragogical Design Principles and Processes in Online Learning. Academic Partnerships Faculty Research Grant. ($3,000)

Robinson, P.A. (2014). Faculty Travel Grant Award- Sponsored by Office of Research and Development at Louisiana State University ($570)

Robinson, P.A. (2013). Teaching Enhancement Fund Grant- Sponsored by Campus Federal Credit Union at Louisiana State University ($500)

Bonner, F.A. II, & Robinson, P.A. (2012).  The STEM Collegiate African American Male Summit: Building on Factors of Success. Graduate School of Education Goal Advancement Program ($15,000)

Other Funded Projects

CHSE Dean’s Faculty Research & Travel Grant Program (2019)

LSU Office of Diversity Faculty Research and Travel Grant. (2019)

CHSE Dean’s Internationalization Grant (2019)

ORED  Faculty and Junior Faculty Travel Grant  (2019)

Peabody Society Alumni and Friends Dean’s Circle Grant (2019)

Instructional Connections Research Grant (2019)

Professional Service

American Association of Adult & Continuing Education (Conference Chair)

Journal of Minority Achievement, Creativity, and Leadership (Editorial Board)

External Examiner- University of Technology, Jamaica

American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (Board Member)

American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (Conference Proceedings Editor)

Committee Member for the Research and Publication Committee for the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE)

Editorial Board Member for Adult Learning

Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Research Initiatives

Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Research and Practice for Adult Literacy, Secondary, and Basic Education

Co-Director for the inaugural International Conference on Urban Education (ICUE)- 2014, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Curriculum Vitae