2002 UGA COE EDUCATION magazine

THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA College of

2002

A World of Knowledge

Faculty, Students Expand Horizons In Studies Abroad

D E A N ’ S

M E S S A G E

G

reetings from the College of Education at the University of Georgia...

The 2000-2001 school year was a year of hard work and dedication by faculty, staff and students that has reflected itself in major successes for the College. Our external funding from grants and contracts surpassed $17 million—a record year for the College.

We have attracted and recruited talented new faculty members to join our outstanding existing faculty. The academic and test score profile of our entering students is the most impressive in the history of the College. And our faculty are engaged in exemplary projects from local communities in Georgia to the far reaches of the world, as symbolized by the cover of our magazine this year.

The tremendous diversity of scholarship and research by our faculty is making news – from spinal injury rehabilitation, to reducing violence and bullying in middle schools, to the use of brain imaging in diagnosing learning disabilities, to determining best practices in reading and mathematics education. Our many activities and accomplishments have resulted in expanded national and international recognition and a rise in our standing among colleges of education, with five of our graduate programs ranked among the Top 10 in the nation (U.S. News and World Report).

The College is pioneering a break-through model to radically transform the way schools, communities and universities work together to advance children’s learning.

Our groundbreaking partnership with the Clarke County School District is beginning to take shape with two pilot elementary schools – envisioned as community learning centers – scheduled to re-open their doors to a new future in educational achievement in fall 2002.

We are joined in these efforts by the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Family and Consumer Sciences, and the School of Social Work. We are developing similar partnerships with school districts in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties in metro Atlanta and other districts around the state.

But our vision for improving education goes beyond state boundaries. Our faculty and students are pursuing research, service and instruction throughout the nation and around the world. We have recently signed two new university-wide international cooperative agreements to work with universities in Korea and the Netherlands, in addition to the dozens of projects already underway by our faculty in England, Mexico, Japan, New Zealand, Italy, Peru, Russia and the Philippines, to name but a few.

Educators face challenging but exciting opportunities today. By rethinking the ways in which we work together, we can make a tremendous difference in the professional development of teachers, administrators and other educators – a difference that will positively impact education throughout Georgia.

Your support of the College of Education is appreciated by each of us here.

We welcome your ideas for improving the College and hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

lcastene@coe.uga.edu

Louis A. Castenell, Jr. Dean

2002

Jeri Benson Associate Dean for Academic Affairs George Hynd Associate Dean for Research Development and Outreach Michael Padilla Associate Dean for Educator Partnerships EDUCATION is published annually by the University of Georgia College of Education, Office of Research Development and Outreach and is produced by the Office of Communications and Publications.

MAGAZINE STAFF Editor Michael Childs Contributing editor Charles Connor Copy editor Julie Patton Editorial assistant Angela Shih Design A.W. Blalock Contributing writers Heather Edelblute, Kathleen Folkerth,Sharron Hannon Contributing photographers Wingate Downs, Peter Frey, Rick O’Quinn CONTACT Michael Childs Public Information Director University of Georgia College of Education G-9 Aderhold Hall Athens, GA 30602 706/542-5889 mchilds@coe.uga.edu College Website: www.coe.uga.edu COE News Online: www.coe.uga.edu/coenews ABOUT THE COVER The cover design was created by A.W. Blalock.

Photos taken by Norm Thomson, assistant professor of science education and director of the College’s Study Abroad in Kenya program,show rhinoceroses feeding on grassland as thousands of pink flamingoes dot Lake Nakuru, and biology major Marcie Sellers, of Brunswick,Ga.,learning how to grind millet, a traditional African grain. The photo of a young elementary school student ringing a bell in Xalapa, Mexico, was shot by Jim McLaughlin,associate professor of elementary education during one of the classes he developed in the UGA/Veracruz Partnership. On the back cover, photos show Paige Putnam, a 2000 COE graduate working with Mexican students in Xalapa and the temple at El Tajin,an important archaelogical site in northern Veracruz.

Maps: National Geographic Society Used by Permission

I N S I D E

12

Stopping the Violence

20

Another Fulbright Scholar

A UGA research team joins three other universities in designing and implementing a pilot national CDC program designed to prevent and reduce violence and bullying in middle schools.

by Michael Childs

COVER STORY

14

Students Going Global

Four faculty members write about experiences they and their students had during Study Abroad programs in Italy, Kenya and Mexico.

by David Reinking, Beverly Payne, Norman Thomson and Jim McLaughlin

FEATURES

4

Fast Track to Teaching

The College’s successful Business to Teaching program for fast-track preparation of teachers for certification is expanding to two new subject areas.

by Michael Childs

7 Catalyst for Change The College launches a support program for Northeast Georgia

Deborah Tippins is the College’s latest Fulbright Scholar – but not its first to pursue research in science education in the Philippines. Tippins follows in the steps of her mentor to Southeast Asia to study how others teach and learn.

by Michael Childs

24 New Biomedical Initiative Exercise science researcher Gary Dudley forges a new education and research agreement between UGA and the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, the nation’s largest hospital for brain and spinal cord injuries.

by Sharron Hannon

26

Better Calls on Concussion

Exercise science researcher Mike Ferrara is using modern technology to develop new medical standards for deciding when to allow an athlete to return to play after suffering a concussion.

by Michael Childs

teachers seeking National Board Certification this year.

by Michael Childs

DEPARTMENTS

8 School Innovations Two Clarke County elementary schools will be transformed

2 3 28 30 32 33

into community learning centers as the College leads UGA in a historic partnership with the local school district to raise student achievement.

by Kathleen Folkerth

Administration National Rankings, Facts & Figures Honor Roll of Donors Faculty, Staff Recognition Student Honors Alumni Honors

10 Making Our Students the Best Education researcher Joe Wisenbaker describes a small-group instruction strategy that is profoundly effective in raising student achievement, and standardized test scores prove it.

by Michael Childs

10

14 EDUCATION 2002 ■ 1

A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

Three New School Directors Appointed Over the past year, three new school directors were named in the College. Here’s a brief look at the new leadership:

Karen Watkins Leadership and Lifelong Learning Karen Watkins, professor of adult education, was named director of the School of Leadership and Lifelong Learning.A member of the faculty since 1993, Watkins served as interim director of the school for several months prior to her appointment and directed graduate programs in human resource and organizational development.She was named the 1998 Outstanding Scholar of the Year by the Academy of Human Resource Development for her significant contributions to the field of human resource development, including her work on organizational and workplace learning. Watkins was selected last fall as a Distinguished Graduate by the University of Texas College of Education in recognition for her success in a number of major leadership roles and responsibilities.

Doug Kleiber Health and Human Performance Doug Kleiber, professor and head of the recreation and leisure studies department, took over leadership of the School of Health and Human Performance from Jack Razor, who stepped down after 15 years of distinguished service in that position. Kleiber served as department head since joining the UGA faculty in 1989.

Previously, he was an associate professor of leisure studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he was his department’s director of graduate studies and director of the Leisure Behavior Research Laboratory. He was an assistant professor in the psychology department at St. Cloud State University from 1974-77.Kleiber received his PhD in educational psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972.

Cheri Hoy School of Professional Studies Cheri Hoy, professor of special education, was named director of the School of Professional Studies. Hoy had been on administrative assign ment in the Dean’s Office for the past two years as faculty administrator. She served as department head of special education from 1989 to 1998 and acting department head for two years prior to that.Hoy’s research interests and expertise in the area of learning disabilities include assessment,adult issues, social/emotional/behavioral adjustment and mathematics. She came to UGA in 1982 from Northwestern University where she received her PhD in communication disorders and learning disabilities.

2 ■ EDUCATION 2002

Kristi Leonard (L), management information specialist and Kathleen de Marrais, professor of educational psychology

College Undergoes NCATE Review

C

ollege of Education administrators anticipate a positive report this fall from a site review earlier this year by a joint team of evaluators from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

NCATE is the nation’s top accrediting organization for schools, colleges and departments of education and includes more than 500 institutions. Meeting its standards is crucial to national rankings.

The College was one of only 20 institutions across the country to pilot an electronic review in addition to the on-site visit. The resulting website (http://ncate.coe.uga.edu/) allows visitors to easily review the College’s programs and initiatives.

It was also the first joint PSC/NCATE review in Georgia and among only a handful of such joint reviews by state and national accrediting organizations in the nation.

To meet new “outcome-based”NCATE assessment standards, faculty throughout the College studied the curriculums of its 18 undergraduate programs and the capabilities of their students.

Led by faculty members Kathleen de Marrais and Ron Butchart,outcome-based assessment plans were created at the College and department levels to define what students are expected to be able to do upon graduation.

When the College was last reviewed five years ago, NCATE standards focused more on input:number of courses, hours of field experience, and internships.

This year’s 10-member PSC/NCATE evaluation team along with six additional observers visited classes and computer labs in each of the College’s four schools. The team met with many groups of faculty, administrators and students and with top UGA administrators, including President Michael Adams and Provost Karen Holbrook.

Evaluators visited four Clarke County schools (two elementary, a middle and a high school) to talk with supervising classroom teachers and administrators to learn how well COE students are being trained.

“This was really a College-wide effort. We could not have done this without the cooperation of our faculty, department heads and school directors,” said Jeri Benson, associate dean for academic affairs.

Benson cited de Marrais and Butchart for their leadership, several of the staff in the Office of Technology, including Darrell Golliher and Kristi Leonard, for their work on the NCATE website, and Jamie Lewis, a graduate student in social foundations who worked behind the scenes to make the evaluation a success.

N A T I O N A L

GRADUATE PROGRAMS RANK WITH NATION’S BEST Five UGA Programs Rated in Top 10 UGA’s College of Education is listed among the nation’s top graduate schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2002 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools.” The magazine uses a combination of factors such as reputation, student selectivity, placement success, faculty resources and research activity to rank graduate schools.

Overall UGA Education Rankings • 15th among public schools in the nation • 4th among education colleges in the South • 22nd overall nationally Additional UGA Program Rankings Educational Psycology 16th Special Education 18th Administration/Supervision 18th Higher Education Administration 20th Education Policy 22nd For full details on the U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate Schools ranking index, visit their site on the Web at: www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/beyond/gr adrank/gdedunf.htm Complete program specialty and department rankings can be found at: www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/beyond/bc ed.htm

FACTS & FIGURES Enrollment: 4,697 (43% graduate students) Faculty: 227 full-time, 258 graduate assistants Degrees & Programs: 90 graduate, 18 undergraduate Diplomas (2000): 620 graduate, 679 undergraduate Living Alumni: Over 40,000 External Funds: • Research: $10,333,20211 (3% of UGA total) • Instruction:$ 3,320,29022 (8% of UGA total) • Outreach: $3,549,338 (12.3% of UGA total) • Total:$17,202.830 (12.8% of UGA total)

POINTS OF PRIDE Faculty • 11 Fulbright Scholars • 2 University Professors • 7 Distinguished Research Professors • 1 Regents Professor • 6 Meigs Award winners for teaching excellence • 4 Walter B. Hill Award winners for service Alumni • National Teacher of the Year in 1999 • 12 Georgia Teachers of the Year • 4 Named to USA Today’s All-USA Teacher 1st Team Student Quality • Median GPA:3.62 • Median SAT: 1163 • COE teacher education graduates have a 94% pass rate on the national PRAXIS II teacher exam.

R A N K I N G S

UGA TOP 10 RANKINGS Secondary Education 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Michigan State University Ohio State University University of Wisconsin University of Georgia Indiana University Stanford University; University of Illinois 8. Columbia University 9. Vanderbilt University 10. University of Virginia

Vocational/Technical 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Ohio State University Penn State University University of Minnesota University of Illinois University of Georgia Virginia Tech Institute Oklahoma State University University of Missouri University of Wisconsin Colorado State University

Elementary Education 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Michigan State University University of Wisconsin Ohio State University University of Illinois Vanderbilt University University of Georgia; Columbia University 8. Indiana University; University of Michigan 10. University of Virginia

Counseling/Personnel Service 1. University of Maryland 2. Ohio State University; University of Minnesota 4. University of Florida 5. Indiana University 6. Penn State University 7. University of North Carolina 8. University of Wisconsin 9. University of Missouri 10. University of Georgia

Curriculum/Instruction 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

University of Wisconsin Columbia University Michigan State University Stanford University Ohio State University University of Michigan University of Illinois Indiana University Vanderbilt University 10. University of Georgia; Harvard University

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 3

On The

To Teaching After Successful First Year, B2T Alternative Teacher Certification Program Is Adding Two New Subject Areas

T

he College’s rigorous fast-track Business to Teaching (B2T) alternative teacher certification program was so successful in its first year that two new subject areas are being added.

The five critical need areas of the program—science, mathematics, special education, occupational studies (business, marketing, technical education), and English as a second language (ESOL) in grades 7-12—will be expanded this fall by the addition of a new social science education fast track, followed in the spring semester of 2002 by a fast track in elementary/Pre-K education.

The B2T program was created for professionals and retirees who already hold a degree in some field outside of education and aspire to teach without having to return to college for an addi-

The College’s Business to Teaching Program drew more than 160 participants in its first year, and 200 more wer e expected to enroll fall 2001. The program plans to open an alternative certification program for elementary/pre-kindergarten teacher hopefuls in 2002, providing an option for those with degrees who would like to teach but do not want to have to get a second degree in education.

4 ■ EDUCATION 2002

tional degree in education, said Michael Padilla, associate dean for educator partnerships.

The program normally takes three semesters to complete, which under some circumstances can be done within a period of twelve months. Each candidate will have his/her transcript analyzed and an individual program of study developed.

Half of the program involves classes online. The other half is spent in the classroom or in real-world work settings.

Weekend seminars and evening classes, many held at the new UGA Gwinnett Center campus in Lawrenceville, make it easier for students who are balancing course work with job and family responsibilities. Business to Teaching drew 160 aspiring teachers in its first year. Another 200 began the program fall 2001.

Twenty-six-year-old Ashley Bentley received her B.S. degree in biology from UGA in 1996 and hoped to work in a research lab. But after graduation she discovered that in order to get the type lab job she wanted, she would have to return to school and serve as an intern for several years.

“Since I was newly married, that really wasn’t an option,” she said.

Bentley began working and eventually became a licensed real estate agent.

Making a career change to teaching crossed her mind several times, she said, but each program she looked into required that she enter as an undergraduate and obtain a bachelor’s degree in education. In addition, she had a long drive to and from work and did not see how school could fit into her schedule.

But in September 2000, her husband took a job with a construction company in Thomson and that prompted Bentley again to think about a career change.

“I just happened on UGA’s College of Education website and found information about the PACSS program (Program for Alternative Certification in Secondary Science),” she said. “It was just what I was looking for – a program that would accommodate my schedule and allow me to enter as a graduate student working toward my master’s degree.”

Bentley said she also likes the fact that the program is mentor based because it allows for interaction with experienced teachers.

“Having classmates with diverse backgrounds and teaching experiences

has also been helpful. We have discussed classroom issues that I never would’ve considered, such as how cultural background affects classroom behavior and learning.”

Another aspiring teacher, Tina Davis of Smyrna, received her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Georgia Tech. She served a three-year post-doctoral research assistantship in the chemistry department at Georgia State University, taught a semester of Honors Physics at the Lovett School in Atlanta as a permanent substitute, and taught organic chemistry at Georgia Tech as an adjunct professor.

Davis resigned her post-doctoral position to begin teaching in the fall of 2001 at the new medical magnet program at South Cobb High School in Austell while pursuing coursework in the B2T program. She began the program this summer because, she said, it is a direct and practical route to a teaching certificate that focuses on secondary science education.

“Before I began this program,” Davis said, “many of my friends and fellow teachers said I’d be wasting my time because most education courses don’t provide practical strategies for today’s classrooms and students. However, I’ve found that the classes I am taking have provided a lot of useful and applicable information. I have learned new strategies for teaching science and incorporating technology into the classroom.”

The UGA College of Education is the state’s largest producer of teachers, principals, and other school personnel, graduating about 300 new teachers each year.

Normally, the undergraduate UGA teacher education program takes two years to complete, during which students must take 30-45 credit hours of courses and spend two semesters or more teaching in area schools. The B2T program requires 30 credit hours of courses and two semesters of working with a mentor teacher in a classroom 20 hours per week.

“Traditional student teaching helps students practice what they’ve learned in the textbooks and in the classroom and get a feel for what works and what doesn’t,” said Sherry Field, an associate professor of social science education and director of the B2T program in its first year. “That’s why the program has made mentoring a key part of helping prepare these aspiring teachers, with in-school

“I’ve found that the classes I am taking have provided a lot of useful and applicable information. I have learned new strategies for teaching science and incorporating technology into the classroom.”

Tina Davis, Smyrna and university-level mentors supporting their work.”

Most educators recognize that the ideal training for a new teacher is the indepth course work, student teaching and mentoring provided by the traditional undergraduate program in teacher education, but the growing teacher shortage demands additional options for the rapid training of qualified teachers. Last year, 10,200 teachers were hired in Georgia, according to the Georgia Teaching Force Center, an arm of the Professional Standards Commission that tracks education employment trends. That figure is expected to rise to 25,000 in 2010.

Meanwhile, only 4,090 teachers graduated from Georgia’s 35 public and private colleges last year, down from 5,189 in 1996. The shortage, a product of booming enrollments in suburban public school systems and a decline in the number of new teachers graduating from Georgia colleges, is projected to worsen. ■ For more information on the Business to Teaching program, visit: http://www.coe.uga.edu/biztoteach/

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 5

REINVENTING TEACHER EDUCATION

One GSTEP At A Time

W

hat should all good teachers know and be able to do? What impact should they have on their students? What attitudes should they have toward their profession?

These are some of the questions being asked by educators involved in the Georgia Systemic Teacher Education Program (GSTEP), a dynamic partnership led by the UGA College of Education which links UGA with two other state universities, 11 school districts, two business partners and various state education agencies.

Entering the second year of a five-year, $6.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, GSTEP is reinventing teacher education in Georgia with a focus on impacting student achievement. Typically, student achievement is measured with a single, standardized test, but GSTEP will provide a wide array of new measurements to assess what students are learning and how it connects to teachers’ actions.

“We are developing our own set of standards for teaching and learning,” said Frances Hensley, director of the collaborative statewide project. “And what is going to differentiate the standards we are developing from others is that we’re going to tie them directly to student impact. What difference does it make if we prepare teachers in a certain way? What kind of effect does it have on student achievement?”

The GSTEP approach is based on research that shows the keys to improving teacher quality are better preparation, better transition into the profession, and better professional development. GSTEP is redefining the “beginning teacher” experience into a seamless, six-year process from entry into college through the second year of teaching.

“Say our English teachers are expected to teach Shakespeare,” said Hensley. “Do they have adequate opportunities to learn 6 ■ EDUCATION 2002

GSTEP aims to better prepare teachers and provide more sup port for them in their first years in the classroom.

that material? Is the curriculum adequate? Are they learning how to teach it – in light of what national standards say they should know?”

One of GSTEP’s top goals is to build better connections between subject content and classroom experience. A common complaint voiced by beginning teachers is the “disconnect” they feel between what they learned in college and the reality they face in today’s classrooms. In the project’s first year, teams of UGA faculty and public school teachers have looked at ways to better align methods of teaching with classroom reality.

These collaborative teams are looking at curricula in content areas of teacher education programs in science, English, mathematics, and social studies to see if they align with national board certification standards. The teams are also developing ways to better prepare teachers in subject content.

“For instance, there is a botany course that’s taught by Arts and Sciences (faculty),” said Hensley. “However, it doesn’t show you how to teach it. Our science education faculty are looking at pairing a one-unit, one-credit course with the botany course that would focus on how to teach botany.”

Another idea UGA science educators are considering is having science education majors teach science labs in Arts and

GSTEP Goals • Improving teachers’ content knowledge, teaching skill, technological expertise and understanding of schools and students; • Increasing the amount and quality of teachers’ clinical/community experiences; • Creating a network – both real and virtual – for supporting new teachers; • Increasing the number of prospective teachers, especially those from under-represented groups and those committed to teaching in high-need areas; • Assisting beginning teachers in design ing effective instruction and classroom assessment; • Designing and implementing policy that facilitates GSTEP activities;and • Supporting professional growth for all participants.

Sciences so they can introduce different strategies of teaching than are currently used in these labs.

“Those are the kind of reciprocal arrangements we are trying to make. I think it presents some incredible possibilities,” said Hensley. “Having a teacher who is trained in this way will complement, extend and enhance what it is that students are learning. That’s very cuttingedge. Nobody else is doing this.” ■ For more information on GSTEP, visit: http://www.coe.uga.edu/edpartner/

College of Education Launches Program Support For 30 Northeast Georgia Teachers Seeking National Board Certification

P

eg Graham knows what it takes to be a good teacher. She should.

She spent 17 years “in the trenches” as a high school English teacher followed by years of research on teacher preparation and professional development as a UGA associate professor in language education.

This fall she is using that experience and knowledge to help the College launch a model program, called Project Support, for 30 northeast Georgia teachers seeking National Board Certification (NBC). The NBC candidates are from seven different school systems: Clarke (14), Commerce City (2), Gwinnett (3), Jackson (5), Morgan (2), Oconee (3) and Rockdale (1).

“These National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) become the change agents in schools. I’ve seen it. I’m sold on it. It’s raising the standards and bringing along others by example,” Graham said.

With study after study finding that teaching quality is the strongest predictor of student success, Gov. Roy Barnes has called for Georgia to have 1,000 NBCTs by 2003. But there’s a lot of ground to make up – there were only 111 NBCTs in Georgia schools in 2000. Encouraged by state incentives, there are 776 candidates this year. Despite this encouraging increase, the number pales in comparison to 2,017 North Carolina applicants and

2,002 in South Carolina. Florida leads the nation with 2,349.

Founded in 1987, the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), has established high standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. It developed a national voluntary system to assess and certify teachers who meet these standards. The first 86 NBCTs were named in 1995. In 2000, the National Board awarded NBC to 4,727 teachers, bringing the total number of NBCTs to 9,531 nationwide.

Incentives for Georgia teachers to participate in this voluntary professional development program include a 10 percent annual salary increase, $2,000 of the application fee paid by the state, release time for engaging in certification processes, and license portability.

The nationwide pass rate for National Board candidates is around 40 percent. But candidates who have support networks report a much higher pass rate. A University of Cincinnati researcher recently reported an 80 percent pass rate among those NBC candidates who participated in on-going workshops led by trained facilitators.

With that in mind, the College collaborated with area Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs) and local school districts to sponsor a Facilitator

Institute at UGA last February. The Institute – conducted by NBPTS personnel – trained Graham and 40 other UGA faculty, area school district personnel and NBCTs to serve as facilitators to new candidates. Graham’s goal is to have the UGA support project run entirely by NBCTs in the next several years.

The first year of UGA’s Project Support will be a pilot study with NBC candidates being asked to be coresearchers in the process of facilitation, according to Graham.

“We will be collecting data about every facet of this process to refine our support system and expand the program in the future and align our graduate programs with NBPTS principles and standards,” said Graham. “Ideally, NBCTs would function exclusively as facilitators since they know the most about the process, but until we have more certified teachers in Georgia, we will seek dedicated facilitators wherever we can.”

She and her COE colleague, Sally Hudson-Ross, are no strangers to National Board Certification. They have assisted nine teachers from Clarke and Oconee counties through the NBC process over the past three years via their teacher-mentor group known as the University of Georgia Network of English Teachers and Students (UGA-NETS).

UGA-NETS links the College and 12 area schools, matching undergraduate students with teacher mentors. In the UGANETS program, teacher education students serve in area classrooms for a full year, rather than the traditional semester of clinical practice. The network also provides an essential support system and a conducive collaborative setting for mentor teachers to seek certification. ■

Sharing insights: (L-R) The COE’s Peg Graham, three Cedar Shoals High School students, their English teacher, Patti McWhorter, who serves as mentor teacher for a UGA student-teacher, and the COE’ s Sally Hudson-Ross.

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 7

■ By Kathleen Folkerth

“The Clarke County School District is excited about the possibilities to tie research and best teaching practices into real life opportunities for students. This broad spectrum approach will allow many major initiatives to operate together with a focus on improving students’ learning.”

Dr. Lewis Holloway , Clarke County School District Superintendent 8 ■ EDUCATION 2002

T

wo Clarke County elementary schools will open their doors next fall to a completely new experience in education.

It could mean longer school days or years, different instructional and learning approaches, more technology and more involvement by parents and community members. Whatever it takes to raise student achievement.

Chase Street and Gaines School Road elementaries are the first partnership schools selected in a groundbreaking collaboration between the Clarke County School District, the University of Georgia and the local community that grew out of a vision shared by Education Dean Louis Castenell and Clarke County School Superintendent Lewis Holloway.

The partnership initiative, the most comprehensive of its kind, is a five-year agreement spearheaded by a 28-member design team composed of local school faculty and administrators, UGA faculty members from the College of Education and the School of Social Work, parents, and leaders in business and the community. The design team is led by Jenny

Oliver, director of academic initiatives for the College of Education, JoBeth Allen, a faculty member in the College, and Norma McNair, the Clarke school district’s director of instructional services.

“Chase and Gaines School were selected after looking at a wide range of comparative characteristics,” said Jenny Oliver.

“Among those were students’ test scores, the number of second-language learners in those schools, and the number of students on free and reduced lunches.”

In addition, Oliver and McNair said, standardized test scores indicated that alternate teaching approaches might prove more beneficial for students in those schools. It was also noted that participation in the initiative will bring needed technology upgrades to the schools.

Over the next five years, the design team will examine other schools across the country to assess which programs and teaching methods best promote student achievement. They will investigate the impact of possible innovations, such as extended school days and school years, evening adult programs, and social programs.

College Leading Partnership Between UGA, Clarke Schools Aimed at Raising Student Achievement

This fall, “action teams” are being formed around issues the partnership plans to address: the school calendar, curriculum/assessment/instruction, parent and community involvement, technology, staff development and personnel, leadership/governance/policy, health, social sciences, and educator preparation.

Over the summer of 2001, one action team researched how modified calendars, like year-round schooling, affect students’ achievement levels. The action teams report to the design team in October. The design team then reviews the proposal and makes recommendations to Clarke School Superintendent Lewis Holloway in preparation for the November school board meeting.

Also this summer, some design team members traveled to Boston to see how a similar partnership is working there.

Other communities with university/ school district relationships include San Diego and Houston, according to Oliver.

“The 2001-2002 school year will be a planning year,” McNair said.

Principals of the two schools – Phyllis Stewart of Gaines School and Jerri-Lynn

Williams of Chase Street – say they and their teachers are excited about the opportunity before them, but some are anxious about the unknown.

“They’re nervous, they’re excited, they’re scared, they’ve got questions,’’ Williams said of her teachers. “It’s scary for a teacher who has been teaching one year; it’s scary for a teacher who has been teaching 30 years.”

Williams said the partnership represents “the opposite of the way we traditionally do business in education in which control trickles down through the hierarchy. Normally, guidelines are given to teachers from up top, and those guidelines say this is what you need to do and this is how you need to do it. Now, control is starting at the school level, and it’s going up.”

Stewart, who has been at Gaines School for nine years, said the partnership is in step with her plans for the school. ‘’When I first became principal here, I thought about my vision of what the school should be and my dream of what the school should look like. This new design process falls in line with that,’’

From far left: Clarke County School Superintendent Lewis Holloway; Norma McNair (L), director of instructional services for Clarke Schools talks with Janna Dresdan, a Gaines Elementary School teacher; Dean Louis Castenell answers questions from the press about the innovative partnership at a February news conference; Bettye Johnson (L) talks with Kati Haycock, director of The Education Trust, a Washington, D.C.-based education organization during a June meet ing; Clarke County School Board Member Walt Denero (L) talks with Phyllis Stewart, principal at Gaines Elementary School.

Stewart said. “This will give us more flexibility in curriculum development, programming and community resources – and the university resources, of course we have those, but there will be more of a commitment on all of those areas to make the school what it should be.’’ ■ For more information on the partnership or to contribute ideas and/or suggestions, visit the Clarke County School District Web site at: http://www.clarke.k12.ga.us.

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 9

Best Nation’s

Students?

UGA Researcher Says New Teaching Approach Profoundly Effective, Could Make The Difference In Georgia

I

f all students learned the same subjects, the same way, at the same pace, developing a plan to teach them would be a snap.

But as any teacher – or parent – can tell you, kids don’t come with uniform, onesize-fits-all abilities. Neither should their classroom instruction, says Dr. Joseph Wisenbaker, an associate professor of educational psychology and director of UGA’s Academic Computing Center.

That’s why Wisenbaker is praising an innovative program, known as “Flexible Small Group Instruction,” that dramatically increases the effectiveness of classroom teaching. Wisenbaker minces no words when he discusses its potential.

“This is the one approach to teaching I’ve seen over the past 30 years that clearly enhances students’ educational outcomes in profound ways,” said Wisenbaker. “The effects of the program on standardized test performance were nearly as large as an extra year of instruction for every year taught, depending on grade level and content area.”

The Flexible Small Group Instruction approach was developed four years ago by two Gwinnett County elementary teachers, April Cooper and Denise Vandament, with a Georgia Department of Education grant to pilot it at Jackson Elementary. Wisenbaker, who served as evaluator of that pilot project, observed 10 ■ EDUCATION 2002

the dramatic rise in stu“Take almost any thirddent achievement. grade classroom and look at “I kept trying to put into students’ reading levels,” perspective just how effecWisenbaker said. “While the tive this approach was,” average for the class may be Wisenbaker said. “I became nearly on grade level, there are convinced that if it were likely to be some students who implemented in grades one are reading several grade levels through five statewide, it beyond their peers and others would make Georgia’s stuseveral grade levels behind. dents among the very best “Using (traditional) Joe Wisenbaker, director in the entire nation.” whole-group instruction in of UGA’s Academic The approach involves such settings creates difficulComputing Center says teachers working in ties for both teachers and test scores prove smallteams of three and exten- group teaching raises students. If a teacher directs sive pre- and post-testing student achievement. her instruction to the middle, to determine each stustudents at the upper end dent’s developing needs. Based on test will have to endure the repetition of results, students rotate through a series what they already know. At the same of small group modules directed by time, students at the lower end will be teachers, paraprofessionals and trained exposed to instruction for which they parent volunteers. are not yet prepared. Students in both situations are, in effect, neglected.”

This collaborative model keeps stuBut while the highly successful pilot dents focused on areas in which they need project in Gwinnett was able to draw to invest their energies, avoids exposing upon a large base of parent volunteers in them to tasks for which they are unpresuburban metro Atlanta, its implementapared and frees them from unproductive tion in Clarke County faced a different repetition on tasks they have already masenvironment. Clarke first-grade teachers tered. The creative use of shared instrucAnn Mauldin, Sandra Lumpkin, Maryann tional responsibilities vastly increases the Steele and Frances Ward decided to try ability of teachers to individualize each the program this past year at Fowler student’s education. Thus, the program Drive Elementary. increases learning for students at all levels “The teachers and I knew that we of achievement.

needed to do more for the children because everyone was not learning to read,” said Sandy Mitchell, principal of Fowler Drive.

Fowler Drive Elementary, where 91 percent of the students qualify for reduced or free lunch and almost 25 percent of the students are Hispanic, draws from a population with few, if any, parents available for volunteer work.

The teachers had to look elsewhere to find sufficient adult resources to implement small group instruction.

Help arrived in the form of more than 200 UGA early childhood education and educational psychology students who served as volunteers in small-group instruction for the project over the past year while fulfilling degree requirements for internships and classroom experiences.

The results at Fowler Drive were stunning. Student gains on standardized tests were 130 to 150 percent greater than what might otherwise be expected.

More importantly, benefits from the program were shared equally by students – both high achievers and low performers.

“Having seen their students’ performance on the Stanford-9 tests and seeing what is actually happening in their classrooms, I am blown away by what is going on there,” Wisenbaker said. “Next year, the teachers will be more familiar with the program, and we should see enormous impact.”

The program was so successful at Fowler Drive that the school’s secondgrade teachers are also using the approach in their classes this fall.

“Small group instruction should be used statewide to maximize learning for all children,” Mitchell said.

“Having more adults in the classroom

to help is very important. This approach can have amazing results, if organized very carefully.”

The teaching approach has now shown solid results in raising student achievement at two very different elementary schools, and Wisenbaker believes it deserves consideration for statewide application. At the very least, it merits a wider study, he said.

“The program allows schools to deliver effective instruction using a 6-to-1 student/teacher ratio – without hiring another teacher or building an extra classroom,” said Wisenbaker. “Were the program expanded statewide, it could reach every elementary school in Georgia for about 10 percent more than is currently spent. In effect, this program could be worth nearly $2 billion per year in savings and benefit to the state.”

For more than a year, Wisenbaker has worked tirelessly to bring the remarkable success of the program to the attention of state policy makers. And it has drawn the attention of key state legislators, members of the Georgia Department of Education, state school board and the Governor’s Education Reform Commission.

There now appears to be support for a larger pilot implementation, Wisenbaker said. Discussions have focused upon possible appropriation of funds for pilot implementation at four more schools in the 2002-2003 school year.

“If the money becomes available, we’re going to be on a clear path to revolutionize what happens in our public schools,” said Wisenbaker. ■ Joe Wisenbaker can be reached at joe@coe.uga.edu

Kristen Hunt, a junior in early childhood education, works with two Fowler Drive first graders on their reading. The teaching approach, which allows stu dents to learn at their own pace, encourages confidence and interest in learning.

Gwinnett Teacher Talks About Program She Began

A

pril Cooper, one of the two teachers who developed the flexible small group instruction approach, now teaches first grade at Chattahoochee Elementary School in Gwinnett County. Cooper has taught for 20 years in Georgia – including first, second, third, and fourth grades as well as special education. Here, she talks about the flexible small group instruction approach she developed with her colleague, teacher Denise Vandament.

“I taught at Jackson Elementary for five years.

When we opened, we were a new school,and after our first year our test scores were lower than schools around us. We talked at grade level and felt something needed to be done. Could we individualize more? Could we take the kids where they are and continue forward?

Three teachers including me piloted the program, and we, as well as the parents, found it very successful.

The benefits are tremendous: • Academically, students really progress when you teach at their level. As of now, all my first-graders are on or above grade level. I have 12 on grade level and 10 above grade level. Many are reading and comprehending third-grade chapter books. In math, many students need challenging, so we have a basic group and an enrichment group.

• Emotionally, all the students think they’re the best. There’s not one student always standing out.

They’re all successful in their group. And the groups are flexible, so they are always being taught on their level.

• You have other teachers with whom to work.

More ideas, more hands, more groups for students.

They love going to another teacher. It also gives the teacher help with materials.

• Parents love the idea that they can help. Every day we have someone who helps the students after I have taught the skill. I provide the activity, but the parent is there for help. Parents actually get to see how much the students progress.

• It also fosters independence. Our students know what to do every day. Anyone could take my place, and the kids could go on.

I still use this approach and feel I should as long as I teach.I feel students should be taught at their level and move ahead as they are ready. They not only grow academically but love school.Why? Because they are successful! I think all students could benefit from this program.

I do believe, however, when you have teachers working together closely, they should choose to do it. You can’t make two or three teachers work together if they don’t share the same philosophy.

It’s not fair to the teachers or the students.

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 11

STOPPING THE VIOLENCE

UGA Educators Co-Designing, Testing National Prevention Model in Georgia tatistics recently reported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirm what many students, parents and educators know from their own experience: School violence remains a major problem. The CDC data show: • 1 out of every 20 high school students is involved in a physical fight every month • 8% of students were threatened or injured with a weapon • 11% of boys and 3% of girls carried a weapon • 25% of students were victims of a violent act at school A team of University of Georgia researchers is testing a unique national violence prevention model in Northeast Georgia middle schools this fall that could provide definitive answers on how to reduce the bullying and aggressive behavior that is the predominant source of student violence.

The research project combines the work of UGA faculty members Andy Horne, Pamela Orpinas, Bill Quinn and Carl Huberty with that of education researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and Duke University. It is funded by a five-year, $12.8 million Centers for Disease Control grant.

The multi-site project is one of the largest and most complex programs ever tested nationally, with multiple interventions aimed at students, teachers, and families and is one of the most important school violence prevention programs being evaluated in the United States, the researchers say.

“What is the best strategy to reduce violence? That’s a question that’s never been answered,” said Orpinas, an assistant professor of health promotion in the College of Education. “Is the best approach to work with every student and every teacher, trying to change the school cli12 ■ EDUCATION 2002

mate? Or is it more efficient to work with just the very highly aggressive students?

Or do we need both? To date, the question has not been studied on a large scale.”

The CDC selected four universities for the project from hundreds of grant proposals they received after calling for a middle school violence prevention program.

Horne, a professor in counseling and human development in the College of Education, and Quinn, a professor of child and family development in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, proposed a teacher and family intervention strategy.

Concurrently, VCU proposed a dynamic student intervention program. Duke proposed a school monitoring program. UIChicago, like UGA, emphasized a targeted intervention program for high-risk students and their families.

“Each site brought its own experience and expertise,” said Tracy Elder, project director for UGA. The CDC put the pieces of the research puzzle from the four universities together for the national project. The goal is to use the best research available to develop a middle school violence prevention program that will work nationally, whether in an inner city school or a rural school.

The universities worked together to create a research design during the 19992000 school year, then pilot-tested it in local schools in 2000-01. Now, they are ready to implement it. The program they developed has three components: • Collaboration and training for teachers • Violence prevention curriculum for students • Family intervention program

Collaboration and training for teachers The first component includes an initial 12-hour session, followed by ongoing teacher support (twice-a-month meetings) to discuss problems related to the reduction and prevention of aggression. Participating teachers get three staff development units (SDUs) credit.

The training will help teachers to: • Increase their awareness of aggression, bullying and violence in school, • Recognize students who are aggressors, targets of aggression, and bystanders, • Develop interventions to control aggressive behavior when it happens, • Develop interventions to assist students who are targets of aggression, and • Develop interventions to prevent aggressive behaviors.

“We want teachers and students not to be complacent about bullying, looking the other way, or accepting it as part of the culture. It is NOT acceptable!” said Elder, a former Barrow County middle school administrator. “That’s the change in perspective we hope to bring about in our schools.”

The CDC’s multisite violence prevention project, one of the most important evalua tions ever, will involve several Northeast Georgia middle schools.

Violence prevention curriculum for students Specialists funded by the project will deliver the second component. The sixthgrade curriculum consists of 20-22 lessons (about 40 minutes each) taught once a week. The seventh-grade curriculum is comprised of 10 lessons (40 minutes each) taught once a week. No curriculum will be taught for eighth-graders.

Family intervention program The third component will be offered to families of sixth-grade students who are both highly aggressive/disruptive and influential on other students. The objectives of the family program are to increase positive family relationships, improve parental monitoring, and increase parent involvement in child-rearing and education. Five to six families will meet once a week for 15 weeks after school with a trained family therapist.

In Northeast Georgia this fall, three schools are receiving the family program, two schools are receiving the teacher and student intervention, two schools are receiving the full program (teacher training, student curriculum and family program) and two schools are receiving no program, serving as a control group. The control group of schools will receive resources from the project to implement the interventions subsequent to the evaluation, should it demonstrate effectiveness, said Horne.

“Evaluation of these components is crucial,” said Quinn, “because of the current pressure felt by school administrators and elected officials to bolster academic accountability. Devoting more time and resources to core curricula makes interventions like these dispensable if they are not proven to be effective. In this case, because we are talking about safety, the outcome is crucial to school success.”

Hundreds of teachers and several thousand students in 37 schools are participating in the program, including nine in Georgia, 12 in Illinois, eight in Virginia and eight in North Carolina. ■

UGA Researchers Working on CDC Multisite Violence Prevention Project Brief bios of the co-principal investigators on UGA’s research team: Arthur (Andy) Horne professor, counseling and human development Andy Horne is principal investigator in Project A.C.T. Early:Advancing the Competencies of Teachers for Early Behavioral Interventions of At-Risk Children, which has won national attention over the last several years. He was the principal investigator for National Institute of Mental Health grants investigating developmental aspects of behavior problems in children,and for 10 years was director of the Family Research Program, a project that examined collaborative methods of assisting families, schools, and juvenile justice systems to address problems of conduct and oppositional defiant disordered children. He is the author or editor of eight books including his most recent, “Bully Busters.”

Education: PhD in counseling and educational psychology, Southern Illinois University; ME in counseling,University of Florida; BA in English/Journalism Education, University of Florida.

William (Bill) Quinn professor, child and family development Bill Quinn’s expertise lies in multiple family group intervention for at-risk youth,treatment effectiveness, program evaluation,adolescent substance abuse and family treatment, and violence prevention in middle schools. Quinn developed the Family Solutions Program, a multiple family group intervention with juvenile first-time offenders that is now used exclusively in several northeast Georgia court districts.

Education: PhD in child and family studies, family therapy, Virginia Polytechnic Institute;MS in counselor education, University of Oregon;BS education/psychology, SUNY College-Oswego.

Pamela Orpinas assistant professor, health promotion and behavior Orpinas has worked both in prevention of violence among adolescents in schools and in prevention of domestic violence. Before coming to UGA,as researcher at the University of Texas-Houston,she was co-principal investigator and project director of “Students for Peace,” a comprehensive violence prevention project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She also worked with the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) in the evaluation of behaviors, attitudes, and cultural norms associated with social violence in selected cities in Latin America and Spain.

During the past few years, she has been invited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review grants in the area of violence prevention and to participate in a study group on youth violence prevention.

Education: PhD in public health,University of Texas-Houston;MS in psychology from the Catholic University of Chile;MPH from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Carl J. Huberty professor, educational psychology Carl Huberty is an expert in statistical analysis. He is a faculty member of the College of Education where he has taught for more than 32 years. He has also taught in UGA’s department of statistics. He is the author of numerous articles for professional journals and is a contributor to several books on applied statistics. He has also conducted numerous workshops on discriminant analysis in Australia, Belgium and the United States. His research interests include multivariate methods and teaching statistical methods.

Education: PhD, educational statistics, University of Iowa;MS in mathematics, University of Wisconsin.

Tracy Elder can be reached at telder@coe.uga.edu EDUCATION 2002 ■ 13

Study Abroad Programs Offer Exciting New Ways To Learn And Teach

A lek of impala gather in the grassy fields near Lake Nakuru in northern Kenya.

Students Going

GLOBAL F

rom the Old World charm of Italy to the vast natural beauty of Kenya to the diverse cultural history of Mexico, students in the College of Education are taking advantage of new opportunities to study abroad in record numbers.

Eleven COE faculty members, with assistance from the University of Georgia’s Office of International Development, currently lead five study abroad programs.

UGA at Oxford University. Each spring semester, 23 education students have exclusive use of UGA’s international study abroad facilities at Oxford University in England. They study 12 hours of core education courses, visit English schools, and experience life in one of the world’s most prestigious cultural and educational centers. Stuart Foster, associate professor of social science education and British native, founded this program in the spring of 2000 with professor Tom Clees and associate professor Cynthia Vail, both from special education.

Study Abroad in Peru. David Gast, professor of special education, founded the COE Study Abroad Program in Peru since 1995. Gast advises students interested in the education of elementary and preschool age children with mental retardation, autism and behavioral disorders.

14 ■ EDUCATION 2002

Georgia/Veracruz Partnership for Social, Educational and Economic Development. Three-week courses in Xalapa, Mexico, are offered to UGA students in Maymester and the first summer session. The summer program has drawn dozens of local schoolteachers who earn professional development credit while learning more about the culture of the increasing number of Hispanic immigrants in Georgia schools. Summer courses began in the summer of 1999 in cooperation with the Universidad Veracruzana. This cross-college initiative was developed

by Jim McLaughlin, associate professor and head of the middle school education program, Martha Allexsaht-Snider, head of the early childhood education program and Julia Atiles, senior academic professional in elementary education. Faculty from language education have also collaborated on teaching the courses in Mexico.

Study Abroad in Italy. About 20 undergraduate education students live with Italian host families, study Italian, work in and observe classes in Italian schools during Maymester in the College’s newest study abroad program in Carpi, Italy. The program was founded in spring 2001 and is co-directed by David Reinking, professor of reading education, and Beverly Payne, professor

Arrington-Tsao Heads The COE Office Of International Activities Study abroad can provide a life-changing experience for students and faculty. That’s what happened to Betsy Arrington-Tsao, head of the College’s new Office of International Activities (OIA).She took part in a study abroad program in 1976 that she says changed the way she viewed the world.

“I’ve never had one, single experience affect me in such a positive way as studying abroad,” said Arrington-Tsao, who earned her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from UGA in 1988.

For more information: www.coe.uga.edu/edpartner

of elementary education.

Kenya Study Abroad Program. In what may be UGA’s most exotic Maymester experience, about 20 UGA students, mostly from the College of Education, take a four-week African “safari” where they learn to interact both socially and academically with Kenyans, conduct independent research studies, and experience the African country’s rich culture, biology and geography. The program was co-founded by Norman Thomson, associate professor of science education, and his wife, Rose Chepyator-Thomson, associate professor of physical education and sports studies and a native Kenyan.

On the following pages, faculty leaders in three Study Abroad programs write about what they and their students experienced. ■

UGA Students Get Experience In Italian Classrooms

CIAO!

■ By David Reinking and Beverly Payne

C

iao. Buon giorno. Come sta?

These and a host of other Italian phrases are now natural to the vocabularies of 20 UGA undergraduate education majors who spent Maymester 2001 in Carpi, Italy. Thanks to a new College of Education study abroad program, each of the students had the opportunity to work four mornings a week with a teacher in an Italian elementary or preschool, live with an Italian host family, study Italian, learn about the teaching profession in Italy, and experience Italian culture first-hand.

It took two years of planning, working closely with the UGA Office of International Education and making two site visits to Italy to launch the program. But arranging for students to actually be involved in the instructional programs of Italian schools was the major challenge.

Imagine trying to deal with all the logistics of placing students in a field experience but doing it 6,000 miles from the school sites and not speaking the language. Collaboration with an English language center in Carpi, which mediated contacts with local school officials, teachers, community leaders, and host families, helped meet the challenge.

Language differences, a major concern in planning the program, proved to be less of a problem than anticipated. The extent to which our students became actively involved in on-going instruction in the schools was remarkable. In fact, it created an interesting pedagogical dynamic for our students, the classroom teacher, and the children.

Student involvement ranged from helping students learn English (taught in Italian schools beginning at the second grade) to teaching American songs and games and helping students complete math homework. Children also enjoyed teaching their new American teachers Italian.

Language was manageable in the Italian families, too, even though students only knew a few Italian words and phrases. As one student said, “I was really worried about the language barrier, but it was not a problem at all. With the aid of a dictionary and gestures we were able to talk about everything – even religion and politics.”

In addition to working in the schools and taking Italian classes three afternoons a week, the UGA group made several excursions. A trip to the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world, included participation in a “labortorio,” or

The whole group of UGA students pose for a picture.

methods demonstration, led by a member of Bologna’s teacher education faculty. The cultural highlight of a group excursion to Florence was viewing the Renaissance art of the famous Ufizzi Gallery. Weekend travel, often with host families, included trips to nearby tourist sites such as Venice and Verona.

But, for many students, being “adopted” by a gracious and caring host family will be the most memorable experience. In many cases they formed close, on-going relationships. As student Lee Ann Callebs said, “My mom e-mailed Paola, my Italiana mother, to thank her for taking such good care of me. Paola e-mailed back and said she thinks of me just like her daughter and hopes that we will continue to stay in touch after I return to the U.S.” Plans are under way for continuing the program in Carpi next year. Further, we have both made important professional contacts with national, regional, and local school officials and with teacher education faculty in Italy. Future spinoffs of the study abroad program include published intercultural comparisons (e.g., comparing how reading is taught in the U.S. and in Italy), collaborations with Italian researchers, and exchanges of graduate students. ■ David Reinking can be reached at dreinking@coe.uga.edu. Beverly Payne can be reached at bpayne@arches.uga.edu.

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 15

Students Make ‘Safari’ To A Different World

KENYA

T

wenty-one students from Georgia made a four-week safari to Kenya during this year’s May session as participants in the College of Education’s second Kenya Study Abroad Program.

Our safari begins with 17 hours of flying – not including a five-hour stopover in Amsterdam – taking us over the Alps, the Mediterranean, the Sahara Desert – finally landing south of the equator in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi (Maasai, meaning “stream that is cold”) at 5,000 feet above sea level.

The program’s Kenyan nyubmani (Kiswahili, meaning “home,”) is Moi University, near Eldoret, northwest of Nairobi.

The first morning is spent sleeping in, advancing our biological clocks to seven hours earlier than in Georgia. From that point on, life becomes hectic, as the group attempts to maintain schedules in a part of the world that does not allow life to be determined by a clock, but where there is always time for tea.

Sunrise and sunset on the equator are constants, as day and night are always 12 hours in length. The

16 ■ EDUCATION 2002

■ Photos and Story by J. Rose Chepyator-Thomson and Norman Thomson

transition of dawn and dusk are rapid. Tropical alarm clocks can be vervet monkeys calling out to each other as they forage for fruits, the raucous noise of ibis flying over, or the perpetual early morning cooing of ring-necked doves that forms the backdrop for every film set in Africa. The night belongs to the roars of lions and the whoops of hyenas, contrasted by the snorts of migrating gnus and zebra.

Students spend the first few days in Nairobi learning the nuances of life in a country that’s about the size of Texas. Kenya, whose official language is English, but whose national language is Kiswahili, has more than 46 indigenous languages. Speakers of Arabic, Hindu, Gujarat and Afrikaans provide insight to the country’s colonial past.

While walking in downtown Nairobi, one is inundated not only by the incessant honking of vehicle horns and the whistles of taxi touts, but also by a cacophony of different conversational vowels and syllables.

Students tour the National Museum of Kenya in Nairobi as an introduction to the vast collection of cultural artifacts that represent the four major historical livelihoods found in Kenya: the hunter-gatherers, fishers, agriculturalists and shepherds. The museum also features Joy Adamson’s (best known for her work with lions described in “Elsa” and “Born Free”) classic watercolor portraits of the people of Kenya, a replica of Ahmed (the largest elephant ever found in Kenya and one provided 24-hour armed escort in his old age), and East Africa’s famous collection of hominoid fossils, dating back six

million years. It seems everyone’s roots can be traced to Kenya.

Just outside the museum is Nairobi Snake Park which provides downtown lodging for at least 40 species of Kenya’s snakes, including pythons, mambas, cobras, vipers and a large open snake pit in which any intruder is subject to poisoning.

We visit City Park to feed and interact with blue monkeys, and an afternoon is spent at the Bomas of Kenya that features a range of traditional music and dances.

An evening meal includes the internationally famous restaurant, The Carnivore, where the cuisine features ostrich, crocodile, eland, zebra and many kinds of gazelle. Most students give the eland, zebra and gazelle a thumbs-up, but crocodile and ostrich muster only mixed reviews, although everyone agrees they essentially taste “just like chicken.”

One early safari includes a day trip to Amboseli National Park to view the vast elephant herds found at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 19,000 feet, made famous through the writings of Ernest Hemingway. To reach Kilimanjaro one must travel through Maasai land where warriors wear red and carry long spears, always prepared to shed blood for their people. A mixture of cow’s blood and milk provides the Maasai with one of the world’s richest protein diets.

Traveling up country to Moi University, we traverse the Great Rift Valley, lined by ancient volcanoes formed on the largest fault line in the Earth’s crust where Africa is slowly splitting apart. Along the undulating route, rising and falling several thousand feet, one passes by soda lakes lined with tens of thousands of pink flamingos.

(Clockwise from far left): Thousands of flamingos dot the waters of Lake Nakuru; an Agama agama lizard; UGA students pose; a giraffe in the wild; all Kenyan students wear uniforms.

Moi University is located on the Uasin Gishu plateau at 7,000 feet above sea level.

The next two weeks are spent there working on a research project of the student’s choice. Topics include documentation of indigenous science knowledge, education in unwritten languages, animal behavior, conversations with Kenya’s world-class runners on their training methods, the contradictions and congruencies of customary and “western” systems of law, issues concerning health, poverty and homelessness, challenges in operating small-scale businesses, and cattle-raising.

Moi University professors provide insight into Kenya’s past, present and future and also provide students with individualized research consultation. Field trips to various sites and schools provide further dimensions to knowing Kenya.

Kenya? Hakuna matata! (No problem!)

Kenya provides an unrivaled combination of opportunities for any traveler. The country lies astride the equator and

unfolds into a diverse topography with a variety of flora and fauna. From the warm, blue water of the Indian Ocean with miles of sandy white, palm-lined beaches and coral reefs, the country extends inland to the world’s secondlargest body of fresh water, Lake Victoria, noted for its cichlid fish (not to mention Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, and The African Queen ). In between is glacier-capped Mount Kenya, the Great Rift Valley and the shimmering, vast savannas teeming with wildlife. ■ Norman Thomson can be reached at nthomson@coe.uga.edu EDUCATION 2002 ■ 17

Students And Teachers Learning From Georgia/Veracruz Partnership

■ By Jim McLaughlin

MEXICO

T

he Georgia/Veracruz Partnership for Social, Educational and Economic Development is everything an international cooperative agreement between two major universities in two distinctly different countries should be.

A cross-college initiative within the University of Georgia that combines aspects of teaching, service and research, the partnership began with a formal agreement of cooperation between UGA and the Universidad Veracruzana (UV) in 1992.

Over the next few years, College of Education faculty worked with UV faculty to create courses for UGA students at the Mexican university’s main campus in Xalapa. The courses were initially offered in the summer of 1999, drawing undergraduate students as well as a dozen Northeast Georgia school teachers, who are seeing rising numbers of Mexican immigrants in their student populations.

By the summer of 2000, students and faculty from Education, Social Work, Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, and Family and Consumer Sciences were all working in Xalapa.

This past spring, several anthropology students did a research internship there.

Within just a few years, Xalapa has become the third-largest study abroad site for UGA.

18 ■ EDUCATION 2002

Faculty members involved in the partnership work in four areas: Professional development: College of Education faculty have created courses for Maymester and the first summer session (EDEC/EDMS/ELAN 5180/7180), which are open to UGA undergraduate and graduate students and practicing educators.

These courses are taught on-site in Mexico, and they provide a cultural immersion experience that increases participants’ knowledge of life in Mexico, deepens their understanding of cultural issues in Georgia and enhances their Spanish language skills.

During the mornings, we visit diverse school settings to talk with students and teachers, and we incorporate trips to historical and cultural sites. Mexican university faculty at the School for Foreign Students in Xalapa teach a Spanish class every day for the participants. Pairs of participants stay with a Mexican host family, a highlight of the experience because so much is learned about Mexican family life.

In the last three summers, 43 undergraduate students, eight graduate students and 41 practicing educators in Northeast Georgia have participated in the “Xalapa Experience.” Each course is co-taught by faculty from elementary education and language education. Altogether, five faculty members and two graduate students have taught the program.

Professional exchanges: In addition to our trips to Mexico, 15 Mexican colleagues (professors, university students and school teachers) have come to Athens for one to three weeks, visiting UGA classes and local public schools, meeting people in their field of study and spending time in the community.

Research: Faculty in the College of Education and the School of Social Work are jointly developing a major research project to take place in Mexico and Georgia. We will be collaborating with our Mexican colleagues and involving UGA graduate students in our work.

Community Outreach: We work with educators in Athens and Gainesville to enhance staff development related to working with Latino students and families. In Mexico, for the past two summers, UGA faculty have conducted research workshops and helped to organize mini-conferences on issues related to social work and education.

Looking Ahead: Our major goal is to help prospective and practicing educators in Georgia teach students and work with families who come from other countries. Because so many Mexican

immigrants are now coming to Georgia, living and learning in Mexico is a vital experience for educators today.

To take advantage of the growing interest in international experiences among students and citizens, we want to expand our educational programs: • To create semester-long educational experiences for UGA undergraduates and expand opportunities for semesterlong or year-long study in Mexico for UGA graduate students.

• To offer three-course blocks of courses as part of the regular six-week summer school program offered at UV that could be used to meet professional certification in education, a foreign language requirement, or for an ESOL (English as a Second Language) endorsement. These could be co-taught by faculty from UGA and Xalapa and might enroll students from both countries. ■ Jim McLaughlin can be reached at jmcl@coe.uga.edu

John Bishop (L), a master’s student in middle school education, works with Mexican students outside. Dell Taylor (above), a fifth-grade teacher at Fair Street Elementary School in Gainesville, is one of dozens of Georgia teachers who have studied cultural and educational differences by spending time in Mexican class rooms and visiting historical sites like the temple at El Tajin in northern Veracruz.

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 19

Learning HowOthers

D

eborah Tippins’ research into community-based science education has led her halfway around the world – to the island of Panay in the Philippines. Friends and colleagues will only be able to reach her via e-mail or international long distance calls, because that’s where she’ll be working for the next academic year.

Tippins, an associate professor in science and elementary education, is the latest of 11 Fulbright Scholars in the College over the last decade. She’ll be collaborating with science teacher educators at West Visayas State University in Iloilo City, and with classroom teachers and student teachers in rural barangay (community) elementary schools. The research team also includes 20 ■ EDUCATION 2002

Sharon Nichols, an East Carolina University professor.

In recent years, educators in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries have emphasized the use of local knowledge and resources in the barangays to develop relevant science curriculum. In line with this emphasis, the researchers are focusing on the development of science education based on local needs, including environmental and health issues. Because of the rapid economic and cultural change taking place in the Philippines, teachers face many dilemmas related to the environment and health.

“In the elementary school we are working with, science educators are teaching children about the problems of deforestation and how that relates to the

Fulbright Scholar Collaborating On Science Education Research In The Philippines ozone layer,” Tippins said. “Yet, after school, children go home to accompany their parents on the farms to cut down trees. These trees are burned to make charcoal which is then sold to buy food for the next day. So there’s an issue of short-term versus long-term benefits.

This issue is a challenge for the science teacher as it creates tension between home and school values.”

Other immediate issues the research team (both science teacher educators and classroom teachers) are trying to address include: water quality, mangrove protection, fishing techniques, and disposal of wastes.

Learn "For example, fishermen catch bangus fry in nets. However, the fingerlings of many fish are also caught in the nets and are thrown away on the shoreline as waste products, thus affecting the fishing stock," she said. "We hope to engage these young children in science inquiry – using design technology to investigate different net sizes and how this might affect the bangus fry fishing."

Another aspect of Tippins’ research focuses on second-language science learning. There are many distinct languages in the Philippines. The national language is Tagalog (Filipino). However, many regional languages are prominent.

In the Iloilo province, languages such as Ilonggo or Kinaray-a are spoken as first languages. In school it is required that all science and mathematics be taught in English. This triple linguistic convention creates challenging dilemmas for science teachers.

“In Georgia, where we have an increasing immigrant population, teachers also face dilemmas in addressing the needs of second-language learners,” said Tippins. “Our research in the Philippines can inform science teacher education at UGA by internationalizing our science education curriculum and better understanding issues related to second-language science learning.”

Tippins is developing a link to the COE science education department’s web site that will feature international case narratives of science teaching. In addition, she wants to develop an international science casebook to broaden and internalize UGA’s science education curriculum. Last year, the department took a first step toward this goal by developing a new course titled, “International Science Education.”

Tippins hopes her research will led to a better understand of the differences

between American and Filipino teaching and learning.

“One difference is the age of college students. Tenth grade is the final year of high school in the Philippines, so college freshmen are a few years younger than those in the U.S.,” she said. “The language is also a big difference. As I mentioned, many Filipinos are tri-lingual.”

Even though this research collaboration is fairly new, the group has already published articles in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching (May 2001), and Research in Science Education (April 2001). Tippins and her colleagues have also presented their research at several national and international teacher education conferences.

Tippins first visited the Philippines through UGA’s International Fellows program in 1997, its inaugural year. She credits her mentor Joe Riley, a professor of science education, for her interest in the Philippines. Riley was a Peace Corps volunteer and later, a Fulbright Fellow in the Philippines. ■ Deborah Tippins can be reached at dtippins@coe.uga.edu

Clockwise from left: Philippine/American Friendship Day at the elementary school on the WVSU campus; Students and teachers outside the Julian Pueyo Primar y School in Cabutuan, Iloilo; Elementar y students perform an historical play on the WVSU campus.

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 21

UGA Offers

Technology Training Options For Teacher Recertification

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or the more than 125,000 Georgia schoolteachers who face a new state-mandated technology requirement for recertification over the next five years, the College of Education offers several options in the classroom and over the Internet.

Teachers can take a course over seven days at one of two UGA Educational Technology Training Centers (ETTC) or enroll in a regular UGA instructional technology (IT) graduate course offered online beginning this fall.

Test-out options are available through both programs. Holding National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification will also satisfy the computer skill competency requirement as defined in the Georgia A+ Education Reform Act. The UGA Educational Technology Training Center, with locations in Athens and Gwinnett County, offers a professional development course called InTech that not only satisfies the new requirement, but serves as a model course for meeting it. Teachers attend training for 50 hours (3 semester credits). The cost of the course is $50 per teacher.

One of 13 such facilities scattered throughout the state, the UGA ETTC

has provided technology training to more than 2,200 Northeast Georgia teachers since 1998. Two more centers – in Dalton and Brunswick – were scheduled to open this fall.

“We provide this class to more than 800 teachers a year, about 20 people per class,” said John Wiggins, director of UGA’s ETTC. “Teachers attend in teams of five from their schools so they can work together, help and support each other.” In anticipation of more teachers seeking technology training, the center is adding an additional instructor this fall.

If you’d rather meet the requirement online, the College’s instructional technology department is offering a course (EDIT 6150) that satisfies the technology requirement. The cost of the course will be $375 for 3 graduate credits and requires that teachers wishing to take the course become admitted to the Graduate School prior to enrolling. The cost for the test-out option is the same as for the regular course and also requires admission to the Graduate School.

The EDIT 6150 course may be used toward completion of the IT department certificate program called

UGA ETTC instructors Diane Carr (L) and Christa Harrelson work at a conference in Savannah.

Technology Use and Integration in K12 Schools for Educators with twocourse (computer-using teacher) and four-course (technology coordinating) options. The second course, EDIT 7500, offered online, requires teachers to design, implement and evaluate a large-scale technology integration project in their classrooms over six weeks.

“While EDIT 6150 will fulfill the technology requirement, we as a faculty did not feel that a single-course was sufficient,” said Michael Orey, associate professor of instructional technology.

“This is not part of the A+ bill. It is part of our effort to have a greater impact on teaching and learning in the state. The first course covers technical skills and integration concepts. The second course is only about integration. This is the most difficult part of getting teachers to use technology in their classrooms. Technical skills are one thing but giving them sound models for integration is more important.”

In addition to the two courses mentioned above, the four-course IT certificate requires a technology planning course (EDIT 6320) and an elective. EDIT 6320 is offered online. The elective can be any course the IT department offers. ■ More information on InTech at: http://ttc.coe.uga.edu More information on IT courses at: http://itech1.coe.uga.edu/psframeset.htm

22 ■ EDUCATION 2002

Online College Launches Online Adult Education M.Ed.

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all 2001 saw the enrollment of the first class of students into a new College of Education online program giving educators throughout the state, nation and world the opportunity to earn a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Georgia.

The program is designed to meet the needs of working professionals who are unable to attend classes in a traditional university setting. All courses required for the program will be delivered electronically.

“With WebCT, e-mail and other telecommunication methods, classes are conducted with the same high degree of instruction as found in traditional classrooms,” said Ron Cervero, professor and graduate coordinator in adult education. “With the use of technology, this program is delivered to students’ computers, allowing them to study and learn at a time and at a pace that is right for them.”

Students in the program’s first cohort this fall are from the cooperative extension service, hospital and health education, the corporate sector and post-secondary institutions. The first two cours-

es will be taught by adult education faculty members Talmadge Guy and Janet Truluk. New cycles will commence each fall semester with the admission of 20 new students into the program.

“We started this program because we believe that adult education is increasingly important in society, and thus, there is great need for adult educators to be prepared at the graduate level,” said Cervero.

The requirements for the degree of Master of Education are met by the completion of an approved program of a minimum of 33 hours (11 courses) of graduate coursework. In addition, students must complete an applied project, prepare an M.Ed. Student Portfolio, and complete a final oral exam.

The School of Leadership and Lifelong Learning, located in River’s Crossing, offers extensive outreach academic programs.

• A cooperative doctoral program with Fort Valley State University, delivered on

the campus of Macon State College, graduated its first cohort last winter.

• Master’s degree programs are offered by all three departments – adult education, educational leadership and occupational studies – at the University System of Georgia’s Gwinnett Center, just northeast of Atlanta.

• Other major off-campus sites include a cooperative doctoral program in educational leadership with West Georgia State University in Carrollton and graduate offerings in Fayetteville.

• The school also delivers much course work through some form of distance learning. Currently under development is an Ed.D. program being designed to prepare executive leaders for Georgia’s post-secondary technical institutes. ■

For more information on the online master’ s in adult education, visit: www.coe.uga.edu/adulted/online masters.html

Pictured L-R are: Ron Cervero, professor of adult education; Karen Watkins, director of the School of Leadership and Lifelong Learning; and Brad Courtenay, professor of adult education. Twenty professionals began the online master’s degree program in adult education this fall.

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 23

New Biomedical Initiative Launched Between UGA And The Shepherd Center ■ By Sharron Hannon

C

ollege of Education researcher Gary Dudley is not an easily excitable man, but these days he can hardly contain his enthusiasm about a new biomedical research and education initiative between the University of Georgia and the Shepherd Center, the nation’s largest hospital for brain and spinal cord injuries.

The initiative announced in April formalizes a relationship that has been growing over several years, according to Dudley, director of the Muscle Biology Laboratory in the School of Health and Human Performance.

Dudley studies computer images of spinal cord injur y.

“This is a good thing getting better,” Dudley said. “We have collaborated with the scientists and doctors in the Crawford Research Institute since it was founded five years ago at Shepherd Center, and this opens the door to do more with them.”

Dudley, a professor of exercise science, has collaborated with Shepherd Center doctors on research focusing primarily on the influence of spinal cord injury on neuromuscular function. Recent research involved body-weight supported ambulation, studying the likelihood that people who have incomplete spinal cord injuries might walk again. Using a support harness, therapists help patients walk on a treadmill, assessing the possibility of “teaching” the damaged spinal cord and its sensory networks to regain their function.

24 ■ EDUCATION 2002

In his research, Dudley uses magnetic resonance imaging and structural and biochemical measures from biopsy samples to quantify muscle adaptations to physical activity, inactivity and disease states. He also uses a Kin-Com dynamometer, equipment for muscle histochemistry and biochemistry, and a computerized image analysis system.

The goals of the alliance between UGA and the Shepherd Center are: • To increase scientific collaboration in the study, prevention and treatment of disease and disability; • To expand funding opportunities for UGA and the Shepherd Center to ensure their growth and prominence in these fields; and • To capitalize on opportunities to combine research, clinical practice and advanced training in order to prepare a new generation of biomedical scientists and health professionals.

“This partnership creates a wide range of opportunities for both organizations,” said Karen Holbrook, UGA provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

“The beneficiaries will be people with spinal cord injuries, head trauma, multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions.”

A steering committee with representatives from the two institutions will develop and implement a plan for the initiative. Discussion is under way to create an intramural seed-funding program for collaborative research.

A longer-term goal will be to identify external resources for research support.

The Shepherd Center in Atlanta is the country’s largest catastrophic care hospital specializing in the treatment of people with spinal cord injury and disease, acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis and other neuromuscular disorders, and urological problems. The Shepherd Center is a Model Center in both brain and spinal cord injury, and an official Multiple Sclerosis Center, designated by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Founded 25 years ago, the 100-bed not-for-profit hospital offers a continuum of health care services, from intensive care through inpatient medical surgical care, rehabilitation, day program, and outpatient and residential services. ■ Gary Dudley can be reached at gdudley@coe.uga.edu

NOT JUST PLAYING GAMES...

Computers Help Kids With Disabilities Bridge Social Gap

■ By Heather Edelblute

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hildren with disabilities often face difficulty interacting socially with other children, but a College of Education researcher is successfully using computer games to help these kids learn social skills and develop a sense of control.

John Dattilo, professor and head of recreation and leisure studies, and Richard Williams, a former doctoral student, have designed computerized games that teach children with disabilities how to act assertively and to interact with other children.

“We’re trying to improve the knowledge and skills of individuals with disabilities so they can have more meaningful and enjoyable experiences during their free time,” says Dattilo.

He has found from his research over several years that computer-based instruction improves student knowledge and skills by providing children with examples of concepts and issues to which they can relate. Using this

basic knowledge and following consultation with the College’s instructional technology department, Dattilo and Williams developed computerized leisure game software.

The game features the adventures of cavewoman and caveman, Beebee and Og, as they journey through a cave, glacier and jungle. The Og game is designed to teach children how to make proper choices in their leisure. The Beebee game teaches social skills used during play. Along the way, Beebee and Og are confronted with different social situations in which the player must make choices for the cavepeople. If the player chooses the correct option, then Beebee and Og can continue on their journey until they arrive at the end – a homecoming party. If the player chooses the wrong option, then a hint is given about the correct option and the cave people remain at that social situation until the right response is chosen.

Dattilo, with the help of Lynne Cory,

John Dattilo (background) watches as two young students play the computer game he helped design.

a doctoral student in recreation and leisure studies, has examined the effects of his computer games on children with disabilities attending an Athens-area summer day camp. Participants were tested throughout the past three summers and for two months after the study ended to assess their knowledge of social skills and self-determination in leisure. The scores on the test improved after the children played the Og and Beebee games.

The findings from the first year of the study, published in the Journal of Special Education Technology, reconfirm the power of computers as a teaching tool for those who have difficulty learning in traditional settings. ■ John Dattilo can be reached at jdattilo@coe.uga.edu EDUCATION 2002 ■ 25

Making Better Decisions Research Setting New Standards For Evaluation Of Concussions

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hen an athlete is knocked unconscious or left dazed by a blow to the head, doctors and athletic trainers use basic tests to determine the severity of the injury. They may ask the athlete to visually track their finger, describe their location, balance on one leg, and remember plays.

Such simple, time-honored tests are helpful for on-the-field assessments, but athletic trainers and medical professionals need better evaluation tools for something as serious as a head injury.

A UGA research team consisting of faculty from the College of Education’s department of exercise science, physicians from the university health center, athletic trainers from the athletic association, and local physicians are now using state-of-the-art computerized imaging models called posturographs and a battery of Web-based neuropsychological tests for injured UGA athletes to improve the evaluation of head injuries and define better criteria for return-to-play decisions.

The research focuses on one of the most common head injuries suffered in athletics – cerebral concussion – a trauma often identified by impaired neurological function, including loss of consciousness, dizziness, impaired memory and disorientation, says Michael Ferrara, associate professor of exercise science and director 26 ■ EDUCATION 2002

of UGA’s athletic training program.

Concussions account for as many as 9% of athletic injuries in high school football players and 5% of injuries in college players. Even though these percentages are small in terms of overall injuries, their catastrophic potential warrants further attention, says Ferrara.

“Of great concern is the process by which athletes are evaluated and decisions made concerning return-to-play,” he says. “Impaired cognitive abilities decrease an athlete’s ability to evade potentially dangerous situations, thus increasing their risk of further injury.”

Concussion has gotten more attention in the sports world recently with the retirements of star pro football quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Steve Young after each suffered repeated concussions. And that, says Ferrara, is why the medical community is paying more attention to concussions these days – second impact syndrome.

“Research shows that once you have a concussion, you’re five times more likely to have a second concussion. And for those who suffer multiple injuries, it takes longer and longer to recover from each subsequent concussion.”

UGA researchers say that by providing more accurate data to those making return-to-play decisions, the incidence of second impact syndrome can be reduced.

Currently, athletes sustaining a concus-

Mike Ferrara is investigating whether new , more accurate standards need to be set for returning athletes to play after they suffer a concussion. At top, UGA athletic trainers attend to an injured Bulldog football player during a game at Sanford Stadium. An ath lete (opposite page) takes a balance test on the NeuroCom.

sion are treated with rest until symptoms resolve. This could be within minutes for a very minor injury or up to 7-10 days for moderate to severe concussions.

“We found that most concussions to UGA athletes resolve within three days,” Ferrara said.

The standard criterion for return-toplay decisions is that the athlete must be asymptomatic for seven days – at rest

Athletic Training Program Receives Accreditation

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and during exertion. No headaches. No dizziness. No changes in balance. If the athlete shows any of these symptoms, the clock is reset, and the seven-day wait starts over.

“In terms of return-to-play, there are very few criteria out there, and most of them are subjective. ‘How do you feel?

Do you have a headache? Do you feel sick, or are you sleepy?’ Those types of things. And the athlete may or may not always be truthful,” Ferrara says.

Now UGA researchers are using high-tech equipment called a NeuroCom to measure balance and a Web-based neuropsychological test battery, rather than the standard penand-pencil version, to detect more subtle changes in the athlete’s memory, learning, attention and reaction time.

They have gathered baseline data on UGA athletes in football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, women’s soccer, softball and cheerleading. They have tracked more than 30 concussions over three years.

Former doctoral student Marty Mrazik recently validated a mathematical model for return-to-play decisions through the neuropsychological tests. The Reliable Change Index (RCI) that Mrazik investigated takes into account a number of factors related to each test and determines a minimum acceptable score. If this

score is not achieved, the athlete is classified as impaired.

“We had a 90% success rate in accurately predicting impairment for the first couple of days following injury,” Ferrara says. “That’s really exciting because it provides further objective evidence for making return-to-play decisions.”

Researchers say that superior testing and clinical care are provided to UGA athletes who suffer such injuries, but they have more concern about decisions being made for high school athletes.

“The high school athlete who suffers a concussion may go to an ER (emergency room),” said Ferrara, “sit there for a couple of hours, then the ER physician examines him, asks him how he’s feeling and says ‘We’ll see you in two weeks.’ So, the athlete goes back to school, and the coach doesn’t know what to do. He has to make some decisions. And how does he make those decisions? What we’re trying to do is assist physicians in making good return-to-play decisions.” ■ Michael Ferrara may be contacted at mferrara@coe.uga.edu

aking another step toward becoming a national leader in sports medicine, the University of Georgia’s athletic training program has earned full accreditation just 18 months after opening the program.

The UGA program earned a five-year certification from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) after proving that it meets the organization’s high standards in providing superior clinical and classroom experiences. UGA’s program is one of only two accredited in Georgia and four among Southeastern Conference universities with Alabama, Florida and South Carolina. It is among 125 accredited athletic training programs nationwide.

The program offers a BSEd in exercise science with an emphasis in athletic training.

Mike Ferrara directs the UGA athletic training program.

The program provides students an in-depth exposure to the scientific basis of physical activity, exercise and sport.Knowledge and skills related to exercise and sport biomechanics, physiology, psychology, epidemiology; athletic training; physical fitness and conditioning; and statistics and measurement theory are gained through course work, independent study, laboratory activities and field experience.

Students gain clinical experience with UGA male and female sports, in-season and out-ofseason sports, contact and non-contact sports; and every student does at least one semester of football. Ten full-time UGA certified athletic trainers supervise the clinical experiences of student athletic trainers who may receive clinical experiences in a variety of medical and allied medical settings, plus surgical observation.Upon completion of the academic and clinical requirements, students sit for the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification Examination.

Admission to the exercise science major with athletic training emphasis is selective.

Students should apply for the program during their sophomore year. Admission is based on a minimum 2.75 GPA and satisfactory completion of undergraduate core classes. Typically, the athletic training program accepts about 15 students per year.

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 27

C O N T R I B U T I O N S

A N D

G I F T S

The College of Education Honor Roll of Donors 2000-2001 The Honor Roll of Donors recognizes gifts made to the College of Education through the University of Georgia Foundation from July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001.

Corporate Action Based Learning in Education BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc. Columbus Medical Center Foundation Conrad Construction Co. Design Interactive, Inc. Ernst & Young Foundation Family Behavioral Care of Central Georgia Freedom of Movement General Motors Foundation Guinness UDV North America Foundation History of Education Society Homeplace IBM Corporation The Jane and Jack Goldfrank Family The Ayco Charitable Foundation Johnson Controls Foundation The K (Kindness) Club Karolinska Institutet Learning in Retirement The McGraw-Hill Foundation. Inc. Merrill Lynch & Co. Foundation, Inc. NovaCare NSSLHA The Rayonier Foundation Scholastic Testing Service, Inc. State Farm Companies Foundation USX Foundation, Inc.

Dean's Club – recognizing donors who have given a minimum of $1000 during the year. Gifts at this level also qualify for the University of Georgia Annual President's Club.

Dr. Ira E. Aaron Janice Puder Agron Martha Nell Allman Mr. and Mrs. Gene M. Barber Brian Christopher Bruce Bob and Maxine Burton Virginia M. Carver Ethel Tison Chaffin Dr. Bernice Louise Cooper Dr. Carolyn Carson Dahl Thelma Bray Dorsey Estate Beverly Smith Fultz and Melvin L. Fultz Sara O. Glickman and Dr. Carl D. Glickman Dr. George Olin Hallman Ryan Hammer Dr. Charles Thomas Holmes and Roselle Massey Holmes Charles H. Jarvis Virginia Stewart Jarvis Dr. Denise Spangler Mewborn Columbus Red Stixx 28 ■ EDUCATION 2002

Professional Baseball Joyce E. Morway Patricia Taylor and Doyle K. Mote David John Mullen, Jr. and Cynthia Shields Mullen Suzanne M. Muller Boyd R. Parker Michael E. and Michele A. Price Dr. and Mrs. William O. Scott Dr. William Walter Swan Dr. E. Paul Torrance Sharon Green Webber and M. Thomas Webber, Jr. Drs. John T. and Patricia S. Wilson Lois Cason Wooten and Frank L. Wooten, Jr. Dr. Russell H. Yeany Jr. and Mrs. Brenda Yeany

College Club – recognizing donors who have given a minimum of $500 during the year.

Dr. Louis A. Castenell, Jr. Kerry M. Center William M. Comment Jonathan Clark R. Fortson Dawn Michele Harrill Hildegard K. Holmes Mark Allan and Joanie Kenny Hoyt Randall and Rita Manning Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd C. McNally, Jr. Linda L. and David H. Turner

Century Club – recognizing donors who have given a minimum of $100 during the year.

Livy Beck Abele Dr. Stephen Kwasi Agyekum Naomi Shearouse Alderman Drs. Jo Beth E. and Lewis Ray Allen Dr. Mary E. Anders Patricia Humphrey Arnold Dianne Lee Baker Daniel Lee & Kimberly Y. Ball Dr. Ian Courtney Barrett Kevin L. & Glenda M. Berry Dr. Joan D. Berryman Ruth Mitchell Bilbro Greg S. & Theresa A. Black Charles Elbert Bowen Maria Spence and Thomas L. Bower III Stewart V. Bowers, Jr. and Jane Probert Bowers Dr. James S. Bradshaw Curtis L. Bragg Dr. Martha Clarkson Braswell and James A. Braswell Lesley Martine Broadwell Keith L. Brown Patricia Condon Burch and Dr. Charles B. Burch, Jr. Hunter Joyce Burt Joan M. Buttram

Joe B. Buttram Joyce Bennett and Kevin F. Callahan Dr. Frank John Carbo Rita M. Carfagna Robert T. Carmichael, Sr. H. Banks Carroll, M.D. Ruby L. Carson Ross J. and Sherry G. Centanni Dr. Billie Jean Chambers Robert R. Chrzanowski Elizabeth Walker Cole Jeffrey E. and Karin M. Collins Dr. Mary Jim Combs and Curtis E. Tate, Jr. Dr. Charles Carter Connor, Jr. and Beverly H. Connor Charlotte Dasher Cook Diane L. Cooper Robert Lee and Betty Terry Cox Claire C. Crawford James Patrick Crimmins Helen Lewis Crosland Walter Terry Cullifer Mary Nunn Domingos and Richard Domingos Mark William Dorgan and Stephanie Frye Dorgan Dr. Beverly Joan Dryden Dr. Thomas G. and Anna B. Dyer Dennis M. Edmonds and Patricia McBride Edmonds Charlotte Hitchcock Efurd Dr. Carolyn Kathryn Ehr Judy Mathes Faletti Dr. Mary Kathryn Floyd Kay Shearer and Stuart W. Fors William C. & Jane Hardy Fowler Dr. Mary M. Frasier Charles Virgil Frazier Lewis Samuel Freedman John D. Fuller William Michael Gable, Sr. and Sue Ellen Daniel Gable Dr. LaRetta Matthews Garland Dr. George M. Gazda Marc Elliot Goldenberg and Ellen Sue Goldenberg Dr. Lynda Thomas Goodfellow Dr. and Mrs. Samuel M. Goodrich Joy T. Elder Gorman Sheryle M. and Nile H. Gouker Anita Graham Dr. June Wehrt Gray Johnny Leonard Griffith Kenneth Edward Griner Mrs. Leon R. Gross Dr. David Hayne Haigler Janis L. Hall Dr. Michael J. Hannafin Steve Harris Peggy Bargeron and Thomas Y. Harris III Robert Charles Hart and Dr. Nancy Coleman Hart Richard E. and Phyllis M. Hartzell Dr. Harold Lee Hayes Dr. Jishen He and

Dr. Peihua Sheng Dr. Sara Frances Hensley and Dr. James R. Okey Susan Highsmith-Graveline and Dan Graveline Dolly Bentley Hogan Drs. Arthur M. and Sharon G. Horne Dr. Carl J. Huberty Buford D. and Victoria Wilson Hunnicutt Anne Kelley Huppertz Gwendolyn Norris Hutcheson and Dr. Kermit Hutcheson June Thomas Hyder Dr. George W. Hynd Joseph Gledhill Impink Kathryn Ann Isaacs Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Durell Jessup Dr. Ann E. Jewett Celeste Coley and Willard Calhoun Johns Jr. A. Belle Jones C. Mark and Sheila Wofford Jones Dr. Jeremy Kilpatrick Dr. and Mrs. Daniel J. King Drs. Pamela Bradley and Douglas A. Kleiber Dr. Susan Maraia LaFave Drs. James F. and Judith Winters Lanfrey Stacy Faust and Jeffrey W. Lasky Dr. Gene Rolf Layser Dr. Chester William Leathers George D. & Barbara Jean Lennon Dr. Awanna Lowe Leslie Dr. Jimmy Doyle Lindsey Brock Long Corneille Rylander Lucado Drs. Janet Stillman and Roy P. Martin Dr. Michael Allen Martin and Dr. Sarah Hanvey Martin Mary Davidson and Daniel W. Maxham Kathleen P. McIntire Joan Hawkins McMullan Angela D. Meltzer and Dr. Richard S. Meltzer Dr. George Brown Miller, Jr. Dr. Editha Barnes Mills Mary K. Mills Samuel E. Mokhiber Donald G. and Susan F. Myers Dr. Whitney Lee Myers Maxine Conner Nabors Ryan Anson and Nora Dale Lanier Nesbit Drs. Jenny and Steven Oliver Kashmira D. Parekh, M.D., P.C. Gail Leverett Parenti Georgia Parthemos Fern Byrd Patterson John S. and Jane F. Pirog Dr. Jesse Preston Prather and Mary T. Prather Dr. Judith Preissle Dr. William F. Prokasy and Pamela P. Prokasy Dr. Amy Meltzer Rady

COE 2001-02

Thanks to Every Donor!

Dr. Cecil Randy Reynolds Dr. Mikel Freeman Richardson Ted James Rikard Janet G. Robertson Dr. Vida V. Rogers and Joseph Carroll Rogers Jane Canipe Rooks Allen Lloyd Rowell James Wells and Doris Hunt Rudisill Judy A. and Michael P. Ryan Dr. Jacqueline J. Saindon and Dr. Stephen A. Kowalewski Marvin A. Satterfield Dr. Neil Boydston Satterfield Jodi Holtzman Selvey Dr. Edward Lewis Shaw, Jr. Cecile Berret Shetler Jane Fulghum and Cecil R. Simpson, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. E. Bruce Sloman Dr. Lynn Clare Schroeder Smith Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Smith Dr. Steven A. Stahl Dr. Martha Stephens Staples Shirley Pendley and Joe Michael Stepp Dr. Patricia Pratt Summers Dr. Beverly Bradford Swanson Dr. Julie I. Tallman Kathleen Gay Thompson James D. and Sara J. Tolbert Richard M. Toucey and (Rick, Shannon and Michelle) Donna Cone Trotter Jane Nagle and W. Hubert Tucker, Jr. Therese Pace Tuley Dr. Craig Ellsworth Ullom Gilbert Hanson and Norma Junkins Underwood

Joseph M. and Leigh M. Unites Susan Hall and David N. Vaughan, Jr. Dr. Karen E. Watkins Gene Guthrie and Julien D. Weeks Mr. and Mrs. Gilmer G. Weston, Jr. Dr. Mark F. Wheeler and Jan Bates Wheeler Mary Carter Whitten Nancy Gunter and George Hamilton Williams Margaret A. and Randall C. Williams Mrs. Leroy M. Willson Dr. Terri M. Wilson Dr. Roger Bradley Winston, Jr. Lee Talmadge Woodall Rod R. Wright and Barbara A. Johnson Wright Barbara Bowen Wyle

Your contribution is an investment in tomorrow’s teachers, education professionals

H

ello! I’m Jennifer Nash. I am excited to introduce myself as the new Development Director at the College of Education. It is an honor to be working at the University of Georgia for the programs and students of the College of Education. As an alumna of UGA, I am especially appreciative of the qualities and traditions of our fine institution and the impact it can have on one’s life. I look forward to meeting you and hearing what UGA and the College of Education have meant to you.

As you may know, the College recently completed a strategic plan that will enable us Jennifer Nash to focus on reform in education and connecting with professionals in the state through partnerships among the College, organizations and school districts, and the communities they serve. These goals cannot be achieved without your help! I hope you will consider a gift to the College of Education. Your contribution is an investment in students who will become teachers and professionals of the future.

Scholarship Recipients The UGA College of Education awarded a total of $68,500 to 26 students for a variety of scholarships, most of which are funded by private donations to the College.

Ruby Maude Anderson Scholarship Theodore MacMillan Victoria Elaine Pettis Del Jones Scholarship (undergraduate) Kacy Campbell Stephanie Adam Crawley Ashlee Pou Drake Lora Elizabeth Porter Margaret Robbins Laura Story Del Jones Scholarship (graduate) Jennifer Barnes Angelia M.Bruce Stephanie M. Compton Amanda R. Fischer Pamela Susan Roach Keri Lynn Valentine Mary Murphy Robinson Scholarship Kathryn Norton Emily Nelson Rachel Sibley Sutton Scholarship Tiffany Nicole Hughes Stephanie Marie Warren State Normal School Scholarship Janet Elaine Martin Amy Terressa Scott Student Teaching Scholarship Laura Atkins Joseph Daniell Branscomb Lawrence Finocchi Laveda Pullens Kelly Chitwood Purcell Melissa A. Womack

Find out how you can make a difference! Call me at 706/542-2267 or email me at jrnash@arches.uga.edu. I look forward to talking with you soon.

EDUCATION 2002 ■ 29

Excellence F A C U L T Y

•

S T A F F

Faculty Earn Recognition

Alridge National and International Derrick P. Alridge, assistant professor of social foundations of education, was awarded a $50,000 National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship for the 2001-2002 academic year to pursue work on an ongoing intellectual history project which examines the educational thought of W. E. B. Du Bois.

Donna Alvermann, research professor of reading education,and David Reinking, professor and department head of reading education,were named co-editors of Reading Research Quarterly, one of the most important and widely circulated international research journals in the field of education. They accepted a six-year appointment as co-editors of the 12,000-circula-

P H O T O

30 ■ EDUCATION 2002

education,received the 2001 Quality Educational Leadership Award given by the Georgia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development in recognition of his cumulative accomplishments. Glickman was also recognized by the Instructional Supervision Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association with their Distinguished Research Award for a history of contributions to research.

Thomas P. Hebert, assistant professor of educational psychology, received the Early Scholar Award from the National Association for Gifted Children,given annually for cumulative outstanding research contributions to the profession from a scholar in the field less than 10 years since receiving a terminal degree.

Steve Stahl, professor of reading education and director of the College’s Reading Clinic, received the 2001 Research into Practice Award from the American Educational Research Association (AERA) for his article about research on different learning styles.

Karen Watkins, professor of adult education and director of the School of Leadership and Lifelong Learning, was selected as a Distinguished Graduate by the University of Texas College of Education.

Robert C.Wicklein, associate professor and graduate coordinator of occupational stud-

tion,peer-reviewed professional journal committed to scholarship on questions of literacy among learners of all ages.

Jay Bernhardt, assistant professor of health promotion and behavior and director of the Public Health Information Technology Laboratory in the College of Education, is one of only two scholars in the nation receiving the Early Career Award from the American Public Health Association, given for outstanding and promising contributions to the profession from a scholar in the field less than 10 years since receiving a terminal degree.

Stan Brassie, associate professor of physical education and sport studies, received the 2001 Sport Management Council Award from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education for outstanding contribution and leadership in the field of sport management.

Ron Butchart, professor of social foundations of education, received an award from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University to conduct research at the Schlesinger Library in Cambridge, MA, on the teachers who taught among freed slaves from the beginning of the Civil War to the end of Reconstruction (1861-75).

Louis A.Castenell, Jr., dean of the College of Education, was elected chair of the board of directors of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) and is one of 10 individuals on the national faculty for AACTE’s New Deans Institute.

Diane L. Cooper, associate professor of counseling and human development services and coordinator of the College Student Affairs Administration master’s program at UGA, was awarded the Melvene Draheim Hardee Award,the highest award given by the Southern Association of College Student Affairs, for exceptional research, scholarship and leadership in student personnel work.

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ies, was selected as one of six national fellows by the Technical Foundation of America. In addition to being designated a fellow, Wicklein received a discretionary scholarship of $10,000 to be awarded to students preparing to be technology teachers.

Jim Wilson, professor of mathematics education,received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Service to Mathematics Education from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

University Awards and Honors Dean Louis Castenell was appointed Acting Associate Provost for Institutional Diversity, a senior administrative position reporting directly to Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Karen Holbrook. In that role, he will provide leadership in developing a coordinated campus-wide program to support equity and diversity in UGA’s student body and workforce. He will direct efforts to improve existing programs and institute new strategies and initiatives for the recruitment and retention of minority students, faculty and staff.

Elizabeth Pate, associate professor of elementary education, was one of five UGA faculty members receiving the 2001 Walter Barnard Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach at the annual Public Service and Outreach Conference.

College Awards and Honors Julia de Atiles, academic professional in elementary education, received the Donald O. Schneider Mentoring Award.

Lynn Bryan, assistant professor of science education, and David Jackson, associate professor of science education, received Keith Osborn Faculty Senate Teaching Excellence Awards.

Sherry Field, associate professor of social science education, received the COE Faculty Support Faculty Fellow Award.

Carl Glickman, professor of social foundations of education, was named Outstanding Faculty Member of the College of Education for the year 2000-2001 by the UGA chapter of Kappa Delta Epsilon, an education student honor society.

Judith Preissle, professor and department head of social foundations of education, was recognized as the 2001 Aderhold Distinguished Professor at the UGA Honors Day and also received the 2001 Russell H. Yeany Research Award.

Dorothy White, assistant professor of mathematics education, Stacey NeuharthPritchett, assistant professor of elementary education,and Jack V. Powell, associate professor of elementary education, received the College’s Outstanding Teaching Faculty Awards at the UGA Honors Day this past spring.

Callaway Receives 2001 Staff Award For Excellence Angela Callaway, office manager for the department of UGA’s First Lady Mary special education,received the College of Education 2001 Staff Adams presents plaque Award for Excellence. to Angela Callaway.

UGA’s First Lady Mary L. Adams presented a plaque and a $1,200 cash award April 18 at the State Botanical Gardens.

The first runner-up, Deborah Rogers, budget analyst for the School of Leadership and Lifelong Learning, was awarded $750; and the second runner-up, Anita Miller, senior administrative secretary for the School of Teacher Education, received $300.

A COE staff member for more than a dozen years, Callaway is primarily responsible for all budgetary matters within her department,all graduate records, and is the front-line person dealing with current and prospective students. She also serves as secretary to department head John Langone and graduate coordinator David Gast.

Faculty members praised Callaway for her handling of budgets for on-campus departmental programs and for several large distance-education initiatives. She developed the first departmental computer-based system for day-to-day management of the budget and a datatracking system for the development of reports the department is required to complete.

Callaway was also lauded for her interaction with students. “During this past year, our department began a new Internet-based alternative certification program for teachers. The first cohort enrolled last summer included more than 80 teachers from all over Georgia, tripling the size of our graduate program.All of these students were non-degree candidates and required a significant amount of assistance to navigate the complex system of the Graduate School.Angie spent many hours on the phone talking these students through the application and enrollment process. Without her, this highly regarded program would not be the success it is today,” John Langone said.

The winners were selected from among 13 nominees that included Paula Alexander, Brenda Arnold, Troy Bassett, Mary Ann Godwin, Rene Hammond, Pamela La Salle, Dedra Minor, Thomas Stanulis, Freita Strickland, and Tony Stringer. The College also recognized more than a dozen staff members for their years of dedication,hard work and commitment to excellence.

The annual Staff Award for Excellence program is under overall coordination of the Staff Representative Group of the College, Betty Disharoon Prickett,president.Judging was by a joint panel of College faculty and staff coordinated by Charles Connor, director of the office of communications and publications. Cash awards and other financial support were provided by the College.

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Doctoral Students Receive National AERA/Spencer Fellowships Two College of Education graduate students were among only 14 student scholars nationwide to receive American Educational Research Association/Spencer Foundation pre-dissertation fellowships this year.

Michael S. Matthews and Kirsten C.Crowder, both seeking doctorates in educational psychology, received the prestigious awards that include a stipend of up to $16,000,plus additional support for travel to professional meetings and development courses.

Matthews is interested in the assessment of Spanish/English bilingual students. He is studying development and evaluation of assessment methods that are less affected by linguistic and cultural differences than are the measures commonly used.

Crowder, a student in the applied cognition and development program,is interested in qualitative research methods and the education of students with emotional disturbance. She is developing a program of research investigating the intersections of emotions and education.

Judith Preissle, professor and head of social foundations of education, was named one of the Fall 2000 AERA/Spencer Institute cohorts to work with the fellows.

Kennebrew Selected AAHE Future Leader Sigrid Kennebrew, a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology, was selected as one of seven K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders by the American Association of Higher Education (AAHE) for 2001.

Winners are selected for demonstrated leadership ability, particularly in the development of leaders, scholars, and citizens.

Sabatini Honored by GASCD Ellen Sabatini, a doctoral student in educational leadership and a third-grade teacher, was recognized by the Georgia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development as an outstanding individual who is currently enrolled in a graduate program in educational leadership.

Honors Day Several graduate teaching assistants in the College of Education were cited for their accomplishments at the 2001 Honors Day. Those receiving 2001 Graduate School Outstanding Teaching Awards include: Alecia Y. Jackson, language education; Corey W. Johnson, recreation and leisure studies; Keith Rigby Leatham, mathematics education; Judy Milton, adult education; Melissa Mullis, physical education and sport studies; Anderson H. Norton III, mathematics education; Connie L. Peterson, exercise science; Rob Porter, recreation and leisure studies; Jared Russell, physical education and sport studies; Ilse Sannen, physical education and sport studies; and Stacy L. Schwartz, elementary education.

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Collins Receives The Christa McAuliffe Fellowship

Gainesville teacher Susan Collins is working on her doctorate at UGA.

Susan Collins, a teacher at South Hall Middle School and a doctoral candidate in science education, was one of two Georgia recipients of the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship for the 2001-02 school year.

The national award,named for Christa McAuliffe, the teacher who died in the space shuttle Challenger explosion in January 1986, is administered by the federally funded Council of Chief State School Officers.

The program enables and encourages outstanding teachers to continue their education,develop innovative programs and engage in educational activities that will improve their knowledge and skills and students’ education.

“I was given a choice to implement a program or take a sabbatical.I chose to do the program.I’ve been trying to get technology into the classroom, and this was a way to do it,” she said.

Collins has developed a project,“Using Sensors to Apply Mathematics in Science,” to explore such life-affecting topics as water quality and weather through integrating mathematics, science and technology. The award includes $14,000 to buy equipment and pay for training to implement the project. She said she plans to buy a high-tech projector and six laptop computers.

Training will include learning how to use hand-held sensors. Her students will collect data using sensors in the areas of meteorology, geology and hydrology.

“When students are working as teams in hands-on activities that involve solving realworld problems, they will be able to see the relevance of tasks and be more motivated to perform in math and science,” she said.

Collins says she is a proponent of interactive teaching,especially when it’s combined with technology and students working in teams. “It will help students later when they go out in the work force and have those kinds of experiences,” she said.

Collins, who has spent 10 of her 18 years teaching in Hall County, received National Board Certification in 1997.

Excerpts reprinted by permission. The Gainesville Times

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Rutter On USA Today’s All-USA Teacher First Team Karen Lord Rutter, who created and teaches an innovative Early Childhood Education program at Loganville High School, was one of 20 educators named to USA Today’s third annual All-USA Teacher First Team in 2000.

Rutter, who earned three degrees from UGA – an EdD in occupational studies in 1998,an EdS in home economics in 1983,and an MEd in occupational studies in 1982 – was among the 17 teachers and three teams honored by the national newspaper for their vision,creativity and ability to inspire the best in their students.

Rutter’s program features students running an on-campus preschool,observing classrooms and holding public school internships.

Stachura Named Georgia STAR Teacher for 2001 Jeff Stachura, an English teacher at Atlanta’s Lovett School, was named Georgia STAR teacher for 2001. Stachura, who received his MEd in language education from UGA in 1995, was chosen for the honor by Lovett senior Victor “Skip” Perry, Georgia’s STAR student of the year.

Galland Named Georgia Media Specialist of Year Paula Galland, a media specialist at Brunswick High School, was named Georgia Media Specialist of the Year for 2000. Galland, who has been at Brunswick High since 1997, received the honor from the 800member Georgia Library Media Association and the 500-member Georgia Association for Instructional Technology. She received her MEd in educational media from UGA in 1973.

Bacchus Receives Presidential Award Hilsman Middle School math teacher Shareef Bacchus was one of only two teachers in the United States receiving the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science in 2001. The award, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and created by former President Jimmy Carter in 1983, is the nation’s highest honor for K-12 math and science teachers. He received his MEd in mathematics education from UGA in 1993.

Strickland’s Student Writes Winning National Essay An essay written about COE graduate and fourth-grade teacher Lori Strickland by her student Aniston Franklin was chosen as best essay in the entire United States in the Bi-Lo Washington Apple Commission. Essays had to be 100 words or less about why a particular teacher is the student’s favorite teacher. Both Franklin and Strickland received checks for $500 along with an I-Mac computer for Strickland’s classroom and apples, pencils and T-shirts for Franklin’s classmates. Strickland received her BSEd in special education in 1999.

Anne Mauldin

Second-grade teacher Whit Davis Elementary Clarke County Native of: Born in Lafayette, IN, but lived in Athens since 5 years old.

Current residence: Athens, GA Experience: 16 years teaching – three in kindergarten at Winder Elementary in Barrow County, nine in kindergarten at Fowler Drive in Clarke County, three in first grade at Fowler Drive.

Education: BSEd,1984,UGA;MEd, 1992,UGA. What drew you to teaching? I knew I wanted to work with children. I wanted to be a pediatrician,but the thought of giving children shots and other painful modes of healing scared me away from that field. I got a part-time job in a day care center to see if I was cut out to work with children.Educating children and motivating them to reach their full potential came naturally. Finding ways to overcome difficulties students have learning has offered me a lifetime challenge. To me, breaking the code and finding effective strategies is half the fun.Nothing thrills me more than watching the wheels turn when a child is thinking and learning.

What were your biggest surprises? My first day of teaching I had visions of being the next Miss Landers from “Leave it to Beaver.” I told the students we were going to make a line and asked if anyone knew what that was. Finally, a little boy raised his hand and replied,“It’s a tiger!” I knew then and there that teaching was going to be a lot harder than I ever imagined.

What has been the hardest part of teaching? Overcoming the many social problems children bring to the classroom. They enter with so much baggage and lack basic early learning and language skills most of us take for granted.

What has been the best part? Watching children find the joy of learning and become successful students. I feel great satisfaction when students come back all grown up and say, “You taught me to read.” It tickles me when they can remember specific units or lessons. That is when I know I have made a difference.

If asked, what advice might you have for education reformers? Go into the classrooms and spend time experiencing the problems. I get really frustrated seeing politicians reading a book to a class. It’s sort of like singing one song to the army troops on the front line. If they really want to make a differ ence, substitute for a day or two in a disadvantaged school. Teachers today spend so much time on things other than instruction.Unfortunately, you have to tackle those obstacles before instruction can take place.

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