News

Over winter break, DOIT's Learning Technology and Distance Education group will offer a series of instructional technology sessions for faculty and instructional technology support staff. Sessions take place at the College New Media Center (Helen C. White Hall, 600 N. Park St., Rm 2258) & Biology New Media Center (Biotechnology Center, 425 Henry Mall, Rm 1240). There is no charge to attend. Further details and registration information is available online at http://wiscinfo.doit.wisc.edu/ltde/

Posted by Catherine Stephens on December 15, 2004

Peter Cupery, Information Services Librarian at the CIMC, has announced that he plans to retire effective January 4, 2005. Faculty, staff, and students of the School of Education are invited to a reception in Peter’s honor on Friday, December 17 from 3:00-5:00 on the thirteenth floor of the Educational Sciences Building.

Throughout his thirteen years of employment at the CIMC, Peter has been known for the high quality, personalized, reference assistance that he has provided to faculty, staff, and students. In addition to this excellent service, Peter also assisted in the development of the CIMC’s first computer lab in 1994: the Instructional Software Preview Lab. Peter has also developed strong collections in science and mathematics education and educational administration. In 2002 the collection of materials in women’s physical education was expanded under with funding from the Virginia Horne Henry Grant based on a proposal developed by Peter.

Posted by Jo Ann Carr on December 15, 2004

CIMC staff will soon be contacting School of Education faculty members and instructors in teacher education to discuss their current and potential use of learning objects in their courses. These interviews will be used to gather information for the development of a portal to access learning objects in teacher education.

The “Learning Objects in Education” project is funded by a UW System Curriculum Redesign grant. This project is being conducted in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The goal of the project is to develop a guided interface to the integration of learning objects in teacher education that responds to the search patterns, search vocabulary, curricular needs of teacher education.

For additional information, please contact Jo Ann Carr at carr@education.wisc.edu.

Posted by Jo Ann Carr on December 13, 2004

A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students: the Templeton National Report on Acceleration, by Nicholas Colangelo, Susan G. Assouline, and Miraca U. W. Gross.

Educational acceleration, or intervention to move students through an educational program at a faster rate than is typical, has been shown by research to be an effective method with gifted students. But its widespread use has been inhibited by misconceived fears that accelerated students miss vital socialization experiences. As a result, gifted students are being denied visibility and their legitimate educational needs overlooked.

Situated Language and Learning: A Critique of Traditional Schooling, by James Paul Agee.

Jim Gee (Tashia Morgridge Professor of Reading at UW--Madison) argues that "the language acquisition process needed to learn [math and science language varieties] is not given enough attention by schools and that this places unfair demands on poor and minority students" (p. i). Gee examines the value of alternative, out-of-classroom learning (like playing video games) and how they can inform the learning process.

Posted by Vince Jenkins on December 13, 2004

Changes in the types and content area of materials to be included in the ERIC database are outlined in the ERIC Selection policy, released by the Department of Education in late October. Types of materials to be included are journals, books, conference proceedings, literature reviews, and working papers. Lesson plans, blogs, or individual web pages will not be included.

Materials at all levels of education in the academic areas of reading, mathematics, science, and environmental education, languages, and social studies will be the focus of the database.

The ERIC Selection Policy establishes criteria of relevance to education; quality guidelines; and sponsorship by professional societies and organizations and state or federal government agencies for materials in the ERIC system.

Posted by Jo Ann Carr on December 12, 2004