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Archives for July 2020

Building teacher candidates’ cultural understanding

July 28, 2020 by Sydni Moore

Dr. Jennice McCafferty-Wright sits in front of architecture in Morocco.

Missouri State University’s College of Education (COE) teacher candidates will soon connect with peers as far as North Africa through a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The Virtual Exchange for Teacher Candidates program is made possible by a grant from the Stevens Initiative. 

“The Stevens Initiative is an international effort to build global competence and career readiness skills for young people in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa by growing and enhancing the field of virtual exchange,” a press release states. 

Missouri State is one of only 17 grantees to receive funding for a virtual exchange program. 

Promoting global understanding 

The Virtual Exchange for Teacher Candidates, in cooperation with Moroccan Regional Centers of Education and Formation, will build inclusive teacher education curricula that supports future teachers from Morocco and the United States as they learn with and from each other.  

The program will launch during the fall 2020 semester. The project’s coordinator is Dr. Jennice McCafferty-Wright, an assistant professor in the childhood education and family studies department. 

“The largest component of the project, an eight-week series of student dialogues, will be ready for students in our elementary social studies methods courses in September,” McCafferty-Wright said. “Other components of the exchange, such as an international colloquium series, will be open for the entire COE community. We’ll add more exchange features as the project grows.” 

While traditional, in-person exchange programs have been canceled, programs such as MSU’s will be a sustainable and accessible global learning tool.  

McCafferty-Wright said participating teacher candidates will build critical cultural understanding and literacies, as well as a commitment to global education. The program will help students enter careers with international, professional relationships to create their own virtual exchanges.  

“Teaching requires an understanding of the world. Connecting with teacher candidates in other parts of the world helps us better understand ourselves and our place in the world as educators,” McCafferty-Wright said. “Additionally, students with educators who teach for global understanding are better prepared for critical civic engagement in a diverse democracy.” 

Sharing knowledge 

Created in 2015, the Stevens Initiative is committed to expanding the virtual exchange field through three pillars of work: investing in promising programs, sharing knowledge and resources, and advocating for virtual exchange adoption.  

The Virtual Exchange for Teacher Candidates is supported by the Stevens Initiative, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, and is administered by the Aspen Institute. The Stevens Initiative is also supported by the Bezos Family Foundation and the governments of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates.

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Filed Under: COE Faculty, COE Students Tagged With: COVID-19, exchange program, grant, Jennice McCafferty-Wright, teacher candidates

Fall semester FAQ

July 15, 2020 by Sydni Moore

Hill Hall

Students in the College of Education asked questions. Faculty and staff were happy to provide answers. More information regarding the fall 2020 semester can be found in the Missouri State University Guide to Returning to Campus.

What is the university and College of Education’s plan for the fall semester?

We will offer traditional classes with social distancing in place, along with distance learning opportunities via Zoom, Blackboard and blended modalities.

How will I complete my practicum this fall if there are still restrictions? 

We have contingency plans for any scenario that might occur to ensure every student meets program and certification competencies.

Should I complete the requirements to participate in a practicum?

Yes. As long as you feel comfortable visiting the sites available to you, please complete all requirements to participate in a practicum or student teaching. Continue to watch your email for instructions from John Reinert regarding compliance for practicum and student teaching.

When will the testing centers open? What are the differences between the testing centers at Missouri State and Pearson Professional Center?

As of May 15, 2020, the Missouri-based Pearson VUE owned testing centers for the MEGA assessments are open where local guidance permits. MSU’s testing center is NOT a Person VUE-owned testing center. However, it is also open. You can view site availability on the MEGA website.

Some of my fall classes have switched from a seated to an online format since I registered for them. Will a lot of courses be online in the fall? 

No. In fact, as stated at the May 20 virtual town hall meeting, about 2/3 of courses at MSU are seated for fall 2020. Before the beginning of the semester, check your Detail Schedule under the Registration tab of Blackboard to reaffirm your classes’ formats and locations.

If students choose to take a class on a pass/not pass basis, how will this affect their future?

The pass/not pass policy was altered for spring 2020 due to COVID-19. Every spring 2020 student has an advising note explaining the spring 2020 pass/not pass policy. Students can contact their advisor or the registrar’s office for clarification. 

 

Filed Under: COE Faculty, COE Staff, COE Students Tagged With: COVID-19, fall 2020, practicum, student teaching, teacher certification

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