Posts Tagged ‘Annual Meeting’

Election 2024: Implications of Federal and State Races for Educator Preparation

An #AACTE24 Session Recap and Reflection

The session “Election 2024: Implications of Federal and State Races for Educator Preparation” at the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting provided a comprehensive analysis of the potential impacts of the upcoming elections on educator preparation programs (EPPs). The panel comprised political strategists, policy experts, and representatives from membership organizations, offering diverse perspectives on the subject.

New Documentary Offers Insights for the Future of High School Learning

XQ’s featured session included clips from “The First Class,” a new documentary about a high school in Memphis. The film includes powerful examples of project-based learning.

It was wonderful seeing so many of you at the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting. In keeping with this year’s theme, “Ascending New Heights: Propelling the Profession into the Future,” there were inspiring conversations about how to support and empower educators at a time of tremendous change.

We heard how states are looking at their teacher pipelines post-pandemic — and the need to prepare educators for the continued challenges of absenteeism and learning loss. Speakers addressed the importance of representation and diversity in the profession and the desire to bolster educators to succeed with a whole-child instructional approach.

Promoting Integrity and Social Responsibility in Teacher Education

An #AACTE24 Session Recap and Reflection

The AACTE panel session on “Promoting Integrity and Social Responsibility in Teacher Education” sponsored by The Kern Family Foundation was an enlightening experience, bringing together a diverse panel of educators to discuss innovative strategies and projects aimed at integrating character education and social responsibility into teacher preparation programs.

In this session, speakers from various universities shared their projects and insights on developing character, leadership, and social responsibility among educators and students. Panelists emphasized the importance of integrating character education into teaching practices, not as an additional task but as a foundational aspect (Berkowitz & Bier, 2005). The discussions highlighted successful strategies, such as collaborative partnerships with schools, embedding character into the curriculum, and fostering a learner-focused environment. The session also addressed the challenges educators face today, including the need for support in navigating complex issues and creating inclusive, respectful learning environments.

Competency-Based Education & Teacher Education: Next Steps

An #AACTE24 Session Recap and Reflection

Attending the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting Featured Session, “Competency-Based Education & Teacher Education: Next Steps” provided invaluable insights into reimagining traditional higher education models. The presenters compellingly reasoned how competency-based programs can bolster equity and accessibility by offering flexible, personalized pathways for a diverse range of learners (Patrick, 2021). Key highlights included the backward design process for developing competency-based curricula and the significance of authentic, performance-based assessments.

The session underscored how competency-based education fundamentally shifts the focus to actual student learning and the application of knowledge. As discussed, students progress by demonstrating mastery of real-world teaching competencies, rather than by accumulating seat time or credits (Klein, 2013). This mastery-based approach accommodates individual pacing and learning needs, thereby making teacher licensure more attainable for non-traditional students.

Unveiling the Power of ATLAS at #AACTE24

Get ready to embark on a journey that will transform how you approach teacher preparation. The upcoming AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting is set to feature a hands-on exploration of ATLAS, an online video library by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. In this AACTE Learning Lab, participants will uncover the multitude of ways ATLAS is being utilized by educator preparation programs (EPPs) to enhance teacher candidates’ exposure to effective teaching and cultivate their reflective abilities.  

Cultivating Resiliency in Times of Change: Howard Teibel to Close #AACTE24

Higher education is going through a seismic change — traditional methods are crumbling as the value proposition is increasingly questioned in our public discourse. Student needs are changing, while the ways education and work are delivered are transforming. 

Howard Teibel, president of Teibel Education Consulting, will deliver the closing keynote of the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting on February 18 from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. to explore cultivating resiliency as change is at the forefront in educator preparation programs across the nation.

Teibel will pose the questions: What skills enable emotional resiliency that allow us to lead this kind of change effort? How can we best orient faculty, deans, and their colleagues to focus and build this shared commitment?

Unlocking Excellence: Join Us for the “Developing Equity-Centered Principals” Learning Lab at #AACTE24

We are thrilled to extend a warm invitation to all participants of the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting to join us for a pivotal Learning Lab, “Developing Equity-Centered Principals.” In the pursuit of excellence in education, understanding and addressing issues of equity are paramount. This session, scheduled for Saturday, February 17, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. MST, promises to be a transformative experience for educators, administrators, and anyone passionate about creating inclusive learning environments.

Promoting Integrity and Social Responsibility in Teacher Education at #AACTE24

Join the Kern Family Foundation’s sponsored Featured Session, “Integrity and Social Responsibility in Teacher Education,” on Saturday, February 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Colorado Ballroom B.

Character education and integrity are pivotal aspects of educator education as they form the bedrock of an educator’s professional identity and practice. Integrating character education into educator preparation programs equips future educators with the tools to address complex ethical challenges they may encounter, ultimately contributing to the creation of safe, respectful, and nurturing learning environments. Through their commitment to honesty, empathy, equity, and respect, educators can inspire the next generation to become not only academically proficient but also morally grounded individuals who contribute positively to their communities and society at large.

Celebrate Black History Month at AACTE’s 2024 Annual Meeting

Black History Month is not merely a reflection on the past; it is a call to action, an opportunity to amplify Black voices and contributions within the realm of education. This year, we extend an enthusiastic invitation to all AACTE members, educators, and education leaders to join us in embracing excellence as we celebrate Black History Month. 

As educator preparation programs (EPPs) that produce our country’s educators and education leaders, we play a pivotal role in shaping the minds of the next generation. By actively participating in Black History Month celebrations, we create a space that fosters inclusivity, diversity, and a genuine appreciation for the contributions of Black individuals in educator preparation.  

February is also the month of AACTE’s 2024 Annual Meeting, with the theme of Ascending New Heights: Propelling the Profession Into the Future.  Part of the work to achieve a future that fully embraces and celebrates a diverse study body is actively participating in the celebration of Black history.  Celebrate and engage with us February 16– 18 at the Annual Meeting events below that feature Black excellence and advocate for inclusive and enriched educational experiences for all.   

This list is not an exhaustive list of all sessions and speakers that represent or are speaking to Black educator preparation topics. For a full list and to plan your experience visit the Annual Meeting 2024 Online Planner.

New Documentary Serves as Powerful Tool for Changing Practice

Join XQ’s Featured Session, Disrupting Conventional Assumptions About High School Learning, on Saturday, February 17, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. This panel discussion is about “The First Class”—a powerful new documentary about a Memphis high school that highlights the role of educators in transforming teaching and learning. 

We at XQ are honored to participate in AACTE’s 2024 Annual Meeting, “Ascending New Heights: Propelling the Profession into the Future.” This year’s theme perfectly captures our mission to rethink the high school experience to fully prepare all students for whatever the future holds with more engaging, authentic teaching. 

Our conversations with AACTE and its members reveal a deep, shared vision for high school teaching and learning where adolescents are engaged, motivated, and empowered to develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need to thrive in our complex and rapidly changing world. In this shared vision, learning connects academic content to the real world and fosters opportunities for students to become makers, creators, critical thinkers, and problem-solvers. Good high school teachers remain crucial to this vision — and we also need to rethink how we prepare our educators so they can provide these experiences to their students.

#AACTE24 Goes Digital with Mobile App

The #AACTE24 Mobile App is now available — download it today. Get ready for an immersive and interactive experience at the upcoming AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting, taking place at the Gaylord Rockies in Aurora/Denver, CO, from February 16–18.

The mobile app serves as your personalized conference program, offering a comprehensive overview of the event’s lineup of sessions and presenters. Customize your meeting experience by adding sessions, presenters, and posters to your favorites, ensuring that you don’t miss out on any key insights. Taking notes during sessions is made easy, and you can even download presentations for future reference. Stay on top of the action by accessing real-time information on session locations while on the go.

If you have already created an account for the online planner, simply log in using those credentials. For newcomers, creating an account is a breeze. Embrace the convenience of digital connectivity and engage with #AACTE24 attendees.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your #AACTE24 experience. Read for more information and Mobile App FAQs.

Member Spotlight: Amy Ginsberg Previews #AACTE24 Learning Lab for Increasing Educator Diversity

As the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting quickly approaches, Ed Prep Matters will highlight presenters of Featured Sessions and Learning Labs. These accomplished experts represent a diverse spectrum of thought leadership in the field of teacher education, bringing a wealth of knowledge, experience, and groundbreaking insights to the forefront. Get ready to be inspired by members in the field, each poised to elevate and shape the future of educator preparation.

Learning Lab: Leveraging Innovation and Partnerships to Increase Educator Diversity

Investments in educator diversity initiatives continue to show measurable success. The plight to diversify the educator workforce requires federally funded programs that support innovative and sustainable solutions. This session will highlight the most recent federal effort, the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers for Excellence Program inaugural grantees, and the innovative projects and partnerships that are underway at minority-serving institutions to develop educators to meet the current and future needs of a diverse K-12 student population.

In this member spotlight, Amy Ginsberg, Ph.D., dean of the College of Education at William Paterson University discusses her presentation in this Learning Lab and what attendees can look forward to in this engaging conversation.

Colorado Education Commissioner to Open #AACTE24

Susana Córdova, Colorado Commissioner of Education, will present the keynote address at the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting Opening Session on Friday, February 16 at 9:00 a.m.

Córdova was named Colorado’s 18th education commissioner and the first Latina to hold the state’s top education position in June 2023. Prior to being named commissioner, Córdova spent more than 30 years in education. She served as an assistant principal, principal, director, chief academic officer, chief schools officer, and deputy superintendent before becoming the superintendent of Denver Public Schools (DPS). She also served as deputy superintendent in Dallas ISD, the second-largest district in Texas.

Córdova, who grew up in Denver, was a student in the district she later went on to lead. Among her priorities as superintendent was to “break the historical patterns of inequity that have resulted in far too few black, brown, and low-income children succeeding at high levels.”

Preview the Featured Keynote Speakers for #AACTE24

Join AACTE on Saturday, February 17 from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. for the Featured Keynote panel during the 2024 Annual Meeting where education experts will discuss how democracy intersects with education.

The Future of American Democracy, Public Schools, and National Security: What This Means for the Future of Education and the Professions, is informed by research published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which indicates that “liberal democracy is in crisis where it was long thought most securely established.”  Additionally, a recent Social Science and Medicine study affirmed this finding indicating that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States was one of 130 countries that experienced threats and violations of espoused and constitutionally codified democratic norms. In a fireside chat format, this lively session examines the knotty intersections between sustaining and protecting American democracy, maintaining public schools as the American institution devoted to producing citizens for our democracy, and teaching social comprehension and history in a manner that enables young people to become skilled researchers able to accurately discern information (and its sources), cultivate knowledge, communicate thoughtfully, and serve humanity.

This Featured Keynote panel will be moderated by education journalist Valerie Strauss, who will be joined by Sigal Ben-Porath, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Pennsylvania; Leslie T. Fenwick, Ph.D., dean emerita of Howard University’s School of Education and dean in residence of AACTE; and Christina Sneed, Curriculum Developer, The Pulitzer Center.

Engage with #AACTE24 Attendees on Connect360

Connect360 - Welcome to AACTE Connect360 The premier connection circle for engaging and collaborating to advance educator preparation.

Join your fellow #AACTE24 registered attendees in the 2024 Annual Meeting community on Connect360. If you are registered for the meeting, you are already in the community, so all you need to do is log in with your e-mail and AACTE password and start posting. Stay up to date with the latest information, ask questions, or start your own conversation. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the Annual Meeting and what you can expect.