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College of Education News

A move from downtown Springfield to campus

January 27, 2025 by Morgan E. Tinin

Hill Hall

In December 2024, 56 College of Education (COE) faculty and staff who had been working in the Park Central Office Building downtown moved to Hill Hall on the Missouri State University campus.  

The COE is now centered in three key buildings: Hill Hall, the Child Development Center and Greenwood Laboratory School. 

COE Dean Dr. Barri Tinkler has expressed her excitement at the recent move. 

“It’s amazing to have more of our faculty and staff together in Hill Hall,” she said. “Given the 100-year history of this building and its ties to teacher education, it feels very meaningful to have everyone together in this building.” 

Welcome back

The move from downtown brought key programs back to Hill Hall.  

Agency for Teaching, Leading and Learning 

The headquarters for the Agency for Teaching, Leading and Learning (ATLL) moved into room 312 along with its director, Dr. Chuck Garner. Thirty-two ATLL staff members are now in offices on the fourth floor. 

Room 402 has been converted to an ATLL workshop room. Teachers will be able to attend professional development training in this room. 

Project Access 

The headquarters for Project Access includes the director Joan Armstrong, the administrative team and information technology support specialist. This office is now room 317. Other staff members of the Project Access team can be found on the fourth floor.  

Room 447 will soon be converted from a computer lab to a Project Access workshop room. Teachers will be able to attend training in this room. 

Location of schools 

The COE’s two schools also moved. 

School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies 

The School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies’ (SELPS) main office is now on the third floor in room 318. The school director, Dr. Kayla Robinson, and her administrative team are also in that room. Other SELPS faculty and staff can be found on the third and fourth floors. 

SELPS is home to these programs: 

  • Educational administration  
  • Educational technology 
  • Sign language studies (minor) 
  • Special education 
  • Student affairs and higher education 
  • Teaching (MAT) 
  • Teaching and learning 
  • Teacher leadership 

School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences 

The School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences’ (TDLS) main office is now on the third floor in room 319. The school director, Dr. Minor Baker, and his administrative team are also in that room. Other TLDS faculty and staff can be found on the third and fourth floors. 

TLDS is home to these programs:  

  • Business education 
  • Child and family development 
  • Child life studies 
  • Early childhood education 
  • Early childhood special education 
  • Elementary education 
  • Family and consumer sciences 
  • Literacy 
  • Middle school education 

Learn more about the College of Education

Filed Under: COE Faculty, COE Staff Tagged With: Agency for Teaching Leading and Learning, Project Access, School of Special Education Leadership and Professional Studies, School of Teaching Learning and Developmental Sciences

Joan Armstrong inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who

December 9, 2021 by Strategic Communication

Joan Armstong, alumna and current staff member of Missouri State University, was recently inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who biographical registry.  

Armstong earned a Master of Science in school counseling from Missouri State in 1987. She is now the director of Project ACCESS, which offers training, resources and support services to school district personnel who serve students with autism and related developmental disabilities.  

The Marquis Who’s Who registry holds biographies of accomplished individuals and innovators from many significant fields including medicine, law and education.  

Read the full biography  

Congratulations, Ms. Armstrong!  

Filed Under: COE Alumni, COE Staff, Uncategorized Tagged With: alumni, counseling leadership and special education, Graduate Program

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

Congratulations #BearGrads

May 12, 2020 by Sydni Moore

Dr. David Hough congratulates 2020 spring graduates.

Congratulations to the College of Education’s Spring 2020 graduates! You have worked so hard, and we could not be more proud.

 

 

Filed Under: COE Faculty, COE Staff, COE Students Tagged With: BearGrads, commencement, Dean Hough, graduation

Bear POWER welcomes its second cohort, receives grant

February 26, 2020 by Sydni Moore

Bear POWER students and staff take a picture with Missouri State University President Clif Smart.

Bear POWER takes up a large space in its director’s heart. Rachel Heinz has been part of the nearly three-year-old program, designed for students with intellectual disabilities, since day one. 

It’s a special connection to Bear POWER, however, that makes her work feel so good. Her own son has Down syndrome and autism. 

He’s the reason why she initially became involved in the program.  

“I wanted to see an inclusive college program like this in our community,” Heinz says. “Initially, I started as a volunteer.” 

She describes working with a team of Missouri State faculty and staff, as well as others in the community, including her own mother.  

“It unfolded into a career path I was not expecting,” Heinz says. “Now, it’s my dream job.” 

It’s easy to be passionate about the program, she adds, when Bear POWER’s positive impact is so obvious in its students and others on campus.

“Bear POWER is opening doors to new possibilities for many students and their families,” Heinz says. 

Bear POWER students and others gather around a table inside a campus classroom.

Intern Support 

Heinz has watched Bear POWER grow mightier by the day. A recent grant by State Farm is aiding its development.  

“It will support the Bear POWER program’s internship component,” Heinz says.

More specifically, the program will soon subcontract an employee who will support Bear POWER students in their internships and collect data to improve the program.  

Bear POWER’s first cohort of students began their internships last fall.  

“We’re really excited. The internships are something we’re building on each semester,” Heinz says. “We’re partnering with a lot of departments on campus.” 

Heinz said several students are currently working at Missouri State’s citizenship and service-learning office and the child development center. Others have internships at businesses like Springfield Little Theater, Twin Oaks Country Club and Golf Course, and Bass Pro Shops.  

“It’s good for our students, because they’re getting hands-on experience in their area of interest while attending college classes,” Heinz explains. Bear POWER students also live on campus.  

The program’s second cohort began earlier this month.  

“Everybody’s doing really well,” Heinz says. 

Ambassadors for Growth 

Heinz believes Bear POWER Ambassadors are part of what’s led to so much success in the program. 

The ambassadors are traditional MSU students who provide at least two hours of direct support each week to Bear POWER students.  

What might that support look like? It’s helping Bear POWER students fill in their planners and improve their social skills. The ambassadors also often take them to lunch.  

“We have over 40 ambassadors, and that number is growing each semester,” Heinz says. “We plan to start a waiting list, because we have many students who are interested.”

A lot of those students are female, Heinz says, so the program has visited classrooms, as well as fraternities, to find more male volunteers. Graduate students can volunteer, too.  

Heinz says many Bear POWER Ambassadors have expressed the program is one of their favorite things they have been involved in at Missouri State. One of them is junior Julianna Vogt.  

“Bear POWER students inspire me every single day with their positive attitudes,” Vogt says. “I have learned so much from them.” 

A Bear POWER student and ambassador.

Trailblazing Bears 

Heinz says there are 270 schools that have a similar program to Bear POWER. That number may seem like a lot, but it’s only 6% of colleges and universities across the country.  

“We need to encourage other universities to start programs for students with intellectual disabilities,” Heinz says. “Students needs choices. Every university and program will look different, and they need to make the right choice for themselves and their family.” 

Bear POWER students have come from as far as Arkansas and Kansas, though families from all over the country have shown interest. Bear POWER is seemingly a trailblazer in offering students with disabilities the chance to be part of higher education. 

“We’re the fourth program like this in Missouri, and there are more programs that will launch in the next couple of years,” Heinz says. “We’ve been able to share information and resources through a regional alliance we co-founded.” 

The alliance is known as Midwest Inclusive Post Secondary Alliance, or MIPSA.  

“The collaboration with existing and new programs is very exciting,” Heinz says. 

Equal Education 

As for Heinz’s son, he loves Missouri State. He attends countless basketball games and knows the fight song at heart.  

“He listens to it all the time at home,” Heinz laughs. 

Whether he’ll be a Bear someday is up to him, Heinz says. She hopes by the time he graduates high school, he and students like him will have more options.  

Heinz says students like her son deserve education past high school as much as everyone else.  

“If students with intellectual disabilities want to pursue a higher education, they should have the chance to do that.” 

Rachel Heinz holds her son.

Filed Under: COE Staff Tagged With: ambassadors, Bear POWER, education, Rachel Heinz

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