College of Education News

Lessons from Tanzania-Zanzibar: culture and climate action

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Associate professor Dr. Jennice McCafferty has returned from her five-week summer fellowship in Tanzania-Zanzibar. She was one of 12 professors and teachers nationwide to receive a Fullbright-Hays summer fellowship. The School of International Training hosted the fellowship. 

During her fellowship, she researched ways for educators to bring African perspectives into their classrooms when discussing climate change.  

Were you able to experience everything you set out to?

Yes, and more! From Swahili lessons to learning from Maasai communities, our work was packed with memorable moments. One highlight was collaborating with a local artisan in Zanzibar on a climate data quilt, which sparked conversations about how he and other community members are experiencing sea level rise. 

I’m especially excited about the collaborative relationships I was able to build through this program. I’ve returned with several projects we’re now working on. Some of these projects include bringing teacher trainees from Tanzania into the College of Education’s virtual exchange and the development of socioenvironmental projects for afterschool programs. 

Whom did you meet and what impact did they leave?

One of the most impactful conversations I had was with Laurian Mchau, an incredible innovator and educator focused on sustainable energy. He builds windmills from recycled materials and works with children in local communities to teach about renewable energy solutions.  

Laurian Mchau

Mchau’s creativity, resilience and positive approach left a lasting impression on me. He’s a living example of how one person can harness education and innovation to address global challenges such as climate change while empowering local communities.

What was the most valuable takeaway from this experience? 

Artist painting Mchau
Artist painting Mchau

This experience was a profound reminder that some of the people who are best positioned to create real change aren’t always the most visible. They’re often embedded in their communities, responding to challenges with local, creative solutions.  

I met educators, farmers, innovators, and advocates who are quietly but powerfully addressing climate change and other global issues with solutions rooted in their contexts. Their work reminds us that transformative change is driven by those who know their land and communities best. 

What can other people learn from your time in Tanzania-Zanzibar?

We could all learn from the Swahili phrase Tuko Pamoja – “We are together.” Even in the face of complex issues such as climate change, small, united actions can ripple outward. Whether it’s a shared lesson in a classroom or a community effort to replant mangroves, working together on solutions makes all the difference. 

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Recent changes in administration

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The College of Education (COE) is excited to introduce a new set of leaders. They have expressed confidence, passion and excitement for their new roles.  

Dr. Marjorie Shavers

Dr. Marjorie Shavers
Dr. Marjorie Shavers

Dr. Marjorie Shavers is now the associate dean for COE. 

“Serving previously as school director and department head has been an extraordinary journey of growth, learning and collaboration with some of the most passionate and talented people. I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to our college’s success as associate dean and help lead us to new levels of excellence.” 

Dr. Kayla Lewis

Dr. Kayla Lewis
Dr. Kayla Lewis

Dr. Kayla Lewis is interim director for the School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies. 

“I’m excited to work alongside the wonderful faculty and staff in the school this year! This role offers me new opportunities to grow in my leadership, problem–solve various challenges and build relationships with students, colleagues and community partners.”  

Dr. A. M. Baker

Dr. A. M. Baker
Dr. A. M. Baker

Dr. A. M. Baker is director of the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences. 

“I’m excited to work with some of the most amazing educators MSU has to offer. I can’t help but look forward to working with passionate people who daily are focused on teaching.” 

Dr. Julie Steiger

Dr. Julie Steiger
Dr. Julie Steiger

Dr. Julie Steiger is assistant director of the School of Teaching, Learning, and Developmental Sciences. 

“I’m fortunate to work in a school that always puts the needs of its students first. I also am excited to work with Dr. Baker, whose compassion, expertise and innovation will further the college’s role as a leader among teaching institutions.” 

Dr. Nicole West 

Dr. Nicole West
Dr. Nicole West

Dr. Nicole West is the graduate program director of Missouri State University’s new EdD program in Leadership, Learning and Educational Change. She is also continuing as assistant director for the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences.  

“This role is exciting because it’s an opportunity to build on my success in helping master’s students in the College of Education develop competence as scholarly practitioners, which is also a primary focus of the new doctoral program.” 

COE’s inaugural Scholarship Banquet recognizes students, donors and alumni

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The College of Education (COE) gathered on campus on April 4 to celebrate the accomplishments and successes of the college and its members.  

Its inaugural Scholarship Banquet recognized scholarship winners, donors and faculty support.  

Fifty-three guests attended the banquet. Among them were Missouri State University President Clif Smart and his wife, Gail, Provost Dr. John Jasinski, Vice President for University Advancement Brent Dunn and Board of Governors student representative Bradley Cooper. 

During the event, COE Dean Dr. Barri Tinkler presented the college’s first Outstanding Alumni award to longtime educator Dr. Michael Fulton.  

Fulton’s impact on education 

Fulton received the award for his impact on schools in Missouri.  

Fulton attended Springfield Public Schools and graduated in 1982 from (then) Southwest Missouri State University with his bachelor’s degree in elementary education.

Fulton also has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Illinois State University and a doctorate in education from St. Louis University.  

He taught in both the Bloomington Public Schools District (Illinois) and Clayton School District (Missouri). He then served as an administrator in the Pattonville School District (Missouri) for 23 years, working as superintendent for the last 11 years. 

During his tenure, the school system gained recognition at state and national levels for academic achievement. For his leadership, Fulton was named Missouri Superintendent of the Year in 2016. 

In 2018, he took on the superintendent role at the Shawnee Mission School District (Kansas), where he served for three years until his retirement. 

But Fulton never stopped working toward a better future for education. After retiring, he led a statewide effort to create a network supporting Missouri public schools in using a competency-based mindset to personalize learning, ensuring every student is prepared for high school, college, career and the workplace. 

Along with a team of collaborators that included the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Fulton created the statewide Success-Ready Students Network (SSRN).  

The network now comprises 95 school districts and 25 educational agencies and universities. 

Tinkler acknowledged Fulton as a worthy recipient of the college’s first Outstanding Alumni award and the bright future of the SSRN. 

“Dr. Fulton has started a movement in K-12 education in the state. I believe this work will continue to grow and it’ll have a significant impact,” Tinkler said. 

For more information or to support SSRN in its goals, visit its website. 

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CODERS project expands opportunities for rural students

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In 2020, Missouri State University received an Education, Innovation and Research Early Phase grant from the U.S. Department of Education. 

Worth $4 million, the grant’s purpose was to implement the Computer-Science Opportunities, Development and Education in Rural Schools (CODERS) project over five years.  

CODERS is a collaborative project among faculty members from the College of Education (COE), College of Natural and Applied Sciences and Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities.  

Led by project director Dr. Keri Franklin, professor of English and director of the Center for Writing in College, Career and Community, CODERS assists rural teachers in engaging their students in computer science, computational thinking, physics and writing in elementary and middle grades. 

Since CODERS began, it has worked with 54 rural teachers, over 3,000 students and 17 rural school districts. According to Franklin, data show that CODERS is having a significant impact on student scores.  

“Students from those districts who have participated in CODERS increase science scores by 46% and 10% in mathematics,” Franklin said.  

These results came from 850 students before and after collecting CODERS data. Test scores were taken before CODERS was implemented.

Seminars on campus

The CODERS project team offers seminars on campus every summer and four times during the school year. To date, teachers from 19 rural communities have participated.

The teachers receive hands-on training on how to teach computer science, coding and other STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)-related subjects to students in fun and engaging ways. 

A group of teachers was on campus June 4-6 for the summer seminar. Helping with the seminar was Dr. Tammi Davis, a faculty member in COE’s School of Teaching, Learning and Development Sciences. 

Tammi R. Davis
Dr. Tammi Davis

Davis works closely with the teachers to support them as they teach lessons in the classroom and monitors the submission of their teaching reflections. She also works with the group’s teaching leaders who led much of the professional development this summer. 

According to Davis, one of her favorite parts of the project is helping teachers choose how to use their designated grant funding to expand their classrooms. 

“One teacher built a computer lab STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) room based on supplies she got from our grant,” Davis said.  

Davis grew up going to a rural school in southern Indiana. 

“If you turn left at the stoplight, you pass driver’s ed, so that tells you how small my community was,” Davis said. 

She notes the CODERS project gives opportunities to students that she wished she had as a student. 

“I wish I was exposed to computer science in elementary/middle school, which is the age group we work with on this grant,” Davis said. “The first time I really did any type of computer coding was in college and I think that’s too late.” 

Career education 

The CODERS project also aims to help teachers by providing them with resources for their classroom to promote STEM-based career fields to students.  

Examples of these resources include the IF/THEN Collection and Educator Hub, which highlight real photographs of women in their STEM-related field. 

“Computer science is one of many jobs students could be eligible for, so we teach that career component as well,” Davis said. 

Find out more about CODERS

Dr. Tammi Davis featured in Mind’s Eye

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Congratulations to Dr. Tammi Davis for her recent feature in Mind’s Eye magazine. Davis is associate professor in the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences at Missouri State University.

As an educator with over 20 years of experience — including 10 years as a teacher educator — Davis has prioritized her research to study the experiences of new teachers.

Congratulations Dr. Davis!

The full story is now available online.

Excerpt:

During the course of her research, Dr. Tammi Davis has found there is a lack of guidance and support for teachers in the early years of their careers.

“The first few years are a crucial time in the development of novice teachers,” said Davis, associate professor in the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences at Missouri State University. “They need mentorship and support to help guide them so they’re not navigating it all alone.” 

Evidence shows formal mentorship provides teachers with the support they need for their professional development. But there is little research on the implementation and effectiveness of formal mentorship programs, and it is not standardized across the U.S. 

“Many states that require teachers to have mentors don’t have high quality mentorship programs,” Davis said. “Some states don’t require mentors at all.”  

Read the full story