UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education

Understanding how the student brain works

trevor.kenney — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 20:39:52 +0000

“When we hear “brain-based research,” we tend to think primarily in terms of brain injuries or diseases such as stroke and alzheimer’s, but what is the connection between neuroscience and inclusive education?

As ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education’s Dr. Nancy Grigg explains, “The solid body of research that exists to support the use of various educational strategies is now being enhanced by neuroscience research, contributing unique and important knowledge of how best to enhance student learning."

Dan Vanden Dungen, a longtime educator in the Horizon School Division, is learning how neurological theory can make a huge difference in today's classrooms.

Dan Vanden Dungen (BA ’90, BEd ’92) will be among the first cohort of the Inclusive Education and Neuroscience MEd program to graduate in 2014. Initially, he struggled with how neurological theory would translate to the classroom. In retrospect, he says that knowing how the brain works matters because it allows educators to better identify changes that can be made.

“A key understanding from neuroscience is the building of neural pathways to enhance learning for all students in an inclusive environment,” says program instructor Sue Bengry. “In essence, it’s about understanding how the student’s brain works and tailoring the instruction to relate to that functionality.”

“It’s a less subjective way of working,” explains Vanden Dungen, “I believe it’s made me more empathetic, tolerant and resourceful.”

Working in the Horizon School Division for almost twenty years now, Vanden Dungen has worked with a broad spectrum of children, many from local and migratory Mennonite religious communities. More recently, his work as a classroom support teacher has also included students whose primary language is Low German, at the Horizon Mennonite Alternative Program.

“Inclusion is challenging,” he says. “It’s not the way most of us were taught to teach.”

With its cohort model, the structure of the MEd program has provided him with some unexpected connections.

“My cohorts have been an amazing support,” he says. “Being with the same group for three years has been essential to my success in the program. It’s also meant that I have a network of ‘inclusion professionals’ outside of my school and division.”

As we enter a new era of advancement in brain research, neuroscience is helping to inform learning specialists.

It’s becoming easier for researchers to access and interpret information originating in the brain.

“The basis for variations in learning, behaviour regulation and thinking are now being understood and described as ‘variations in brain processes,’” says Dr. Rob Sutherland of the U of L Department of Neuroscience in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience. Accordingly, he predicts that “future innovations in education will depend upon understanding and applying what neuroscience has discovered about the developing brain.”

A classroom support teacher can take this specialized knowledge and incorporate it into a customized plan of action that consciously shapes a student’s learning.

“It’s important to provide a solid rationale for your recommendations,” says Vanden Dungen. “To do this, we need to become critical consumers of scientific data and the neuroscience courses help lay that foundation.”

Teacher Job Fair connects students to employers

trevor.kenney — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 17:12:34 +0000

Even in a challenging economy, people still have to learn - and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education is well known for supplying high-quality teachers to the profession who work locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Since 2003, the Faculty's well-deserved reputation for excellence has brought more than 30 school boards or educational organizations to its annual Teacher Job Fair.

This year, the Teacher Job Fair takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 23, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall Atrium.

The Teacher Job Fair allows students opportunity to establish one-on-one contact with representatives from prospective school boards from as far as the United Kingdom.

"We provide a service to current students and recent graduates that allows them to interact with future employers," says Nicole Spence, Teacher Job Fair co-ordinator. "Many students will be ready to teach within the next few months and the job fair can present opportunities for employment. Some employers will even decide to personally interview or make group presentations to upcoming grads at this job fair."

Spence adds that the fair is not just for impending graduates but for all teachers beginning to chart their career path.

"We encourage third- and fourth-year students to attend the job fair at some point during the day to talk or interview with the delegates. It's a great experience for both employers and students to collect information about potential opportunities with each school board or agency."

The Faculty of Education offers some of the most extensive practical teaching experience in Canada – with 27 weeks of practical work placement, students often receive double the amount of time in front of a classroom as other programs, and find they turn their experiences with the many teacher partners who mentor U of L students into long-term work relationships.

Faculty of Education always keen on strengthening the program

trevor.kenney — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:49:00 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education is embarking upon a unique partnership with students and alumni to better understand and further strengthen the Faculty's academic program.

"This teacher education program has always been successful," says Dr. Thelma Gunn, assistant dean, Student Program Services. Why it has been successful, however, has never been formally researched.

"We want to know specifically what components of the educational program had the most impact on pre-service teachers—and then how those components were eventually perceived out in the field."

Dr. Thelma Gunn and her colleagues recognize the Faculty's academic program cannot rest on its laurels.

Data collection will initially be survey-based, with interviews and possibly focus groups developing as the study progresses.

"We'd like to start with individuals who would agree, even in ED 2500, to be tracked as they go into PSI, II, III, and then out into the profession."

A major facet of the initiative will be feedback from graduates.

"We value what they know and understand about being a teacher. Now we want to find out more information about how our on-campus components contributed to their development as a teacher," says Gunn.

"Alumni can provide at least two important ideas for us," adds Dr. Craig Loewen. "One is reflection on what parts of their program had the greatest impact on their teaching career. The other is current experience in the field and advice on what new we might need to add."

Although the program has changed over time, the study isn't limited to recent graduates.

"It's mostly the academic portion that's changed, not necessarily the feeling," says Gunn. "We don't know specifically what people have valued. It might be the personal experiences they had here—the small groups, the collegiality, the professors who were committed to developing teachers."

Veteran teachers often see trends that newer teachers can't, she notes, and may have "something intriguing to state in terms of how the program could move forward."

"We're interested in anyone who was a graduate of the faculty," says Gunn, "even if they use their BEd in another capacity. Then there are people who've left the profession altogether. Why they left is equally interesting to us."

"We're just really interested in what students and alumni have to say about the overall program. If there was something good we want to keep it, and if there was something they think could have been done differently, we want to know. We're looking for genuine, authentic perceptions of the program."

For more information, contact: edu.sps@uleth.ca

Bright speaks to a safer Internet

trevor.kenney — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:47:43 +0000

Tuesday, Feb. 7 is International Safer Internet Day.

International Safer Internet Day promotes the positive use of the Internet among children and youth.

Dr. Robin Bright, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education researcher has been looking at the effects of bullying, and now, cyberbullying for a number of years.

Bright can be available to discuss how parents can be more aware of their children's internet use.

In addition to a general overview of the challenges faced by those being cyber-bullied, the relevant facts Dr. Bright is able to discuss are as follows:

• 84 per cent of parents believe that their children will confide in them if they are being cyberbullied, but only 8 per cent of kids actually speak to an adult about the issue

• Kids are reluctant to report online problems to parents for fear of losing their Internet and cell phone privileges, despite the fact that only 2 per cent of parents react this way. This speaks to the misconceptions between kids and parents

• There is a critical need for parents to talk with their kids and help them make safe and responsible decisions online. Apparently, kids say they want adult involvement

• Educators are acting to deal with cyberbullying, but the reality is that many students will never turn to adults in authority to help them with online dangers

• In these cases, it would be more helpful if educators work to develop in students self-confidence and critical maturity to be able to apply critical judgments

• Kids under the age of 10 do not have sufficient critical thinking skills to surf the Net alone so supervision is still Important

• One study showed that 25 per cent of kids in grades 4-6 were completely unsupervised online.

• Parents can acquaint themselves with Internet places and tools kids use -- like using instant messaging, trying out a webcam, playing a game online, downloading music and creating a social networking site.

• Great sites for parents to know about and check out: www.media-awareness.ca; www.bewebaware.ca

Buchanan knew early what career path lay ahead

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:15:28 +0000

It's likely your first job did not spawn a career choice.

Whether it was selling lemonade, delivering papers, doing yard work, shoveling snow or repeating the phrase, "Do you want fries with that?", most first jobs only inspire us to head in a completely different direction. That was not the case for Daniel Buchanan (BA, BEd '02).

"Growing up in Hanna, Alta. I had a job as a summer camp counselor in high school," remembers Buchanan. "That helped me realize right then that I enjoyed the energy of working with kids and they seemed to relate to me also. So becoming a teacher fit me quite well."

After high school graduation, Buchanan headed to Calgary and enrolled in the pre-education program at Mount Royal College, majoring in English.

"During my second year, I attended a presentation given by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education. I heard so many amazing things about the education program, and I realized that the U of L seemed to cater to what we were already doing at Mount Royal. Most of us in the pre-education program transferred to the U of L that year," he says.

Buchanan completed his third year of undergraduate courses at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in spring 2000 and was admitted to the Faculty of Education that fall. Thrown immediately into the refiner's fire, Buchanan fondly remembers Dr. Frank Sovka's technique for preparing students to become teachers.

"It was the first week of classes and Dr. Sovka dropped this assignment bomb on us. In between planning units, lesson plans and teaching in our practicum, we had to look at the Alberta program of studies and write a paper on the learning outcomes of our particular teaching strand. We hadn't put in that many hours before and felt hard done by, but in the end, it was great because it was a good introduction into the busy life of a teacher," says Buchanan.

Motivated by the professional, personable demeanor and the high expectations of his professors, Buchanan graduated with distinction in 2002 and moved back to Calgary, but not before he left his mark on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"A bunch of us got together and decided to form a lunch club. About three days a week we got together for lunch, relaxed and planned our weekends. We painted a lunch club mural in the tunnel and put our names on it," says Buchanan. "The club became our circle of friends."

Substitute teaching and taking on several short-term contracts, Buchanan worked in Calgary for three years before taking a year off to backpack throughout Europe, north Africa and Argentina.

"When I was in Argentina I worked for about six weeks as a resource teacher. It was a real heads-up; I realized how fortunate we are here," he says. "When I came back to Calgary I taught at Harold W. Riley Elementary School, but I had fallen in love with the country of Argentina so I returned there to teach English for a year."

In 2006, Buchanan returned to Riley before transferring to Simon Fraser Middle School when Riley closed in 2009.

Last year, Buchanan was awarded two prestigious teaching honours: the Alberta Education Excellence in Teaching and the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence.

Buchanan is well respected among his colleagues, students and the community for his dedication and commitment to students and for his innovative incorporation of new technology to improve student learning, experience and success. He is actively involved in extra-curricular activities including school recycling and digital literacy programs, and spends many personal hours cheering for his students at hockey games and other community events.

"I think it is important to take an interest in students both in and out of the classroom because it is important to them and it leads you to appreciating the whole person," says Buchanan. "Each summer is bittersweet because you have to say goodbye to students you have a connection with. I hope that at the end of my time with my students, they are independent, they feel safe and are confident to go on to new endeavors."

GET THE FACTS

• Engaged, Buchanan is to be married in April.

• He was instrumental in securing several grants for Harold W. Riley School, including a $60,000 Hewlett Packard Physical Education Equipment grant from Kidsport.

• Buchanan speaks Spanish and ran his first half-marathon last year.

• He was a Kimmitt Scholarship recipient at the U of L in 2001 and was on the Dean's honour roll at Mount Royal.

• One of his current initiatives is a students/staff recycling project where they make wallets out of used tetra packs.

Teacher Job Fair links students, employers

trevor.kenney — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:00:51 +0000

Even in a challenging economy, people still have to learn – and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education is well known for supplying high-quality teachers to the profession who work locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Since 2003, this well-deserved reputation for excellence, coupled with a 97 per cent employment rate upon graduation, has brought more than 40 school boards or educational organizations to the U of L to recruit teachers.

This year, the Teacher Job Fair takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 20 beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall Atrium.

"We needed to provide a service to current students and recent graduates so they could interact with future employers," says Judy Lavorato, Teacher Job Fair co-ordinator.

Job Fair delegates are primarily Alberta school board representatives but in the past few years there has been an increase in the number of international agencies who wish to attend, as well as an increase in the number of private schools.

"Typically the delegates are part of the administrative and human resources team from each school board/agency," Lavorato says, adding that confirmed international delegates include representatives from Australia and the United Kingdom.

"Some employers will decide to personally interview upcoming grads who will be ready to teach within the next few months, so students can be made more aware of their options for employment," she says.

"As well, we encourage 3rd and 4th year students to attend the job fair at some point during the day to talk or interview with the delegates. It's a great experience for both employers and students to collect information about potential opportunities with each school board or agency."

The Faculty of Education offers the most extensive practical teaching experience program in Canada – with 27 weeks of practical work placement, students often receive double the amount of time in front of a classroom as other programs, and find they turn their experiences with the many teacher partners who mentor U of L students into long-term work relationships.

"Coming to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge allowed me to be in smaller classes with professors who genuinely care about me and my progress," says Whitney Jones, who started work two months after graduating in 2009. "The practicum time is invaluable. I've literally been a teacher‚ even before graduating."

UNews - ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education

Understanding how the student brain works

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UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Education