- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Forward Arkansas Awards ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Phase II Grant to Improve Recruitment and Training for K-12 Teachers

John Hill — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 15:31:49 +0000

has named the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as one of two phase II grant recipients who will work with expert national partners in a multi-year collaborative program to recruit, train, and retain K-12 teachers in Arkansas. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will receive more than $453,000 as part of the implementation of phase II. Altogether, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will be receiving direct funding and comprehensive ongoing technical assurance from expert partners that is totaling more than $1.6 million over the next three years to increase the quantity, quality, and diversity of the state’s teacher workforce. Forward Arkansas launched the Education Preparation Program Design Collaborative last year. Eight universities received grants of $100,000 to develop a transformation plan that captures their vision for change and aligns with the Arkansas Department of Education’s future direction for educator preparation. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and Southern Arkansas University were selected as phase II grant recipients because the universities “developed bold, innovative plans for transformation” that “have the potential to dramatically impact the teacher pipeline” in the state, according to Ben Kutylo, executive director of Forward Arkansas. “Throughout the first phase of the collaborative, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock demonstrated a continuous commitment to the bold transformation of their educator preparation program,” Kutylo said. “We are excited to support them in achieving their vision and for the impact they will have on teachers and students in Little Rock.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will focus on increasing the number and diversity of candidates entering and graduating from their programs and transforming the entire experience for teacher candidates to be more practice-based, so teachers are ready for their classrooms on day one. “We are deeply grateful to Forward Arkansas for giving us the opportunity to implement the transformation plan our teacher education team has created,” Chancellor Christina S. Drale said. “We believe this new approach will enable us to produce more K-12 teachers for Arkansas from a wider variety of backgrounds who will be better prepared and more resilient upon graduation. We can’t wait to get started!” Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education, and Dr. Kent Layton, director of the School of Education, will serve as ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s co-principal investigators on the grant. One of the innovative solutions to better prepare teachers for the classroom includes paid residencies where teaching candidates will spend one year working with a partner school. Candidates will also receive support from a site coordinator in addition to their mentor teacher. Site coordinators will be housed at the school even though they are university faculty. “Our intention is to become the No. 1 provider of day one ready teachers in the state,” Estes said. “We are looking forward to providing our future teachers paid residencies. By the time they graduate, our teacher candidates will be exposed to everything they will need to know by the time they step foot in the classroom as teachers. We are committed to improving teacher preparation so that we can also improve teacher recruitment and retention, thereby improving the learning environment for children in Arkansas.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is partnering with local school districts to oversee the residency program that will begin during the fall 2023 semester. These collaborative partnerships will help ��Vlog��ý Little Rock better understand the changing needs of K-12 students as the program evolves. Additionally, the university will collect data on teacher candidates and graduates during their first five years in the profession to support continuous improvement in teacher education and training. In addition to the second phase grant, Forward Arkansas also announced the continuation of the overall Design Collaborative for all eight universities from the program’s first phase. The additional participating universities include Arkansas State University, Arkansas Tech University, Harding University, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, and the University of Central Arkansas. “The decisions were difficult. Overall, we were humbled by the commitment, engagement, and hard work of all eight participating universities over the last year of the Design Collaborative,” Kutylo said. “It exceeded our expectations. Therefore, to maintain the momentum, we are committing to an additional two years of the Collaborative and look forward to supporting the transformative work that will continue.” In the upper right photo, Melissa Hardeman, a senior instructor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, works with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock math students in the classroom. Photo by Ben Krain.

Forward Arkansas Awards ��Vlog��ý Little Rock $100K Grant to Help Recruit and Train K-12 Teachers

John Hill — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 15:22:37 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received a $100,000 grant to help recruit, train, and retain K-12 teachers in Arkansas. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is one of eight Arkansas universities selected to participate in the Education Preparation Program (EPP) Design Collaborative. The universities will receive design and technical assistance from Forward Arkansas and its partners to develop a “transformation plan” that captures their vision for change and aligns with the Arkansas Department of Education’s future direction for educator preparation. Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education, and Dr. Kent Layton, director of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Education, will serve as the principal investigators on the grant. “We are thrilled to be included with seven other EPPs in the state to plan toward growing our work in recruiting and educating high-quality teachers,” Estes said. “This grant provides wrap-around services to identify areas of focus, support for planning, and technical assistance for plan implementation. We will be spending the next few months in a collaborative process including faculty, district stakeholders, and students to identify and plan for the implementation of the innovations that make most sense for us as an EPP in central Arkansas.” Forward Arkansas selected the universities through a competitive statewide process. It sought a cohort of institutions of varying sizes and locations. It also looked for universities with proven commitments to increasing teacher diversity and track records of placing educators in high-need locations. “We want to support and champion Arkansas institutions that have the bold ideas and committed leadership needed to transform our state’s teacher pipeline,” said Ben Kutylo, Forward Arkansas’s executive director. “Through the collaborative, we aim to help Arkansas recruit more qualified teachers, better prepare educators for the challenges of the classroom and improve overall teacher retention rates.” The additional participating universities include Arkansas State University, Arkansas Tech University, Harding University, Southern Arkansas University, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, and University of Central Arkansas. Next year, a select number of institutions will have the opportunity to pursue additional funding for implementation in summer 2022. Forward Arkansas was established in 2014 with grants from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and Walton Family Foundation with the goal of improving outcomes for all students. It works with districts, schools, educational partners and state leaders to transform learning, build educator capacity and provide equitable resources to ensure every student has access to, and is prepared for, opportunities in life and career.

Education author to give tips for best practices in education at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 14:39:35 +0000

Best-selling education author Mike Schmoker will give a lecture to area educators at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Friday, July 12. The event, titled “Teaching and Leading with Focus,” will be from 8-11 a.m. at the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Fine Arts Building. Schmoker’s talk is free to educators who. The event is sponsored by ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Little Rock School District, and the Arkansas Department of Education. In this session, teachers and leaders will learn where schools should focus their limited time and resources to ensure that students are prepared for college, careers, and citizenship. The talk focuses on what Schomoker has identified as the three most essential elements of good schooling: coherent curriculum, authentic literacy, and soundly structured lessons. Schmoker is a former school administrator, English teacher, and football coach, as well as a bestselling author for books on education. His most recent book is the expanded 2018 edition of “FOCUS: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning,” while his previous bestseller, “Results NOW,” was named a finalist for the book of the year by the Association of Education Publishers. Schmoker is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. In a 2018 Education Week survey of national school leaders, he was ranked among the best sources of “practice advice, wisdom, and insight” on effective school improvement.

Emerging Analytics Center hosts teacher workshop to promote cybersecurity education

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 12:31:34 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Emerging Analytics Center hosted a three-day workshop for secondary education teachers who teach cybersecurity in Arkansas June 5-7. Funded by a from the National Science Foundation, the workshop is part of a program to promote cybersecurity education in Arkansas high schools. The 20 participating teachers learned about the fundamentals of cybersecurity, including spoofing, network protection, cryptography, cyberattacks, web application security, and password cracking. Additionally, the teachers evaluated an open-source cybersecurity curriculum currently in development by ��Vlog��ý Little Rock professors and graduate students. Members of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Cybersecurity Club are creating cybersecurity exercises through cloud technology that high school teachers will be able to provide to their students at no cost beginning in the fall. This is part of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s effort to create a pipeline for students to fill cybersecurity positions in the workforce. “This workshop meets a significant need since the state of Arkansas is very interested in utilizing cybersecurity in secondary education,” said Philip Huff, a research associate with the Emerging Analytics Center who ran the workshop. “Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s has expanded computer science education, and now they want to expand cybersecurity education. We want to play a central role in educating cybersecurity students and getting them ready for the workforce.”

Philip Huff (right), ��Vlog��ý Little Rock assistant professor and research fellow at the Emerging Analytics Center, leads a cybersecurity workshop for high school teachers from around the state. Photo by Ben Krain.

Workshop participant Scott Maddox just finished up his first year as a cybersecurity instructor at Vilonia High School. He was inspired to make the switch from band director to cybersecurity teacher after Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed Arkansas Act 187, which required all of the state’s public and charter high schools to offer a course in computer coding. “When Gov. Hutchinson came out with the computer science education initiative, I really jumped on it, took a lot of training courses, and learned as much as I could,” Maddox said. “It’s been a very rewarding transition.” Maddox said the most valuable part of the workshop has been gaining access to tools, programs, and activities that he can incorporate into his future classes. “Overall, the fact that we are getting some really good tools to use in the classroom is a great benefit,” Maddox said. “The big thing is the virtual lab environments that enables the students to utilize a lot of the techniques they are learning to defend against cyberattacks without negative consequences on our school’s network. That is very valuable for someone like me who doesn’t have a computer science background.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Jodie Mahony Center receives $55k grant to provide workshops for Arkansas teachers

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 13:13:42 +0000

The Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received a $55,241 grant from the Arkansas Department of Education to provide workshops and training to candidates seeking National Board Teacher Certification. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving effectiveness in education and teaching. Offering 25 areas of certification, NBPTS is the most respected professional certification available to teachers serving in K-12 education. “This is the highest level of professional development a teacher can attain,” said Dr. Christine Deitz, associate director of the Jodie Mahony Center. “It’s like passing the bar for a lawyer, and is the most meaningful professional development a classroom teacher can go through. What the process does for learning is no less than remarkable! The proof is in the students.” Earning the National Board Teacher Certification is a vigorous process that can take 1-3 years. Teachers complete a comprehensive exam of content knowledge and a portfolio emphasizing three classroom components. “The National Board Teacher Certification site at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, which Christine Deitz leads, works with teachers across all 25 areas of certification,” said Dr. Ann Robinson, director of the Jodie Mahony Center. “She works with a team of 16 expert teachers.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock currently serves more than 130 teachers annually and is the largest support site in the state. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock is the reason we are able to achieve this,” Deitz said. “We receive amazing support from the School of Education. Dean Ann Bain and Bruce Smith of the School of Education have continued to support this program by making sure that facilities and personnel, are available. That level of support is critical if you want to have the largest and best National Board Teacher Certification site in the state. It takes all hands on deck.” The grant will cover expenses related to the support and training of candidates working toward National Board Teacher Certification. These workshops, which are held twice a month until May, will provide essential knowledge and skills associated with accomplished and effective teaching. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock facilitators will also offer two one-day Saturday workshops in May and June to help candidates complete their application for the Arkansas Department of Education’s National Board Candidate funding. “We are here to support teachers very passionately, very sincerely in their efforts to achieve National Board Certification,” Deitz said. “The state recognizes certification as a very important professional process that has a direct and positive impact on student learning. The process also develops teacher leaders. The state offers a yearly bonus to National Board teachers, and some districts offer an extra salary incentive.” Teachers interested in taking National Board Certification for up to nine hours of graduate credit can contact the Jodie Mahony Center at 501-569-3410 for more information.

Crutcher, Hayn named co-editors of national journal on young adult literature

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 13:59:07 +0000

Two University of Arkansas at Little Rock professors have been selected as co-editors of a national journal. Dr. Judith Hayn, professor of teacher education, and Dr. Paul Crutcher, assistant professor of English, are the new co-editors of SIGNAL Journal, a peer-reviewed journal associated with the International Literacy Association’s Special Interest Group-Network on Adolescent Literature (SIGNAL). The journal publishes articles, essays, and reviews about varying aspects of young adult literature. Crutcher and Hayn recently published the first edition of the journal under their editorship. The Spring/Summer 2018 issue featured an article about literature and literary practices in transmedia pop culture authored by Crutcher and Dr. Autumn Dodge of Lynchburg University. Hayn wrote the journal’s introduction as well as three young adult book reviews. Ashley Collie-Heather, an adjunct professor in the Department of English, designed the issue. Hayn joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2006 as an assistant professor. She also serves on VOYA Magazine’s Nonfiction Honors Committee. is a library journal dedicated to young adult literature and reading. In 2017, Hayn was awarded an AERA (American Educational Research Association, Division K) award for her book chapter, “Teaching, Affirming and Recognizing Trans and Gender Creative Youth D,” and was also featured in the HuffPost article, Crutcher joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2013. He is currently writing a book chapter, “Xenophobic pandas, pop culture, and how empathy can change education.” Last year, Crutcher received a $15,900 grant from the Freeman Foundation to teach the Consortium for Teaching about Asia program to Arkansas teachers, a multi-year initiative to encourage and facilitate teaching and learning about East Asia in elementary and secondary schools nationwide.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock professor receives grant to host Consortium for Teaching about Asia for Arkansas teachers

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 13:14:11 +0000

Dr. Paul Crutcher, assistant professor of English at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has received a grant from the Freeman Foundation to teach the program to Arkansas teachers. Crutcher has received more than $15,000 to host the program, which is a multi-year initiative to encourage and facilitate teaching and learning about East Asia in elementary and secondary schools nationwide. He collaborated with Dr. Jeff Kyong-McClain, associate professor of history at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, building on their shared experiences in China and East Asia and teaching in the Donaghey Scholars Program, and led professional development sessions throughout July 2017. “I’m delighted to show Arkansas teachers, staff, and administrators how Japanese cosplay relates to Confucius, how the Deathnote manga relates to Buddhism, or how bushido impacted contemporary border disputes in East Asia,” Crutcher said. “The NCTA mission is one I wholly endorse.” The Arkansas NCTA has been active for about 15 years and has hosted week-long workshops around the state along with day-long seminars at many of Arkansas’ Education Service Cooperatives.

June H. Williams endows scholarship to support elementary education

Shanna Fitzgerald — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 18:58:45 +0000

Former second-grade teacher June H. Williams has endowed a scholarship at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to support the next generation of elementary education teachers. The June H. Williams Elementary Education Scholarship has been endowed in the School of Education in honor and memory of Helon Brown Williams. The first awards will be given to students in spring 2017. Williams’ career in teaching began in south Florida before she moved back to Little Rock and taught second grade at Meadowcliff Elementary. “When teaching at Meadowcliff, I had many student-teachers from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Williams said. “Those dedicated students inspired me to create this scholarship.” This is the fourth endowed scholarship the Williams family created to support ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students. It joins scholarships created by Williams’ brother Alfred Williams, sister-in-law Elaine Eubank, and father, Grainger Williams. “Her desire to create this scholarship is another shining example of the generosity and philanthropic heart of the members of the Williams family,” said ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Associate Vice Chancellor of Alumni and Development Andrea Angel. For more information on ��Vlog��ý Little Rock philanthropy opportunities, contact the Office of Alumni and Development at 501.569.8429.

��Vlog��ýLR teacher education program named one of Arkansas’s best

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 14:00:55 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has been ranked the third best teacher education program in Arkansas, according to the online teaching portal, ToBecomeATeacher.org. To Become a Teacher reviewed 19 colleges and universities in Arkansas that offer education training for future teachers. The were based on data from universities and government agencies and analyzed several factors, including student-to-faculty ratios, graduation rates, potential earnings, program expenses, career counseling, and return on investment. “The education department at University of Arkansas at Little Rock is among Arkansas’s best,” said Tim Charlet, editor of To Become a Teacher. Charlet said the ��Vlog��ýLR program’s high ranking was due to top five scores in several categories, including graduation rates, return on investment, and program expenses. “We hope students and their families can utilize this data so they can make an informed decision as to which school is best suited for their individual needs and career aspirations,” he said. was built by a collaborative team of educational and career experts who focus their efforts on providing students of all levels with factual resources that will help them navigate the educational and career hurdles required to achieve their professional goals.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Forward Arkansas Awards ����Vlog��ý Little Rock Phase II Grant to Improve Recruitment and Training for K-12 Teachers

Forward Arkansas Awards ����Vlog��ý Little Rock $100K Grant to Help Recruit and Train K-12 Teachers

Education author to give tips for best practices in education at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock