CEHD Newsletter: July 13, 2006

(See also the PDF version)

Please submit items to Gail Haller (ghaller@gmu.edu) by Thursday of each week.

Faculty News

Donna Sterling (dsterlin@gmu.edu) and doctoral student Dawn Rene Wilcox (dwilcox1@gmu.edu) published an article in the summer 2006 issue of Science Scope. The article is titled “Twisters, Tall Tales, and Science Teaching.”

David Anderson (danderso@gmu.edu) and Laurie Dopkins of the Center for Social Science Research planned and led a day-long planning session with adult and youth leaders from Loudoun County on June 22. The Loudoun Youth Initiative Summit was designed to facilitate foundational discussions for the county's strategic plan on youth issues. The session addressed four themes: Engagement Opportunities, Belonging, Respect for Others, and Healthy Living.

David Anderson (danderso@gmu.edu) presented a sample faculty lecture for parents during the two-day orientation program.This 45-minute session, "Legacy of Life: Strategies to Facilitate Healthy College Transitions," utilized the 'Patriot Pulse' decision software, emphasized what parents can do, and demonstrated the COMPASS: A Roadmap to Healthy Living CD-ROM to be distributed to new students in the Fall.

Bill Brozo (wbrozo@gmu.edu) was interviewed about his research on boys and literacy for SCHOOL TALK on May 25. The half-hour TV show will air on Rhode Island PBS, simultaneously on Internet TV, and on the Satellite Research Channel.

Bill Brozo (wbrozo@gmu.edu) conducted a week of professional development workshops on the topic of content area literacy for science and math teachers from throughout the state of Missouri at the 10th annual Teaching and Learning Conference in Columbia June 16-22.

Bill Brozo (wbrozo@gmu.edu) wrote a white paper on motivation for struggling adolescent readers for the McGraw-Hill/Jamestown company as it pertains to a new program-in-development called Jamestown Reading Navigator.

Bill Brozo (wbrozo@gmu.edu) was interviewed on June 29 by John Micklos, of the International Reading Association, on boys and literacy for a feature article to appear in Reading Today.

Bill Brozo (wbrozo@gmu.edu) and colleague C. Kalo published “Teaching with Informational Text to Engage Young Learners: Making Our Thinking Explicit” in Thinking Classroom/Peremena, 7, 46-47 (2006).

Wendy Frazier (wfrazier@gmu.edu) published an article in Science Scope Vol. 29, 8 (2006) titled “Magnifying Students' Interest in Science” that provides inclusive strategies for integrating art and microscopy for grades 4-7.

Elavie Ndura (endura@gmu.edu) has returned from a research trip in Burundi, Africa where she collected data on “Educators’ Perceptions of the Role of Education in the Quest for Sustainable Peace in the African Great Lakes Region.” While in Burundi, she explored potential partnerships between CEHD and the University of Burundi and the University of Ngozi, the two main institutions of higher education in the country. Elavie also presented one invited teacher development workshop and two invited workshops for two secondary schools and surrounding community. In addition she spent several days observing classes in primary and secondary schools. Elavie left Burundi with an astute awareness of the schools’ dire need for qualified faculty and teaching materials. As a result of this awareness, she has begun a project to help address some of these needs. Elavie will begin collecting English-French/French-English dictionaries for secondary schools in Burundi. She has already made arrangements with the U.S. Embassy in Burundi to help ship them as soon as she gets enough for at least one school.

Elavie Ndura (endura@gmu.edu) published “Transcending the Majority Rights and Minority Protection Dichotomy Through Multicultural Reflective Citizenship in the African Great Lakes Region” in Intercultural Education, 17(2), 195-205.

Elavie Ndura (endura@gmu.edu) and colleague J.W. Makoba published“The Roots of Contemporary Ethnic Conflict and Violence in Burundi” in S.C. Santosh Perspectives on Contemporary Ethnic Conflict: Primal Violence or the Politics of Conviction? (pp. 295-310) Rowman & Littlefield/Lexington Books.

Elavie Ndura (endura@gmu.edu) and colleague J.W. Makoba presented a paper titled “Transforming Society and Fostering Peace through Education in Burundi and Rwanda” at the 2006 Biannual Conference of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA), Calgary, Canada on July 2.

Elavie Ndura (endura@gmu.edu) presented at an invited workshop “Perspectives sur lavie a l’étranger” (Perspectives on Living Abroad) at Petit Séminaire of Mugera, Mugera, Burundi on May 25. On May 26 she also presented “De l’enseignement à l’évaluation: Principes et pratiques pour une bonne reussite des eleves (From Teaching to Assessment:Principles and Practices for Higher Academic Achievement).

Elavie Ndura (endura@gmu.edu) presented at an invited workshop “La vie à l’étranger; D’un rêve de jeunesse à la découverte de la rélalité” (Living Abroad: From a Youth Dream to the Discovery of Reality) at Ecole Normale Notre Dame de l’Assomption de Mugera, Mugera, Burundi on May 29.

Layne Kalbfleisch (mkalbfle@gmu.edu) was appointed Director of MRI Safety and Operations by Matthew Kluger, Vice President for Research, on June 5.

Joan Isenberg (jisenber@gmu.edu) with colleague Mary Jalongo co-authored a book chapter titled “Creative Expression and Thought in Kindergarten” published in the edited volume Kindergarten Today: Teaching and Learning in the Kindergarten Year. The book published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children is to help kindergarten educators to be thoughtful and effective in the current educational climate.

David Brazer (sbrazer@gmu.edu) and doctoral student Susan Ross (sross5@gmu.edu) have published "Who Influences Educational Decisions?" in the summer 2006 edition of Academic Exchange Quarterly. This paper presents quantitative data results regarding decision making in one of four school districts participating in a larger study.

David Brazer (sbrazer@gmu.edu) and L. Robin Keller from UC-Irvine have an article accepted for publication titled "A Conceptual Framework for Multiple Stakeholder Educational Decision Making" in the International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership. This theoretical paper provides the conceptual foundation for studying decision making in educational contexts.

PhD Students

Nancy Robert (nancyrobert@cox.net) defended her doctoral dissertation titled “Developing Resident Learning Profiles: Do Scientific Evidence Epistemology beliefs, EBM Self-Efficacy Beliefs and EBM Skills Matter?” on June 23. Committee members included Priscilla Norton (pnorton@gmu.edu), chairperson, Anastasia Kitsantas (akitsant@gmu.edu), and Eamonn Kelly (akelly1@gmu.edu).

Heidi Graff (heidijgraff@cox.net) will present her doctoral dissertation titled “The Kellar Instructional Handheld Data System: Testing a Technology Tool on Teacher Perceptions and Effectiveness with Data Driven Decisions for Students with Autism” on July 12 from 1:00 PM–3:00 PM in Krug Hall, Room 108. Committee members include Mike Behrmann (mbehrmann@gmu.edu), chairperson, Margo Mastropieri (mmastrop@gmu.edu), and Judith Fontana (jfontan1@gmu.edu).

Grants/Proposals

Margo Mastropieri (mmastrop@gmu.edu) submitted a proposal titled “Preparation of Leadership Personnel” to the U.S. Department of Education.

Kevin Clark (kclark6@gmu.edu) submitted a proposal titled “Message in the Media (Youth Empowerment Program)” to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Farnoosh Shahrokhi (fshahrok@gmu.edu) with co-investigator Bev Shaklee (bshaklee@gmu.edu) submitted a proposal titled “International Educators Program” to the U.S. Department of State.

Mike Behrmann (mbehrman@gmu.edu) submitted a proposal titled “Planning a Statewide and State Approved Program for Visual Impairments: A consortium of Institutions of Higher Education in Virginia” to the Virginia Department of Education.

Eva Thorp (ethorp@gmu.edu), Sylvia Sanchez (sanche2@gmu.edu), and Susan Burns (mburns2@gmu.edu) submitted a proposal titled “New Leaders Now” to the U.S. Department of Education.

Donna Sterling (dsterlin@gmu.edu) submitted a proposal titled “Expanding Pathways to Science” to the National Science Foundation.

Maggie Daniels (mdaniels@gmu.edu) submitted a proposal titled “Space Day Survey” to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

CEHD News

The Office of Education Services in Collaboration with Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William County Schools invite you to “Make the Message Matter: Engaging Your School Community” July 25-26 on the Fairfax Campus. James Carville will be one of the keynote speakers on July 25. Further information and registration can be found at http://makethemessagematter.gmu.edu .

The prestigious National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship Program will support up to 20 early career scholars working in critical areas of education research in 2007-08. Fellows will receive $55,000 for one year of research or $27,500/year for two years working half-time. Applicants must have earned their doctorate between January1, 2001 and December 31, 2006. Deadline to apply is November 10, 2006 and awardees will be notified in May 2007. Detailed information, forms and guidelines can be found at www.naeducation.org.

The Center for International Education, FAST TRAIN Programs, has just finished the onsite visit by the IB authorization team and the team recommended full recognition to the Director General of IBO for the FAST TRAIN initiative in elementary education. Mason is the first university in North America and the only university in the United States to be so recognized. This will mean that all FAST TRAIN elementary graduates who start the program from summer 2006 on may apply for the IB Teacher Practitioner Award once they have completed the FAST TRAIN licensure coursework and its capstone course, EDUC 621, Teaching and Learning in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. Four more graduate courses for IB in-service teachers across PYP/MYP/DP will be developed in AY 2006-07.

Mike Behrmann (mbehrman@gmu.edu) and the LTCC partnership held their ground breaking on a townhouse design to provide disabled residents with greater accessibility. The article can be found at:
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=67885&paper=61&cat=104

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