23 Oct2018
By Katrina Norfleet
AACTE members Vanessa Anton and Barbara Fuller of Northeastern State University’s (NSU) College of Education were recently featured on the EduTalk radio show to highlight their Robotics Academy of Critical Engagement (R.A.C.E.) program, which won the 2018 AACTE Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology. During the interview, Anton and Fuller shared that NSU’s R.A.C.E. program is the only one of its kind housed in a college of education in the U.S. and around the world.
After a successful pilot of the program, NSU opened its first robotics lab in 2012 on its Tahlequah campus, followed by a second lab on its Broken Arrow campus—which both have educator preparation programs. Every pre-service teacher at NSU is required to take an emerging technologies course that includes the robotics unit where the candidates build and program their own robot. The course prepares teacher candidates of every subject to enter the classroom ready to use robotics as part of their curriculum if they choose to do so. Most importantly, the process of learning how to work together well and improve critical thinking provides a gateway for the candidates to teach those same skills to their students.
01 Oct2018
By Katrina Norfleet
AACTE members Rebecca Kantor and Barbara Seidl of the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) School of Education and Human Development (SEHD) recently appeared on the EduTalk radio show to discuss their award-winning program. A recipient of the 2018 AACTE Best Practice Award in Support of Multicultural Education and Diversity, CU Denver has discovered innovative ways to infuse multicultural education and diversity into educator preparation.
When asked by Education Talk Radio host Larry Jacobs about what makes their program stand out, Seidl answered, “Nationally, we all struggle to diversify the teacher workforce. But we thought about it in two ways: the first is to diversify the actual teaching pool … and the other is to make sure that [multicultural education and diversity] is really infused across all of our content and preparation.”
23 Jul2018
By Samuel Santos
On July 16, AACTE President/CEO Lynn M. Gangone met with Richard Long, executive director of the Learning First Alliance (LFA), for an interview about the challenges facing the teaching profession and where the field needs to go moving forward. Their conversation aired on Facebook Live and can be viewed at this link.
AACTE is a member of LFA, a partnership of leading education organizations dedicated to improving learning outcomes in America’s public schools. A recent report with contributions from LFA members, Elements of Success: 10 Million Speak on Schools That Work, outlines six elements that are vital for success in the classroom and provided the springboard for last week’s interview.
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.
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
30 Apr2018
By Jerrica Thurman
UPDATE: Deadline to participate extended to May 25
AACTE is pleased to partner with Mediaplanet on an upcoming campaign to help celebrate and inspire those who teach. The campaign, aptly titled “Empowering Our Educators,” will take the form of a set of articles and resources to be published June 20 online and in print, with printed copies to be distributed at a variety of conferences and events (including AACTE’s Leadership Academy!). As part of our partnership, Mediaplanet is extending AACTE members a 20% discount on any ads they wish to place.
As the everyday demands of the teaching profession in our country are compounded by persistent staffing shortages, inadequate pay, and low public esteem, it’s no wonder that many teachers feel forced to leave the field, mobilize for walkouts, or discourage young students from pursuing teaching as a career. This campaign aims to serve as a guide to teachers who feel underappreciated or burned out by celebrating the importance of their work, highlighting opportunities for professional engagement and growth, and rekindling their passion for education with inspiring stories and fresh ideas. As the leading voice on educator preparation, AACTE has long advocated on behalf of teachers as well as the institutions that prepare them to enter the profession, and we’re proud to partner with other education organizations on this work.
24 Apr2018
By Kristin McCabe and Robert Toy-Giles
Education Talk Radio host Larry Jacobs (center) shares a light moment with AACTE Board Chair Wanda Blanchett (Rutgers University, NJ) and President/CEO Lynn M. Gangone during their interview in March.
In a recent radio show recorded at AACTE’s 70th Annual Meeting, Education Talk Radio host Larry Jacobs interviewed several leaders in educator preparation about their work, including AACTE members from Kentucky as well as Board of Directors Chair Wanda Blanchett and President/CEO Lynn M. Gangone.
The first interview of the show focused on work in Kentucky to use technology and create a statewide system for sharing teacher preparation program data and accountability (as presented in a session elsewhere in the conference). The following guests joined the interview:
16 Apr2018
By Kristin McCabe
AACTE members Melissa Burnham and Jafeth Sanchez of the University of Nevada Reno were featured guests on a recent Education Talk Radio show, discussing the “Nevada Leads” principal preparation initiative with their district partner Salwa Jafi. Other guests included AACTE’s Deborah Koolbeck, highlighting current advocacy work in Washington, and Interim Dean Vanessa Anton and Interim Provost Deb Landry of Northeastern State University (OK), who described their award-winning Robotics Academy of Critical Engagement (RACE) program.
The interviews took place in person with host Larry Jacobs at the AACTE 70th Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, last month.
28 Mar2018
By Robert Toy-Giles
Education Talk Radio host Larry Jacobs traveled to the AACTE 70th Annual Meeting earlier this month to capture voices from the field in a series of in-person interviews with AACTE members and volunteer leaders. The recorded discussions later aired in three segments on Jacobs’ radio show, the first of which is highlighted below (subsequent articles will feature the other segments).
In the first interview, two members of AACTE’s Committee on Professional Preparation and Accountability – Jacob Easley of Eastern Connecticut State University and Deb Rickey of Grand Canyon University (AZ) – discussed the committee’s work to assist teacher educators with quality assurance and program improvement. Having just facilitated a preconference workshop on the topic, Easley and Rickey explained what quality assurance means for colleges of education and what the key challenges are.
09 Feb2018
By Shardae Proctor
Did you catch AACTE’s recent Facebook Live sessions hosted by our Director of Member Engagement Tim Finklea? As we prepare for our big conference next month, we want to let you in on some of the excitement through our new live web series titled “What to Expect at AACTE’s 70th Annual Meeting.” Join us on Facebook Live for a behind-the-scenes view of AACTE staff and their preparations for Baltimore!
Considering that the Annual Meeting is just weeks away, our whole staff is in high gear, and we will bring you one live episode each week featuring different guests. If you can’t join the live shows, don’t worry – they are captured for later viewing as well. To watch our first two installments of “What to Expect at AACTE’s 70th Annual Meeting,” just click on the thumbnails above.
19 Jan2018
By Kristin McCabe
Members of the AACTE Clinical Practice Commission speak at the National Press Club January 17. Left to right: Jennifer Roth, Diane Fogarty, Kristien Zenkov, and Jennifer Robinson.
AACTE hosted a press briefing January 17 in Washington, DC, showcasing the work of the AACTE Clinical Practice Commission (CPC) and releasing the report A Pivot Toward Clinical Practice, Its Lexicon, and the Renewal of Educator Preparation.
Held in the historic National Press Club, the briefing opened with a welcome from AACTE Board Past Chair Jane Bray, dean of the Darden College of Education at Old Dominion University (VA). More than half the members of AACTE’s Board of Directors were in attendance, as were 30 members of the CPC and dozens of representatives from Washington-area education organizations, colleges and universities, news media, and AACTE staff.
19 Dec2017
By Jerrica Thurman
In a Twitter chat last week, members of the AACTE Clinical Practice Commission discussed how effective clinical educator preparation produces profession-ready teachers, sharing key points from the commission’s findings over the past 2 years. The nearly 80 tweets at #AACTEcpc yielded more than 108,000 impressions during the lively conversation led by Susan Adams (Butler University, IN), Jennifer Roth (Poudre School District, CO), Laurie Henry (University of Kentucky), Marcy Keifer-Kennedy (Ohio University), Rene Roselle (University of Connecticut), Diane Fogarty (Loyola Marymount University, CA), Rod Lucero (AACTE), and moderator Amanda Lester (AACTE).
Participants discussed the purpose of the AACTE Clinical Practice Commission, the importance of clinical practice in teacher preparation, the role of clinical partnerships, and how the soon-to-be-released report of the commission will help inform the practice of the entire education community.
07 Nov2017
By Jerrica Thurman
To ensure that educators are prepared to meet the needs of all learners, the AACTE Clinical Practice Commission will release its findings on effective clinical educator preparation during a press briefing Wednesday, January 17, 2018. Panelists from the commission will present and discuss their culminating white paper at the event, to be held 9:00-11:00 a.m. EST at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
Written by teacher educators representing expertise in theory, practice, and scholarship across the learning continuum, the report, A Pivot Toward Clinical Practice, Its Lexicon, and the Renewal of Educator Preparation, provides research- and practice-based recommendations, including a shared professional lexicon, for all educators to embrace as a foundation for effectively implementing clinical practice.
13 Oct2017
By Erisel Cruz
To celebrate its 70th anniversary, AACTE is gearing up for the most engaging Annual Meeting yet, March 1-3, 2018. From dynamic, interactive sessions to increased networking opportunities, participants will have multiple ways to enhance their learning and experience. This year, you can even get involved with Annual Meeting before the conference begins!
AACTE has lined up social media activities for you to connect with event presenters, participate in quizzes, and share your stories and memories as we celebrate 7 decades of AACTE. You’re invited to get involved in the new, fun pre-event activities by joining the AACTE online contest and have a chance to win one of two prizes: an Amazon Echo Look or a free registration to the 2018 AACTE Washington Week! To participate in the contest, simply:
04 Oct2017
By Jemima Cabedo
An online Education Talk Radio program last month featured AACTE members in a discussion of how their educator preparation programs contribute to high teacher quality. Host Larry Jacobs interviewed guests Rebecca West Burns, assistant professor at the University of South Florida, and D. Mark Meyers, director of the Educational Administration Program at Xavier University (OH).
The show began with discussion around the continuum of teacher development, from preservice preparation through stages of leadership, both formal and informal. Burns explained that teacher leaders include those who are instructional coaches or mentors as well as those acting less formally as leaders from within their classroom. Teachers can work collaboratively to share knowledge and help each other make progressive changes in their school. Meyers added that leadership principles applied by teacher leaders and administrators are often the same, although they may be implemented differently.
