In a US News and World Report article, Department of Family Social Science professor Steve Harris stressed the importance of preserving children’s mental health as parents divorce, and shared coping strategies for divorcing parents hoping to avoid long-term emotional effects on their children.
Read the article here. Also, read about the Minnesota Couples on the Brink project.
STEM Education Center Advisory Board Member Natalie D. Rasmussen is the recipient of a 2015 CEHD Distinguished Alumni Award.
Dr. Rasmussen received her B.S. in Life Science from the University of Minnesota in 1990 and her Ph.D. in education from Curriculum and Instruction in 2006. Her commitment to mentoring young people, passion for public school leadership, and outstanding teaching in science education were highlighted when presented the award.
The College of Education and Human Development Distinguished Alumni Award was established in 2010 to honor alumni who have brought distinction to their professions and communities. Recipients are community builders and leaders who span a diverse range of academic disciplines and career paths: business and civic leaders, counselors and social workers, educators and activists, entrepreneurs, and the most dedicated of volunteers. All recipients make a positive difference in the lives of children, youth, families, schools, and organizations, and whose achievements bring honor to the college.
The Cargill Foundation Board of Directors has approved a two-year capital grant in the amount of $300,000 to the STEM Education Center through the University of Minnesota Foundation to aid in the effort of developing STEM schools in Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS).
Faculty members Gillian Roehrig and Julie Brown have partnered with MPS STEM Integrationists Betsy Stretch and Charlene Ellingson to direct and implement the newly awarded program.
The funds are in support of the STEM Education Center’s partnership with administrators at MPS secondary schools (Franklin, Olson, Ramsey, and Stanford middle schools) and one grade-nine STEM concept school (North High) to engage in new and innovative concepts to develop inclusive STEM school frameworks within Minneapolis Public Schools.
Four part-time graduate research assistants will be awarded a Cargill STEM Fellowship to carry-out the research necessary for this program, and additional funds will be used to provide professional development in the summers and academic years.
“We are pleased to partner with University of Minnesota Foundation and University of Minnesota’s STEM Education Center,” wrote Director of Cargill Foundation and Corporate Giving Tolá Oyewole. “We look forward to seeing the progress of the Developing STEM Schools in Minneapolis Public Schools Program over the next year.”
The Changing Story: Digital Stories that Participate in Transforming Teaching and Learning is available for download now. Developed by PsTL’s Linda Buturian over the last three years with CEHD’s Susan Andre and Thomas Nechodomu, the ebook examines how digital story assignments encourage students to deeply engage with subjects, and create a stronger sense of ownership of their academic work.
The Changing Story provides educators with assignments, resources, and examples to use in teaching and learning. It also assists educators in examining ways digital stories can be used in current teaching practices to help students harness the power of visual storytelling.
Access a downloadable, free copy of the ebook here: The Changing Story.
From January 7th-9th, 2016 numerous faculty and graduate students from the STEM Education Center will be attending the Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) International Conference in Reno, NV.
During these three days our faculty and graduate students will attend paper and poster presentations as well as roundtable discussions with colleagues in the science education field.
If you are also attending the ASTE Conference next week please connect with our STEM Education Center attendees and learn more about the great work they do!
Twenty-one CEHD Distinguished Alumni Award winners were honored recently for bringing distinction to their professions and communities. Recipients span a diverse range of academic disciplines and career paths: business and civic leaders, counselors and social workers, educators and activists, entrepreneurs, and the most dedicated of volunteers. All are community builders and leaders who make a positive difference in the lives of children, youth, families, schools, and organizations, and whose achievements bring honor to the college. See the complete list of 2015 winners on the CEHD alumni website.
The end of the year marks a time of reflection and gratitude. We look for inspiration to begin a new year and we are thankful for what the previous year gave us. Recently back from sabbatical, Dr. Upadhyay reflected on his many projects and future plans but nothing was more impactful than his time spent in Nepal after the catastrophic earthquake that truly altered his life.
April 25th 2015 marked a tragic day for the citizens of Nepal. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake ravaged the country, leaving over nine thousand either injured or dead. Like so many Nepal natives, this event had a massive impact on Bhaskar Upadhyay’s life, but it did not break his spirit.
Still considering himself new to America, Bhaskar Upadhyay has been living and working in the education world for the past sixteen years. Influenced by his parents and dear friends who were unable to receive a formal education, Bhaskar pursued education to positively impact and educate future generations back in his Nepalese village. His research interests center around the proper conceptualization of the achievement gap and providing high quality STEM/STEAM education on a global scale.
Dr. Upadhyay’s sabbatical was supposed to be a time to focus on his research. He had begun a book project about STEAM education with reflective stories from fellow principals, teachers, and school administrators. However, after April 25th his plans were severely interrupted.
“The best use of my time while on sabbatical was being able to help a very small number of people in Nepal after the earthquake,” said Bhaskar.
Spending over two months in his hometown, Bhaskar helped schools rebuild their infrastructure and provided relief by talking with parents and children about the earthquake and how it changed their lives.
“It did change my life obviously. I think about my life and what I need to do and figure out more than I did before that. If I had to say what sabbatical really did I think that was the most important thing,” reflects Bhaskar.
Now back from sabbatical and in the United States, Bhaskar is focusing once again on completing his book on STEAM education and addressing proper perceptions of the achievement gap. He is also reflecting more on what STEM/STEAM education means to him and what it means to be a STEM/STEAM educator. This has proven to be a challenge for him, in that, philosophically Dr. Upadhyay believes STEM/STEAM is a good way to educate our youth but worries about losing the importance of the individual disciplines.
However, Bhaskar’s spirit and drive to understand and impact the world of STEM/STEAM is unwavering. Taking from his own personal interests in cooking and gardening, Bhaskar seeks to find stimulating and relevant contexts for children to learn STEM/STEAM concepts. He continues to look at how racialized experiences affect achievement gap and ways to create positive learning spaces for all youths.
Ultimately, Bhaskar looks forward to pursing work that touches his core and especially impacts teachers, parents and youth with the least privileges, whether they are in in the Twin Cities, Nepal, or elsewhere.
The EngrTEAMS research project was represented by the lead PI, Dr. Tamara Moore, during the Next Generation STEM Learning for All Forum supported by the NSF on November 9th, 2015 at the White House.
The Next Generation STEM Learning for All Forum was a capstone event to a week of administrative events supporting next generation learning. Thought leaders across the nation were invited to the White House to focus on the potential to transform STEM Learning and Education, strategizing how to best achieve collective impact, and coordinate toward national goals for STEM Education.
Of the many activities throughout the event, a highlight of Dr. Moore’s experience was participating in a group discussion around achievement gap with fellow researchers as well as advocate, philanthropist and rapper MC Hammer.
“I believe I was selected to participate in the discussion around achievement gap because of the range of partner districts on the EngrTEAMS project that provide great insights and experience”, says Dr. Tamara Moore.
The EngrTEAMS project was also represented during a poster session designed to showcase NSF-funded research and development, engage a broad community of stakeholders and facilitate networking across stakeholder groups.
To learn more about the Next Generation STEM Learning for All Forum visit their website at http://www.nsfstemforum.edc.org
Congratulations to Dr. Barbara Billington, Dr. Sehoya Cotner from the College of Biological Sciences, and their partner Andamio Games for receiving a $150,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to design a series of biology related applications for mobile devices.
These apps will focus on high school and college level biology lessons where groups of students can work together to model complex biological processes. The ability for multiple students to work simultaneously on a single project is a unique feature of this application and allows teachers to provide individualized teaching without separating students by their ability.
Dr. Billington and Dr. Cotner will conduct research on the biology lessons using this application.
A similar app, iNeuron, was another collaboration between Andamio Games and UofMN researchers from both CBS and the STEM Education Center. This app has been downloaded 50,000 times and a version 2 is currently under evaluation.
Read more about the NSF grant and development of this new application here!
Irene Duranczyk, associate professor in PsTL, made an “ignite” presentation at the American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges (AMATYC) annual conference in New Orleans on Friday, Nov. 20 on the research and need for open educational resources and creative commons text. This is an equity issue. At the conference, Duranczyk was also the State Delegate to the Annual Delegate Assembly of AMATYC held on Saturday. As the central region coordinator for the Research in Mathematics Education for Two Year Colleges (RMETYC), she attended the executive committee meeting and was present for the committee sponsored research presentations.
David Arendale, associate professor in PsTL, and Amanada Hane, his former graduate assistant, had another manuscript published from their qualitative study of UMN peer study group facilitators. It will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Developmental Education published by the National Center for Developmental Education. While there have been previous reports that some former study group leaders considered careers in education as a result of their experience, this is the first article that linked the behavior with vocational choice theory to help explain this outcome. Ms. Hane has an MS in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MA in Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She currently works at Wilder Research in Saint Paul, Minnesota and conducts community-based research and evaluation in the human services field.
As part of CEHD Reads, students in the First Year Inquiry (FYI) class visited the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) for a guided tour related to this year’s Common Book, Rez Life.
After reading the book, MIA volunteer docents select art works to view and discuss, framing the conversation around themes explored in Rez Life, also chosen as the MIA’s December book club selection.
During one tour, students examined Warrior with Shield by Henry Moore and reflected on the pride and dignity conveyed by the bronze statue of a wounded warrior, connecting it the dignity of indigenous people. While viewing The Intrigue, a painting by James Ensor, the docent explained the scandal created by the mixed race engagement of Ensor’s sister. In retaliation, Ensor portrays the town gossips hiding behind masks. The painting sparked a discussion about racial intolerance and the figurative masks people adopt to disguise their beliefs and emotions.
In the portrait, Little Crow, by Henry Cross, the artist depicts the Chief of the Mdewakanton Dakota dressed in a suit, tie and flowing red cape. Students questioned the painter’s disregard for Little Crow’s heritage, choosing to attire him in “white man’s clothing.” The docent explained this was Little Crow’s desire and accurately portrayed him during a time in his life when he tried to assimilate to white culture.
For some students, this was their first experience at the MIA and many expressed a desire to return. The docent’s selections offered a glimpse of the museum’s treasures and opened another path of inquiry for students to explore.
Dr. Karl Smith, Co-Director of the STEM Education Center, presented at the Council for Undergraduate Education meeting held December 2nd at Walter Library.
Topics of discussion included the STEM Education Grand Challenge Proposal submitted by Dr. Smith and colleagues as well as feedback from the recent AAU STEM Conference held on October 13th-14th in St. Louis, MO. The STEM Education Center Communications Coordinator, Kelly Auxier, attended the AAU conference on behalf of the University and provided notes and feedback for the CUE meeting.
The Council for Undergraduate Education, formerly the Council of Undergraduate Deans, was formed to bring people together across the University to share information and recommendations on University initiatives in undergraduate education.
An agenda and presentation materials of the December CUE meeting are available at the CUE website.
Responding to Racism on Campus
December 7 – MODULE 1: HOW PEOPLE OF COLOR EXPERIENCE RACISM ON CAMPUS – Center researchers will present data from campus racial climate studies we have conducted with students, faculty, and staff members of color at predominantly white institutions across the nation. Specific examples of people’s routine encounters with racial microaggressions and overt forms of racism on a wide range of campuses will be furnished. We will also help Penn Summit participants understand the persistence, pervasiveness, and undercurrents of racial problems that students of color are presently protesting.
December 9 – MODULE 2: RACE-CONSCIOUS INSTITUTIONAL LEADERSHIP– This module will focus on what campus leaders must do to more effectively respond to racism on campus. Emphasis will be placed on listening to and feeling what people of color say about their racialized experiences; reflecting on one’s own racial identity and prior racial socialization; and understanding what race-conscious institutional leadership entails. Leaders holding themselves and colleagues with whom they work more accountable for actualizing institutional missions and fostering inclusive campus environments will also be emphasized.
December 14 – MODULE 3: RACE-CONSCIOUSNESS IN CLASSROOMS AND CURRICULA: STRATEGIES FOR COLLEGE FACULTY – Topics in this module will include: creating inclusive classroom environments for students from all racial and ethnic groups; productively raising race questions and seemingly difficult topics in class discussions; making good educational use of racial tensions that arise between students in classroom conversations and in group work; and thoughtfully integrating racial topics and scholars of color into curricula across academic fields. Attention will also be paid to being more self-reflective and race-conscious in one’s approaches to teaching and learning.
December 16 – MODULE 4: STRATEGICALLY IMPROVING CAMPUS RACIAL CLIMATES – In this module, strategies will be presented for assessing and proactively addressing racial climate problems before they erupt in protest, or lead to marginalization and high attrition rates among students and employees of color. Presenters will engage participants in a strategic planning exercise focused on three levels: individual self, organizational unit (e.g., office, department/division, academic school), and the larger college/university campus. This planning exercise will help participants identify immediate and longer-term strategic actions for their specific contexts.
Dear CEHD:
There is no perfect way to craft this note to you and be free from all critique, the appearance of unnecessary bias, or the possibility of offending. Ironically, the quest to be correct, neutral, and safe in our current context requires the falsifying of premises that are very painful to accept as truth. Trying to wait to find that perfect voice, the perfect words or a perfect time to say ANYTHING is implicitly agreeing to take a biased and potentially offending stance. Given the complexity of human cognition and emotion and the varied impact thoughts and feelings can have on affect and behavior, continuing to endorse being silent borders on neglect.
A week ago, I watched the national nightly news with my 7th grade son. The coverage of the Jamar Clark shooting in North Minneapolis began to fill our home. My son was only partially attending to the news until he heard, “North Minneapolis.” I’ll never forget the next sequence of events as his eyes widened while they simultaneously focused on this local, national news story. My son slowly turned to me with a confused, yet subtly critical question for me, “Is this happening now?” He already knew the answer to that question, but what he respectfully and maturely embedded in that confused, critical question was, “Why aren’t we talking about this one?” Over time, we’ve talked about, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, I Can’t Breathe, Ferguson, Charleston and the Missouri Football team. We’ve talked about Paris, Syria and even the change in U.S./Cuba diplomatic relationships. Yet, on this particular local, national story, I was embarrassingly silent.
Was it because I was afraid he would ask why I’m not a part of the 4th precinct protests and my answer would weaken his trust in me as reliable social commentator? Was it because I didn’t want to land too firmly on one side just in case a new fact could weaken my stance? Was it because it’s easier to be vocal when it’s happening to a neighbor’s house, but less so when it’s my own backyard? I finally presented the facts like a good fair and balanced reporter. His first response was, “So they shot him in the head?” We proceeded to have the all too normal, deeper conversation. Perhaps it doesn’t really matter the reason why I was silent. Because in my silence, I neglected to see my son as an affected, connected and important person who needed to hear my voice long before he heard it first on the national news. I assumed or maybe hoped my silence would go unnoticed.
A college-aged black male was shot and killed by a person sworn to protect and serve. Witnesses said Jamar Clark was handcuffed when shot. The president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis challenged the witnesses to repeat their statements under a federal investigation. As a black male, I’m worried that those who are concerned about blanket accusations made against all police officers will want to minimize the facts or construct an explanation that is safer to process. I feel as though if I’m shot and killed by a police officer, too many will search for a reason to justify the homicide to avoid engaging in the possibility that deadly force was not the best option in my death. As a father of six black males, I’m worried that those who are uncomfortable or annoyed with the Black Lives Matter movement will take their frustrations out on my sons if any of them express an opinion that appears to align with black lives mattering.
There are students, staff, and faculty in our college who are being directly impacted by an understandably overwhelming series of local, national and global events. We encourage you to find time to be supportive and caring, to be incorrect, to be biased and to even take risks in connecting with others to share your voices as we imperfectly find the appropriate way to not neglect this current…………messiness. Hopefully, we can perfect the art of becoming comfortable imperfectly addressing when policing, passion, prejudice, protection, patriotism and politics intersect with varying degrees of apathy.
The Engineering Education Pioneers project recently highlighted Dr. Karl Smith, executive co-director of the STEM Education Center, on his lifetime achievements and visions for the future of engineering education.
The Engineering Education Pioneers project is focused on highlighting past change efforts in engineering education to forge the path for ongoing transformation in the field. A major project activity is to spotlight successful leaders and change agents in engineering education.
Dr. Smith’s profile is an extensive and enlightening look at his career path with many words of wisdom peppered throughout. Besides his own personal journey, Dr. Smith shares his ideas on where the world of engineering education could do better and where it will go in the future. Concluding with the following statement,
“People in my generation have done what we can, and I think now its up to the next generation to advance the community.”
Dr. Karl Smith encapsulates his profile by passing the torch to future educators who can learn from his experience to help advance the field of engineering education.
Read the full profile on the Engineering Education Pioneers website.
Christopher Johnstone, assistant professor in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, was honored with the 2015 Award for Global Engagement from the University of Minnesota’s Global Programs and Strategy Alliance on Nov. 20.
Johnstone, who was director of international programs and initiatives in the college for six years, led comprehensive changes in international outreach and opportunities for international and intercultural engagement for faculty, staff, and students. Among other accomplishments, he designed and delivered creative ways to engage faculty and staff in developing global opportunities for students and increased the number of international partnerships that further research and teaching in CEHD.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Dialogues in Dis/Ability: Disability Activism in Minnesota
11/13/15
11:00 AM
155 Blegen Hall
Incorporating Equity & Diversity into the Job Performance
11/13/15
1:00 PM
McNamara Alumni Center
Sensory-Friendly Saturday
11/14/15
8:00 AM
Bell Museum of Natural History
The Complexity of the Struggle of African Descendants in Cuba Today
11/14/15
1:00 PM
Sabathani Community Center (310 E 38th St, Minneapolis)
6:00 PM
Nicholson Hall 125
My Children! My Africa!
Every Wed., Thu., Fri., Sat. until November 29
7:30 p.m., Park Square Theatre (20 W. 7th Pl. St. Paul)
Difficult Conversations: Confronting Oppression with Friends & Family
November 18th
7:00pm – 8:30pm
Anderson Student Center 112
Hamline University
Trans Ally Training
Monday, November 30
6:00pm
Wescott Library (Eagan)
According to student development research conducted by psychologist Roy Heath, “reasonable adventurers” are college students “who know how to be alive.”
During a 3-week intensive global seminar titled Examining the ‘Good Life’ In Denmark and Sweden, Mike Stebleton (PsTL) intentionally challenged 24 UMN students to become reasonable adventurers. “One of my goals was to create engaging and active experiential learning situations where students felt somewhat uncomfortable yet still supported in the process,” says Stebleton.
Building resiliency and tolerance of ambiguity
To introduce the concept, Stebleton arranged a visit to the micro-nation of Ladonia and the Kullen National Park in southern Sweden. Here, the group navigated the steep, rocky climb to the Nimis and Arx sculptures created by controversial Swedish artist Lars Vilks. In this 1-square kilometer nation, many students climbed the towers and scaled impressive shoreline cliffs, while intellectually the class discussed issues of collective identity, nation building, and immigration issues in Scandinavia. The challenge of the hike and immersion into an unfamiliar environment helped foster resiliency and tolerance of ambiguity, two of Stebleton’s developmental outcomes for the seminar.
Ladonia set the stage for Stebleton to advance students’ ability to “be alive” during their Nordic experience with a Reasonable Adventurer Group Project. Working in small groups, students were required to explore the good life in community through an activity that pushed boundaries of comfort, provided cultural immersion and integrated academic concepts from the seminar’s curriculum. The following paragraphs highlight a few student reflections from the assignment, edited for clarity and length.
Examining the health care system following a visit to Bispebjerb Hospital
In Denmark where everyone feels safe and healthy because they know that they have a hospital to go to or a pharmacy to receive treatments is a calming thought so people do not mind paying taxes.
Learning about the Danish healthcare system makes me wonder if paying higher taxes is really a bad thing if it makes sure that I, along with my fellow citizens, are receiving the help that we need. If everyone has one less thing on their plate to worry about that means that they can continue to take care of their children or put more effort into working. Additionally, making sure that everyone is taken care of can contribute to that “good” life that the Danes seem to have mastered; everyone can feel safe, content, and happy to know that everyone is in safe keeping.
Reflecting on consumption at Ølfestival 2015, a Beer Brewers Festival
Nowhere at this festival was there evidence of excessive drinking; we attended the event for several hours and were there long enough for raucous attendants to become evident, but none surfaced.
It appears that part of why there is little to no alcohol stigma in Denmark is because the Danes have the capacity to responsibly manage consumption. This stands in contrast to America, where alcohol abuse is a clear and obvious issue and many individuals begin drinking before the legal drinking age with no education regarding drinking culture. I believe that the Danish tradition of drinking with the family from an early age helps educate and protect Danish youths from the dangers of alcohol, which makes drinking a safer and more enjoyable hobby. This could clearly affect Danish happiness; responsible drinking means less of the many negative externalities associated with excessive drinking.
Observing the roles of film and television in Denmark and Sweden
The two primary lessons I took away from my visits to the Danish Film Institute were the importance of film in culture and the difficulty of being in a place where you cannot speak the language. I had never before thought of film or TV as an extremely important aspect of culture. However, as the Danish Film Institute underscores, these visual arts are central to modern culture and are experienced every day.
During our visit to Sveriges Television we saw the great importance placed on national TV production, even given its great expense. Compared to the American TV industry, the Swedish TV industry has both advantages and disadvantages. The unbiased presentation of news is very impressive; however, this can come at the cost of limited freedom of speech. Also, American TV is so much bigger because it is founded in the free market, whereas Swedish TV relies on taxation to support itself. Of course, the corporate ownership of American TV can result in a bias.
Engaged learning and student development in all time zones
For many students, this trip was their first experience outside of North America, a reasonable adventure in itself. However, Stebleton believes passports are not required to embrace the spirit of a reasonable adventurer; the magic can happen right on campus. Reasonable adventurers are students who take calculated risks and approach their learning with a sense of energy, risk and full investment.
“Higher education professionals, especially student affairs practitioners and faculty, can foster the traits inherent in reasonable adventurers in a wide range of teaching and learning contexts,” says Stebleton.
“We are in a unique position to co-create learning environments where students have the opportunity to engage in active learning and become reasonable adventurers in this reciprocal and collaborative process.”
A new, landmark study calls into question the need and effectiveness of treating schizophrenia with strong doses of anti-psychotic drugs. The study, led by U of M and other university researchers across the U.S., found that lower doses of drugs, in tandem with heavier emphases on individual resiliency programs, show stronger results over a two-year period than current drug-centric approaches, without the debilitating medication side-effects.
Dr. Piper Meyer-Kalos, executive director of the U of M Center for Chemical and Mental Health in the School of Social Work, developed the individual resiliency program portion of the treatment research. This one-on-one treatment approach helps people get back to their lives post-schizophrenic episode, building back decision-making capabilities, and strengthening life-coping skills.
Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the study was recently published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
“This study, the largest of its kind in the U.S., emphasized the importance of treatment for early psychosis,” said Meyer-Kalos. “What is so exciting is that we are now beginning to see the impact from that investment. What the results of the study show is that when treatment includes a multi-disciplinary team-based approach, in addition to medication, individuals with schizophrenia have a better prognosis and quality of life.”
Since 2009, Meyer-Kalos has been part of the psychosocial development team of the study, called the Recovery After Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) project, and has co-led the individual therapy component (Individual Resiliency Training) of that project. Meyer-Kalos’s current research projects also include evaluation of the integrated treatment and training for mental health and substance abuse and chronic health problems in Minnesota.
The New York Times, Washington Post, and other national outlets have covered the groundbreaking research. Also see the story in MinnPost.
