Faculty & Staff Directory

Biography

Dr. Longnecker was born into a family of educators in central Pennsylvania. After spending his formative years in North Carolina and South Florida, he moved to Nashville in 2000 to study business at Belmont. After a few years in the music business, he became a middle school teacher in Metro Nashville Public Schools. Over a 10 year career in public education he served as a teacher, high school principal, and Supervisor of Secondary Schools. When he and his wife Joy found out they were pregnant with their first child, Dr. Longnecker accepted a position as Dissertation Coordinator for the online Ed. D. students - letting him continue his work in education, while looking forward to being the most over qualified room dad in Crieve Hall Elementary School history. He is uniquely qualified to provide guidance and counsel to Ed. D. students as he is one of the few people to experience the program from almost every angle: applicant, student, graduate, professor, adviser, doctoral council member, and program administrator. He loves his job so much because he has seen first hand what the experience of earning your doctorate can do for your life and career; and he wants as many of his students as possible to share in that blessing.

Areas of expertise/research interests

Instructional Technology
Leadership & Professional Practice
Reflective Practice & Leadership

Publications

IXL.com: The Effects of Computer-Based Instruction on the Achievement of Middle School Students - Longnecker, R. - Ed.D. Dissertation