Keely Cline

Associate Professor

Education

• Ph.D. Psychology, University of Nebraska - Lincoln; 2010
• M.A. Psychology, University of Nebraska - Lincoln; 2006
• B.A. Psychology, Northwest Missouri State University; 2004

Courses Taught

• Developmental Psychology 08-333

Academic Interests

• Early childhood development
• Parent-child interactions
• Parent-child book-reading
• Interventions focused on at-risk populations
• Parenting and culture
• Home environment

Scholarly Activity

Publications:

• Gilb, M., Wikete Lee, M., & Cline, K. (2025). “How do you make someone feel special?” A timeless story of listening, relationships, and celebration. Innovations, 32(1), 46-55.
• Cline, K. D., Foster, R. (2025). A qualitative study of teacher candidates’ views about children’s agency. IALS Journal, 15(1), 11-19.
• Cline, K. D., Seeger, V., & Dimmitt, E. (2025). Parallel stories of Narnia: Study abroad travels to Ireland inspired by children's literature. IALS Journal, 15(1), 37-47.
• Seeger, V. N., Dimmitt, E., & Cline, K. (2025). From strangers to friends? An ethnographic study of developing group culture during a short-term faculty-led study abroad program in Ireland. Irish Journal of Academic Practice, 13(2), Article 6.
• Cline, K. D., Merritt, S. M., Seeger, V., Haughey, B., & Montenguise, H. (2024). Reading about a hero of the Holocaust: A multiple case study of families and teachers from a laboratory school. IALS Journal, 14(1), 11-21.
• Cline, K. D., Hiatt, R., & Dimmitt, E. (2023). The development of the Perceptions of Childhood Scale. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 38(1) 66-79.
• Cline K. D., Wikete Lee, M., Gilb, M., & Bielicki, L. (2023). Bigger than a cupcake: Reimagining birthday celebrations through an equity and inclusion lens. LEARNing Landscapes, 16(1) 59-76.
• Cline, K. D., Dimmitt, E. & Gann, M. (2022). Books before birth: A qualitative multiple case study of mothers reading to babies in utero. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 1–14.
• Cline K. D., Sheil M., & Rouner C. (2022). Paths, maps, and pirates: How a preschool class overcame limits of the pandemic through drama. LEARNing Landscapes, 15(1), 109-127.
• Cline, K. D., Dimmitt, E., & Seeger, V. (2022). Through the doors of the wardrobe: A qualitative case study of a short-term study abroad program inspired by the C.S. Lewis Trail in Ireland. Irish Journal of Academic Practice, 10(2), Article 9.
• Cline, K. D., Patet, P., Dimmitt, E., & Sparks, B. (2021). Perceptions about children, childhood, and teaching: Children’s literature as a priming event for beginning education students. IALS Journal, 9(1), 13-24.
• Cline, K. D., Campbell, L., Mallon, M. & Taylor, B. (2019). A qualitative case study of the influences of the 2016 U.S. election and subsequent presidency on elementary classrooms and children. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 33(4), 558-578.
• Cline, K. D., Gilb, M., & Vaught, M. (2019). Honoring children’s ways of knowing: A story of trust and transformation in a kindergarten classroom. LEARNing Landscapes Journal, 12(1), 77-90.
• Cline, K. D. & Edwards, C. P. (2017). Parent–child book-reading styles, emotional quality, and changes in Early Head Start children’s cognitive scores. Early Education & Development, 28, 41-58.
• Cline, K. D. (2016). Infant-parent relationships. In D. Couchenour & J. K. Chrisman (Eds.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Contemporary Early Childhood Education (pp 729-731). Los Angeles: Sage.
• Edwards, C. P., Cline, K. D., Gandini, L., Giacomelli, A., Giovannini, D., & Galardini, A. (2014). Books, stories, and the imagination at ‘The Nursery Rhyme’: A qualitative case study of a preschool learning environment in Pistoia, Italy. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 28, 1-25.
• Cline, K. D. & Edwards, C. P. (2013). The instructional and emotional quality of parent-child book reading and young children’s early learning. Early Education & Development, 8, 1214-1231.
• Cline, K. D., Edwards, C. P., Gandini, L., Giacomelli, A., Giovannini, D., & Galardini, A. (2012). A day at Filastrocca Preschool, Pistoia, Italy: Meaning making through literacy and creative experience. LEARNing Landscapes, 6, 107-128.
  
• Knoche, L. L., Edwards, C. P., Sheridan, S. M., Kupzyk, K. A., Marvin, C. A., Cline, K. D., & Clarke, B. (2012). Getting Ready: Results of a randomized trial of a relationship-focused intervention on parent engagement in rural Early Head Start. Infant Mental Health Journal, 33, 439-458.
• Knoche, L. L., Cline, K. D., & Marvin, C. M. (2012). Fostering collaborative partnerships between early childhood professionals and the parents of young children. In R. C. Pianta, W. S. Barnett, L. M. Justice, & S. M. Sheridan (Eds.), Handbook of Early Childhood Education (pp. 370-392).New York, NY: Guilford.
• Marvin, C. A., & Cline, K. D. (2010). Bus Talk: A preliminary analysis of children’s decontextualized talk. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 31, 170-182.

Selected Conference Presentations:

• Cline, K. D. (2026, May). Through the doors of the wardrobe: ​Building a sense of community during short-term study abroad using C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe​ [Conference presentation]. Children’s Literature Association conference, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Cline, K. D. & Foster, R. (2025, May). Children as human ‘beings’ or ‘becomings’?: Teacher education students report varying views about children’s agency [Poster presentation]. Association for Psychological Science conference, Washington, D.C.
• Cline, K. D., Merritt, S. M., & Seeger, V. (2024, May). Reading about a hero of the Holocaust: A multiple case study of families and teachers from a laboratory school [Poster presentation]. Association for Psychological Science conference, San Francisco, CA.
• Cline, K. D., Dimmitt, E., & Gann, M. (2023, May). Books before birth: A qualitative multiple case study of mothers reading to babies in utero [Poster presentation].  Association for Psychological Science conference, Washington, D.C.
• Cline, K.D., Hiatt, R., & Dimmitt, E. (2022, April). Perceptions of Childhood Scale: Development and associations with perceptions of play [Poster presentation]. Society for Research in Child Development Special Topics Meeting on Learning through Play and Imagination: Expanding Perspectives, St. Louis, MO.
• Gilb, M., Wikete, M. Bielicki, L., & Cline, K.D. (2019, November). Bigger than a cupcake: Honoring children through birthday traditions - One preschool classroom’s journey in reimagining birthday celebrations. [Conference presentation]. NAEYC 2019 Annual Conference & Expo, Nashville, TN.
• Cline, K. D. & Campbell, L. (2019, March). A qualitative case study of influences of the 2016 U.S. election on classrooms and children. [Poster presentation]. Biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD.
• Cline, K.D. & Dimmitt, E. (2019, March). A mixed method study of children’s literature as a priming event for education majors’ views [Poster presentation]. Biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Baltimore, MD.
• Vaught, M. & Cline, K.D. (2019, March). Elley: A story of glitter, excitement, and creativeness. [Conference presentation]. International Association of Lab Schools conference, Fort Worth, TX. (Note: I contributed to the development of this presentation presented by my colleague but could not attend.)
• Cline, K. D., Wingrove, T., & Dimmitt, E. (2017, April). Frequency of parent-child book reading and children’s learning behaviors at preschool: Parenting confidence as a moderator. [Poster presentation]. Biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Austin, TX.
• Cline, K. D., Dimmitt, E., & Wingrove, T. (2015, November). Exploring parent-child shared book-reading styles and children's learning behaviors at preschool. [Poster presentation]. NAEYC 2015 Annual Conference & Expo, Orlando FL. 

Student Group Advisement

• Psi Chi, the International Honor Society of Psychology