22 Aug2023
By Nicole Dunn
Last month, AACTE announced its new partnership with the Early Childhood Intervention Personnel Center on Equity (ECIPC-E), a national center federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs to assist states in building comprehensive systems of personnel development to improve outcomes for infants and young children with disabilities and their families.
As part of this partnership, AACTE will recruit, mentor, and support a cohort of 12 Holmes scholars in early childhood special education doctoral degree programs.
22 Aug2023
By Shannon G. Magsam
David D. Christian, associate professor of counselor education and supervision in the College of Education and Health Professions, works with two Arkansas Teacher Corps fellows.
This article was originally published by the University of Arkansas.
An interdisciplinary faculty team has developed a wellness program for Arkansas Teacher Corps fellows with funds from a College of Education and Health Professions WE CARE grant.
WE CARE, an acronym for Wellness and Education Commitment to Arkansas Excellence, advances three priorities centered on expanding impactful research, engaging in service to Arkansas, and fostering a caring culture.
Arkansas Teacher Corps is a partnership between the College of Education and Health Professions, the Walton Family Foundation, the Arkansas Department of Education, and participating Arkansas public school districts to recruit, train, license , and support teachers across the state. The Arkansas Teacher Corps provides an accelerated path to teaching at a time when many Arkansas schools face severe teacher shortages.
15 Aug2023
Sets the Stage for Educator Workforce Policy and Practice
By AACTE
AACTE President and CEO Dr. Lynn M. Gangone recently addressed a cohort of Hunt Kean Leadership Fellows during a policy discussion titled, “Setting the Stage: Educator Workforce Policy and Practice.” The discussion was part of the second in-person session for the Cohort 9 Fellows. Gangone was joined by Dr. Melody Schopp, former chief state school officer of South Dakota, in examining how the teaching profession has changed over time, the advocacy and political influence of educators, and major issues facing the workforce.
A program of the Hunt-Kean Institute, the Leadership Fellows program partners with senior-level political leaders to be effective, equity-minded education policymakers at the state level. Named for two former renowned education governors, Jim Hunt (D-NC) and Tom Kean (R-NJ), the national, nonpartisan Fellowship launched in the fall of 2014. The current group of high-ranking elected state officials that make up Cohort 9 have committed themselves to a nine-month immersion in the full education continuum.
During the moderated session, Gangone shed light on the developments AACTE members are undertaking to address the needs of the educator workforce, sharing three specific examples: 1) embracing competency-based education at the undergraduate level, 2) offering higher education-based alternative certifications and 3) debunking the one teacher-one classroom model as addressed by AACTE member-institution Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University.
14 Aug2023
By AACTE
To honor the outstanding efforts and contributions in this vital field, AACTE proudly presents the AACTE Awards Program, which acknowledges both member institutions and individuals who have made significant strides in the realm of educator preparation.
AACTE is thrilled to recognize and celebrate excellence in education and educator preparation. Check out last year’s AACTE Awardees and read about their 2023 winning entries. If you are an educator, a program administrator, a researcher, or a passionate advocate for education, we invite you to nominate yourself, your institution, or your colleague for a 2024 AACTE Award:
10 Aug2023
By Kaitlyn Brennan
The “In the States” feature by Kaitlyn Brennan is a weekly update to keep members informed on state-level activities impacting the education and educator preparation community.
Earlier this year, Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature enacted measures to expand education transparency laws in the state. The new regulations involve stricter oversight of potentially explicit or sexually related content in books and/or any such text that could be considered “harmful to minors.” Under the law, FL HB1069, such texts are required to be removed from shelves within five days and remain inaccessible to students. The actions are part of a broader effort led by Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis to exert greater control over the curriculum in schools.
However, as many expected, the law has sweeping ramifications for local school districts — including a possible financial hit. To comply with the law, an individual with a valid educational media credential must inventory classroom libraries. For one Florida county that means 10 certified media specialists are working through 98 schools with over 6,000 libraries. The time and personnel required to inventory all libraries has led many districts to contract with third party vendors to complete the process — the services are reported to cost anywhere from $34,000 to $135,000 annually. While outside vendors are certainly profiting from the work, a top executive noted that their company grappled with the decision to offer their services, expressing that working with Florida to implement the new law “tested our company’s culture like nothing before.” The company maintains that students should have access to books “that provide windows to the experiences of others and mirrors to their own experience, including the stories of members of the LGBTQ community, indigenous people, and people of color.”
10 Aug2023
By University of Hawaiʻi News
PACMED’s third graduating cohort from the Republic of Marshall Islands (Photo credit: Wilmer Joel/Marshall Islands Journal)
Twenty-four students from the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) earned their master’s in education this summer through the PACMED (Pacific Master in Education) program in the College of Education at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The new graduates are the third cohort from the RMI since 2017. PACMED supports Pacific Island educators in solving problems by providing a place-based, culturally responsive curriculum in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math).
PACMED Director Deborah Zuercher, PACMED Operations Director Ivy Yeung, instructors and UH Mānoa Vice Provost for Academic Excellence Laura Lyons attended the graduation ceremony on July 29 at the University of South Pacific.
“Like the coconut tree, this third PACMED RMI cohort swayed in strong winds but was not broken,” said Zuercher. “They endured the strong winds of Covid, online teaching and learning, medical emergencies, health challenges and the loss of beloved family members.”
09 Aug2023
By Weade James
AACTE is proud to introduce three Holmes Scholars who have been selected by the Journal of Teacher Education (JTE) editorial team for a mentoring opportunity. The selected scholars will co-author an editorial or manuscript that will appear in one of JTE’s special anniversary issues in 2024. Through JTE, AACTE is committed to ensuring that the next generation of education scholars, particularly underrepresented scholars, are supported as they advance their research and scholarship.
09 Aug2023
By Jane Roberts
This article was originally published by Tennessee Tech University News.
The College of Education at Tennessee Tech University is introducing a new doctoral program to its selection of post-graduate degrees. Starting this fall, the online Ph.D. in higher education, with a focus on data science and designed for professionals in the field interested in applying in-depth knowledge and technological resources, will be available.
“A doctoral degree provides students the opportunity to advance into more professional roles as they gain experience,” stated Lisa Zagumny, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Education. “In today’s data-driven, evidence-based context, the knowledge and skills acquired through this program will contribute to additional growth, success, and position graduates for greater contributions to their institutions,” she added.
09 Aug2023
By Carol Bruzzano
This blog article is part of the Global Education Faculty PLC Professional Development Series, sponsored by the Longview Foundation. The writing series aims to elevate the perspectives of international scholars, including teacher educators, graduate students, and alike, to offer insights into how Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) can integrate intercultural understanding within their programs. AACTE members interested in participating in the series should contact Brooke Evans at mailto:bevans@aacte.org.
Note: The AACTE Call for Awards is open for the 2024 Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Perspectives, which recognizes exemplary practice in the intercultural, global, cross-cultural, and international arenas, and the 2024 Best Practice Award in Support of Multicultural Education and Diversity that recognizes the infusion of diversity throughout all components of a school, college, or department of education (SCDE) as critical to quality educator preparation and professional development. If you wish to apply for one of these awards, please visit aacte.org. Applications must be received by September 1, 2023.
When considering culturally diverse and inclusive K-20 classrooms, teachers’ perceptions of cultural differences influence learners’ interactions. Therefore, creating culturally inclusive classrooms requires informed decision-making when it comes to professional development.
08 Aug2023
By Jamie N. Mikeska
The Educational Testing Service (ETS) now accepting applications through August 16, 2023, to participate in the NSF-funded (#2037983) Simulations in Math and Science Teacher Education Meeting, to be held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA. Read on to learn more about this exciting opportunity.
This fully-funded working meeting is intended to provide opportunities for attendees — who will include teacher educators, researchers, professional development facilitators, policymakers, and school district leaders — to learn about new advances in simulations and practice-based teacher education in K-12 science and mathematics teacher education.
08 Aug2023
By AACTE
Don’t miss out on the final opportunity to submit proposals for the 2024 Annual Meeting or to submit entries for the 2024 James D. Anderson Outstanding Dissertation Award. Both submissions are due by Friday, August 11.
03 Aug2023
By Megan Simpson
This article was originally published by Austin Peay State University.
A group of faculty members from Austin Peay State University’s Eriksson College of Education traveled to France this summer as part of a three-year, $300,000 International Research Experience for Students (IRES) grant from the National Science Foundation. The team, consisting of John McConnell, Philip Short and Donna Short, arrived in June to evaluate Austin Peay STEM students participating in the program at the University of Rennes.
The University of Rennes, in Rennes, France, along with the two other European universities participating, specialize in nano and glass technology. As part of the experience, six Austin Peay students conduct research and learn from experts in these fields each year. The students also gain valuable cultural experience throughout their seven weeks in Europe.
03 Aug2023
By William H. Kelly, III
This article was originally published by Jackson State University.
Jackson State University (JSU) and Jackson Public School District (JPS) are hosting an open house and signing day for the inaugural cohort of the Jackson Middle College (JMC) on Monday, August 7, 2023, at 6 pm in the JSU College of Science, Engineering, and Technology atrium. The first cohort, composed of 17 high school juniors and seniors, will specialize in mathematics education to address the need for math teachers and educators in JPS.
“I am extremely excited about this collaboration between Jackson State University and Jackson Public School District. Mathematics teachers are a critical need nationwide, and I am confident that Jackson Middle College will become the preferred ‘grow your own’ model in school districts across the nation for ensuring a sustainable teaching force in critical needs content areas,” said Tony Latiker, Ed.D., associate dean of accreditation and assessment in JSU’s College of Education & Human Development.
03 Aug2023
By Odessa American
Larry Daniel, dean of the College of Education at University of Texas Permian Basin, is the new president-elect of the Texas Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (TACTE).
TACTE is a membership organization for education deans in the state of Texas and is affiliated with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).
Daniel joins the TACTE Executive Committee, assists the association’s president as needed, serves in the absence of the president, and plans the program for the association’s summer retreat.
Daniel says he feels honored and grateful for this opportunity.
“I am humbled by the confidence that my TACTE colleagues have placed in me. For many years, I have had a passion for monitoring and influencing educational policy and legislative activities related to teacher education. Service to TACTE will give me an opportunity to work with others to influence state policy for the good of future teachers in the Lone Star State,” Daniel said in a UTPB Facebook post.
03 Aug2023
By American Educational Research Association
AERA has announced the appointment of Nicholas Bowman (University of Iowa) as the new editor-in-chief of Educational Researcher for 2024–2026. Joining Bowman are three co-editors: Olusola O. Adesope (Washington State University), Brian P. An (University of Iowa), and Anjalé (AJ) Welton (University of Wisconsin, Madison).
This team will succeed the co-editor team of Thurston Domina (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill), Andrew McEachin (NWEA), Dana Thompson Dorsey (University of South Florida), and Sarah Woulfin (University of Texas at Austin).
