Faculty in the Neag School of Education are frequent authors of articles, chapters, and books sharing their expertise, with publications as varied as their research specialties. In an effort to further share this information, here are highlights from a selection of three recent books published this past fall by Neag School faculty members.

Evaluating Literacy Instruction: Principles and Promising Practices

Rachael E. Gabriel, assistant professor of reading education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, along with Richard L. Allington, a professor of education and literacy studies program at the University of Tennessee, co-wrote Evaluating Literacy Instruction: Principles and Promising Practices (Taylor & Francis, 2015).

According to the publisher, the book, which illuminates the intersection of research on literacy instruction and teacher evaluation, is a “must read” for all literacy educators. Since 2009, 46 states have changed or revised policies related to evaluating teachers and school leaders. In order for these new policies to be used to support and develop effective literacy instruction, resources are needed that connect the best of what is known about teaching literacy with current evaluation policies and support practices. A major contribution to meeting this need, this volume brings together a range of perspectives on tools, systems, and policies for the evaluation of teaching.

Gabriel and Allington gather insights from expert scholars in the field who “emphasize the need for literacy professionals to do more than merely apply generic observation instruments for teacher evaluation,” and to “consider how these tools reflect professional values, how elements of effective literacy instruction can be unearthed or included within them, and how teacher evaluation systems and policies can be used to increase students’ opportunities to develop literacy.”

Censorship and Student Communication in Online and Offline Settings

Preston C. Green III, the John and Carla Klein Professor of Urban Education and professor of educational leadership and law at UConn, along with Joseph O. Oluwole, is a professor of education law at Montclar State University, co-wrote Censorship and Student Communication in Online and Offline Settings (IGI Global, 2015).

While freedom of speech is a defining characteristic of the United States, the First Amendment right is often regulated within certain environments. For years, schools have attempted to monitor and regulate student communication both within the educational environment and in student use of social media and other online communication tools.

According to the publisher, Censorship and Student Communication in Online and Offline Settings is a comprehensive reference source that addresses the issues surrounding students’ right to free speech in on- and off-campus settings. Featuring relevant coverage on the implications of digital media as well as constitutional and legal considerations, this publication serves as a resource for school administrators, educators, students, and policymakers interested in uncovering the reasons behind student censorship and the challenges associated with the regulation of students’ free speech.

Reflections on Gifted Education: Critical Works by Joseph S. Renzulli and Colleagues

In Reflections on Gifted Education: Critical Works by Joseph S. Renzulli and Colleagues (Prufrock Press, 2015), edited by his research partner, wife, and UConn’s vice provost for academic affairs, Sally Reis, more than 40 years of research and development are highlighted in a collection of articles written and published by Renzulli and his colleagues.

As recognized by the publisher, Renzulli’s work has had an impact on gifted education and enrichment pedagogy across the globe, based on the general theme of the need to apply more flexible approaches to identifying and developing giftedness and talents in young people.

This collection of articles and chapters has strong foundational research support focusing on practical applications that teachers can use to create and differentiate learning and enrichment experiences for high-potential and gifted and talented students.

Renzilli’s work has “transformed the field of giftedness and has been more influential by far than the work of anyone else in the field,” says Robert J. Sternberg, professor of human development at Cornell University. “This book will be required reading for anyone interested in the best the field has to offer.”