Recently, the College of Education (COE) has rolled out new centers, introduced a doctoral degree in education (EdD) and implemented key organizational changes as part of Missouri State’s academic realignment. The “Bear in Every Building” initiative continues to connect K–12 teachers, staff members and administrators who are Missouri State alumni. And new Bears are as eager as ever to explore the college’s programs — this fall, 130 first-year students turned out for the COE open house. All of this made it a great time to catch up with COE Dean Dr. Barri Tinkler.
Our conversation covered lots of good news, including initiatives to support rural education, global education and competency-based learning. But before we talked about anything else, Tinkler showered praise on COE’s leadership team. It includes Dr. Marjorie Shavers, associate dean; Dr. Reesha Adamson, associate dean; Dr. Kayla Lewis, interim director of the School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies; Dr. A.M. Baker, director of the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences; Dr. Julie Steiger, assistant director of the School of Teaching, Learning and Developmental Sciences; and Dr. Nicole West, director of the EdD program/assistant director of the School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies.
“I’m really excited about the quality of this leadership team,” Tinkler says. “They make us look good, and I’m thankful for their hard work. Collectively, we’re doing great things for the college.”

About Barri Tinkler

Tinkler has been dean of COE since March 1, 2022. She joined the college in 2019. Since that time, she’s served as an associate dean, professor and interim head of the department of counseling, leadership and special education. She’s written several dozen peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and books. In 2018, she was selected as a Fulbright Scholar.
Q&A
Academic Expressions: Let’s talk about rural education. COE is very engaged with the needs of rural districts.
Barri Tinkler: Yes, a few years ago, we worked with the Rural Schools Collaborative [a nonprofit that supports education in rural communities] on the Rural Imperative Initiative. It was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to bring groups of teachers from different rural districts together so that they could talk about their experiences. We convened teachers from rural communities in the Ozarks for a caucus here on campus. They shared the challenges, benefits and unique elements of teaching in their schools. These conversations ultimately became part of a report issued by the Rural Schools Collaborative, which helps advocate for needs in rural schools across the country.

AE: And then, last year we opened the Center for Rural Education. How did this come about?
BT: Some of our faculty had the idea for this center in the past, but the timing wasn’t right. We were able to build on the experience of the Rural Imperative Initiative to make it happen. We were invited to be part of the Rural Schools Collaborative. Now, with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, we’re the collaborative’s Ozarks hub. Dr. Rhonda Bishop and Dr. Denise Cunningham have shown great leadership in this effort.
AE: What capabilities do the center and our connection to the Rural Schools Collaborative open up?
BT: First, it sends a message to rural schools that we’re committed to meeting their needs. We have wonderful partnerships with many school districts, including Springfield Public Schools [the largest district in Missouri] and suburban districts, but we recognize that rural schools have specific needs. We can’t meet every need — as much as we’d like to — but the center helps us focus on what we can do. For example, how can we work with rural partners to identify high school students who feel a strong affinity for their community and want to go back there and teach? As the student transitions into college, how can we support them in their desire to return to their community and give back? That’s a big part of what we’re doing: thinking about how to help rural school districts recruit and retain those individuals in their communities.
AE: Is it about creating pathways — and increasing visibility — for students who want to become rural teachers?
BT: Yes, we have a student organization called Rural Scholars, which brings together education majors from rural school districts. That builds community for students who have this interest. And we help connect them with scholarship opportunities that are good fits for students who want to teach in rural districts, like the Ozarks Teacher Corps.
Thinking Rural, Thinking Global
AE: And COE is also focusing on global education?
BT: Yes, we opened our Global Education Lab last year. Dr. Jennice McCafferty, the [COE] Dean’s Fellow for Global Education, led that work and consistently moves it forward. She’s got great ideas, and I try to say “yes” to her as much as I can! In many ways, her work connects to the work we’re doing with rural education. She often thinks about the world through the lens of its rural communities — “Rural is global” is the way she puts it.
AE: Wow. “Rural is global.” I’ve never heard that before.
BT: It reminds me to think broadly about rural education. Southwest Missouri is our focus, but a lot of what we know about education here applies to communities all over the world.

Competency-Based Learning
AE: Right now, there’s a lot of discussion about how education connects with the development of professional skills — as well as the role of assessments, like graded exams. I’m curious what the education experts here at Missouri State think about those questions.
BT: Dr. Amber Howard is the [COE] Dean’s Fellow for Competency-Based Learning, and many of our faculty are consciously using approaches that rethink assessment. We’re really challenging the idea that assessment is a fixed point. For example, using an exam to assess what a student knows at specific time only tells you what the student knows at that point. We want to give students chances to demonstrate how they’re learning over time and to encourage them to persist in learning — even when a grade isn’t on the line.
AE: What’s the impact of deemphasizing grades?
BT: The goal of competency-based learning is to focus on learning outcomes — the skills and knowledge the student is gaining and how we’re encouraging their interest in learning — rather than only focusing on assessments. People have a natural desire to learn and get better at things. We want to be sure that we support that desire in students so that they are eager grow and learn. It’s not just a good strategy for education, it also has significant implications for the workplace.
Still in Our Teaching Era
AE: And COE is celebrating a big anniversary this year!
BT: Yes, it’s the 100th birthday of our home, Hill Hall. We’re very proud of our college’s ties to the history of this institution. Missouri State began with the mission to train teachers. That’s how we began, and we’re still here. “Still in our teaching era,” as we like to say.
Around Campus…
COE has long been known for its commitment to hands-on learning and its deep connections to partner school districts. One of its newest initiatives, Pathways for Paraprofessionals, embodies both values. It provides on-the-job training, education and mentorship for paraprofessionals who want to advance their careers and earn industry-recognized credentials.
Last December, we celebrated the graduation of the first Pathways to Paras cohort. In May, we cheered on the second cohort’s graduation. A few months ago, we spoke to Dr. Reesha Adamson about how the program came together and why it’s a great fit for Missouri’s workforce needs.
And earlier this month, we were thrilled to see this video from Nixa Public Schools, which shares how Pathways for Paras is working in their community.