Dr. Linda Carson - BIO
Linda M. Carson, Ed. D.
Ware Distinguished Professor
BIO
Dr. Carson is the Ware Distinguished Professor at West Virginia University and the Director of the WV Motor Development Center. Professor Carson has many years of teaching experience and expertise in childhood motor development.
Professor Carson has developed award winning physical activity programs for infants, babies, toddlers, pre-school, and elementary school age children in both land-based and water-based learning environments, earning recognition for involving family members as play partners. The signature feature of Dr. Carson's play programs is a character named Choosy who promotes healthy decision making by children and grownups.
Dr. Carson is recognized for designing innovative children’s programs with a focus on healthy living and active learning. Dr Carson is the lead trainer for an obesity prevention initiative for the national Office of Head Start. The Head Start project gained national recognition recently as the recipient of the 2006 ACF Honor Award for Excellence in Partnering from DHHS. Professor Carson is also on the leadership team of WV Games for Health, a series of statewide projects that have utilized total body video games to enhance the physical activity levels of children, as well as monitor the health benefits of active video game playing. The WV Games for Health project is providing teacher training and DDR equipment for every school in the state of West Virginia.