05 Jul2018
By Melissa Cuba
AACTE Consultant Jane E. West and the author at the Holmes Summer Policy Institute in Washington, DC
I often ask myself, “How can I use my work as an emerging researcher and scholar to help inform educational policy and practice?” Sadly, the implications section of the manuscripts I have produced and even read often feels distant and unattainable, especially without an audience that is empowered to take action. Thankfully, this month’s AACTE Holmes Summer Policy Institute helped me see how I could navigate a new space and translate my work to impact change.
During the sessions, I realized the importance of building relationships, knowing the agenda, and sharing my work in multiple mediums. I learned the importance of branding and using social media to promote the work I am doing and also to inform my community in ways that are accessible. While that may feel foreign to some, including me, I know I can post a section of a paper I am working on or some key data that might get some people to think twice about an education-related topic.
28 Jun2018
By Deborah Koolbeck
On June 22, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) moved its Fiscal Year 2019 bill through markup. Despite the FY19 increase of $18 billion for nondefense discretionary funds from the deal made earlier this year, the House FY19 Labor-H bill received no additional funds (the Labor-H bill contains about 32% of the nondefense discretionary funds found across all federal agencies).
Given this challenge, it was a pleasant surprise to see that the programs that AACTE advocates for receive level funding or a small increase:
26 Jun2018
By Mahlet B. Tesfaye and Kristin McCabe
In a recent show on Education Talk Radio, host Larry Jacobs interviewed the leaders of AACTE’s Special Education Task Force about their work to improve the clinical preparation of special education professionals. The discussion about diversity, equity, and inclusion included the following guests:
- Deborah Reed, University of North Florida
- Rene Roselle, University of Connecticut
- Amanda Lester, AACTE Director, Programs & Professional Learning
- Jane West, AACTE Consultant
26 Jun2018
By Sara Hiller
This event is cancelled until further notice.
AACTE is excited to announce a series of sessions at the 2018 AACTE Quality Support Workshop focused on inquiry-based implementation of edTPA. This strand of sessions, facilitated by an edTPA representative and an experienced user of the assessment, is among several choices of concurrent workshops on offer August 2-4 in Columbus, Ohio.
The three edTPA sessions will be led by Mel Horton, associate dean at Sacred Heart University (CT), along with Kellie Crawford from Evaluation Systems Group of Pearson. Part 1 is for experienced edTPA users as well as those who are new to or interested in learning about edTPA. Parts 2 and 3 build on the first session and are designed for more experienced edTPA users.
The first interactive workshop will begin with an overview of edTPA constructs as sources of candidate evidence related to equitable teaching practices within a multiple measurement assessment system. You will get to:
26 Jun2018
By Zachary VanHouten
As reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) continues in Congress, AACTE is unveiling a new resource to support members in their advocacy efforts with members of Congress. The TEACH Grant Vignettes, collected in 2017 and 2018, provide powerful narratives on the significance that the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grants have on access and financial assistance for teacher candidates.
Here is a sample vignette from an undergraduate grant recipient at Northern Kentucky University:
25 Jun2018
By AACTE
On June 22, AACTE President/CEO Lynn M. Gangone and the AACTE Board of Directors issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s executive order ending the immigration policy of separating children from families:
“Detaining children without their parents in prison-like environments is harmful to their mental, emotional, and physical health and well-being, and will be a detriment to their ability to thrive and perform at high levels in the classroom. While we understand that immigration policy is complex and often fraught with challenges, it is our duty to care for and protect children, regardless of their national origin. The executive order issued is prospective and accordingly does nothing to reunite already-separated children with their parents; it is only a temporary fix for a flawed policy.
22 Jun2018
By Kristin McCabe
Members of the Arkansas Association of Colleges for Teacher Education participate in a recent annual conference; at right, current chapter President Victoria Groves-Scott of the University of Central Arkansas addresses members.
The 47 state chapters of AACTE employ a wide variety of membership models, activity calendars, and strategic partnerships to meet the priorities of their members. While all chapters are based on the fundamental value of interinstitutional collaboration, these coalitions are not just about members talking to themselves or circling the wagons. They also provide an effective launching point for their individual and collective members to connect with external groups that lend important new perspectives and advantages.
The Arkansas Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (ArACTE) offers an example of how connections forged outside its membership boost its capacity to focus on advocacy priorities as a group–and on common programmatic concerns at the campus level.
20 Jun2018
By Lori Kroeger
This event is cancelled until further notice.
When I decided to attend the AACTE Quality Support Workshop last summer, I was a faculty member and assessment coordinator in a college of education. Armed with an already solid understanding of the principles and practices of assessment, I was not sure how much I would get out of attending the workshop, but as the sole representative from my institution, I registered anyway and made the trip to Minnesota. Over the next 3 days, my expectations were shattered, in a very good way!
The workshop was well organized and provided the opportunity to learn from engaging plenary session speakers and included multiple sessions covering a variety of topics related to assessment and accreditation. There was time and planned activities that allowed for ample opportunity to engage in dialogue and collaborate with others who share similar responsibilities at their institutions. It was through these opportunities that I found like-minded people who were tackling the same kind of work for educator preparation providers (EPPs) around the country.
19 Jun2018
By Kristin McCabe
Four new videos are available this week in AACTE’s Research-to-Practice Spotlight Series highlighting the urban residencies of the State University of New York (SUNY) Oswego School of Education. In these final videos of the series, educators discuss the significance of getting to know students well and how the yearlong clinical experience helps TESOL candidates prepare for edTPA–and beyond.
Participants in the clinical partnerships of the SUNY Oswego School of Education say one of the significant benefits of a yearlong residency is that teachers get to know their students well and engage deeply in their community.
19 Jun2018
By Shelley B. Wepner and William Henk
What factors contribute most to the longevity of education deans in their positions? Are there optimal lengths of time for these academic administrators to stay in their roles, and if so, how long and why? What are the personal and professional benefits or downsides of remaining in the role of education dean for an extended period?
These questions are among those emerging from a national survey on deans’ ways of thinking, being, and acting that revealed generally limited lengths of service in the deanship. The survey results have inspired a new line of research on factors contributing to deans’ longevity in the role, which may be important for critical initiatives to have a viable lifespan and for deans and their stakeholders to continue to be gratified.
18 Jun2018
By Ramon B. Goings
This column originally appeared in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education and is reposted with permission. The author was a panelist during AACTE’s Holmes Summer Policy Institute on June 4. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
Last week I had the opportunity to talk to current and aspiring doctoral students who were attending the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Holmes Summer Policy Institute. Throughout the session titled “Linking Research to Policy: White Papers, Blogs, and Social Media,” I joined several panelists to dialogue about the importance of leveraging social media as an outlet to get your research exposure outside of the ivory tower and into the hands and screens of practitioners and policy makers.
18 Jun2018
By Zachary VanHouten
To keep members informed, AACTE regularly monitors and reports on the activity of the National Council on Teacher Quality that could affect educator preparation programs. Visit our NCTQ resource page for additional information.
The National Education Policy Center (NEPC) has released a scathing assessment of the latest Teacher Prep Review by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ).
The analysis for NEPC, conducted by Boston College’s Marilyn Cochran-Smith and other members of Project TEER (Teacher Education and Education Reform), finds a dearth of research undergirding NCTQ’s 2018 Review.
18 Jun2018
By Kristin McCabe
Applications for the 2019 AACTE awards are now open on AACTE’s online submission site (except the Outstanding Book Award, which closed May 3). Entries for the Outstanding Dissertation Award are due August 20, and all other award submissions are due October 10.
Now in its 23rd year, AACTE’s awards program recognizes member institutions’ exemplary programs as well as individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to education preparation. For an overview of last year’s winners, see this press release.
15 Jun2018
By Renée A. Middleton
This op-ed originally appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer and on Cincinnati.com. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.
Brown v. Board of Education, one of the most iconic cases in U.S. history, recently celebrated its 64th anniversary, serving as a reminder of battles waged and battles won. It also served, sadly, as a reminder of progress made and progress yet to be achieved.
13 Jun2018
By Kristin McCabe
When you attend AACTE’s Quality Support Workshop, you don’t just sit back and observe–you roll up your sleeves and work! See who’s coming to Columbus, Ohio, August 2-4, to help you develop action plans for your own program and dig deeper into the issues that matter most to you.
During the first half of the event, everyone will work on their quality assurance plans in a series of three 90-minute sessions. You’ll follow one of two tracks–choose Track A if you’re just getting started with a quality assurance plan, or Track B if you want to revisit or refine your approach. Track A will be led by Carol Ryan of Northern Kentucky University and Joe Lubig of Northern Michigan University. Track B will be led by Kathy Bohan, Cynthia Conn, and Suzanne Pieper of Northern Arizona University.
