Category Archives: Faculty

Faculty, General, Professional Development, Special Events, Staff

Dean’s Sabbatical Series: Dr. Rebecca Shargel

Two brains are better than one: Paired text study in the college classroom

Dr. Rebecca Shargel

November 13, 2017
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Towson Room, Cook Library, Room 507

Dean Laurie Mullen and the College of Education faculty and staff welcome you to the Fall 2017 College of Education Dean’s Sabbatical Lecture Series. Dr. Rebecca Shargel, Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Technology & Literacy, will present a lecture entitled Two brains are better than one: A study of paired text study in the college classroom. Light refreshments will be served.

About the Presentation

This research addresses the problem of first year college students refusing to participate in full group discussions. An antidote to students’ silence is a paired learning method, havruta text study, a strategy derived from Jewish academies of higher learning. This qualitative study applied and adapted this method to several sections of Towson Seminar to investigate advantages and disadvantages of reading and discussing text with the same partner for the duration of a semester. This presentation will discuss the results of this investigation, particularly how students advanced in discussing controversial texts, took on new perspectives, supported peer learning, and found their voices while arriving at a richer understanding of controversial topics.

Doctoral Programs, EDTL, Faculty, Professional Development

Dissertation Defense: Andrea Parrish

Dissertation Defense
Andrea Parrish
November 14, 2017
10:00 am
Hawkins Hall, Room 110

Dissertation Title: A Delphi Study to Develop an Inventory of Competencies Needed to Facilitate Instruction in Student-Centered, One-to-One Learning Environments

Committee: William Sadera, Scot McNary, Laila Richman, David Wizer

Abstract: Today’s one-to-one, student-centered learning environments have unique qualities when compared to the traditional learning spaces of the previous decades and their characteristics hold important implications for both teacher preparation and professional development. While the current trend toward one-to-one technology integration is increasing, many studies fail to clearly articulate the ways that student-centered pedagogy can be used to harness the capacity of technologies that many districts have invested in. Through the use of the Delphi method, this study utilizes a nationwide panel of subject matter experts to develop an inventory of teaching competencies needed to facilitate student-centered instruction in these environments. The resulting inventory serves as a necessary resource for examining teacher preparation programs and for developing professional development that supports school systems in successfully implementing student-centered, one-to-one technology initiatives.

Faculty, General, Professional Development, Special Events, Staff

Dean’s Sabbatical Lecture Series: Dr. Xiaoming Liu

Teacher Education Experiences of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in the U.S.: Perspectives of Five Chinese Students

Dr. Xiaoming Liu

November 1, 2017
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Towson Room, Cook Library

Dean Laurie Mullen and the College of Education faculty and staff welcome you to the Fall 2017 College of Education Dean’s Sabbatical Lecture Series. Dr. Xiaoming Liu, associate professor in Elementary Education, will present a lecture titled Teacher Education Experiences of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in the U.S.: Perspectives from Five Chinese Students. Light refreshments will be served.

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Doctoral Programs, EDTL, Faculty, General

Dissertation Defense: Carrie McFadden

November 6, 2017
10:00 am
Hawkins Hall, Room 110

Dissertation Title: Motivational readiness to change exercise behaviors: The relationship between exercise, wearable exercise tracking technology, FIT values and BMI scores

Committee: Dr. Qing Li (Chair), Dr. Bill Sadera, Dr. Liyan Song, Dr. Andrea Brace

Abstract: The present study explored if the use of wearable exercise tracking technology during exercise supported increased exercise behaviors of frequency, intensity, and time, collectively known as FIT values. Research has shown that increased FIT values equate with stronger, more positive health outcomes and decreased obesity and chronic disease risk (ACSM, 2017). Young adults often gain weight during their college careers, in part due to decreased exercise activities (Butler et al., 2004; Delinsky et al., 2008; Gropper et al., 2012; Nelson et al., 2006). The purpose of this research was to better understand if the use of wearable technology during exercise might be a potential correlate with positive exercise behaviors among university students. This study employed a quantitative methodology that used the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983) to describe where students were along a motivational continuum to exercise and to use a wearable tracking technology. This analysis illuminated the relationship between the regular use of wearable technology during exercise and increased exercise behaviors and simultaneously highlighted the potential of wearable exercise tracking technology to increase behavior. This research provides a quantitative investigation not yet fully explored in the literature about the intersections of wearable technology use, exercise behaviors and positive FIT outcomes. The findings of this study suggest that wearable exercise tracking technology may be connected with positive exercise FIT values and may play a role in increasing exercise behaviors in university students. Health educators can facilitate the use of wearable exercise tracking technologies as they educate students about the importance of the technology-provided data for both short- and long-term exercise behaviors and related health outcomes (Wortley, An, & Nigg, 2017).

Doctoral Programs, EDTL, Faculty

Dissertation Defense: Amy McGinn

Thursday, October 26, 2017
9:30 am
Hawkins Hall, Room 110

Dissertation title: Teacher Experiences with Professional Development for Technology Integration at an Independent School: A Multi-Case Study

Committee members: Dr. Song (advisor), Dr. Sadera, Dr. Wizer and Dr. Hickey

ABSTRACT:  K-12 schools in the U.S. have been challenged by recent reform initiatives that push for improvements in teaching and learning at all levels. This national trend for preparing students for success in the 21st century has brought effective technology integration to the forefront of education improvement. Many schools turn to professional development to train teachers for technology integration. Despite its importance, the current literature has not reached a consensus about how to best address teachers’ learning needs through PD. Independent schools, which are self-determining in mission and program, are not immune to the pressure from these national trends. Although independent schools educate 10% of all students in the U.S., they have been overlooked in the current literature. Little is known about PD for technology integration at independent schools, and teachers’ experiences need to be studied in-depth to determine how to best meet their learning needs. This qualitative multi-case study explored seven independent school teachers’ experiences with PD for technology integration, using diffusion theory as a theoretical framework. Data were collected through a survey of teacher innovativeness, classroom observations, and individual interviews. Data were analyzed using open coding and axial coding, which resulted in the identification of themes for each case and across all seven cases. The findings revealed that participants had varied experiences with PD for technology integration based on their innovativeness. This research bridges a gap in the current literature by identifying teachers’ differing learning needs and by suggesting potential solutions for improving PD for technology integration.

Faculty, General

Patricia Doran awarded $2.2M to EMPOWER English language learners

Five-year grant helps undergraduate and graduate students improve their readiness to serve English language learners

Patricia Doran, Ph.D., associate professor, has been awarded a five-year, $2.2 million grant from the United States Department of Education Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA).

Entitled “English Learners Moving to Proficient Outcomes with Engagement and Rigor (EMPOWER),” Doran’s project will aid the increasing population of English learner students in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

According to Doran, “COE faculty will engage in a multi-pronged effort to build capacity, with the COE and in the community, for serving our increasing population of English learner students.

“Our English learner students represent an incredible asset for our country, yet they also face unique challenges. We need to keep shining the spotlight on them and building our capacity to better serve and teach them,” said OELA Assistant Deputy Secretary José A. Viana.

“With this funding, we continue to deliver on our promise of equity, excellence and opportunity in supporting educators, students and families across the country. They are counting on us to help them soar.”

The grant provides support for selected College of Education undergraduates to take elective courses in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Additionally, the grant involves a partnership with the educational non-profit Children’s Guild that operates two contract schools in partnership with Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Monarch Academy in Laurel and Monarch Academy in Annapolis. The grant provides support for 18 selected educators to complete a master’s degree in educational leadership with ESOL and special education coursework embedded.

The goals for the program include:

  • Creating a model set of schools, responsive to full continuum of English Learners (ELs) linguistic, cultural and instructional needs.
  • Develop, implement and disseminate coursework for preservice educators seeking elementary/elementary-special education certification in order to improve their readiness to serve ELs.
  • To effect systemic change in TU’s teacher education model by designing, offering and disseminating an innovative M.Ed. program that combines ESOL, leadership skills and responsive decision-making and identification.
  • Incorporate and disseminate family and community engagement strategies across all areas of EMPOWER programming.

Special Education Department Chair Betsy Neville, Ph.D., and Educational Technology & Literacy Department Chair Gilda Martinez-Alba are serving as co-Principal Investigators, and Ray Lorion, Ph.D., of Towson University Center for Application and Innovation Research in Education (CAIRE) will lead the evaluation effort for the project.

Towson University is one of 42 colleges and universities to receive funding from the $20 million award expected to serve approximately 1,796 pre-service and 9,731 in-service teachers nationwide.

TU produces 31 percent of Maryland’s teachers, with nearly 80 percent of recent TU graduates live and/or work in the state.

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel’s priorities for Towson University: TU Matters to Maryland.

Commencement, Faculty, General, Staff, Students

COE Winter 2017 Commencement Speaker Nominations

We are seeking nominations for an undergraduate commencement speaker for the Winter 2017 commencement ceremony.

Students can self-nominate, nominate another student, and/or be nominated by a faculty member.  Nominations will go to the respective department chair and each department will then submit a final nominee for the undergraduate speaker to the Assistant Dean.

The Speaker Selection Committee will review the final nominees to make sure they have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA. Short interviews will then be scheduled with each nominee.

The selection of the final speakers will be based on the interviews in conjunction with the nominee’s academic performance.

Please complete this survey by Monday, September 25, 2017.