University of Kentucky College of Education
University of Kentucky College of Education
EARLY CHILDHOOD , SPECIAL EDUCATION & REHABILITATION COUNSELING
Left to right : Dr . Sara Flanagan , Victoria Slocum , Dr . Melinda Ault , Jacqueline Horseman , Melissa Bell , Brittny Williamson , Dr . Amy Spriggs , Dr . Margaret Bausch , and Dr . Jennifer Grisham Brown
“ Racing to Excellence ” Teacher Education Conference
Nearly 600 teacher educators from around the world were “ Racing to Excellence ” at the 39th annual Teacher Education Division Conference at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Lexington in November .
The conference was co-chaired by Dr . Margaret Bausch , chair of the UK College of Education Department of Early Childhood , Special Education , and Rehabilitation Counseling , and Dr . Belva Collins , chair of the Department of Special Education and Child Development at the University of North Carolina Charlotte ( UNCC ), and a former department chair in the UK College of Education .
The Teacher Education Division is one of 17 special interest groups of the Council for Exceptional Children . The council is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities , including students with disabilities and those identified as gifted .
During the conference there were more than 350 concurrent sessions . The topical strands included preparation , certification , and induction ; policies and practices ; research and inquiry ; accountability ; diversity ; partnerships ; and technology . The Department of Early Childhood , Special Education , and Rehabilitation Counseling was well represented at the conference with 13 faculty members and eight students presenting information and research on special education teacher preparation .
Internationally known keynote speakers at the conference included :
Dr . Ted Hasselbring is a research professor at Vanderbilt University . Hasselbring was formerly the William T . Brian Professor and Endowed Chair in Special Education Technology at UK . He is the developer of computerintervention programs for struggling learners , including READ 180 , FASTT Math , and Simon SIO .
Dr . William “ Bill ” Heward is an emeritus faculty member at The Ohio State University . Heward is author of nine books and more than 100 journal articles and book chapters . He has been a Senior Fulbright Scholar in Portugal , a Visiting Scholar at the National Institute of Education in Singapore , and a Visiting Professor of Psychology at Keio University in Tokyo and the University of São Paulo .
Dr . Lisa Dieker is a Pegasus Professor and Lockheed Martin Eminent Scholar Chair at the University of Central Florida . She is the co-developer of the TeachLivE™ simulator used in teacher preparation programs .
Dr . Jane West is a visiting professor at the University of Maryland . West is the policy advisor to several national education organizations , including the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education , the Higher Education Consortium for Special Education , and the Teacher Education Division . She has organized multiple briefings for policy makers and routinely consults with elected officials .
16 | COE COMMUNICATOR | FEBRUARY 2017