The STEM Education Center is happy to announce the spring schedule for the STEM Seminar Series. Six presentations by STEM/C&I faculty and researchers will be offered throughout the semester to anyone interested in learning about the work done at the STEM Education Center. This series is a great opportunity to meet colleagues with similar interests and create possible collaborations. Lunch will be provided at each presentation.
Spring Seminar Series Schedule:
Friday- February 8th, 2013: Barbara Billington
Friday- February 22nd, 2013: Fred Finley
Friday- March 8th, 2013: Bhaskar Upadhyay
Friday- March 29th, 2013: Abdi Warfa
Friday- April 26th, 2013: Young Rae Kim and Mi Sun Park
2013 STEM Colloquium- Registation and Abstract Submission Open!
The STEM Education Center is proud to announce that registration and abstract submission is now open for our 2013 STEM Colloquium on P-12 STEM Education Research to Practice. Reserve your spot now to join us August 5th-6th, 2013 at the lovely McNamara Alumni Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota!
More information and registration details are available at our Colloquium 2013 website.
The Colloquium on P-12 STEM Education is an interactive national forum bringing together educators, researchers, STEM professionals, and other STEM stakeholders in a dynamic two-day colloquium. Sessions are hands-on, participatory, and/or experiential. This is an opportunity to learn about the newest research in STEM education, bridge the gap between research and practice to implement effective practices, see and experience what is working in P-12 STEM education classrooms, and discuss next steps and potential solutions for the issues encountered in STEM education.
Math Modeling Field Day
Sue Staats, associate professor in the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, recently hosted the first Math Modeling Field Day for College in the Schools high school algebra students (PsTL 1006 Mathematical Modeling and Prediction). Six schools and 110 students participated.
Students developed a plan for siting a wind farm in Minnesota and competed to design wind turbine blades that produced the highest voltage. A young woman at El Colegio Charter School developed the winning blade design. She softened balsa wood slats in water and wrapped them around cylindrical veladoras prayer candles to dry. Staats said it was “a lot of fun to see the beautiful curved blades that she produced using a cultural object.”
In memoriam: Ruth Thomas
Long-time University of Minnesota professor Ruth Thomas died Jan. 27, after an extended illness. Dr. Thomas was a member of the faculty for 36 years. She served as head of the Division of Home Economics Education for 11 years and as chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction for 6 years. She received several awards for her teaching and research, producing numerous publications, including articles, books, and monographs, and developed and tested new approaches to technology-assisted learning.
Dr. Thomas is survived by her husband, Paul Thomas, and son, David. Her burial service will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 31, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 2131 Fairview Ave, Roseville. Visitation is 4-8 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 30, at Roseville Memorial Chapel, 2245 N. Hamline Ave., 651-631-2727, and 1 hour prior until start of church services on Thursday. Memorials honoring her and her daughter should be made to the Paula C. Thomas Memorial Scholarship Fund in lieu of flowers.
Jeanne Higbee new editor for the Journal of College Teaching and Learning
Jeanne Higbee, professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, has been invited to be the primary editor for the Journal of College Teaching and Learning. Having edited various journals throughout her career, Professor Higbee was excited to assume the position effective January 1, 2013.
Sponsored by the Clute Institute for Academic Research, the Journal of College Teaching and Learning is an open access journal that publishes articles on K-12 and college teaching, learning, and administration. Professor Higbee stresses the importance of the journal being open access, stating “I really encourage faculty to consider publishing in open access journals. If your purpose in doing your research is to share knowledge with others, this is a great way to do so because people can access what you’ve written for free and you gain international readership.” This new role will follow her into retirement, she says, because editorships provide an opportunity to mentor and facilitate the development of writers worldwide.
Cafe Works- Coffee & Creative Conversation
ENGINEERING FOR THE SOCIAL GOOD
Thursday, February 7
7:30 – 9 a.m.
Location: 9740 GRAND AVE S, BLOOMINGTON, MN 55420
Hosted by the The Works’ CEO Jill Measells
Featuring: Ronald Bennett, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, Honeywell Fellow in Global Technology Management School of Engineering, University of St. Thomas
Please join us for a lively discussion about how engineers make our world a better place to live and how all of us can encourage the next generation to make a difference through engineering.
RSVP to kirsten@theworks.org or call 952-888-4262 ext. 216
CaféWorks is a free event
Winter break on the Mekong
Faculty members Catherine Solheim, family social science, and Linda Buturian, postsecondary teaching and learning, and college web design lead Susan Andre seized the winter break to complete videography and interviews in Thailand.
The three have teamed up for a digital storytelling project about the impact of globalization on families, communities, culture, and environment along the Mekong River. The project builds upon Solheim’s many years of experience in Thailand, Buturian’s expertise in writing and connecting the humanities to water-resource issues, and Andre’s design and photography expertise. They will use the content in existing undergraduate courses and develop a learning-abroad seminar for students in May 2014. In addition, Buturian is developing a new course that will connect students learning about the Mississippi River to global water issues, while Solheim is creating an engaged-research project to study minority families in the Mekong region of northern Thailand.
Watch the video “Mekong Mosaic.”
Above, L-R: Solheim, Andre, and Buturian. Photo by Surapol Thungkaew.
CAREI Weighs in on All-Day Kindergarten Question
Kyla Wahlstrom, director of the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI), spoke with WCCO’s Jason DeRusha about the findings of CAREI’s recent research on all-day kindergarten. DeRusha’s popular piece “Good Question: Is All-Day Kindergarten Worth It?” was spurred by Governor Dayton’s proposal to fund all-day kindergarten across Minnesota. CAREI’s five-year research study on all-day kindergarten in the Burnsville School District found clear differences in the groups of kids who had all-day kindergarten from those who did not. For more information, you can read CAREI’s Report, or watch the WCCO News segment.
Jehangir selected to serve on the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
Rashné Jehangir, Associate Professor in the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, has been selected to serve on the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. This semiannual refereed journal provides current research on the first college year and other significant student transitions. The primary purpose of the Journal is to disseminate empirical research findings on student transition issues that inform practice in all sectors of postsecondary education. The journal is housed at the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition at the University of South Carolina. http://sc.edu/fye/journal/
Educational Psychology alum, Yong-Lin Moon, to lead Seoul schools
Dr. Yong-Lin Moon (Ph.D. ’87, Educational Psychology) has recently been elected superintendent of education for Seoul City, Korea. In that position, he will lead one of the largest school districts in the world with a budget of over $7 billion. Dr. Moon is currently a professor of education at Seoul National University. He served as the Korean minister of education in 2000.
While at the University of Minnesota, he conducted research in the area of moral development with his advisor, Dr. James Rest, and Dr. Mark L. Davison. After returning to Korea, he directed the design of a nationwide curriculum and textbook on moral education in elementary and secondary education. Through his service as Minister of Education, member of the Education Reform Committee, member of the New Education Committee, and director of the moral education curriculum development project, Dr. Moon has had a major influence on Korean education.
Rodriguez, Masten announced as new endowed chair holders
Dr. Michael Rodriguez, from the Department of Educational Psychology, was selected to assume the new position of Campbell Leadership Chair in Education and Human Development, and Dr. Ann Masten, in the Institute of Child Development, was selected to assume the position of Irving Harris Professorship in Child Development.
As the first faculty member to fill the Campbell Leadership Chair, Rodriguez will contribute significantly to the shared CEHD and University mission of high-quality education for all K-12 students in Minnesota. Rodriguez, an internationally known researcher and leader in education, will support ongoing initiatives to reduce the achievement gap, expand collaboration across the University, and advise President Kaler on ways the University can best help to improve educational access and success.
“As we address these challenges, I have great confidence in Michael’s ability to work with researchers at the University and our community partners to shed light on how to reduce the achievement gap for Minnesota students,” said Jean Quam, dean of the College of Education and Human Development.
Masten, an expert on resilience, fills the Irving Harris Professorship, previously held by Dr. Nicki Crick, who died in Oct. 2012. One of the goals of the Irving Harris Professorship is to encourage scholarly activity in those aspects of child development related to children growing up in high-risk conditions.
“Her latest work in helping homeless children overcome the challenges of school-readiness is life changing,” said Quam. “I am pleased we can honor Ann, in this regard, as she promotes the better understanding of and appreciation for the complex development of children, particularly those in the throes of poverty.”
Villalobos begins as new college director of equity and diversity
Jesse Villalobos started recently as the new director of equity and diversity for the College of Education and Human Development. In this new position he plans to support and develop efforts across the college toward making CEHD a recognized leader for equity in higher education.
“I look forward to meeting with individuals and groups throughout CEHD as I learn about existing programs and hear ideas for ways we can improve how we do diversity and equity,” said Villalobos. “In the meantime, I hope any member of the college community will feel free to contact me and offer observations and suggestions as we begin to determine interim priorities. I’m equally eager to hear from students, staff, faculty, and community.”
Equity and diversity are central to the college’s mission, said Villalobos. “And part of what I hope to accomplish, in collaboration with the CEHD leadership team, is to promote more frequent and deeper engagement with the college community to build upon what’s working while addressing the barriers to our success.”
Villalobos was previously at The New School in New York, where he was director of university social justice initiatives in the provost’s office. He has also served as coordinator of diversity initiatives at Parsons The New School for Design and as regional director for programs and public policy in the Iowa Region for the National Conference for Community and Justice. He earned his master’s degree in media studies from The New School and his bachelor’s in social work from the University of Iowa.
Contact Jesse Villalobos at jvillalo@umn.edu.
Stumne receives Career Development Network award
Jeannie Stumne, director of CEHD Career Services, was among a group of University of Minnesota career development professionals who received the Career Development Network’s (CDN) Golden Gopher Merit Award on Jan. 10. The award was in recognition of the group’s leadership in developing the CDN’s Diversity and Inclusion Program.
The CDN comprises career and student services professionals from across the Twin Cities campus. Stumne collaborated with Chris Buckley in CLA Career Services and Heidi Perman from Career and Internship Services on the St. Paul campus.
STEM Center at 2013 ASTE Conference
Faculty and graduate students of the STEM Education Center are attending and presenting at the 2013 ASTE Conference in Charleston, SC from January 9th-12th. Click the link below to review the publications posted by the STEM Education Center.
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/STEM/Events/ASTE-2013/Default.html
Educational Psychology graduate student receives Schochet Award
Trevor Dunn, Educational Psychology (Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology) graduate student, was recently awarded a Steven J. Schochet Endowment Academic Award for Excellence in GLBT Studies. This award honors excellence of currently enrolled GLBTA students (undergraduate or graduate) on any of the U of M campuses, who are advancing the generation and dissemination of knowledge, awareness, and research around GLBT topics & identities.
Trevor’s research on mental health and gay-related stressors in Brazilian male sexual minorities was awarded under the “Health, Policy, & Practice” category. Award recipients will be honored at Lavender Celebration & Awards Ceremony in May.
Registration Open- STEM Day Conference 2013
Registration is now open for the 2013 STEM Day Conference. Follow the link below for more information. Session information and the conference agenda are also available by clicking the link.
https://www.minitex.umn.edu/Events/Conferences/Stem2013.aspx
STEM Day Conference 2013
February 14, 2013
University of Minnesota
Continuing Education and Conference Center
St. Paul, MN
C&I well represented at LRA Annual Conference
C&I faculty and graduate students recently attended, presented and participated in the Literacy Research Association (LRA) Annual Conference this month in San Diego, CA. Richard Beach, professor emeritus, is president of the organization, and professor Cynthia Lewis is on the Board of Directors. Several other faculty members like Mark Vagle and Lori Helman are Area Chairs for the research conference paper selection process.
LRA is a community of scholars dedicated to promoting research that enriches the knowledge, understanding, and development of lifespan literacies in a multicultural and multilingual world. LRA is committed to ethical research that is rigorous, methodologically diverse, and socially responsible. LRA is dedicated to disseminating such research broadly so as to promote generative theories, informed practices and sound policies. Central to its mission, LRA mentors and supports future generations of literacy scholars.
Our faculty and graduate student presentation topics included reflections on class-sensitive literacy research, the effects of long-term professional development programs, and bridging traditional and digital literacies. We are proud to have such a robust and influential presence in this nationally-recognized organization.
Faculty participants:
Mark Vagle
Lori Helman
Deborah Dillon
Cynthia Lewis
David O’Brien
Graduate student participants:
Keitha-Gail Martin Kerr
Alyssa Broadman
Madeleine Israelson
Katherine Brodeur
Jessican Dockter Tierney
Christopher Kolb
Aimee Rogers
Amy Frederick
Recent Graduate participants:
Scott Voss
Kara Coffino
Kwon Recognized by University Women’s Center
Melissa Kwon, Research Associate at CAREI, was recognized at the University of Minnesota’s Women’s Center 2012-2013 Celebrating University Women Program where she received a Women’s Center Special Grant. The grant is for her work with the Minnesota Young Women’s Collaborative (MYWC) Project. The MYWC Project trains college students to be community based researchers, leaders and social justice activists.
Showing the value of incorporating native languages in English learning
Martha Bigelow, associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction (Second Languages in Cultures), and Karla Stone (photo far right), coordinator of DirecTrack to Teaching, are featured in a Minnesota Public Radio story on the rise of students learning English as a second language in Minnesota. Bigelow and Stone say that school districts are moving toward incorporating the home languages of students into their English instruction, which has been shown to improve performance.
“There is a very strong correlation between native language literacy and the ability to add English if that foundation is already there,” says Bigelow.
To read the full story and listen to the audio, please visit MPR’s website.
C&I’s Martha Bigelow speaks to MPR on English learners in Minnesota classrooms
Martha Bigelow, Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction (Second Languages in Cultures) is featured today in a Minnesota Public Radio story on the rise of students learning English as a second language in Minnesota.
Bigelow asserts,”there is a very strong correlation between native language literacy and the ability to add English if that foundation is already there.”
To read the full story and listen to the audio, please visit MPR’s website.