Professors David O’Brien and Deborah Dillon (Curriculum and Instruction) traveled to Auckland, New Zealand to present at the World Congress Meeting of the International Reading Association, July 13, 2010. “Building Infrastructures to Foster Literacy Leadership and Change,” featured the research of Dillon, O’Brien, Houck, and Boehm on the creation of Minnesota Board of Teaching Reading Standards and policy issues impacting reading initiatives in the state of Minnesota. Their research will be used by members of the New Zealand Ministry of Education in their efforts to implement student and teacher reading standards in New Zealand. View image of O’Brien and Dillon with their daughter in NZ.
Professors Dillon and O’Brien were each awarded University of Minnesota International Travel Grants to offset a portion of the conference expenses. Deborah Dillon holds the Guy Bond Chair in Reading.