College of Education

Eastern Michigan University

Issue No: 103
September 13, 1993

GWALTNEY TO RECEIVE ALUMNI TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD

Thomas Gwaltney has been selected by the EMU Alumni Association to receive the Teaching Excellence Award.  The Award will be presented on Homecoming Day, October 9, 1993.

Colleagues in the College of Education are invited to the "Celebrate Tradition" Luncheon when Gwaltney receives this recognition.  The Teaching Excellence Awards are made to recognize faculty who place a high priority on teaching.

FACULTY NOTES

Joan Eckerson is a co-author of "A Preliminary Investigation of the Effect of Weight Training on Salivary Immunoglobulin A" which appeared in the September 1993 issue of the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport.  Eckerson joined the EMU faculty in HPERD this fall.

Bill Price recently conducted an inservice activity for the Clarenceville schools on changing demographics.

Helen Ditzhazy has been named as chair of the NCA visiting team for Southfield Lathrup High School.

Jane Goodman was interviewed by Marc Avery on WAAM last Thursday morning at 9:15.  The topic was adult transitions.  Goodman is also scheduled to be interviewed by WTKA (1050AM) by Dean Erskine on September 16 at 7:45 a.m.  Adults in transition is the topic for this one as well.

Rosella Bannister this week is conducting the "Consumer Education Policy Summit: Alliances for Action" conference in Minneapolis, sponsored by NICE and the Minnesota Attorney General's office.

STUDENTS RECEIVE PAUL DOUGLAS SCHOLARSHIPS IN STATE COMPETITION

Seven EMU students have received $5000 renewals of Paul Douglas scholarships in state-wide competition.  Among 74 renewals state-wide, Sheila Bennett, Lori Grady, Tamara Helsom, Kristi Kruger, Heather Ogden, Lis Percha, and Kendra Rollman were selected.

Six EMU students have received $5000 new Paul Douglas scholarships in the same state-wide competition.  Among 44 new recipients, Kristen Bohannon, Rebecca Guilfoyle, Ramon Hernandez, Hatty Manning, Rebekah Roberts, and Lydia Tackett were selected.  

ALUMNI NOTES

Christine Diehl, a Belleville High School science teacher, was earlier named Teacher of the Year by the Detroit Free Press.

OPPORTUNITIES

WSU invites EMU faculty to attend the "Conference on the Future of Public Education in Michigan" on September 18, 8:30 to 4:00 in the McGregor Memorial Conference Center at WSU. 

There is no charge.  A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.  An outcome will be the development of five "white papers" on "the philosophy of urban public education," "staff development and inservice," "efficiency of service," "the role of 'best practice' and curriculum innovation," and "administrative leadership."

The Michigan Department of Education invites teacher educators to the "School to Work Transition" conference at the University Club of MSU on September 24, 9:00 to 3:00.  A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.  Additional information is available from Ann Remp (7-4330) (Business and Industrial Education).

EMU's ORD will receive applications for released time for proposal development through 4:00 p.m. October 15.  For information, call 7-3090.

ORD also will hold Grantsmanship and Proposal Writing Workshops on October 20, October 27, and November 3.  The topics for these sessions are, respectively, "Finding Funding for Your Ideas," "Designing, Writing, and Packaging Your Proposal," and "Review and Evaluation of Proposals."  There is no charge.  Additional information and reservations: 7-3090.

Applications for $2000 Hollingworth Awards for research proposals in gifted education are due January 15.  Information from Dr. Roxanne Cramer, 4300 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax, VA 22030-3507.

FOCUS ON:  JOAN ECKERSON

Joan Eckerson was born and raised on a farm in Fremont, NE.  She has spent most of her life in a school environment, with degrees from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, California State University at Fresno, and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln (Ph.D., 1993).

All her degrees are in exercise physiology.

Eckerson's primary research focus has been in the area of validating research techniques for estimating body composition.  Research in the future will include examining multicomponent methods for assessment of body composition. 

Her teaching focus will center in the Sports Medicine-Exercise Science program, where she will be teaching anatomy and physiology, exercise physiology, and pathology of sports.

Eckerson enjoys most outdoor activities including hunting and fishing.  She has recently taken up windsurfing.  Running, cycling, weight training, and reading are additional interests. 

She says she's "glad to be here and will be even more so once I get paid!"

UCTE CHANGES MEETING DATES

At its first meeting, the University Council on Teacher Education changed its tentative meeting date schedule for the year.  The following meetings have been canceled:  September 16, October 21, November 18, December 16, January 20, February 17, March 17, April 21, May 19, and June 16.  UCTE is planning a joint "mini-retreat" jointly with a committee of the Department of Teacher Education.     

HARMON ELECTED 93-95 COE COUNCIL CHAIR DURING FIRST MEETING

Alison Harmon was elected Chairperson of the College of Education Council for a two-year term at the Council's first meeting on September 8.  Marvin Pasch, Erik Pedersen, and Louise Jernigan were elected by the Council to serve on UCTE.

Gloria Neve was re-elected as chair of the COE Personnel Committee and Ron Hoodin was elected as chair of the COE Finance Committee.

To be filled at the next meeting are (a) a replacement for Terry Rupert on the EMU Graduate Council and (b) the chair of the COE Instruction Committee.

In other business, the Council approved to continue the ad hoc Joint Committee (with UCTE) on the Post-Baccalaureate Program, with modifications (either in charge or membership) to be determined at the next meeting.  Similarly, the Council approved to continue the ad hoc Committee on the Long Range Plan, with modifications (either in charge or membership) to be determined at the next meeting.

Twenty-nine curricular proposals from throughout the campus were referred to the Instruction Committee for "work up" and report.

Reports were received from various college and campus bodies.  Of 23 curriculum proposals recommended by the Instruction Committee, 21 were approved for further processing.  The remaining two are to be discussed at the following meeting.

A proposed revision in the speech-language pathology program was tabled until the next meeting.

COE FACULTY STRONGLY SUPPORTS WIDE RANGE OF REFORM PROPOSALS

The tabulation of results of a survey of 130 proposed "reform" items, conducted during the COE's Fall Faculty Conference, shows strong support for many reform efforts.  Eighty-eight of the 130 items received a rating of "Agree" or higher.

Top-ranked items (5=strongly agree, 4=agree) were:

4.84  EMU should produce teachers that are committed to students and their learning.

4.83  EMU should produce teachers that know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects.

4.72  EMU should produce teachers who are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.

4.72  Ambitious learning goals should be held for everybody's children.    

4.72  EMU should produce teachers who think systematically about their practice and learn from ex-perience.

4.71  Programs for the education of the nation's educators must be viewed by institutions offering them as a major responsibility to society and be adequately supported and promoted and vigorously advanced by the institution's top leadership.

4.71  Programs for the education of educators must be autonomous and secure in their borders, with clear organizational identity, constancy of budget and personnel, and decision-making authority similar to that enjoyed by the major professional schools.

4.68  Characteristics of learners will be highly diverse.

4.68  Teachers must be prepared to respond to the growing diversity of American society and among their students.

4.66  The knowledge explosion will continue to accelerate.

4.66  Programs for the education of educators must enjoy parity with other campus programs as a legitimate college or university commitment and field of study and service, worthy of rewards for faculty geared to the nature of this field.

There was collective disagreement (2=disagree, 1=strongly disagree) with one proposition: 

2.09  EMU should be primarily involved with the preparation of "novice" (or, at most, "advanced beginner") teachers, leaving most, if not all, of the preparation of "competent," "proficient," or "expert" teachers to districts and other agencies.

Approximately 70 responses were received to each item.

PLANNING AHEAD

September 14-15--EMU Graduate School workshops on preparing applications for university research awards, 3-4:30, McKenny Reception Rooms East and West.

September 15--applications due for "college student exchange."

September 16-17--"Literacy, Society and School" conference at CMU.

September 17--first applications due for "personnel training for children with disabilities."  Applications due for development or expansion of community service pro-grams.

September 18--WSU "Forum on the Future of Public Education," McGregor, 8:30-4:00.

September 20--letters of intent due to develop education materials relating environmental factors and human health.

September 22--COE Council meeting, 2:00 p.m., Gallery I.  Graduate School pizza party for new faculty, 12-1:30 p.m., Starkweather.

September 23--"Michigan Schools in the Middle--Teacher Preparation/Certification" conference at CMU.

September 24--"School to Work Transition" conference, University Club of MSU, East Lansing, 9:00-3:00.

September 30--Coffee with the Dean sessions; 8:30-9:15, 110

Boone; 12:00-12:45, 214 Rackham; 3:30-4:15, 210 Warner.  Open to all faculty, staff, and students; no agenda.  Deadline for Canadian Studies Institutional Research Program; Canadian Studies Sabbatical Fellowship Program; Canadian Studies Faculty Research Program.

October 1--SRATE Journal manuscript deadline; deadline for manuscripts to Kappa Delta Pi Educational Forum on "Alternative Schooling"; applications due for Woodrow Wilson Fellowships;  JTE manuscripts due on "Professional School Reform and Public School Renewal."

applications due to Hatachi Foundation for support of community improvement projects.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  EMU teacher educators produce:

Knowledgeable professionals who are caring, reflective decision-makers in a culturally diverse society.

(covers all basic-level programs)