This year, faculty in the Second Languages and Cultures Education program area in C&I have been called upon for their expertise in several bills going forward to reform education practices for English Language Learners (ELL). Their hard work is paying off.
After several testimonies at the State Capital education committee hearings, a new bill is moving through the legislature. This bill would encourage multilingualism among all students and foster the maintenance and development of immigrant students’ home languages as a resource for learning academic content throughout their school day. This bill supports an additional year of funding for English learners who need it with a focus on developing multilingualism and ensuring academic success.
Quoted in a report on Minnesota Public Radio, Professor Martha Bigelow states, “What the research shows is that truly being able to use their home language, in a lot of the ways that this legislation is supportive of, will make them better English speakers and able to learn content more quickly.”
David Arendale (associate professor in the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning) returns for his fourth summer to provide training workshops at two training institutes. In June Arendale travels to Phoenix to lead a workshop on Universal Design for Learning at the Developmental Education Institute hosted by the Maricopa Community College System. In July he travels to Boone, NC, for the Kellogg Institute for Training of Developmental Educators. Arendale leads a three-day workshop for integration of learning technologies into the curriculum. He will also spend several additional days consulting with the National Center for Developmental Education staff on several collaborative projects including e-publishing.
Students traded the snows of Minnesota for the snows of Kilimanjaro over winter break 2014. The January-term class REC 4301 marked the first time Africa’s highest mountain has been climbed as a college course.
Professor Ken Bartlett, Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, is covering a lot of ground during his sabbatical. He’s been visiting universities, conducting research, and giving lectures and workshops in countries across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and his home country of New Zealand.
He also loves to head off into the hills for hiking and climbing. After recently completing a multi-year challenge to reach the highest point in all 50 U.S. states, he has now been able to trek to the top of several European countries.
Bartlett, who served in the U.S. Forest Service before his career path led to human resource development, posed for this photo on the famous overhanging rock above Geirangerfjord in Norway.
Next he heads to the lower elevations of the U.K. as a visiting scholar at Oxford University in Cambridge and Napier University in Edinburgh.
In November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan devasted the Philippines, killing at least 6,268 people in that country alone. Stacy Remke, a teaching specialist in the School of Social Work who specializes in grief and loss, responded to a call from Project Hope to help. See her story.
We’re pleased to announce that Barbara Billington and Terry Wyberg will be embedded half-time as faculty liaisons in SPPS and MPS during the next academic school year. Both CEHD instructors will work alongside school partners for the year as part of the faculty and as co-teachers.
“We are very excited about the CEHD faculty liaison position proposed for Linwood-Monroe” said Patricia King, Assistant Director of Leadership Development in the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Leading at SPPS. Patrick Duffy, principal of Clara Barton K-8 in MPS also reports ” I am really excited to continue our partnership with the University of Minnesota and have Terry here as a resource for our teachers and students.”
Working together, side by side, in shared spaces has been an integral part of our redesign effort in CEHD’s Teacher Education Redesign Initiative. School partners serving on TERI’s curriculum development teams, hired as clinical supervisors, working as induction liaisons, and teaching in CEHD classrooms have contributed invaluable perspectives and expertise to our shared work to prepare new teachers who will change the world. Similarly, the opportunity for CEHD faculty to engage directly with partner sites as co-teachers and teachers with K-8 students provides embedded professional development opportunities for CEHD faculty and staff engaged in giving back directly to our P-12 students and the teaching profession.
The orientation for the upcoming DirecTrack to Teaching students was an exciting and wonderful experience. I enjoyed every part of the orientation, all the way from learning about the program to meeting other people that shared the same interest as me. The best part about the orientation is that it made me feel one step closer to achieving my dream to become a teacher. It was reassuring to see that the room was overflowing with other students who all wanted to be future educators like me. There was an overwhelming amount of excitement and happiness in the air as people started talking and getting to know each other. Everyone was super excited to learn more about the program and what they have to do to become a teacher. Not only did the DirecTrack to Teaching orientation prepare me for my following years in the program, but it prepared me for the rest of my life as a teacher. Whenever I will look back at my career I will remember this orientation, because it was the first moment where I began my journey as a teacher.
Submitted by Anna Reget, new DirecTrack student from the College of Liberal Arts
Joy Johnson (B.S. ’52) the oldest woman to complete the 2013 New York Marathon at age 86, passed away November 4. Although she did not start running until age 59, she averaged three marathons a year.
Dr. Tamara Moore of the STEM Education Center was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers on April 14 at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.
Moore is currently the principal investigator of an $8 million dollar grant awarded by the National Science Foundation titled EngrTEAMS: Engineering to Transform the Education of Analysis, Measurement, and Science in a Team-Based Targeted Mathematics-Science Partnership. The grant is one of the many Moore has been awarded while at the STEM Education Center.
Moore’s award citation reads: For transformative research on how young students learn engineering concepts and how to integrate those practices into K-12 teacher development in order to have a transformative impact on underrepresented minority and underprivileged urban K-12 students.
The Presidential Early Career Awards embody the high priority the Obama Administration places on producing outstanding scientists and engineers to advance the nation’s goals, tackle grand challenges, and contribute to the American economy.
“The impressive achievements of these early-stage scientists and engineers are promising indicators of even greater successes ahead,” President Obama said. “We are grateful for their commitment to generating the scientific and technical advancements that will ensure America’s global leadership for many years to come.”
TERI has transformed the ways that we think about our roles here in the College of Education & Human Development. For example, the clinical placement coordinator role and responsibilities has shifted in the last three years from placing student teachers in schools to developing and supporting clinical partnerships. The work of CEHD’s clinical partnership coordinators is described as “engaging, collaborative, intense, and hopeful” as we build deeper relationships and connections with school partners.
C&I Ph.D. candidate, Aimee Rogers (Literacy Education) has been awarded the Norine Odland Fellowship in Children’s Literature. This fellowship is available to Ph.D. and M.A. candidates in children’s and adolescent literature who have completed all preliminary course work and examinations, and have had a dissertation or thesis proposal for research in children’s literature approved. Awardees are selected based on the importance of the purpose for which they plan to use the award, the strength of their teaching or library experience, their expertise in selecting books for children, and the strength of their graduate work, particularly that in children’s literature. We recently interviewed Aimee to learn a little bit more about her research and experiences.
What is most exciting about your research? My dissertation work focuses on how intermediate grade readers (6th to 8th graders) make meaning with graphic novel texts. I became interested in graphic novels as a special education teacher. A common refrain I used to hear (and still hear to this day) was, “Give graphic novels to struggling readers because they are easier to read.” Although I was an avid reader of children’s and young adult literature prior to this, I began consciously selecting graphic novels to read and searching for ones that might be appropriate to include in my class or curriculum.
I became hooked on graphic novels, and when I entered the University of Minnesota doctoral program, I already knew that texts in this format would likely be the focus of my dissertation research. I have learned over the years that graphic novel texts are not “easier” to read, although, they often have less written content. There are so many meaning-making units that contribute to the meaning of the text overall, including panels, gutters, font, color, etc. I get really excited when I talk about all of these elements, and the really amazing thing is that a well-done graphic novel will seamlessly integrate all of these units of meaning!
The most exciting things about my research are working with young participants and working with texts in this format. I love observing how kids read and make meaning with a graphic novel. They seem to naturally integrate all of the elements and are comfortable reading a text that uses so many modalities. I loved the moments where I would ask my participants about a particular part of a graphic novel, and they were able to construct a meaning and would look at me with a look that said, “Duh!” Then, they’d go on to explain what they did as if it was no big deal. They are so smart!
The other exciting part of my research is that graphic novels are gaining in popularity in readers of all types and ages. Graphic novels are finding traction in educational circles as well. It is thrilling to be working with a format that is increasingly recognized as valid and interesting.
What does this award mean for you?
Being selected for the Norine Odland Fellowship means a lot to me as it serves to validate the work I have done in my area of focus, which is children’s and adolescent literature. The greatest part of the award is the $2,500 that is dedicated to selecting and buying books for Amplatz Children’s Hospital in honor of Norine Odland. I am so grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community in this way, especially through the donation of books for children, young adults and their families.
How did your path lead to the University of Minnesota and to C&I in particular?
I moved from Colorado to Evansville, Indiana to attend the University of Evansville to study special education. I was one of those weird students who left college with the same major that I started with and didn’t change it along the way.
After graduation I had a handful of teaching experiences in traditional and nontraditional settings. While working with middle and high school students in a day treatment program in Denver, I quickly discovered that I didn’t have any idea how to teach a 17-year-old how to read. This inspired me to look for Master’s programs in reading. I moved, again, this time from Colorado to Tucson, Arizona to attend the University of Arizona where I studied Language, Reading and Culture with a focus on adolescent literacy. I had always been an avid reader, and as a teacher of young adults, I read a great deal of young adult literature. I loved the literature courses that I took at the University of Arizona and tucked away the thought that I could actually study in this field.
I happily taught special education English at a public high school in Tucson for five years. When I was ready for a change I started looking for programs in children’s and adolescent literature. The University of Minnesota has a well-respected program, and Dr. Lee Galda, my advisor, is a rock star in the field. I applied, and I truly feel it was dumb luck that Dr. Galda agreed to take me as her last student before her retirement. I have been blessed to study with Dr. Galda. I have loved teaching courses on children’s literature and graphic novels. I will finish this summer and am looking forward to continuing to work in the field of children’s and adolescent literature.
Flipgrid, the Learning Technologies Media Lab’s video-based discussion and reflection tool, was selected as an honoree in three categories for this year’s Webby Awards. The categories are Web Education, Mobile Education and Reference, and Social Education and Discovery.
Flipgrid was developed to enable teachers to create short, discussion-oriented questions that students respond to through recorded videos. Since its launch, over 600,000 teachers and students, community groups, corporate teams, research organizations, and individuals looking to boost social presence in their online discussions have utilized Flipgrid.
The Webby Awards is the leading international award program honoring excellence on the Internet. Established in 1996 during the Web’s infancy, The Webbys is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) — a 1,000+ member judging body that includes Executive Members comprised of leading Web experts, business figures, luminaries, visionaries and creative celebrities, and Associate Members who are former Webby Award Winners and Nominees and other Internet professionals. The 2014 Webby judging body received more than 12,000 nominations from over 60 countries and all 50 states and generated over 900 million media impressions worldwide.
A new study published in the Nutrition Journal found that the polyphenols in oats, called avenanthramides (AVE), slowed the inflammatory response to strenuous exercise and increased antioxidant defenses in women over 50. The link between inflammation and aging is a growing concern in the scientific community because of its association with the development of chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid and atherosclerosis. According to the study’s authors from the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, strategies to help prevent or reduce inflammation are a key priority for the aging population.
In addition to the development of chronic disease, inflammation can cause oxidative stress and muscle pain that can lead to underperformance and exercise avoidance. Lead researcher from the U of M’s Laboratory of Physiological Hygiene and Exercise ScienceLi Li Ji, Ph.D., explained that, “whether the inflammation is provoked by aging or exercise, it can have a negative impact on health over time. Therefore, we wanted to investigate the effects of a naturally occurring food compound with known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.” Continue reading “New study shows that oats may help combat inflammation”
Zongo’s dissertation study, “Integration of Emerging Learning Technologies in Secondary Schools: A Burkina Faso Case Study,” will attempt to better understand the various considerations that determine the successful integration of emerging ELTs in secondary schools in poor countries and will particularly focus on the benefits and challenges of integration.
“My research explores the role that Emerging Learning Technologies play in ensuring the right education is provided to those in need,” says Zongo. “An informed, knowledgeable and innovative society is essential for sustainable development to foster peace and economic freedom in sub-Saharan Africa. My research is rooted in analyzing how to provide the right education to help build such a society regardless of the socioeconomic status of its members. This travel grant is a great support for my research.”
The International Thesis Research Travel Grant provides travel support for University of Minnesota graduate students conducting short-term and extended research and/or field work in countries outside the United States. The grant is funded by the University of Minnesota to support the internationalization of the University through research and outreach.
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) recently announced that alumni Doug and Lynn Fuchs, educational psychology Ph.D.s ’78 and ’81, are winners of its 2014 Distinguished Contributions to Research in Education Award. AERA will honor the recipients at a ceremony on April 5 at the AERA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.
“We are proud to honor the outstanding commitment and accomplishments of this year’s award winners,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “Through their scholarship and service to the field, they stand as exemplars to AERA’s 25,000 members and to all who are committed to the study and practice of education in the United States and elsewhere.”
Along with Adam Gamoran of the William T. Grant Foundation, the Fuchs will be honored through this award for their outstanding achievement and success in education research.
Today, Lynn leads a program of research on math disabilities while Doug concentrates more on reading disabilities. Both are Nicholas Hobbs Professors of Special Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University.
In 2009, Forbes magazine named Doug and Lynn Fuchs as two of 14 revolutionary educators. Thomson Reuters identified them among the 250 most frequently-cited researchers in the social sciences in the United States in the decade from 2000 to 2010.
Each year, 13,000 educational researchers come together for one of the most influential conferences in the field of education. This year, April 3-7 in Philadelphia, the AERA Annual Meeting offers a robust program of Presidential and AERA sessions; division and SIG paper/symposium, roundtable, and poster sessions; and professional development courses, as well as off-site visits and tours.
C&I is well represented at this year’s AERA annual meeting. Thirty-eight C&I faculty and graduate students will make 37 presentations including 2 symposia/panels. In addition, for 11 sessions, C&I faculty members and 1 C&I Ph.D. graduate will serve as session chair or discussant.
From Left to right: Beth Dillard Paltrineri, Sadaf Rauf Shier, Jehanne Beaton (on laptop), Justin Grinage, Nina Asher and Christopher Kolb
One of the symposia, “Agency and Implicatedness in Postcolonial, Global Contexts of Education: Interrogating Race, Language, Policy, and Practice,” will feature five unique presentations from C&I graduate students: Justin Grinage, Beth Dillard Paltrineri, Christopher Kolb, Sadaf Rauf Shier and Jehanne Beaton. Professor and Department Chair, Nina Asher will serve as symposium chair.
The session proposal emerged from a graduate seminar on “postcolonialism, globalization, and education” taught by Asher. This session will explore ways in which educational researchers, practitioners, and cultural workers might engage critical and postcolonial theoretical perspectives to reframe education as agentic and liberatory in global times. During a meeting to prepare for the conference, the graduate students talked about what they are most looking forward to at AERA this year.
“In thinking about what we might like to do at AERA, Nina had suggested some possible scholars working in the field who might be interested in serving as a discussant for the symposium,” said Christopher Kolb. “We came up with Dr. Cameron McCarthy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who’s done a lot of work in multicultural education and postcolonial theory. We just sent him an email describing what our papers were about, how we were conceptualizing the symposium and what we wanted to talk about, and we invited him to serve as the discussant. Thankfully, he agreed!”
Sadaf Rauf Shier said, “For us, one of the big incentives is to present our papers in front of not just an audience, but also in front of a big scholar who is giving us direct feedback. That is a very important part.”
“You read papers and they are in dialogue with each other, right?” Beth Dillard Paltrineri said when talking about what she is most excited about for AERA. “All these articles are supposed to be. But, it makes it a lot more alive – the debate or the idea – when you see the actual people that wrote these papers in dialogue, face to face, in real time.”
Justin Grinage echoed this sentiment. “This is the largest education conference in the country. I want to try to meet as many people as possible; I’m excited to see people that I read up close and in person.”
“This feels like I’m stretching myself a little more to talk about my work in a much more formal structure,” said Jehanne Beaton through a laptop in a Google Hangout. “It’s really been at the heart of what I’ve been doing and I’m excited to talk with people who are more well-versed in postcolonial theory.”
“During a conference and the first couple days after a conference, I would say are the times when I’m most fired up about what I’m doing, because there is something about spending two, three or four days completely immersed in scholarship and talking about research and applications to classrooms and schools – it’s just that environment of constantly thinking and constantly questioning and being pushed by what other people are doing,” said Kolb. “It gets me excited about what I’m doing and what I could be doing.”
This year, faculty in the Second Languages and Cultures Education program area in C&I have been called upon for their expertise in several bills going forward to reform education practices for English Language Learners (ELL). Their hard work is paying off.
