Recent College News
College of Education receives best practices award from national association
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education presented its 2012 Best Practice Award for Professional Ethics and Moral Dispositions in Teacher Education to Kansas State University’s College of Education, Feb. 19, at the association's 64th annual meeting in Chicago.
The award, accepted by Debbie Mercer, associate dean, recognizes excellence in a school, college or department of education for illustrative and purposeful attention to professional ethics and moral dispositions in teacher education.
Michael C. Holen, dean and Skeen Professor in Kansas State’s College of Education, said the foundation for this award had been cast many years earlier.
“Several decades ago, our faculty and school partners jointly crafted and implemented a conceptual framework emphasizing ethical, caring and respectful behavior as crucial components in our preparation of teachers and other school personnel,” he said. “We are gratified to see our refinement of these elements of our program recognized by the profession.”
The winning applicant was required, among many criteria, to describe the kind of professional educator the program or unit is trying to foster, within the context of education in a democracy; explain how dispositions and professional ethics enact values and relate to knowledge and skills; demonstrate how a clear theory and practice relate to the development of dispositions; and demonstrate the success or impact of the policies and practices on developing professional ethics and moral dispositions in teacher candidates.
K-State was selected because of its ability to provide clear coherence among vision, development, and assessment of dispositions across the unit. The review committee commended the College of Education for its in-depth approaches to showing solid integration of the focus of dispositions across categories that guide the program.
Academic advising student strives for master's while serving Peace Corps
Susan Kay is a student in the Kansas State University academic advising master’s program. But Kay is a bit unusual in that she is working toward her master’s while serving the United States Peace Corps in Azerbaijan.
After 30 years working in social service programs serving the elderly in northern Ohio, Kay resigned her position to join the Peace Corps. She said her job was rewarding, and she maintains an excellent relationship with the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging. But Kay had lost some of her passion for the day-to-day work.
Kay’s Peace Corps site placement is the EducationUSA Advising Center, Sumgayit, Azerbaijan. The center is one of 400 worldwide promoting higher education in the U.S. Kay has found fulfillment, purpose and new energy in advising.
The EducationUSA network provided online self-guided training.
Kay’s determination to serve Azerbaijan students led her to researching academic advising practices, bringing her to the master’s degree program at Kansas State.
Kay said, “The students are hopeful, hard working and intelligent; they deserve the best I can provide.”
Kay shares her learning with her host country co-worker, Günel Asgerova. They discuss cultural differences and implications for student services.
“Sharing knowledge is essential to my Peace Corps service and to the sustainable quality advising practices in Sumgayit,” Kay said.
Kay’s work with students extends beyond the center. She has also been involved with Junior Achievement–Azerbaijan, working with secondary school students.
“I was a volunteer with JA–North Central Ohio and was thrilled to find JA in Azerbaijan,” Kay said. She is also engaged with students through the Paul Coverdell World Wise Schools by writing to five different classrooms in Ohio, New Jersey, California and Michigan.
“Writing monthly letters to the schools and answering their questions is an opportunity to share my Peace Corps experience with children in the United States, introducing them to global citizenship and diversity,” she said.
Enrolling in the master’s degree in academic advising has enriched her work with students.
“My knowledge of student development, my skills in relationship building and communication, interview techniques, and understanding of the challenges international students face, improve with each course I take,” Kay said.
Kay will finish her Peace Corps service in December. When she returns to the U.S., she hopes to complete her master’s degree and find a position in academic advising.
“The Kansas State curriculum, especially the opportunity to complete the classes as a distance learner, is enhancing my Peace Corps service in Azerbaijan,” she said.
International recognition:
Doctoral student presenting research on literacy in Sudan to United Nations
A Kansas State University doctoral student is getting international attention for her research involving literacy and education in Sudan.
Stephanie Pearson, doctoral student in curriculum and instruction, New York City, will present her research before the United Nations General Assembly on Feb. 21 and Feb. 23. She will speak at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
Pearson's presentations are part of a United Nations' weeklong series that focuses on Africa. During the week, presenters and researchers from around the world will discuss ways to empower and educate African populations.
"This is recognition for the people who desperately need somebody to care and to see what is going on," Pearson said. "It is also an amazing opportunity to represent Kansas State University as well as the new breed of teachers and educators who are going through the College of Education."
Pearson was invited to give a presentation about her research on education in Sudan, particularly literacy and reading skills among children. She is working with Project Education Sudan, which is a component of the United Nations that helps to support education in Africa by honoring and valuing the culture of the Sudanese people first and foremost.
Sudan has limited educational resources, Pearson said. It has a Ministry of Education, but it is newly formed and still being refined. Similarly, isolated villages often have no teachers and limited educational supplies that might only consist of a chalkboard with lessons taught outside.
As a result, the literacy rates in Sudan are very low, Pearson said, with most children reading at the same level as a second-grader. Additionally, the few children who continue attending school often receive no more than an eighth-grade education. Pearson's research looks at how these low literacy rates are affected by outside influences, particularly genocide and the formation of the new Republic of South Sudan as its own country. "These events have created opportunities for researchers to come in to Sudan and not only give the Sudanese people tools, but also to provide them with strategies that might help bring up the literacy rate," Pearson said.
Project Education Sudan assists communities by giving them tools to build an educational structure while still respecting their culture. Before even entering a village, the project works with native Sudanese people who build relationships and obtain permission from the village elders before anyone even enters the village.
"We feel that making sure the relationship starts off right is the only way that our partnership can work," Pearson said. "We do not go over there to invade their culture and tell them what to do. We empower communities by giving them the tools and foundation to start with, but what they do with that is up to them."
Pearson became involved in Project Education Sudan after spending three years teaching the first and fourth grades in Harlem, N.Y. Her classes had very diverse populations that included Sudanese refugees.
"I didn't know how to teach them because there were bigger issues going on beyond their education," Pearson said. "Their literacy levels were far lower than I thought they would be and there was no foundational knowledge to even start with. After doing research and contacting organizations, I began to realize that one of the main problems was that these children were not receiving any type of education in Sudan."
Soon after, Pearson connected with Project Education Sudan and then began a master's and doctoral program in curriculum and instruction at Kansas State University. While looking at ways to improve literacy in Sudan, she is working with Lotta Larson, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction.
Pearson will travel to Sudan in January 2013 to meet with government officials and villagers throughout Sudan.
"We feel that without this foundational knowledge of literacy, you can't move on," Pearson said. "Literacy is in everything you do and I can't imagine functioning in a world where I don't have that option."
Kansas to lead effort to write new science standards
Kansas has been selected as one of a group of states that will lead an important effort to improve science education for students nationwide.
In all, 20 states will lead the development of Next Generation Science Standards, which will clearly define and integrate the content and practices students need to learn from kindergarten through high school. The National Research Council, which is the staffing arm of the National Academy of Sciences, coordinates the Next Generation Science Standards process. The standards development process is being managed by Achieve, an education reform nonprofit organization.
"This is great news for Kansas and for Kansas students," said Kansas Education Commissioner Diane DeBacker. “As a lead state partner, Kansas will have an increased opportunity to have its voice heard as these standards come together and will reap the benefits of collaboration with other states.”
Four K-State faculty members are on the team to review proposed standards: Jackie Spears, professor of curriculum and instruction and director of the Center for Science Education; Kimberly Staples, associate professor of curriculum and instruction; Bette Grauer, assistant dean of the College of Engineering; and John Harrington, professor of geography.
National collaboration on the new science standards brings many benefits, chiefly efficiency and consistency, which will ultimately result in cost savings, according to Spears.
"Like the Common Core Standards in English language arts and mathematics, this is a win-win process all the way," Spears said. "The biggest winners will be the students who currently face challenges when they move from state to state because the standards differ."
In addition to Kansas, the lead state partners are: Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.
"The lead state partners will provide important leadership and guidance throughout the development of the Next Generation Science Standards and are to be congratulated for making a strong commitment to improving science education," said Michael Cohen, president of Achieve. "This will be a collaborative process that will lead to a set of standards that provides America’s students a strong foundation in science and supports college and career readiness for all."
The development of the Next Generation Science Standards is a two-step process. The first step was building a framework that identified core ideas and practices in natural sciences and engineering that all students should be familiar with by the time they graduate. In July, the National Research Council released "A Framework for K-12 Science Education," developed by a committee representing expertise in science, teaching and learning, curriculum, assessment and education policy.
The second step is the development of science standards based on the framework. As a lead state partner, Kansas will guide the standard writing process, gather and deliver feedback from state-level committees and come together to address common issues and challenges.
Staples’ provides perspective regarding the initiative. "Our state and nation have a vested interest in the science standards and the meaningful ways it will influence both science teacher education and the scope and depth of science content and processes K-12 students will receive," she said. "We enthusiastically accept this responsibility and firmly believe the decisions and direction we select will positively impact STEM education and ultimately increase the populace of students entering STEM careers."
The lead state partners also agree to commit staff time to the initiative and, upon completion, give serious consideration to adopting the Next Generation Science Standards. In order to be considered, states had to submit a letter with the signature of the chief state school officer and chair of the state's board of education.
"Participation in this process will push Kansas to think in new ways about its process for standards development and who is at the table as that process takes place," DeBacker said. "I believe the experience will prove valuable both in the development of new science standards for Kansas and in informing our process for standards development in other content areas."
American students continue to lag internationally in science education, making them less competitive for current and future jobs. A recent U.S. Department of Commerce study shows that over the past 10 years, growth in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM, jobs was three times greater than that of non-STEM jobs. The report also shows that STEM jobs are expected to continue to grow at a faster rate than other jobs in the coming decade.
"I believe the involvement of Kansas as a lead state partner in developing the Next Generation Science Standards provides us an opportunity to grow from our current focus on science knowledge to a focus that will engage students in the scientific and engineering enterprise," said Paul Adams, president of the Kansas Association for Teachers of Science and Anschutz professor of education and professor of physics at Fort Hays State University. "By participating in this process and embracing the Framework for K-12 Science Education, Kansas is building a solid foundation to grow a STEM-literate workforce and is investing in the future intellectual capital of the state."
For more information, visit the SDE science website at www.ksde.org/science or the Next Generation Science Standards website at www.nextgenscience.org.
Sixth edition of education professor's book just released
The sixth edition of a teaching methods textbook written by Paul Burden, professor and assistant dean for operations in the College of Education, has just been released with many important additions.
Published by Pearson, the first edition of “Methods for Effective Teaching” was released in 1994 and has steadily claimed market position as one of the top three of all books on K-12 general teaching methods. The fifth edition was also released in Chinese
“I’m always looking at what’s emerging such as common core curriculum, bullying, student engagement, and response to intervention,” Burden said. “With every edition I want to capture important changes and get where the profession is going. The market will determine if it’s a good product.”
Burden updated information and made a real commitment to adding time-relevant content because that’s what future teachers need. “It’s satisfying to me to know I’m going to be influencing young teachers all around the country,” he said. “I just know this is the right material to give them as a beginning teacher.”
College of Education Dean Mike Holen brings a macro view of the textbook’s impact based on the author’s strengths.
“Paul's book has become a top seller because each edition is refreshed with new and vital topics to enhance teacher preparation,” Holen said. “He should be proud to know his scholarship will positively impact the learning of untold thousands of school children through the teachers influenced by his insights.”
In addition to content changes, the publisher completely reformatted the book to a larger size and added color and graphics.
“I think this new attractive format will really catch attention,” Burden said. “It’s just more visually pleasing.” “Methods for Effective Teaching” has been chosen for two education courses at K-State. “It’s nice to know that my colleagues have looked at the other books and selected this one,” he said.
Burden has written two textbooks, the other is “Classroom Management” and the revised edition will be released in August. He has also authored two books for teachers, “Establishing Career Ladders in Teaching” and “Countdown to the First Day of School."
Education faculty members receive research grants from university
Two College of Education faculty members were each recently awarded University Small Research Grants, one for identifying misconceptions in math and the other for an international literacy project.
Sherri Martinie and Laurie Curtis, assistant professors in curriculum and instruction, were awarded $2,500 and $2,000 grants respectively.
Martinie’s grant supports her on-going investigative work titled “Battling Decimal Fraction Misconceptions," which involves identifying students’ misconceptions in math then administering intervention strategies. Students, she said, often use logic and other techniques to solve math problems, but the trick is catching when they misapply a technique. “If students do well enough, teachers don’t typically pay close enough attention, and students advance through the system because their misconceptions produce the right answers often enough.”
Martinie will use the grant funds to launch a pilot study in two Kansas classrooms. “It has to be small enough for us to have access to the school and deliver instruction,” she said. “Any data we collect will be beneficial.”
In contrast, Curtis’ project focuses on providing professional development opportunities in shared and guided reading for teachers in Grenada. She first provided this instruction in fall 2010, which came on the heels of Grenada’s teachers being trained as reading specialists after completing a USAID Caribbean Centre of Excellence in Teacher Training project. After returning to Grenada in fall 2011, she realized the annual fall trips indicated the need for more frequent instruction.
“While the teachers had certainly made progress, it became obvious that they would benefit from successive instruction,” Curtis said. “I will return in the spring to observe teacher practice and provide them with information on practical literacy assessments that will help focus instruction for their students. We will also determine what other professional development is needed and what resources and support I can provide. Most importantly, I will help facilitate an exchange between Reading Specialists in Kansas, K-State students and literacy teachers in Grenada to form a partnership where teachers can share ideas about best practices in literacy instruction.”
Curtis has been an assistant professor of curriculum and instruction since 2008 and teaches undergraduate and graduate literacy courses.
Martinie has taught elementary, secondary and high school math throughout her career and joined the faculty in August.
Kappa Delta Pi chapter receives multiple awards at convocation
Lotta Larson, assistant professor in curriculum and instruction, and seven pre-service teachers accepted multiple awards and made four presentations at the Kappa Delta Pi convocation last month in Indianapolis.
Kappa Delta Pi, international honor society in education, celebrated its 100th anniversary this year. Larson said the awards were especially meaningful because this year marks K-State’s Iota Xi chapter’s 50th anniversary of Kappa Delta Pi membership. Kappa Delta Pi has 582 chapters and 45,000 international members.
The K-State chapter received a monetary award for winning the national Kappa Delta Pi Program Award in the service category for its Literacy Alive! project, subtitled Literacy Integrating Kids & Soldiers, or L.I.N.K.S., and general service projects.
The L.I.N.K.S. project came to life thanks to fourth-graders at Morris Hill Elementary School on Fort Riley. The students, using literacy and technology, created an electronic book complete with photos and a video that documented the process. Students read each page until the book was completed then it was then sent to their parent who was deployed in Iraq.
“Community service is a big part of what we do in Kappa Delta Pi. It is especially meaningful when we make a difference in our local schools. Not only do K-12 students benefit but it’s also an opportunity for our KDP members to experience what it is like to teach and work directly with children,” Larson said. “It’s definitely a win-win situation.”
At the convocation, Larson was awarded the Regional Counselor Award for outstanding service to the society. Two preservice teachers were recognized for scholastic excellence. Emily Riley, a music education major, was the recipient of the Jerry Robbins Scholarship, and Stephanie Alderman-Oler, secondary science education major, accepted the Kappa Delta Pi Presidents’ Scholarship. Alderman-Older also received the Kappa Delta Pi Distinguished Chapter Officer Award in recognition of her outstanding accomplishments as Kappa Delta Pi President of the K-State chapter.
“All of our students represented K-State so well,” Larson said. “It made it worth all of the effort. I was so proud of them.”
Larson presented two workshops, “It Begins at home: Forming Successful Parent-Teacher Partnerships” and “E-Books and E-Book Readers: Teaching Reading t to 21st-Century Kids.” Alderman-Oler presented “Alternative Summer School: A Space for Growth” as part of a round table presentation. In a poster session, Alderman-Oler and fellow pre-service teacher Lauren Cantril shared a visual display of “L.I.N.K.S.: Literacy Integrating Kids and Soldiers”.
In addition to Alderman-Oler and Cantril, preservice teachers Elizabeth Hardie, Kristen Eck, Jacquelyn Ballew and Colby Heckathorne also attended the convocation.
Always in tune: Music expert says Christmas music not just limited to the season, and the happiness it brings may be the reason
If it seems the sounds of the season -- "Jingle Bells," "Deck the Halls," "Joy to the World" and other holiday favorites -- are being heard more and more out of season, a Kansas State University music expert says there's a reason.
Hearing Christmas music before December is becoming more common, and Jana Fallin, professor of music education at Kansas State, says there may be a deeper meaning behind this trend.
"As far as people's obsession with Christmas music, I think they just like that warm, happy, joyous feeling it brings," Fallin said. "Part of it is what we want the music to represent, because we want Christmas to be about family, full of love and all of those thoughts. I think people just want to be happy."
Fallin said the meaning found in Christmas music is linked to the brain's limbic system, which contains the amygdala, the location of emotional responses, and the hippocampus, the area that consolidates memory.
"You know how you hear a song and you remember the person you were dancing with at the senior prom? It moves you around in time through those memories and emotions in the brain," she said. "All of that is going on with Christmas carols because it takes us back to our childhood. When we hear them, we remember gifts that we received as children or family members that are no longer with us."
In the 15th century, priests used Christmas carols to tell the story of the birth of Jesus because of the high levels of illiteracy at the time. Fallin said carols were simple and easy to sing, which helped people remember the aspects of the story.
Christmas music has since evolved into a holiday tradition. Fallin says the custom of carols consists of four categories: religious, secular, traditional and humorous. Religious tunes relay the story of Jesus' birth; secular music involves tales of Santa Claus and Christmas love stories; traditional songs include holiday classics such as "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"; and the humorous genre is represented in such songs as "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer."
This tradition of holiday music creates a sense of timelessness surrounding certain carols, but it can also make it difficult for artists to write new Christmas music, Fallin said.
"I think it is harder for more contemporary artists to get original Christmas songs to become a hit," she said. "Some of them are just so trite, so sometimes I don't like the new stuff, and sometimes I do. It's just kind of whatever speaks to you."
Fallin suggests people look up their favorite artist online if they are looking for Christmas music that differs from the mainstream. The singer or songwriter may have recorded several original songs in the holiday genre or created a unique version of a classic carol that may be enjoyable.
While Christmas music may be an obsession for some, or a tolerated tradition for others, Fallin says it's hard to deny that carols are a major component of the holiday season.
"All celebrations have music -- weddings, funerals, graduations -- and we know through research that there has never been a culture that didn't have music, even early on," Fallin said. "So music helps us celebrate the traditions of our culture, and certainly Christmas music does that. It helps us celebrate."
Dedicated to teaching: Curriculum and instruction professor is awarded faculty excellence award
The College of Education at Kansas State University has chosen Jeong-Hee Kim, an associate professor of curriculum and instruction, as the recipient of this year's Faculty Excellence in Research/Creative Activities Award.
Kim was chosen for the award because of her commitment to making a difference in education through her rigorous research agenda and her continuous search for ways to improve education at all levels, said Michael Holen, dean of the College of Education.
"Jeong-Hee's growing national research reputation stems from her application of exciting new methodologies to critical problems of practice to guide the profession's efforts to improve the learning of our most at-risk students," Holen said.
Kim teaches graduate courses in curriculum and instruction, and her research and scholarship centers on curriculum theorizing grounded in narrative inquiry and phenomenology. Her research interests include exploring the experiences of at-risk students to find ways to improve education for disenfranchised students and understanding teachers' experiences to promote teacher agency, autonomy and professionalism.
"I am very honored to have been selected to receive the Faculty Excellence in Research/Creative Activities Award," Kim said. "However, in accepting this award, I must thank my department and college, along with my colleagues and students for providing endless support, encouragement and inspiration for my research over the last six years. Without them, this achievement would not have been possible."
After joining the K-State faculty in 2005, Kim has earned several other awards, including the Best Narrative Research Article Award in 2007 and the Best Theory Article Award in 2009. She has also received numerous research grants from the university, including the Tilford Multicultural Incentive Award.
Kim grew up in South Korea, where she was a public school teacher for 10 years before coming to the United States to earn her doctorate in curriculum studies from Arizona State University.
As the award recipient, Kim will be recognized at the College of Education's commencement ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 in Bramlage Coliseum.
Dean Holen awarded Golden Apple from Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom
The Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom recently presented Michael Holen, dean of the College of Education, with the Golden Apple award for years of unwavering support.
This award is only given to individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help the foundation meet its mission of connecting Kansas classrooms with agriculture. In many cases, the dedication of these individuals to the foundation's mission is astonishing.
“Dean Holen has been very supportive in every way over the years including helping us find funding,” said Cathy Musick, executive director for the foundation. “We have benefited daily from his leadership, executive experience and even his history. It has been an amazing asset for us to have a dean with an agriculture background.”
Holen demonstrated his support for the the foundation program by allocating the precious resources of space in Bluemont Hall and the college's employees’ time to help the foundation achieve its goals and mission. Holen also ensured the foundation's employees have the same benefits as state employees.
Recently, Holen announced he is moving to the School of Leadership Studies where he will continue to oversee the Midwest Equity Assistance Center, the National Academic Advising executive offices and the office of educational innovation and evaluation. At the end of the 2011-12 academic year, Holen will enter phased retirement.
“I am very honored by this award because I know the time and energy the foundation board members give to this program, so I know there are many deserving people,” Holen said. “Clearly for the state of Kansas, having a broad awareness of the importance of agriculture to our economy, lifestyle and values is crucial. Kansas State is the right place to be the home of this effort. I appreciate what KFAC has done to make education better for the children of Kansas.”
College of Education joins national group redefining doctorate degree in education
Kansas State University's College of Education recently joined an elite group – just 57 universities nationwide – for the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate. This program will redefine doctoral training for school leaders and potentially impact every child's education in the country.
The purpose of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate is to strengthen the doctorate in education and make it a more relevant degree for practitioners. Erroneously perceived as "Ph.D.-lite," the doctorate in education has suffered an identity crisis essentially since its inception at Harvard in 1921. K-State, the only Kansas university participating in the Carnegie Project, was invited to join the consortium following a competitive selection process.
Why K-State?
David Thompson, professor and chair of the college's department of educational leadership, is pleased to be at the forefront of the national dialogue.
"K-State has a long and distinguished history of granting doctoral degrees in education since 1968," he said. "In addition, we are a top producer of Ed.D. professionals in the state of Kansas. We are proud to be part of this elite group and believe we have more to learn and much to contribute to the national conversation."
The discussion will focus on defining and restoring the purpose of a doctorate in education so that it becomes the degree of choice for school leaders.
"The doctorate degree should be evaluated by every institution that offers it for the purpose of moving good education to great education," he said.
Thompson said that successful schools, like all successful organizations, are the sum total of many factors, especially leadership.
"This — the Carnegie Project — is of critical national importance and is why we are involved in educational leadership," Thompson said. "We understand, increasingly every day, that the quality of educational leadership is tied to the outcomes of our schools. Through the Ed.D. program, we are training today's and tomorrow's school leaders and consequently deeply impacting the education children will receive."
This begs the questions: 1) What's the difference between an Ed.D. and Ph.D.?; and 2) Who should pursue which degree?
These and other higher order questions were addressed in October at a Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate conference convening in Vermont where Thompson served a K-State's representative.
"The consensus was that a differentiation between the Ed.D. and Ph.D. should rely on breadth of skills," Thompson said. "A Ph.D. would teach one how to research a problem or issue at a sophisticated level while an Ed.D. should give wider research skills aimed at recognition, application and practice across the complexity of a social system."
He likened it to the roles of a medical doctor and medical researcher.
"A medical researcher doesn't regularly see patients; however, the researcher provides information that will impact patient care," Thompson said. "The M.D. – the practitioner – will determine how to apply the information produced by the researcher. In the case of distinguishing the Ed.D., a Ph.D. would provide research that an Ed.D. would put into practice."
The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate cohorts meet twice a year, and the next convening will be at California State University-Fresno in June 2012 followed by one in October at the College of William and Mary. During each hiatus, member institutions are expected to consider and apply Carnegie Project principles to their own doctoral programs.
The Carnegie Foundation unveiled Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate in 2007 (Phase 1) with about 24 colleges and universities. Phase II began in 2011 for the purpose of widening the impact of the Carnegie Project throughout the nation. Eventually, a Phase III is planned, again for transplanting best practices into even more of the nation's doctorate in education degree-granting institutions.
For more information about Carnegie Project, please visit cpedinitiative.org, cpedinitiative.org/emerging-literature or contact David Thompson at thomsond@k-state.edu.
Suspenseful debut: School law expert pens first novel, draws on expertise in sexual harassment prevention
Teacher-to-student sexual abuse. It's a chilling problem that always seems to be in the news, most recently with the conviction of an Ohio teacher for having sex with five of her students.
As one of the nation's leading forensic experts in school law, particularly sexual harassment, abuse prevention and risk management, Kansas State University's Robert Shoop has come up with a novel -- and suspenseful -- way of drawing more attention to the problem of the sexual exploitation of a child by a teacher.
Shoop, a professor of educational administration, has written his first novel, "Compulsion," a suspense thriller about the search for a middle school teacher who's a serial child molester and possible murderer.
The book draws from Shoop's long career in sexual harassment prevention. He wrote his first article on sexual harassment in 1984 and went on to write 19 textbooks, five of them on various legal issues related to public schools. He has conducted sexual harassment prevention training programs for public schools, social agencies, universities and sport associations. In the past 10 years he's served as a forensic expert in more than 65 sexual abuse and sexual harassment cases. His expertise also has led to appearances on CNN, "The Today Show," ABC's "20/20," ESPN's "Outside the Lines," Fox News and more.
"I am discouraged that I'm seeing as much or more cases of teacher sexual abuse of student now as I have ever seen," Shoop said. "While I wanted to write an entertaining read, I also wrote this novel with the hope that teachers, administrators and parents would read it and become more aware of the seriousness of the problem of educator sexual exploitation."
"Compulsion," which is published by CreateSpace and available at Amazon.com and Kindle, features retired detective Adam Faulkner, who specialized in sexual exploitation cases after the abduction and murder of his childhood love, Julie Romano. Faulkner is asked to come out of retirement by Sarah Abbott, who wants his help in finding Tony Shepherd, a teacher who molested her in middle school. The two link Shepherd to Julie's death and find out he is still teaching, moving around every few years and changing his name.
"Tony Shepherd is an evil man, but not a aberration," Shoop said. "People who molest children generally do not dress in trench coats and hang around playgrounds. In almost every case I have worked on someone has said, 'He is the last person I would have believed could do such a horrible thing.' Tony is married, clean-cut, charming, good-looking, doesn't smoke or drink -- what parent would not want him to be around their child? In fact, the working title for the novel was 'The Last Person I Would Expect.'"
Drawing attention to a contemporary problem was among Shoop's goals in writing the book.
"While the vast majority of school people are competent caring people doing a difficult job, not all are, he said. "If teachers and parents are not paying attention, more children are going to be sexually abused. The good news is that states are beginning to respond to the serious problem of sexual exploitation in schools. Kansas, as well as other states, have recently passed laws that address unethical educators.
"However, hardly a week goes by without a reporter calling to ask me to explain why a teacher in their town would molest one of their students," Shoop said.
It took Shoop about three years to write "Compulsion" -- about three times as long it usually takes him to write a textbook.
"This was a new experience and definitely took me out of my comfort zone," he said. "Writing a novel, where the focus is on being entertaining, was much more difficult than writing a textbook. You also get more feedback than you do with a textbook."
Shoop said he had plenty of inspiration for his book. An avid reader, some of his favorite contemporary authors are James Crichton, James Patterson, Scott Turow, Ken Follett, Tom Clancy, Sue Grafton, Nora Roberts, Harlan Coben and Patricia Cornwell. Shoop said "Compulsion" is written more like suspense books by Crichton and Grafton, where readers know who the villain is before the protagonists in the book do.
The experience of writing a novel has been a gratifying one, Shoop said. "The book hasn't been out long, but I've heard from a lot of people who said it has really made them think about one of the most disturbing problems in our schools today."
Former and current school administrators have reviewed the book and Amazon.com, and Shoop is earning praise for sharing his insight into the problem of teacher-to-student sexual abuse in a compelling fashion.
Shoop isn't putting his pen down soon. He's already working on his second novel, which will team Faulkner and Abbott on a second case involving the hunt for someone who is killing ski instructors.
At Kansas State University, Shoop is senior scholar at the School of Leadership Studies and director of the school's Cargill Center for Ethical Leadership. He also serves as a consultant to school districts, universities and corporations on standards of care and harassment and abuse prevention. Along with his 19 textbooks, he is the author of more than 100 journal articles, monographs and book chapters.
Education professor travels to Cuba for reading research
Socorro Herrera, professor of elementary education and director of the Center for Intercultural and Multilingual Advocacy, traveled to Havana, Cuba, from Oct. 10-15 as a member of an international team of researchers in the field of reading.
Herrera was part of a select group of delegats that will study the Cuban National Literacy Campaign and the impact on the education system of Cuba 50 years later. The trip involved faculty from around the world who have experience in the field of reading research, and participation was limited to members of the International Reading Association. The research findings will be published and presented at the 2012 International Reading Association Conference.
Search committee appointed to find the next dean of the College of Education
Provost April Mason has appointed the search committee to conduct the national search for the next dean of the College of Education.
Mike Holen announced earlier this year that he would be stepping down from the deanship at the end of the 2011-2012 academic year. The chair of the search committee is Sue Maes, dean of the Division of Continuing Education. Provost Mason will be delivering the charge to this group soon and outlining her expectations and the time line under which the search process will proceed. It is anticipated that the new dean will be in place by July 2012.
The search committee members include:
• Chair: Sue Maes, dean of the Division of Continuing Education
• Andy Bennett, professor, mathematics
• Cindy Bontrager, assistant vice president, budget and planning
• Mary Devin, associate professor, educational leadership
• Greg Eiselein, professor, English
• Susan Erichsen, public service administrator I
• David Griffin, assistant dean/associate professor, College of Education
• Ken Hughey, professor and chair, special education, counseling and student affairs
• Marty Kramer, director of development, KSU Foundation
• James Robert "J.R." Love, doctoral student in student affairs
• Charlie Nutt, executive director, NACADA
• Gail Shroyer, professor and chair, curriculum and instruction
• Brad Sidener, senior vice president and CFO, Kansas State University Alumni Association
• Jackie Spears, professor and director, Center for Science Education
• Ron Walker, superintendent of schools, USD 475
• Sally Yahnke, associate professor, curriculum and instruction
• Dan Yunk, executive director/CEO, Kansas Farm Bureau and former superintendent of USD 383
Larson wins Kappa Delta Pi Regional Counselor Award for West Region
Lotta Larson, assistant professor in curriculum and instruction, received the 2011 Kappa Delta Pi Regional Counselor Award for the West Region.
The award will be presented at the 2011 Kappa Delta Pi Convocation in Indianapolis, Ind., in November where Larson and six undergraduate students will be in attendance. Larson was nominated by the Kappa Delta Pi officers at K-State and by the regional Kappa Delta Pi representative, Karen Sprunger.
The award is in recognition of Larson's dedication and achieved excellence as a counselor and leader who represents the mission and ideals of the Kappa Delta Pi society.
Curriculum and instruction professor named national outstanding local adviser for National Education Association
Laurie Curtis, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, was named the 2011 national outstanding local adviser for the National Education Association. She won the award for the Kansas National Education Association-Student Program last year.
College of Education faculty direct professional development symposium for educators nationwide
Faculty from the Center for Intercultural and Multilingual Advocacy of the College of Education conducted professional development for lead faculty from five universities across the nation: the University of Arkansas, East Carolina University, Morningside College, Eastern New Mexico University and Pennsylvania State University, Sept. 14-18.
This was the eighth symposium of a 10-part series that was developed by Socorro Herrera, professor of elementary education and executive director of the center; Kevin Murry, associate professor of secondary education and director of research and development for the center; and Tonnie Martinez, associate professor of secondary education and associate director of the center. The symposium was facilitated by Cristina Fanning, associate director and instructor for the center, and Shabina Kavimandan, project manager for the dean of the College of Education. The three days of sessions for lead faculty at these institutions featured the findings of recent research in the field, standards of best practice and biography-driven strategies for English language acquiring students.
The write stuff: Penmanship still important skill for kids to have, education expert says
Laptops, cellphones, smartphones, tablets. It's becoming an e-world when it comes to messaging, but a Kansas State University education expert says that doesn't mean it's time to put a period to handwriting.
Laurie Curtis, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at K-State, said although penmanship isn't as much of a life skill as it was 20 years ago, children should still be provided explicit opportunities to learn and practice this important skill daily.
"Historically, handwriting was considered an art," Curtis said. "It was practiced for several hours a week. I don't think we need to focus on it as much as before because computer literacy is important too, but there are many instances where penmanship is still essential."
When the act of writing is well practiced, less cognitive energy is focused on writing, allowing for the writer to focus on content and information, Curtis said.
"Cursive handwriting allows for fluency in communication," she said. "This type of fluency allows the ability to record ideas quickly and effortlessly."
Curtis also said that all handwriting helps students develop fine motor skills and it reinforces actions like buttoning a shirt or zipping a jacket.
"As young children practice writing, they are using a multisensory pathway to remember the shapes and names of the letters they will need as they learn to read," she said. "Keyboarding, simply poking letters to form words on a screen, doesn't allow children to utilize their motor memory to enhance spelling and word comprehension."
Curtis said it's important for children to learn neatness, correct letter formation and spacing. Children also use written communication to provide valuable information to others, such as their name, address and phone number.
"Legible handwriting helps them provide that information accurately," she said. "It also helps children succeed in school assignments because good penmanship can directly affect scores on essays, math problems and spelling tests."
New Fort Leavenworth graduate education and outreach director to strengthen ties between university, post
The bond between Fort Leavenworth and Kansas State University received an extra knot of strength with the addition of Cheryl Polson as graduate education and outreach director.
Carol Shanklin, dean of K-State's Graduate School, announced the appointment of Polson as the director of the program and as an associate dean of the Graduate School. Polson will coordinate K-State's graduate programs and work collaboratively with the K-State community to develop joint research and academic initiatives between K-State and Fort Leavenworth. She also will be the educational representative for K-State at official events related to educational and outreach initiatives.
Polson formerly served as a part-time associate dean of the Graduate School. She has contributed to the advancement of the graduate education opportunities at Fort Leavenworth for the past 20 years, Shanklin said.
"I look forward to continue working with Dr. Polson as she provides steady leadership at Fort Leavenworth and as we seek new opportunities to expand our partnership," Shanklin said.
Polson said she is proud to serve K-State in this key role by continuing the rich history of collaboration with the fort that spans more than 20 years.
"I see this as a tremendous opportunity to explore ways that our partnership can be further expanded to meet the diverse educational needs of soldiers and their families by effectively blending the unique strengths of our two institutions," Polson said.
Award-winning learning: K-State's College of Education maintains strong presence in Kansas classrooms
The hot summer weather may make it hard to believe that back-to-school season is just around the corner.
But as Kansas students prepare to trade in swimsuits and sunglasses for backpacks and schoolbooks, they're likely to see a Kansas State University College of Education graduate in their classroom this fall. That's because during each school day nearly 6,000 K-State graduates are practicing, licensed teachers and school administrators and lead more than 150,000 students.
"The College of Education at K-State has been an innovator in preparing new teachers by providing early and intensive school-based experience," said Michael Holen, dean of the college. "Our graduates are in high demand by schools across the state in large measure because they are so well prepared for student teaching; they leave K-State as exceptionally qualified beginning teachers."
Through its three departments -- special education, counseling and student affairs; educational leadership; and curriculum and instruction -- the College of Education strongly affects public education in Kansas. Almost 90 percent of the college's graduates stay and work in Kansas.
"In what is a pretty competitive job market, our college's new teacher education graduates seeking their first teaching position are so well regarded by school districts that they enjoy an employment rate of nearly 85 percent," Holen said.
Prominent national education associations have noticed K-State's excellence, too, especially in the areas of teacher preparation and elementary education. Most recently, K-State's signature undergraduate teacher preparation program received the National Association for Professional Development Schools' 2011 Award for Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement. In 2010 the college's elementary education program received the Distinguished Program in Teacher Education Award from the Association of Teacher Educators.
The K-State education program is known for its strength in field-based experience and professional development. The list of recognition goes on as the college has received numerous awards and recognition for its success in a variety of areas, including academic advising, adult education and military education.
Some of these recognitions for the college include:
* The 2+2 partnership program received the Great Plains Region of the Association for Continuing Higher Education Outstanding Credit Program award for 2011. The partnerships are a joint effort between K-State and community colleges and help students maintain their educational goals by completing an associate degree at a community college and then earning a K-State bachelor's degree through distance education.
* The Extending College Education for Lifelong Learning, or EXCELL, program was chosen by the Association for Continuing Higher Education as the 2011 Outstanding Noncredit program. It also won the Innovative Program Award. The EXCELL program offers five-week on-campus classes to young adults with disabilities who might not otherwise be able to experience a college environment.
* The academic advising certificate program won the 2010 Mature Credit Program Award from the Central Region of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association. The certificate program prepares students for positions as college academic advisers.
* The AccessUS Elementary Teacher Education program in southwest Kansas was recognized with the Association for Continuing Higher Education's 2010 Award for Underserved Populations. The program is a 2+2 program that was created for nontraditional Latino and Latina students who want to teach in southwest Kansas. "The college created high quality and scalable programming to prepare practicing teachers to meet the needs of our state's rapidly growing populations of students whose first language is not English," Holen said. "Success with these students is a key economic development imperative for communities across Kansas."
* K-State's Brigade Command Team Spouse Development Program at Fort Leavenworth was selected by the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education for the 2010 Malcolm Knowles Outstanding Adult Learner Program of the Year. The brigade command program involves spouses of Army officers who are about to assume brigade command.
College of Education faculty and staff have been recognized for their efforts as well. Some faculty members who have recently received individual awards include:
* Holen received the 2011 Community of Practice Faculty Service Award from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association.
* Jeffrey Zacharakis, associate professor of educational leadership, received the 2010 Humanitarian Awareness Award from the Kansas Adult Education Association.
* Royce Ann Collins, assistant professor of educational leadership, received the 2011 Research and Scholarship Award from the national University Professional and Continuing Education Association.
STEM Summer Institute for middle school students
The College of Education has partnered with Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 on a U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity Educational Partnership. The competitive grant, awarded for $677,000, is through the Promoting Student Achievement at Schools Impacted by Military Force Structure Changes.
The grant will fund 21st Century Mind Adventures, a program to raise student achievement levels and increase enrollments in science, engineering, technology and math -- or STEM -- pathways. It will provide extended-day tutoring for academically at-risk students and give teachers intensive professional development in contextual learning. The primary goal is to increase student achievement in grades 6-9 in the science, technology, engineering and math areas while focusing on the latest classroom technology. Activities are planned for both after school and at summer institutes.
Enter the College of Education. The college has partnered with the district to provide a STEM Summer Institute on the K-State campus. This project will bring around 200 USD 383 6-9th grade students to campus this summer in June to participate in STEM learning activities. These students will enroll through the USD 383 school they attend. The students will enjoy a variety of field trips and experiences on and off campus.
As a collaborating partner in the project, the college will be host to USD 383 teachers and staff, as well as the students. Secondary education preservice teachers will be collaborating with the teachers as part of their required field experiences.
Ongoing professional development, including teacher support and skill enhancement, will be provided through the grant. An additional partner is the Center for Occupational Research and Development in Waco, Texas.
The partnership program provides information and support to increase understanding of the special needs of military children, as well as academic support to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for military children. The program's aim is to enhance the education of military students, but funds may be used to raise student achievement for all students.
For further information, contact Tim Frey at tfrey@k-state.edu or 532-5900.
Dean of College of Education beginning phased retirement after end of 2011-2012 academic year
After 21 years as dean of the Kansas State University College of Education, Michael Holen will relinquish his position and enter phased retirement at the end of the 2011-2012 academic year.
"Serving the faculty, students, constituents and programs of Kansas State University for more than four decades has been an honor and privilege," Holen said. "Along the way my heart turned purple. I'm proud to have in some small way played a role in the tremendously positive impact our university has throughout the state, nation and beyond."
Holen came to K-State in 1971. He served as a professor, department head and associate dean before being named dean in 1990. In Holen's time at the university, the College of Education has developed nationally recognized programs, including those for the reform of teacher preparation and professional development, for serving dual language learners, for advanced education for both military and school leaders, and for providing access through distance education.
Holen was among College of Education faculty who helped nurture K-State's leadership studies program, now the School of Leadership Studies. The school named its Outstanding Leadership Award in Holen's honor.
In 1988 Holen received the Presidential Award for Distinguished Service to Minority Education and in 2004 was recognized as the Outstanding Alumnus in Education at the University of Oregon. In 2002 he was named the national Outstanding Rural Educator by ACRES. He has chaired the Regents' Council of Education Deans four times and served as K-State's faculty athletics representative to the Big 12 Conference for 11 years.
Holen earned a bachelor's degree in history and literature from Stanford University. He earned a master's degree and a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Oregon.
K-State will conduct a national search for the next dean of the College of Education.
Education professor receives distinguished service award from national organization
Janice Wissman, professor of curriculum and instruction, was honored with the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences’ most prestigious national award, the AAFCS' Distinguished Service Award, at its recent 102nd Annual Conference and Expo in Phoenix, Ariz. Wissman is the first Kansas member of the association to receive the award, which is given in recognition of exemplary state and national professional service.
Wissman has served as president of two national family and consumer sciences teacher education organizations and was a member of the development panel for national family and consumer sciences standards. At K-State she initiated, developed and coordinated a summer in-service program that has been offered 15 times during the last 20 years and continues to serve as a model for preparing high school food science teachers throughout the country.
Her professional work associated with program development and accreditation extends to all K-12 teacher education programs. In the state of Kansas she served on the statewide committee responsible for the development of Kansas's teacher licensure standards and chaired the Kansas State Department of Education Program Evaluation Committee that approves and recommends all new and continuing teacher education programs and recommends unit accreditation in the state.
Wissman has served on numerous teacher education accreditation teams in the state, and at the national level has been an invited presenter for the National Association of Council of Teacher Education.
Following graduation from K-State Wissman commenced her professional career as a high school home economics teacher in Anaheim, Calif. She returned to her alma mater where she served as a secondary teacher educator in the College of Education. In 2010 she retired as associate dean of the College of Education and began phased retirement.
She holds a master's degree from K-State and a doctorate in higher education from the University of Kansas. She has received numerous awards for her professional leadership and service including the national AAFCS Leaders Award, the national Mortar Board Excellence in Advising Award and in 2010 she received the Kansas Association for Career and Technical Education's Carl Perkins Outstanding Service Award and the Kansas State University College of Human Ecology Alumni Award.
Based in the Washington, D.C., area, the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences is the only professional association for family and consumer sciences students and professionals from both multiple practice settings and content areas. For more than 100 years AAFCS has focused its mission on providing leadership and support for professionals whose work assists individuals, families and communities in making more informed decisions about their well-being, relationships and resources to achieve optimal quality of life.
Members provide research-based knowledge about the topics of everyday life, including human development, personal and family finance, housing and interior design, food science, nutrition and wellness, textiles and apparel and consumer issues. They are early childhood, elementary, secondary, university/college, and Extension educators, administrators and managers, human service professionals, researchers, community volunteers, business people and consultants who create integrated solutions to complex social and economic challenges.
