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Wednesday Update for December 14, 2016

*Please send announcements for the COE Wednesday Newsletter to ss.update@coe.ufl.edu by 2pm on the Tuesday prior; confirmation that your announcement has been received will be provided

Announcements

Winter 2017 AERA Grants Program competition
AERA announces its Winter 2017 AERA Grants Program competition, which is currently accepting proposals for both Dissertation and Research Grants until Wednesday, January 25, 2017. The AERA Grants Program, with support from the National Science Foundation, provides small grants for conducting studies of education policy and practice using federally-funded, large-scale data sets. Proposals are encouraged from a variety of disciplines, such as but not limited to, education, sociology, economics, psychology, demography, statistics, and psychometrics.

AERA Dissertation Grants
AERA Research Grants

Please contact grantsprogram@aera.net if you have any questions regarding this program.

Toys for Tots – deadline December 22nd
The College of Education is participating in the “Toys for Tots” holiday toy drive. We are collecting new, unwrapped toys now through December 22nd. The Alachua County Toys for Tots program provides toys to children in the age range of infant to 12 years old. Below is the list of COE toy drop sites:

TOY DROP SITES:
CEEC – 1345K Norman
Dean’s Office – 140 Norman
HDOSE- 1215 Norman
Lastinger Center – G315 Norman
SESPECS- 1403 Norman
STL – 2423 Norman
EduGator Central – G416 Norman

If you have any questions or would like to make a monetary donation, please contact Jennifer Wrighton, jwrighton@coe.ufl.edu or stop by Norman 140. We will do your shopping for you or you can make a check payable to “Toys for Tots”. Thanks in advance for your contribution.

Scholarship Opportunities Now Available for Graduate & Undergraduate COE Students!
Applications are now being accepted for the 2017-2018 College of Education Scholarships Program. Students who will be enrolled in Fall 2017 or who have applied for admission in Fall 2017 are eligible to apply for College of Education Scholarships. Click here for further instructions.

Employment Opportunities

Clinical Counselor Positions Available 
The Children’s Home Society, Mid-Florida Division is currently looking for Clinical Counselors to join our team! Clinical Counselors assess and/or identify client and family needs as well as plan, coordinate, provide and evaluate the necessary services and treatment; assist and counsel individuals and families by using such activities as delineating alternatives, helping to articulate goals and providing needed information and treatment services. Please see the attached document for more information.

Uncommon Schools, a Charter Management Organization in the Northeast has several immediate openings for this current school year, and would love to be connected with graduates looking to begin, or continue, their careers in Education.
Special Education Teacher
Middle School ELA Teacher
Middle School Science
Middle School Math
Apprentice Teacher
College Readiness Teacher

Spring 2017 – Courses, Seminars, Study Abroad

Seminars
School of Teaching & Learning (STL) Graduate Seminars. See flyer for more information.

Undergraduate Courses

ALS 4404: Study abroad- Summer A 2017: Insects In Italy
Study abroad with no language requirement! Get ready for Insects In Italy! This is just one of 30+ classes you can take Summer A 2017 as part of the UF in Florence – Global Perspectives Program!

All majors welcome: Learn how insects, fungi, and insect-vectored pathogens have shaped the food we eat and human history by exploring art, science, and food production in Italy. You will visit multiple museums, historical locations, and tour agricultural operations to explore these intertwined disciplines. Plus we have a weekend trip to Venice and a second weekend to visit Siena scheduled (all included in your fees)! The last day to register will be in early March. Learn more about this University of Florida study abroad opportunity

DEP 4930: The Developing Mind and Brain: Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
New Class in Department of Psychology  – Ever wonder how the brain develops? Or how the developing brain supports learning, memory, attention or emotion processing? Are there important time periods or sensitive periods for brain development? And what happens when things go wrong? This course will be a broad overview of current research and methods in the field of developmental cognitive neuroscience. More details here.

EDA 4930: Introduction to Education Policy (Section # 1004)
Instructor: Dennis A. Kramer II, Ph.D.
This course is an introduction to education policy and analysis. In this course, we will explore: (1) the history of education policy in the United States; (2) key federal and state policies impacting K12 and higher education; (3) the purposes of education/policy; and (4) theoretical and conceptual approaches to policy analysis. In considering contemporary education policy in the U.S., we will pay attention to: current debates, policy designs and their assumptions, and findings on implementation and (intended and unintended) outcomes. In addition, unlike many courses in policy analysis, we will turn a critical eye to the act of policy analysis itself, considering what it means to be a policy analyst and what kind of policy analysis students might engage in as part of their practice

EDA 4930: Athletics and the University (Section # 05D6)
Instructor: Dennis A. Kramer II, Ph.D.
This course will look at the history, organization, finance, governance, leadership and symbolism of athletics as a key part of the political economy of the contemporary university.  With student athletes as a primary unit of analysis we will review the history of intercollegiate athletic competition, the symbolic role of athletics in society and the future of athletics on postsecondary campuses. Within the broader study of athletics we will turn attention to issues of institutional equity, gender and power in the modern university.

EDA 4930: Foundations of Social Justice in Education (Section # 1019)
Instructor: Lauren “LB” Hannahs
Adams (2013) states, “social diversity and social justice are often used interchangeably to refer to social differences as well as to social inequality. These two terms are closely related but not interchangeable.” This course will clarify these differences and situate inequities in education within a social justice framework, focusing on the systemic factors that create inequities and maintain oppression. Students will develop a strong understanding of social justice education, apply a social justice perspective to inequities in education, and engage in an action-based project to further understand social justice-based activism.

EDG 4930 or EDG 6931: Language & Education in the Republic of Ireland
The study abroad will take place April 23 through May 6, 2017. Students will stay in Homestays around Dublin (week 1) and County Donegal (week 2) and will attend schools in both settings. This study abroad is officially a Spring semester course for 3 credit hours, so students in our undergraduate programs can use Bright Futures toward this program. See flyer for additional information. Please contact Maria Coady with any questions (mcoady@coe.ufl.edu).

EEX 4905: School Mental Health Practice and Research Seminar
Instructor: Joni Williams Splett, Ph.D.
A NEW Undergraduate Seminar that combines research experience and foundational knowledge about school mental health and graduate school. Students must obtain instructor permission prior to registration. See flyer for course description and contact information for an application.

FOR 4060: Global Forests
Instructor: Dr. Karen Kainer
Since humans began migrating out of Africa some 50,000 years ago, the extent of global forests has been reduced by about half.  Is this trend continuing across our planet?  To answer this question and others regarding forest conservation, enroll in FOR4060. Prerequisites: None – Register through khaselier@ufl.edu
Fulfills the Sustainability major’s Cluster C
Course Handout; Course syllabus

PHA 4933: Medications and Health
What Medication Questions Come to Mind? Depression, Acne, Travel Medicine, Medical Marijuana … Answers to these and Many More. See flyer for contact information.

POS 4956 or AFA 4905: African Americans in Paris Spring Break Course
Students can earn 2-3 credits for the African Americans in Paris (POS 4956 or AFA 4905) class that will be offered in Paris, France during spring break 2017. Before we leave for Paris, the class will have to watch online lectures and documentaries and write three 3-4 page papers. In Paris, we will visit a number of historic sites of significance to African Americans. Students will also have a free day so that they can visit additional sites in Paris on their own or take a day trip to a nearby city. The $2500 cost for undergraduates doesn’t include airfare, but does include lodging, some meals, transportation in Paris, and tickets to all of the site visits. Please contact Dr. Sharon Austin, Director of the African American Studies Program and Associate Professor of Political Science at polssdw@ufl.edu or click here for more information.

UF in India: NGOs and Development
FYC4427/6243: Non-Governmental Organizations
FYC4932/4941/6932: NGOs: The Field Study   Health
Dr. Muthusami Kumaran, faculty member in Family, Youth, & Community Sciences, IFAS is offering a study abroad program to India in Summer 2017. Click here for contact information and other details. Program information located here.

Graduate Courses

EDF 6938: Teaching Practicum for Graduate Students (Section 2A66)
Instructor: Dr. David Therriault
This course is designed for Graduate students interested in garnering experience to teach at the University level. Graduate students from disciplines outside of education are encouraged to enroll. Please see flyer for course details and contact information.

EDG 7252: Perspectives in Curriculum, Teaching, and Teacher Education (Doctoral Seminar)
Instructor: Vicki Vescio, Ph.D.
This course will involve a collaborative exploration of enduring issues related to teaching and learning in classrooms at all levels. The central questions we will confront appear simple, yet their answers have deep implications for education: What should schools teach?  Who should decide how schools teach? How should the effectiveness of schools be evaluated? Traditional answers to these questions have been the topic of theoretical writings and research studies for close to 100 years.  However, despite decades of work, the answers to these questions are still debated in contemporary education without a consensus within the profession.  Simultaneously, decisions about curriculum are being made through a political process that may, or may not, be influenced by the knowledge of educators. For example, current debates around issues such as standardized assessment, accountability, vouchers, charter schools, the teaching of evolution, performance-based pay, reading instruction, and grade level retention (to name just a few) are largely political debates and the decisions which will impact schools are typically legislative in nature.  In this course we will focus on these prevailing controversies to explore how they have come to impact our current system of education.

EDH 7505: Financing (Economics) of Higher Education
Instructor: Isaac McFarlin, Ph.D.
Can higher education make a person more productive?  What are the benefits of a college education?  How do colleges and universities respond to declines in state appropriations?  Are there effective policies to stimulate college-going among high-achieving, low-income students?  These questions and others are in the domain of the economics of higher education.  To address these issues, we will use basic principles from economics such as supply and demand frameworks and human capital models to better understand individual and institutional decision-making within the higher education sector. Topics will include trends in sources of revenue and expenditure for higher education; the role of information, financial aid and incentives; admissions-related policies; the labor market returns to attending college, and other economic forces shaping postsecondary institutions. Empirical content for the course will be drawn from research using modern quasi-experimental and experimental methods.

EEX 7787: School Improvement for all students
Instructor: James McLeskey (mcleskey@coe.ufl.edu)
This doctoral seminar addresses approaches that have proven effective in improving schools to enhance academic and behavior outcomes for all students. Resources for addressing these issues will include Fullan’s (2015) New meaning of educational change (5th ed.), and Bryk et al.’s (2015) Learning to improve: How America’s schools can get better at getting better. The approaches to school improvement in both of these texts are widely used across the U.S., and emphasize systematically learning from and improving on practice. Specific topics addressed will include:

  • A brief history of school improvement;
  • The current status of problems facing students who experience difficulty progressing in schools;
  • Approaches that have proven effective in supporting school improvement;
  • Barriers that may impede school improvement; and
  • Strategies that have been used to improve teacher practice.

LAE 6865: Teaching Media Literacy (online)
Instructor: Dr. Angela Kohnen
Media Literacy is the ability to ACCESS, ANALYZE, EVALUATE, CREATE and ACT using all forms of media. More details available on the attached flyer.

Archived Newsletters

If you want to read about any of the announcements, opportunities, and events posted in last week’s Wednesday Update Newsletters, or peruse previous newsletters, please visit https://education.ufl.edu/student-services/category/student-newsletter/