UNI Teacher Education News
Issue 1: March, 2009
Welcome to the first edition of UNI Teacher Education News, the e-newsletter for faculty, staff and students. The Office of Teacher Education in collaboration with the College of Education will produce a bi-monthly newsletter to share with campus. The purpose is to share information about what UNI is doing in Pre-K through 12 education and UNI's teacher education program. For more information, contact Maxine Davis, interim director, Instructional Resources and Technology Services at maxine.davis@uni.edu or 3-3339.
FROM THE DESK OF MELISSA HESTON
interim director of teacher education
Why Does the Professional Sequence Keep Increasing?
In a recent meeting, I was asked why the professional education sequence seems to expand with every new requirement imposed upon teacher education by the Iowa Department of Education. The answer is…it doesn’t. The professional sequence hasn't added a single credit hour or course since at least 1988. While there have been a number of recent state-imposed “additions” to the content in teacher education, these additions have been accommodated within the existing professional education sequence and various methods courses within specific majors. If you have questions about the teacher education program, e-mail me at melissa.heston@uni.edu.
NEWS
UTESAC Seeks New Members
The Undergraduate Teacher Education Student Advisory Council (UTESAC) is seeking applications for new members. The purpose of the group is to provide both the interim director of teacher education and the Council on Teacher Education with student input regarding program issues. Membership is limited to 13 students with equal representation from teaching majors inside and outside the College of Education. Applications for next year are due to the Office of Teacher Education (SEC 159A) by March 6, 2009. Applications can be downloaded at http://sites.google.com/site/utesac/documents. For eligibility criteria and more information about UTESAC visit http://sites.google.com/site/utesac/.
State Research and Development School Report
For the past year, two statewide committees have been working to make recommendations to the Iowa General Assembly to transform Malcolm Price Laboratory School into Iowa's Research and Development School. The committees have submitted their final report with recommendations that would improve and advance teaching and learning practices in the state of Iowa. The legislature will review the report during this legislative session. View the report at http://www.uni.edu/president/messages/.
IMSEP Reports
The Iowa Mathematics & Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) has completed three new reports. The Six Month Progress Report, Women and Minorities in STEM Programs at Iowa's Public Universities, and the Iowa High Schools-To-Regent Universities Mathematics Transition Guide, are now online at http://www.iowamathscience.org/reports. These reports highlight UNI and Regent universities' expertise in STEM education and showcase IMSEP initiatives and activities in Iowa.
I-Teach Mathematics and Science
The I-Teach project was developed to provide students with an interest in mathematics and science teaching an opportunity to learn more about teaching as a vocation and career. Thirty-five UNI students participated this fall and of those, 23 declared majors in math or science education by the end of the semester. As part of I-Teach, scholarships have been awarded to dozens of incoming mathematics and science teaching majors at UNI. These students also qualify for internships. For more information, contact Catherine Miller, associate professor of mathematics, at catherine.miller@uni.edu, or Jason Lang, instructor in biology, at jason.lang@uni.edu.
Professional Development School Pilot Study
The Professional Development School program was piloted during the 2007-08 school year in four Waterloo and Cedar Falls schools. This year the program expanded to seven additional schools. The program builds on UNI’s field experiences and strengthens partnerships with local school districts. For more information about the program, visit www.uni.edu/coe/pds. To view the Dec. 1 Waterloo Courier article, visit http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/12/01/news/local/10800098.txt
Education White Papers
Several UNI faculty have drafted white papers about state and national education issues. To learn more about these issues and UNI's expertise and activities in these areas, visit www.uni.edu/coe/_resources/hot_topics.shtml.
Hot Topics in Education Campus Series – STEM and the Achievement Gap
Six UNI faculty panelists presented Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) & the Achievement Gap on Feb. 11, in Maucker Union. Panelists included Jeff Weld, director, Iowa Mathematics & Science Education Partnership; Doug Hotek, associate professor, industrial technology; Catherine Miller, associate professor, mathematics; Cliff Chancey, department head, physics; Eugene Wallingford, department head, computer science; and Barry Wilson, associate professor, educational psychology and foundations. This is the first in a series of hot topics in education for staff, faculty and students.
Iowa Core Curriculum
The Iowa Core Curriculum (ICC) creates a set of essential skills and concepts in literacy, math, science, social studies and 21st century learning skills. UNI teacher education faculty have been leading several ICC committees. Faculty presented an online panel presentation (found at http://www.uni.edu/coe) about the ICC. For more information, contact Nadene Davidson, interim head, Department of Teaching and assistant professor, at nadene.davidson@uni.edu or 3-6171.
Learning Mathematics and Science Through the Arts
This spring, three interactive workshops will be offered to students majoring in education. The three-hour workshops focus on teaching in and through the arts by integrating music and movement with science and mathematics. The workshops are led by trained Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts teaching artists. For more information see UNI's news brief at or contact Amy Hunzelman, director of education and special programs, Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, at 3-3679.
Engaging Iowa Grant
The Engaging Iowa in Mathematics and Science federal grant will be offering Young Scientists Camps for students in grades five through eight during the weeks of July 6-10 and 13-17 on the UNI campus. This year’s themes will focus on alternative energy, Iowa’s environment and robotics. UNI faculty and students will be leading the camps. For more information, contact Katie Schafer, program assistant for chemistry and biochemistry, at katie.schafer@uni.edu.
Iowa Education Director Named Obama Panel Adviser
UNI alumna, Judy Jeffrey, director of the Iowa Department of Education, has been appointed to the Council of Chief State School Officers presidential transition task force. The task force is expected to look at the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind school accountability law and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and how those laws affect public schools. Jeffrey also has been named to the council's board of directors.
MALCOLM PRICE LABORATORY SCHOOL (PLS)
Authentic Intellectual Work
Last year, PLS served as one of nine pilot schools for a statewide study by the Iowa Department of Education on Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) as a tool for professional development for high school teachers. AIW helps schools engage students in higher-level thinking and understanding of concepts. PLS expanded this study for the current year to become the only school using AIW for Pre-K through eighth grade.
PLS Engaged in Outreach
Last year PLS outreach activities served at least 250 schools and nearly 1,500 teachers, with an estimated impact on more than 75,000 students.
SCHOLARSHIP, AWARDS AND OUTREACH
A listing of teacher education faculty (a university wide group) awards, recognition, scholarship and outreach will be shared in a future newsletter.
EVENTS
March 25: Distinguished Lecture with Judy Jeffrey, director, Iowa Department of Education, 2 p.m., SEC 244/245. Jeffrey will discuss the state of education in Iowa and changes on the horizon.
March 31: Teacher Education Induction Convocation. Join newly admitted teacher education students (all colleges and majors included), 4 p.m., GBPAC. Cindy Herndon, professor, health, physical education and leisure services will be speaking.
April 9: Black Hawk Elementary School Annual Visit, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
April 15: Hot Topics in Education – "21st Century Learning and the Iowa Core Curriculum," noon, CME.
April 23: Fourth Annual IDEA Diversity Summit, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Maucker Union