Exchange of Ideas, Not Brainwashing, a Hallmark of College Experience

By Renée A. Middleton

The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of AACTE.

In certain circles, it is popular to view colleges and universities as the embodiment of an intolerant “education establishment” driven more by liberal ideology than by valued learning experiences. Particularly with the recent leadership transition in Washington, DC, espousers of this view have grown bolder in their accusations of brainwashing and progressive elitism in higher education. These claims are frustrating in that they betray a lack of familiarity with the mission of our institutions, but they are also dangerous: if used to erode public support for higher education, they will further impede access by those most in need.

While we welcome constructive criticism of our work, statements that delegitimize higher education are counterproductive and must be challenged. When officials suggest that professors are deviously indoctrinating students with a limited, biased, and distorted set of beliefs, such intimation is demeaning to faculty and students alike. And after 35 years in higher education, I can attest to the utter falseness of this assumption.

Conic Named Scholar of the Month for March

By Adrianne Taylor

Congratulations to March Holmes Scholar of the Month Frank Conic!

Conic is a doctoral candidate in higher education administration at the University of Florida (UF), where his research and professional concentration is focused on developmental mathematics education, policy, and reform. His other research interests include the achievement gap for minority students and the “school-to-prison” pipeline.

Conic, who has been a Holmes Scholar since 2011, exemplifies the tenets of scholarship, research, leadership, and mentoring both in his studies and professionally. He is a graduate assistant for the UF/Santa Fe College Faculty Development Project, serving as an adjunct instructor in the mathematics department at Santa Fe College. He is also assistant program director for the Community College Futures Assembly, an independent policy forum in the Institute of Higher Education at UF. Additionally, Conic serves as a mathematics coach for the National Achievers Society at the Santa Fe College Center of Excellence, a multifaceted program to motivate elementary and secondary students to prepare for and ultimately enter college.

AASCU Report Maps Challenges, Priorities for Teacher Preparation

By Kristin McCabe

A new report from the Teacher Education Task Force of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) makes a compelling case for quality teacher preparation, capturing the key challenges that make the current context complex but also offering recommendations for both university leaders and policy makers to move the field forward.

The task force conducted a survey last year of presidents, provosts, and education deans at state colleges and universities to gauge the current state of educator preparation. (The survey results are included as an appendix to the new report.) The responses informed conversations among task force members to distill the core themes, debate their implications in light of the latest research, and determine consensus recommendations for priority actions by higher education administrators. The results were combined to craft the new report, and the AASCU policy team added a set of priorities for federal and state policy.

EdD Knowledge Forum Convenes in Georgia, Seeks New Members

By Jill A. Perry

Left to right: Stephen Pape, Jimmie Walker (award winner), and Camille Bryant of Johns Hopkins University

The 18th convening of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) took place October 24-26 on the campus of Augusta University (GA). Faculty members from 80 member colleges and schools of education explored the program theme “Inquiry as Practice: Understanding the Research Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions Scholarly Practitioners Need to Improve Problems of Practice.”

Rick Mintrop of the University of California-Berkeley challenged the group to consider design-based inquiry as a potential signature pedagogy for preparing professional practitioners. “We should spend design energy only on ‘wicked problems’ for which there is no current conventional solution,” he urged.

White Papers Explore Higher Education Funding Directions

By Deborah Koolbeck

The National Commission on Financing 21st Century Higher Education released a set of white papers earlier this month exploring aspects of the fiscal issues facing higher education. Designed to guide policy and funding decisions, these papers (and another six still in development) provide a revealing look at the state and national funding landscape for institutions.

The commission, a project of the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, has been working since 2014 on policy and funding recommendations for the United States to reach the goal of 60% of the labor workforce having a postsecondary degree or credential by 2025. Currently, the nation is not on target to meet this goal and faces numerous related challenges, from high school graduation rates and access to higher education to workforce underdevelopment. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, other nations are meeting or surpassing the United States in postsecondary degree and credentialing rates.

Hope Street Group Report: Teachers Reflect on Preparation

By Sungti Hsu

A new survey report from the Hope Street Group (HSG) presents perspectives of nearly 2,000 classroom teachers on their own preparation and that of future educators, aiming to inform both preparation program improvement and state and federal policy. The report, On Deck: Preparing the Next Generation of Teachers, asks whether teachers are being prepared effectively for the realities of today’s classrooms and what changes to curriculum, clinical experiences, and accountability measures might be needed.

The study was conducted by 18 HSG National Teacher Fellows, who are practicing classroom teachers and instructional coaches from 17 states. Last fall, they collected data through surveys and focus groups from other practicing teachers in their regions on their experiences and perceptions of how well teacher preparation providers are doing. Participating teachers ranged from 1 to 31 years of experience and came from all grade levels and subjects and from rural, urban, and suburban settings.

Acting Secretary King Announces January Meeting Tour

By Deborah Koolbeck

The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday that Acting Secretary John King will start an “Opportunity Across America Tour” January 14. The tour will focus on King’s stated priorities for 2016:

• Promoting equity and excellence at every level of education to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed
• Supporting and lifting up the teaching profession
• Continuing the Department’s focus on returning America to the top of the rankings in college completion by ensuring more students earn an affordable degree with real value

In the coming week, King will be visiting Texas; Washington, DC; Delaware; and Pennsylvania. If any of the locations are in your community, you might want to attend to connect with King in person. The full announcement and schedule appear below.