McDermott, Wesely selected for new leadership positions as associate DEOs
Two University of Iowa College of Education faculty were selected for new leadership roles in the college’s Department of Teaching and Learning.
Mark McDermott, clinical professor in science education, is the Associate Departmental Executive Officer (DEO) in support of teacher education and clinical/instructional faculty.
Pam Wesely, associate professor of foreign language and ESL education, is the Associate DEO in support of graduate programming and tenure-track faculty.
“Both expressed strong interest in these positions and had colleagues who nominated them,” says Lia Plakans, professor and DEO of the Department of Teaching and Learning. “In both cases, their experience fits well with what the department needs and where we can innovate and grow. I'm thrilled to work with Mark and Pam to serve the department.”
The new positions were created, Plakans says, to support the department’s continued growth and success.
Faculty Awards
Saba Rasheed Ali:
Saba Rasheed Ali, counseling psychology professor, was inducted into the Iowa Academy of Education in spring 2019.
Susan Assouline:
Susan Assouline, director of the UI Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development, received the Leadership in Research Award from the University of Iowa Office of the Vice President for Research. Assouline also holds the Myron and Jacqueline N. Blank Endowed Chair in Gifted Education.
Robert Brennan:
Robert Brennan, E.F. Lindquist professor emeritus of educational measurement and testing and founding director of the Center for Advanced Studies in Measurement and Assessment (CASMA), received the Robert L. Linn Distinguished Address Award from the AERA Division D (Measurement and Research Methodology) annual meeting in Toronto.
Carolyn Colvin:
Carolyn Colvin, associate professor in English education and language, literacy, and culture, received the Iowa State Education Association Humanitarian Award (ISEA) and the East Central UniServ Unit (ECUU) Friend of Education Award.
Bonnie Sunstein:
Bonnie Sunstein, English education professor, received a community impact grant from the UI Provost’s Office of Outreach and Engagement, for her project:The Lloyd-Jones Residency for Versatile Writing. This project links underserved high school students in urban and rural Iowa communities, as well as their English teachers, with the resources of the UI’s Nonfiction Writing Program, which has regularly been ranked #1 in the nation by Poets & Writers magazine.
Donald Yarbrough:
Donald Yarbrough, professor of educational measurement and statistics with a secondary appointment in educational policy and leadership studies, is the recipient of the 2019 Millman Scholar Award from the Consortium for Research on Educational Assessment and Teaching Effectiveness.
College of Education faculty led the 2019 Provost’s Global Forum:
Five University of Iowa College of Education faculty were recipients of the 2019 Iowa Provost’s Global Forum funding for the project, “Why School? International Perspectives on Education and Social Transformation.”
Organizers David Bills, professor in educational policy and leadership studies, Gavin Fulmer, assistant professor of science education, Gregory Hamot, professor of social studies education, Lia Plakans, associate professor of teaching and learning, and Amanda Thein, professor of language, literacy and culture, hosted a three-day academic conference comprised of lectures, presentations, and panel discussions to facilitate conversations on, and increase awareness of, the purpose of schooling in society.
The Provost’s Global Forum is the premier annual event on campus focused on international and global issues. In addition to serving the University of Iowa community broadly, the endeavors to build connections between the university and the state of Iowa, and positions the UI as a national node in discussions of global affairs. The is made possible through the generous support of the Stanley-UI Foundation Support Organization.
Listen to the WorldCanvass podcast.
Student awards
Tiffany Baker-Strothkamp
was a 2018 recipient of the Hawkeye Distinguished Veterans Memorial Award. Baker-Strothkamp is a graduate student from Ellettsville, Indiana, in the Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program in the UI College of Education. Baker-Strothkamp served in the U.S. Army from 2006 to 2015, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan. During her military career, she received multiple medals and commendations, including numerous recognitions for her volunteer efforts with the Family Readiness Group and providing mentoring to younger soldiers for professional and personal development. On campus, Baker-Strothkamp was the president of the UI Veterans Association for 2018-19, which represents nearly 2,200 veterans and military-affiliated students. In 2018, Baker-Strothkamp revitalized the Peer Advisor for Veterans Education (PAVE) program, which helps veterans transition from the military to college. Baker-Strothkamp also is an active member of Graduate Student Government, the State of Iowa American Counseling Association Planning Committee, and the Student Advisory Board within University Counseling Services.
Lindsay Jarratt
Lindsay Jarratt from Strongsville, Ohio, a PhD candidate in education policy and leadership studies in the College of Education, received the Stephen Lynn Smith Memorial Scholarship for Social Justice during the 2019 UI Celebration for Excellence and Achievement Among Women.
More than one million new tests administered to students across state
Iowa Testing Programs (ITP) in the University of Iowa College of Education was designated as the provider of the new Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP). The tests are aligned with the Iowa Core standards and represent the culmination of years of ITP research and development with Iowa educators and students in grades 3 to 11. The tests were given in a new online format for the first time this spring 2019, between March and May, with approximately 1,039,500 tests administered to 315,000 students in 320 districts. Approximately 75 percent were taken online, and 25 percent were taken with paper and pencil where schools did not have access to enough computers for students to take the online.
Read more from the 2018-2019 Annual Report.