Maria Cisneros-Solis Johnson
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology (Area II: Personality, Developmental,
and Social), The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 1982.
Dissertation: The Relationship Between Coping and Self-Esteem: A Longitudinal
Study.
Master of Education, Pan American University, Edinburg, Texas, 1975. Areas of
emphasis were learning disabilities, mental retardation, assessment techniques,
and learning theory.
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, with a minor in English, Pan American
University, Edinburg, Texas, 1971.
Certifications: Elementary Education (1971); Bilingual Education (1973), Learning
Disabilities (1974); Educational Diagnostician (1975);
Licensures: Psychologist, Texas license #2-3154
Teaching Experience
1981-Present Professor of Psychology; Austin Community College, Austin, Texas. Courses taught include: Introduction to Psychology, Child Psychology, Human Growth and Development, Social Psychology, Applied Psychology, Personality, and Psychology of Adjustment. Currently teaching Introduction to Psychology, Human Growth and Development.
1998-1999 Migrant Education, Cultural Diversity Specialist & Psychology faculty member; Terra Community College, Fremont, Ohio. Courses taught include: General Psychology, Developmental Psychology for Elder college, and Mental health, Education and the Latino student. Other responsibilities include the development and implementation of educational programs for minorities (especially the migrant farm worker student)
1994 Visiting Professor, Chapman University, Psychology Department. Developed and taught a graduate and undergraduate level course in Developmental Psychology as it applies to mental health
1992 Adjunct Professor, The University of Texas at Austin. Division of Educational Psychology. Developed and taught a doctoral level graduate course entitled “Minority Mental Health Issues within the School System” for the School Psychology Department.
1989 CIES & Fulbright Scholar, Ecuador, South America. Continued work as a consultant teaching graduate level summer courses in Psychology and Special Education. Summer 1989
1987 Fulbright Scholar, Ecuador, South America. Consulted with Ecuadorian universities and public agencies in the area of Psychology and Special Education. Developed and taught courses, as well as Conducted workshops and seminars in the field of psychology and special education.
1984-1986 Visiting Instructor in Educational Psychology, Special Education and Bilingual Education, Pan American University, Brownsville, Texas. Graduate and undergraduate courses in Perception & Cognition, Learning Disabilities, Mental retardation, and Bilingual Education.
1978 Assistant Instructor, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas. Taught undergraduate Educational Psychology in the School of Education.
1971-1975 Public School Teacher, Brownsville Independent School District, Brownsville, Texas. Taught kindergarten, 2nd grade, 6th grade, and Special Education: learning disabled, mildly retarded, and emotionally disturbed students.
administrative experience
Administrative Experience
2003-2006 Assisstant Chair for the Behavioral Science Department
1988-1997 Department Head of Psychology, Austin Community College, Austin,
Texas. Duties included the development and management of the
departmental budget, the supervision and evaluation of faculty and hourly
employees, and the building and staffing of the course schedule.
Additional duties included the development of the departmental mission,
goals, and curriculum and leading efforts which resulted in increased
inter-departmental coordination between Psychology, Human
Development, Student Services, and Developmental Education. Additional
leadership responsibilities included the development of strong program
ties to local school districts and mental health organizations.
1988 Director, Fulbright-CIES Professional Exchange Program, Austin,
Texas. Developed a professional internship program in the U.S. for
Ecuadorian directors of higher education programs in the fields of Early
Childhood and Secondary Education. Duties included overall
coordination, the development of program goals and objectives, the
coordination of placement in U.S. programs and institutions, and the
development of evaluation procedures.
Professional Publications
Research, Publications, & Presentations
Cisneros-Solís, M.G. “Death and Dying.” Workshop conducted for Nesbit Living and
Recovery Center, Sequin Texas, Spring, 2008
Cisneros-Solís, M.G. “Motivating Students” ….”Motivacion: Motivando al estudiante
sobre el aprendizaje”, Workshop conducted in Spanish for the International
University of Ecuador, Quito,Ecuador, South America. Summer, 2002.
Cisneros-Solís, M.G. “Cognitive Psychology Applied to Learning in the Elementary
Schools.” Workshop conducted for Austin ISD, Pease and Mathews Elementary
Schools. Fall, 1993.
Cisneros-Solís, M.G. “Need Satisfaction and its Relationship to Learning” Workshop
conducted for AISD, Pease and Mathews Elementary Schools. Fall, 1993.
Cisneros-Solís, M.G. “Cognitive Psychology Applied to Adult Learning” Workshop
conducted for Professional Development Department of Austin Community
College. Spring, 1992.
Cisneros-Solís, M.G. “Mental Health Issues and the Latino Culture” Presentation for
Austin Community College, Fall, 1992.
Cisneros-Solís, M.G. “The Psychological Aspects of the Ecuadorian System of Cultures”,
A collection of edited video tapes from Ecuador. Fulbright Commission and
Austin Community College, 1990.
Cisneros-Solís, M.G. A series of technical documents on Special Education for
Ecuadorian professionals (Spanish). Ecuador: Centro de Investigacíon,
Planificacíon y Tecnologia Educativa (CIPTE) and The Fulbright Commission in
Ecuador, 1987.
Cisneros-Solís, M.G. The Relationship Between Coping and Self-Esteem: A
Longitudinal Study. Doctoral Dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin,
1982.
Cisneros-Solís, M.G. & Rio Grande Head Start Staff. A Program Plan for the
Handicapped Child in Rio Grande Head Start Centers. 1977.
Peck, R.F., Payne, G.C. & Cisneros-Solís, M.G. “Predicting Adult Career Success from
Adolescent Coping Skills and Motivation.” Austin: Research and Development
Center for Teacher Education, 1983. (Presented at the annual meeting of the
American Educational Research Association, Montreal, April 1983.)
Peck, R.F., Payne, G.C. & Cisneros-Solís, M.G. “Coping and Motivation Factors that
Foster Long-Term Competence.” Austin: Research and Development Center for
Teacher Education, 1983. (Presented at the meeting of the International Society
for the Study of Behavioral Development, Munich, Germany, July 1983.)
Peck, R.F., Fox, R.B., Veldman, D.J., Payne, G.C., Cisneros-Solís, M.G. & Clements,
R.O. The Interplay of Teacher and Student Characteristics that Affect Student
Learning, Attitudes, and Coping Skills. Final Report of the Teaching-Learning
Interaction Study (TLIS). Austin: Research and Development Center for Teacher
Education, October 1982, 1564 pp.
Peck, R.F., Payne, G.C., and Cisneros-Solís, M.G. “The Development of Coping Skills,
Self-Esteem, and Career Competence. A Longitudinal Study from Age 14 to Age
29”. Austin: Research and Development Center for Teacher Education,
University of Texas. In progress.
Cisneros-Solís, M. G. “Teaching the Individual Student: Cognitive, Emotional, Sociocultural
Perspectives.” Workshop conducted for Elsa-Edcouch Independent
School District. Fall, 1981.
Cisneros-Solís, M. G., Smith, V. & Wagner, D. “Multicultural Perspectives Applied to
Curriculum, Instruction and Research.” Presentation to the SIETAR Conference
in Vancouver, Canada: Spring 1981.
Cisneros-Solís, M. G. “Individualized Instruction.” Workshop conducted for Edcouch
Elsa Independent School District: Spring 1980.
Cisneros-Solís, M. G. “Individualized Instruction and Assessment Techniques.”
Workshop conducted for Child, Inc., Austin, Texas: 1980.
Cisneros-Solís, M. G. “The Analysis and Evaluation of Bilingual Commercial
Materials.” Workshop conducted for Region XIII, Bilingual Dept., in McAllen,
Texas: 1978.
Published: January 07, 2025