• Home
  • AACTE online resources

Posts Tagged ‘AACTE online resources’

Biden Administration and the 117th Congress: The Significance for AACTE Members

Biden Administration and the 117th Congress: The Significance for AACTE Members Not many of us will shed a tear now that 2020 is behind us. The outbreak of COVID-19 resulted in a long and difficult year for students, families, schools, and colleges. Virtually, no part of our nation (or the world) was untouched. But with the start of 2021, we hope that the worst is behind us. 

The country will see a new congress sworn in on January 3 and, on January 20, Joseph R. Biden and Kamala Harris will be sworn in as the 46th president and vice-president of the United States of America. 

Despite 2020 being in our rear-view mirror, the challenges we face due to COVID-19, the related economic collapse, and a politically divided country remain.

Plan Your Virtual Experience with AACTE Annual Meeting Event Planner

AACTE 73rd Annual Meeting

Want to know everything that is happening at the 2021 AACTE Annual Meeting?  The Event Planner has the entire schedule for each day (all times listed in the Event Planner are Eastern Time).    

Once you have logged in to the Event Planner, you will be able to

  1. Browse the Full Schedule – You can use the search field at the top to locate sessions by presenter name (first or last), title, keywords, and other fields.
  2. Access Session Information – See a session you might be interested in? Just click on the session title to access a description and list of presenters.
  3. Plan Your Annual Meeting Experience – When you find a session you want to attend, just click the “add” button next to the session information. This will store the session to your schedule (which you can access at any time by clicking the “My Schedule” tab at the top).
  4. Sync AACTE’s Annual Meeting to Your Calendar – At any time, you can visit “My Schedule” to both print a copy of your schedule and send invite requests to your electronic calendar(s) for each session you wish to attend.
  5. Share Your Work with Other Attendees – Want to get other attendees interested in your session? If you are the presenter of a session, you can upload your slides, handouts, and other documents at any time. Just click on the “Sessions I’m Presenting” tab at the top of your page, and then click the “manage handouts” button next to the session you wish to add documents to in the schedule.

AACTE Announces 2020 Technology Implementation Grant Recipients

Applications Now Accepted for AACTE’s Video Observation Technology Implementation Grant banner

AACTE is pleased to announce the 2020 recipients of the new AACTE Video Observation Technology Implementation Grant. AACTE offered the grant in partnership with Edthena to help educator preparation programs enhance training for future teachers in methods courses, field observations, skill building, and group learning via advanced technology.

“Both AACTE and Edthena understand that video observation technology has the potential to positively impact candidates during and after the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lynn M. Gangone, AACTE president and CEO. “AACTE is proud to collaborate with partners like Edthena to promote technology growth in schools and colleges of education.”

Webinar Recap: How Do Students Pay for College

A growing body of research suggests that concerns about compensation generally—and about being able to repay student loans in particular—are dissuading college students from choosing teaching as a career. To help AACTE members better understand the financial pressures impacting education students, a new issue brief takes a detailed look at how students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in education pay for college, including the costs they face and the financial sources they tap to meet those expenses. 

During AACTE’s webinar “How Do Students Pay for College,” author Jacqueline King and Jane West discussed the implications of these findings, as well as recommendations for campus practice and federal policy.

King began the webinar by explaining, “Student financing of education feels archaic and arcane … can be kind of intimidating.” To help those who were unable to join this webinar, outlined below are specific parts of the online discussion that may address some of your most pressing concerns around financing teacher candidate education. Access the recording at aacte.org. 

Register for Webinar Focused on the Role of Deans in Leading Teacher Preparation Reform

AACTE and CEEDAR (Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform) Center are partnering together to present a webinar centered on a special issue brief, Leading and Engaging Faculty in Teacher Preparation Reform: The Role of Deans. The issue brief summarizes the experiences in leadership of six current and former deans who have been identified as engaging in successful collaborative reform efforts within their colleges.

During the one-hour event, Mary Brownwell will talk with Marquita Grenot-Scheyer and Kandi Hill-Clarke about the issue brief and their experiences of cultivating collaboration and supporting innovation among general and special education faculty who share responsibility to support students in diverse and inclusive classrooms. Since few resources exist to support deans in their efforts to work with faculty to engage in this work, AACTE and CEEDAR believe the experiences of these leaders will be useful to other deans as they work toward similar outcomes.

Register for the webinar, which will take place December 16 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (ET). Learn more about the panelists:

Leading and Engaging Faculty in Teacher Preparation Reform: The Role of Deans

Webinar, Personal development and e-learning concept on blurred abstract background.AACTE is proud to partner with the CEEDAR (Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform) Center to bring you a webinar focused on a special issue brief, Leading and Engaging Faculty in Teacher Preparation Reform: The Role of Deans, on December 16, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET.

The issue brief summarizes the experiences in leadership of six current and former deans who have been identified as engaging in successful collaborative reform efforts within their colleges. AACTE and CEEDAR look to their experiences to support leaders, like you, in understanding the actions they took and the strategies they employed that may be useful to other leaders of educator preparation programs (EPPs) who are committed to restructuring curricula and programs in their own settings.

AACTE’s Video Wall Showcases the Impact of Educator Preparation

Room full of video screens

Have you visited the AACTE Video Wall lately? It offers a wide range of video content for teacher educators, pre-service and in-service teachers to showcase the impact that educator preparation is making in teaching and learning today. The videos are designed to help you understand critical issues in education and the resources available to you to get involved and support the teaching profession. AACTE videos can be viewed as part of classroom curricula, as well as shared with education leaders, policy makers, and local communities to learn more about the positive work educator preparation professionals do every day.

From event highlights, lectures, and short documentaries to webinars and podcasts, the videos featured on the AACTE Video Wall offer you tools and resources to stay updated on the latest in educator preparation within just a few minutes of viewing time. The video platform can be used to promote the innovative work of educators by utilizing its embedded capability to easily share a video on your social media or to send an e-mail.

Teacher Shortages: Are We Heading in the Right Direction?

This article originally appeared in District Administration and is reprinted with permission.

Erica McCrayThe teacher shortage is real, complex, and concerning—especially in high-demand specialty areas such as special education, math and science, English as a second language, and foreign language. This comes as no surprise, as many reports indicate low enrollment in these educator preparation program (EPP) teaching areas. While it is important to reflect upon the current state of the teacher shortage, it is imperative that EPPs analyze changes in student enrollment to determine future implications for the teacher workforce.

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) recently released the issue brief, Degree Trends in High-Demand Teaching Specialties. Authored by Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D., the report examines trends in sub-specialties within the high-demand areas based on data that colleges report to the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). While the report offers a few bright spots, it suggests that current PK-12 school shortages will not be remedied simply by hiring newly-prepared teachers.

AACTE Survey Results: How Does Your Program Compare to Others?

Leading Through Crises: Results of the Fall 2020 AACTE Member SurveyIf there is one thing we can all agree on, 2020 has been a year like no other.  To learn how COVID-19 and the racial injustice crisis have impacted educator preparation—and the steps EPPs are taking in response—AACTE conducted a survey this fall of its members. Here are a just a few of the findings:

  • More than half of the respondents are using instructional designers to help faculty create online courses, and 75% have made new tools available such as simulations and video libraries.
  • Only have of respondents reported that their state had modified or waived performance assessment requirements due to COVID-19.
  • 60% of respondents reported declines in undergraduate enrollment.
  • 70% of respondents have recently increased their investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Applications Now Accepted for AACTE’s Video Observation Technology Implementation Grant

Applications Now Accepted for AACTE’s Video Observation Technology Implementation Grant banner

Applications are now being accepted for the new AACTE Video Observation Technology Implementation Grant. This opportunity, in collaboration with Edthena, is available exclusively to AACTE members.

Given the many challenges that educator preparation programs have weathered in 2020, AACTE and Edthena have created this grant opportunity to provide some much needed relief for up to 20 AACTE members. Each grantee will be awarded up to $25,000 in grant funds, which will be utilized to implement the Edthena platform for the upcoming Spring 2021 semester.

For those AACTE member institutions interested in applying:

  • Active AACTE members in good standing, and not already an Edthena partner, are eligible for the grant.
  • Matching of grant funds are not required during this Spring 2021 offering.
  • Continuing Edthena implementation after the grant period is not required.
  • Grantees will receive implementation and planning support from the Edthena team to build a deployment strategy for the spring semester.
  • Awardees will receive access to the relevant edTPA toolsets needed for your program (where applicable).
  • AACTE team members will also participate in onboarding training with grantees, where possible, to help connect awardees with additional resources.

Webinar Features Results of AACTE Survey to COVID and Racial Injustice Crises

Leading Through Crises: Results of the Fall 2020 AACTE Member SurveyHow are education leaders responding to the twin crises of the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice? What can we learn from each other and how can AACTE best support its members as they navigate these unprecedented times?  A webinar on Wednesday, November 18 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET will feature the results of AACTE’s recent member survey and reactions from leaders in the field of educator preparation.

AACTE and Edthena to Offer $500,000 in Grants for Teacher Preparation Video Observations

AACTE logo | Edthena Logo

AACTE is collaborating with Edthena to provide $500,000 in grant funding to teacher education programs for Spring 2021.

AACTE member institutions may apply by December 7, 2020, to receive up to $25,000 for implementing video observation technology to support their teacher candidates during COVID-19 and beyond. Through this partnership, up to twenty AACTE members will receive grants for the upcoming Spring 2021 academic term.

A leader in video observation and collaboration technology, Edthena is widely used by schools, districts, and teacher education programs across the country. The technology platform enables teacher candidates to upload videos of their practice and faculty to provide feedback at specific moments in time. An approved edTPA platform provider, Edthena’s video technology can be utilized in methods courses, field observations, edTPA skill building, and group learning, making it possible to capture data for candidate growth and program improvement.

Grow Your Career with Help from the AACTE Career Center

A group of professionals smiling

As an AACTE member you have most likely accessed educator preparation resources, attended webinars or downloaded presentations via the AACTE Resource Library, but have you visited the online Career Center?

The AACTE Career Center is your one-stop shop for teacher education students and professionals. Whether you are a seasoned educator searching for the best fit, a student embarking on your career journey, or an educator preparation provider seeking highly-qualified talent, the Career Center’s job board and resume resources are here to help. The Career Center features

  • 700+ employer profiles
  • 500+ job seeker profiles
  • 9,000+ positions

Discover the Latest Ed Prep News

News Room ScreenshotHave you visited the AACTE online News Room lately? While the News Room is the primary tool used by AACTE to increase the visibility of the educator preparation community, this resource is not only for journalists. AACTE has designed its news hub as a virtual repository of articles, information, and trends in the field to help its members stay up to date on timely education and educator preparation topics.

As a member-based organization, AACTE is keenly positioned to be a collective voice for the educator preparation community. When you want to know how the Association leadership is responding on behalf of AACTE to national events and federal issues that directly impact education and educators nationwide, visit the Press Release & Statements section. Read AACTE’s public comment on actions that range from the push to reopen schools during the COVID-19 pandemic to the most recent statement on the Administration’s restriction of federal funding for critical race theory training in education. This section also houses news releases, offering you updates on the work your Association is generating to assure educators are profession-ready when they enter the classroom, such as research reports, partnerships with other educator preparation-based organizations, and AACTE professional development events (Annual Meetings, Leadership Academy and Washington Week).

‘Tis the Season to Vote: AACTE Online Tools Can Help

Closeup shot of one vote button in focus in between many other buttons in a box. Selective focus with shallow depth of field.

Election season is upon us. According to CNN, more than 50 million Americans have already cast their ballot in the 2020 election by mail or by early voting. Some predict that as many as two-thirds of the electorate will have voted before election day arrives on November 3. The remaining third of Americans will go to their neighborhood polling place next Tuesday and cast their vote in person for the men and women they want to see run their cities, municipalities, states and the country.  Across the nation, hundreds of political offices are up for grabs and thousands of men and women have registered to have their names placed on the ballot. Some of the names will be familiar to voters, many more will not be.  For those seeking information about candidates and candidate positions on education, AACTE is keenly positioned to help.