21 May2020
AACTE Responds to COVID-19
By David Slykhuis, Liz Kolb, Lisa Dieker, Jon Clausen, Michael McVey and Robert Moody
This past March, face-to-face instruction was canceled as universities began to implement emergency procedures for remote teaching due to COVID-19. In response, AACTE’s Committee on Innovation and Technology (ITC) presented a webinar with guidelines for emergency remote teaching. Constituents can view that webinar and access additional resources.
The purpose of this blog post is to revisit the webinar guidelines with suggestions that can be incorporated into planning for 2020-21 blended or online instructional implementation plans:
Needs Assessment
Survey faculty and students to identify digital inequities and access needs. Develop easy to use support system for devices, reliable Internet access, and technical support.
Use Your Current Tools
If face-to-face instruction is not an option, now is not the time to revamp the current learning systems. Universities should encourage faculty to use the same tools (e.g., your Learning Management System) prior to and during COVID-19. Encourage instructors not to overwhelm students with too many new tools. Select a few versatile tools (e.g., Google Suite) and encourage innovative integration throughout a course or program.
21 May2020
By Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D.
AACTE conducted a survey in April to better understand and assist members as they respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The survey yielded valuable insights about how the pandemic is affecting educator preparation now and the concerns that leaders anticipate as they look ahead to the 2020-21 academic year.
On May 27 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET, AACTE is hosting a webinar on the survey results. During this session, you will be able to
- review the survey results
- benchmark your experience against that of your colleagues
- discuss the challenges you are facing—and how you are overcoming them—with your colleagues
18 May2020
AACTE Responds to COVID-19
By Monika Jo
As part of our Education Roundtable Series, Mursion will host three leaders for a conversation on the current state of upheaval that is bringing about a transformation in teacher preparation. Join hundreds of your colleagues tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19, 1:00 p.m. ET to engage in conversation with amazing, pioneering women in education. Plus see a simulation of a virtual classroom between a teacher and avatar students. Register to attend (or to receive the link to the recording of the event). Here’s the agenda for the hour:
Jacqueline Rodriguez, assistant vice president for programs and professional learning at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), will speak about the following:
18 May2020
AACTE Responds to COVID-19
By Jacqueline Rodriguez
As a society, we have grappled with separation, tragedy, and trauma during the last few months at an increased volume. We are managing our challenges in isolation, which has exacerbated them in tangible and emotionally exhausting ways. Within educator preparation programs, your candidates have transitioned their coursework, their living circumstances, their peer relationships and learning communities. In addition, many of your candidates have continued to support their local school community in an online format to address the needs of their PK-12 students. Candidates have been asked to make these transitions and many have continued to engage with their classroom students while adjusting their expectations for their own future.
AACTE recognizes the immense effort required to advocate and care for the emotional and mental health of oneself during our current circumstances. To that end, we have added a new Mental Health section on our COVID-19 Resource Hub. This section is focused on EPP students—our future educators across the country. We have included free resources and tools to support mindfulness, meditation, peer support, and self-care. We hope these resources provide a supportive start to giving yourself grace, consideration, and gratitude for your contribution to the field of education.
11 May2020
By Ward Cummings
Due to the effects of COVID-19, many states have issued guidance or directives to assist educator preparation programs (EPPs) and teacher candidates in their response to the associated academic challenges and interruptions. In an effort to track relevant changes in state policies and practices, AACTE has developed a new interactive map designed to highlight and present such changes, with a focus on four key categories:
- initial licensure and certification
- clinical experiences
- hiring and induction
- state standards and other program requirements
08 May2020
How Virtual Classrooms Can Help Train Preservice Candidates
By Monika Jo
“Currently, under normal times, this would not count in Texas. This may change with pandemic issues,” chimed a participant at a recent Mursion Roundtable webinar. This was not an ordinary Zoom event though. It was a group of educators who gathered to test drive a classroom simulation for “Introducing Content for Middle School.” Messages in the chat were flying. In true teacher form, they were engaged, curious, forthright and funny. Several chat messages started with “I’m here to learn …”
What does it actually mean to train a teacher candidate in a simulated clas sroom? What does that look like? How does it feel? One brave volunteer blurted, “I’m terrified …and excited, but mostly terrified.” For those who have observed a first-time participant jump into a simulation, what follows is quite predictable. The learner starts out very tentative. Within minutes of the student avatars appearing on screen, they’re conversing and chuckling at the students’ responses. Then at their command “pause simulation,” they pop out of the scenario with a sigh and a wow. “That was very realistic,” is the usual description of this new experience.
07 May2020
New Partnership Offers Virtual Reality Classrooms to Advance Learning for Future Teachers
By AACTE
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), the leading voice on educator preparation, and Mursion, the global leader in virtual reality (VR) training, are partnering to offer educators and students world-class experiential learning through simulations. The collaboration provides teacher candidates an opportunity to complete clinical field experiences remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The special offering is available to educator preparation programs (EPPs) across the nation.
During the coronavirus outbreak, EPPs can launch the VR classrooms in just a few days. Through virtual simulations, candidates can practice instructional techniques and access a platform of over 100 videos of classroom instruction. AACTE and Mursion will offer the VR classroom with simulated students at a special discount to support teacher candidates in these unprecedented times.
06 May2020
AACTE Responds to COVID-19
By Jerrica Thurman
AACTE and Mursion have partnered to offer educator preparation programs a solution to an acute need caused by the global pandemic. Teacher candidates’ opportunity for face-to-face classroom training has been suspended, which has resulted in a risk for future teachers to not complete their course work. The AACTE and Mursion collaboration provides virtual reality classrooms for teacher candidates to receive experiential learning through simulations. Mursion is rooted in teacher training and has conducted 50,000 simulations. Through the new offer, AACTE members receive a 10% discount to access innovative technology, thanks, in part, to an anonymous donor underwriting a portion of the cost.
Mursion has worked with over 70 educator preparation programs at colleges and universities. Here’s what a few participants had to say about the benefits of virtual reality classrooms:
09 Apr2020
By Linda Minor
Applications for the 2021 AACTE awards are now open. For most of the awards, programs and individuals can be either self-nominated or nominated by a third party. To submit your nomination, visit AACTE’s online submission site. Entries for the Outstanding Book Award are due May 15 and entries for the Outstanding Dissertation Award are due August 15. The due date for all other award submissions is October 9.
Winning entries will be decided by the AACTE standing committees and recognized formally at the 2021 Annual Meeting, February 26 – 28, in Seattle, Washington.
06 Apr2020
AACTE Responds to COVID-19
By Meghan Grenda
AACTE cares deeply about our members and is thinking of everyone in our community during this uncertain time. As such, AACTE is engaging in multiple efforts to support our members as we adapt to new normal in the time of COVID-19.
One resource we know will be of use is a listing of institutions of higher education and how their operating status has changed due to the pandemic. You may view the document that has aggregated data about colleges and universities that have closed or migrated to online instruction within the past few weeks.
Please note this resource is not complied by AACTE and AACTE does not endorse this information. The information contained in this document is open-source and not populated by AACTE staff or members.
06 May2019
By Linda Minor
AACTE is now accepting nominations for the 2020 Outstanding Book Award. Nominations must be made through the AACTE online submission system by May 16.
The Outstanding Book Award, overseen by the AACTE Committee on Research and Dissemination, recognizes exemplary books that make a significant contribution to the knowledge base of educator preparation or of teaching and learning with implications for educator preparation.
Here are our most recent winners:
2019 Mary Dilworth, Millennial Teachers of Color (Harvard Education Press)
2018 Marcelle Haddix, Cultivating Racial and Linguistic Diversity in Literacy Teacher Education: Teachers Like Me (Routledge & NCTE)
2017 Eva Zygmunt and Patricia Clark, Transforming Teacher Education for Social Justice (Teachers College Press)
19 Apr2019
By Linda Minor
Applications for the 2020 AACTE awards are now open on AACTE’s online submission site. Entries for the Outstanding Book Award are due May 16 and entries for the Outstanding Dissertation Award are due August 20. All other award submissions are due October 9.
This is the 24th year AACTE’s awards program has been recognizing member institutions’ exemplary programs as well as individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to education preparation. For an overview of the 2019 award winners, see this press release.
07 Sep2018
By Jerrica Thurman
The deadline to apply for a 2019 AACTE Best Practice or Professional Achievement Award is quickly approaching. Submit your application by Wednesday, October 10, to recognize your program or colleagues and contribute to “Sustaining and Advancing the Profession” at the 2019 Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky!
Do you have a global and linguistically diverse program like Rutgers University (NJ)? An innovative approach for using robotics technology to facilitate teacher candidates’ critical thinking and problem solving like recent winner Northeastern State University (OK)? Or perhaps a sustainable pathway to advocate for educational equity like recent winner University of Colorado Denver? Any AACTE member institution may apply for a Best Practice Award (unless you’ve won it in the past 3 years) in one of the following three categories:
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.
30 Apr2018
By Matthew Wales
Are you a new dean or department chair – or simply looking to advance your career as an academic administrator? Get off to a strong start with AACTE’s Leadership Academy this June in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The annual Leadership Academy, a popular professional development event for new administrators, was reimagined in 2017 to provide a more interactive, updated look at leadership in educator preparation. So if you have attended the Academy in the past, you might want to consider reuniting with us in Milwaukee, as you are sure to walk away with new ideas and concepts in our 2018 experience.
