Neag International Professor Shares Experiences with Students

Posted on March 29, 2013December 7, 2021 by

Fresh from a sabbatical to Thailand, Neag Professor Xae Alicia Reyes has always found her life to be international.

“My interest in strengthening our sense of being part of the international community is a strong part of my identity as a military dependent,” says Reyes. “My mother was also a military dependent born in the Panama Canal Zone, so schooling throughout the world has always interested me and fostered a passion for learning something from everyone.”

Reyes began her international higher education in Puerto Rico where she received both a B.A. in Economics and M.A. in translation from the University of Puerto Rico. Before earning a Ph.D. in social, multicultural, bilingual foundations of education from the University of Colorado – Boulder, Reyes returned to the University of Puerto Rico as a teacher.

“Education was emphasized in my family since I can remember,” says Reyes. “Teaching teachers became a passion of mine while directing Student Support Services (a TRIO program) at the University of Puerto Rico in the late 80s.” The TRIO program that Reyes mentions is a part of a set of federal programs that reach out to individuals that are first generation college students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Programs are designed to help participants navigate the college experience and succeed in their academic pursuits.

In the fall of 1999, Reyes arrived at UConn and developed a course for Neag that drew from her experiences in the TRIO programs, research on migration issues, and the socio-cultural and historical frameworks of Latino education in the US. The course integrated Reyes’ work with the Institute of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies (IPRLS) with her work at Neag and the cross-listed course became “Latinos and US Education.”

Along with teaching, Reyes became the Interim Director of the Puerto Rican and Latino American Cultural Center (PRLACC) for a little over a year. Reyes represented and advocated for PRLACC interests throughout UConn, reporting directly to the vice president of diversity and equity. Reyes also coordinated a mentoring program called “METAS” that involved the teaching of the Latino Leadership and Mentoring course, which she revised during her tenure there by adding a field internship for coordinators to the program. “I reconfigured the academic mission and linkages to the IPRLS and emphasized academic and career opportunities at the University and beyond,” says Reyes.

Reyes’ international style on education has always been a reflection of her past experiences learning languages and interacting with people with different backgrounds from a variety of countries and throughout the Unites States.

“I love conveying the power of these experiences to my students and exploring how our backgrounds intersect,” says Reyes. “I also encourage learning other languages and experiencing other cultures by taking my students to events in Windham and Hartford that give them opportunities to interact with families outside of the school setting.”

Past and current students have a deep appreciation for the ideals that Reyes’ classes have taught them and for Reyes as a teacher, says Mary Anne Doyle, Department Chair of Curriculum and Instruction at the Neag School of Education. According to Doyle, Reyes is very passionate about teaching and committed to her students by having them broaden their experience. Each graduate course is taught the same ideas but the courses are shaped depending on the students within it.

“Everything Reyes experiences, she shares with her students through teaching,” says Doyle “Her students value her expertise, breadth of knowledge and interest in their studies.”

Recently, Reyes returned from her second trip to Burapha University in Thailand where Reyes expanded on her previous Fulbright project from 2009. The Fulbright project mentored new faculty members in Burapha University on the “best practices for college teaching with diverse populations, and development of individual and collaborative research and scholarship,” says Reyes. Reyes also assisted the International College by providing training for math and science high school teachers that teach their content in English (which are a part of a Regional Association of South East Asian Nations-ASEAN economic exchange initiative).

“My four month stay reaffirmed my belief in experiencing languages and cultures on site to broaden our perspectives and relate more effectively to people who may not share our backgrounds,” says Reyes. “I continue to encourage these dispositions among my Neag and UConn students so that we can truly become citizens of the world and more effective practitioners.”

Due to Reyes’ involvement with Burapha University, university officials from Thailand are exploring partnerships with UConn in areas with some compatibility with their programs. Marine Sciences at the Avery Point campus and science research labs are areas of interest due to similarity in the programs between the two Universities. Burapha officials will be visiting UCONN in late March.

For Reyes, seeing her students broaden their experiences, views of the world and the people in it, is a job well done. Reyes wants to see her students come out of her classes with these new ideals and to succeed in infusing them throughout their lives.

“Nothing is more gratifying than to see former students become excellent teachers and professionals who are open to continued learning by broadening their world views, and learning from their own students, and from each other,” says Reyes.

Renzulli Academy Model Expands to Three New Connecticut School Districts

Posted on March 29, 2013April 12, 2018 by Tom Breen

Fourth-graders working on experiment with teacher — Fourth-graders perform an experiment with the help of their teacher Freddie DeJesus at the Renzulli Gifted and Talented Academy in Hartford, Conn., in 2011. (Photo Credit: Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

After four years of changing the face of education in Hartford, the Renzulli Academy is expanding its nationally renowned model of gifted-and-talented schooling to three new districts in Connecticut.

Starting this fall, students in Bridgeport, New London, and Windham will be able to attend schools for fourth-through-sixth graders modeled on the Hartford program, which has won plaudits for putting into practice the ideas of Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Education Joseph Renzulli, and his wife, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Sally Reis. Renzulli and Reis are both faculty members in the Neag School of Education who have long championed the education of gifted students.

“It’s very exciting to see this,” says Renzulli. “This has always been the core of my work – kids who are going on to be inventors, designers, entrepreneurs.”

The three districts will fund the new schools, which may in the future expand beyond the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, but the expansion was made possible by a $500,000 grant from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, Renzulli said.

“We know that high-potential, low-income students do best at schools that both challenge and support them,” says Lawrence Kutner, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “Along with Hartford, these three districts are taking a significant step towards ensuring that children’s potential is not wasted.”

The Renzulli Academy in Hartford is based on the schoolwide enrichment model, which maximizes students’ potential and keeps teachers engaged and excited. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

The academies in the new cities, like the original in Hartford, will follow a “schoolwide enrichment model” designed by Renzulli to maximize the development of students’ abilities and help keep teachers engaged and excited about their classes. The model includes everything from weekly sessions on special topics for teachers to the use of cutting-edge learning software.

“You can’t do the kind of teaching I advocate without the very best of technology,” Renzulli says.

The model has already reaped rewards in Hartford, where about 115 students attend the academy. As measured in both Connecticut Mastery Test scores and the state’s new School Performance Index, the Renzulli Academy routinely outperforms not only its peers in the district, but also many schools in affluent suburbs.

In 2012, for example, the Renzulli Academy was the only school in Hartford to surpass the state’s desired School Performance Index rating of 88, scoring 92.8 out of 100 – fully 10 points higher than the second highest performing school.

“The test scores are important, but the thing I’m proudest about in the academy is our kids entering and placing and winning in things like the National History Day contest, the Invention Convention, robotics competitions, and the like,” Renzulli says.

Along with the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, Renzulli also credits Bridgeport Superintendent of Schools Paul Vallas, New London Superintendent Nicholas Fischer, and Windham Superintendent Ana Ortiz with their willingness to embrace the model, along with Steven Adamowski, the former Hartford superintendent who has been appointed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to be Special Master of the Windham and New London districts.

While some details remain to be worked out before class starts in the fall, including what selection criteria will be used and how many students will be accepted, Renzulli says he’s just excited to see the model expand, the first step in what he hopes will eventually be a roll out in districts across the country.

“In the real world, it’s the creative, productive kids who make a difference,” he says. “These kids clearly have that potential, which is why this is so important.”

For more information on supporting Neag School programs like these, and others, contact Heather McDonald at 860-486-4530, via email at hmcdonald@foundation.uconn.edu.

Graduate Students Hosting Sport Management Alumni Event

Posted on March 29, 2013December 9, 2016 by

Mingle with Sport Management alumni, graduate students, and current undergrads in a family-friendly environment! Enjoy the 2013 UConn football spring game while expanding your network. Don’t forget to bring a business card or contact information to exchange with people you meet.Light fare will be provided, including sandwiches, fruit and veggie platters, and other snacks. Family tailgating games like beanbag toss and ladderball, special guest appearances, and free giveaways are just a few more fun activities taking place. Jonathan the Husky Dog will be visiting as well! If you have any questions regarding this event, please email us at uconnsportmanagement@gmail.com

For more information and to RSVP, click here. Please RSVP by April 10.

Grateful: Alumna who believes in the power of public universities gives back

Posted on March 29, 2013February 17, 2023 by

dr.condell — Yvonne Condell stands before her collection of paintings, drawings, watercolors and wood carvings by Minnesota artist Charles Beck, which she loaned to the Plains Art Museum in North Dakota for a special exhibit. Dr. Condell proudly owns the largest private collection of Beck’s work.

When 81-year-old Yvonne Condell entered the University of Connecticut in 1956 to begin work toward a master’s of Education, African-Americans like her “weren’t welcome everywhere.” Despite what then were improved U.S. civil rights laws and changing attitudes, segregation still existed in many restaurants, parks and schools, but not at UConn, Condell asserted.

“From the first day, my experience was nothing but wonderful,” said Condell, who after completing her master’s in 1958 spent four additional years at UConn, first teaching there and then earning a doctorate in education with a concentration in biology. “I earned my bachelor’s degree at Florida A&M and knew I wanted to also do my graduate work at a public university, where the student body would be diverse, the atmosphere dynamic, and I felt sure would be an opportunity to learn about not just my interests, but myself.”

UConn was ideal, she said, because it was large enough to offer a broad range of educational and social experiences, but small enough to ensure that her professors not just knew her name, but had a desire to help her achieve her dreams: “The Storrs campus is also just so picturesque. But most importantly, I received a high-quality education from professors who were truly interested in helping me succeed. Looking back, I think of how fortunate I was to choose UConn, and how fortunate students are to have UConn as an option today.

“It was a top school when I attended, and it’s even more of a top school now,” Condell continued, referring to UConn’s many national rankings, which include the Neag School of Education being chosen as the No. 28 graduate school of education in the nation and No. 17 among all public graduate schools of education in the nation according to the U.S. News & World Report.

The Neag School of Education also houses the nation’s No. 1 doctoral program in kinesiology, as ranked by the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education.

“Those of us who’ve benefitted from receiving the kind of quality, affordable education UConn provides have an obligation to make sure that public universities not just continue to exist, but that they provide even better opportunities to the next generation,” Condell said.

Toward this end, Condell has made a point of giving to UConn for each of the past 27 years, becoming one of the school’s most faithful and generous donors.

Her belief in public education—coupled with a desire to be the kind of passionate, knowledgeable and enthusiastic professor she worked with at UConn—also led her to spend 30 of her 40 years as a life science and biology teacher at the public Minnesota State University, Moorhead. She retired in 1995.

“Not too long ago, I looked back at my life and realized that from age 4 to 63, I was always in school, either as a student or teacher,” Condell laughed. “But it was at UConn that I learned the most, because there I saw what it takes to be a great teacher.

“Over the years, at various places, I’ve met a lot of Ph.D. students, from a lot of different universities, who knew everything about their subject area, but nothing about what it takes to teach it. They didn’t get the kind of wisdom, attention and care that I got at UConn, where the professors teach by example. Being a professor is about more than knowing what to teach. It’s about knowing how to teach. It’s about being reliable, dependable and caring. It’s about being an exemplar for the practices and values you believe in.”

Today, giving—of time and finances, when possible—are among the practices and values she strives to live by, and that she encourages others to consider as well.

“State budget cuts have put many public universities throughout the United States in very difficult straits, which means that other ways of raising funds are needed, especially if we want to make sure our flagship universities stay great and become even greater,” said Condell, adding that she gets excited each time she sees UConn earn a new title or ranking, such as its recent listing in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance as one of the 25 best values in public colleges in the U.S., and its election into Universitas 21, an international network made up of the leading research-intensive universities from 16 countries.

“Justice, equality and fairness come from education, and without public universities, many people wouldn’t have educations today,” Condell said. “Public universities play a vital role in our world, and it’s the responsibility of all of us who benefitted from them to support them.”

Neag School Hosts “Media Literacy in a Digital Information Age” Conference on April 19

Posted on March 29, 2013January 3, 2017 by

The Neag School of Education will host the 11th annual Northeast Media Literacy Conference, “Media Literacy in a Digital Information Age” on Friday, April 19 in the Rome Ballroom, South Campus, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year’s event will emphasize closely examining the key relationship between today’s digital media, the impact of new technology, the need to help youth develop skills to understand and interpret media, and other important digital media issues affecting schools, communities, and youth-oriented organization

“The Northeast Media Literacy Conference has been recognized for over a decade as a key annual meeting of media literacy leaders and enthusiasts to learn and share with each other,” said Dr. Thomas B. Goodkind, conference creator and coordinator and a Neag School of Education professor of curriculum and instruction. “The program usually features two keynote speakers — recognized national experts in the field — as well as over a dozen workshops led by innovative theorists, practitioners and researchers in media literacy and technology.”

For the third year in a row, a special feature of the conference will be the participation of 25 media leaders representing 25 nations, sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program.

“The participation of these leaders in this distinguished State Department program at our conference is significant in that it appears to tie in directly with the continued, timely U.S. government recognition of the international interest and importance of media literacy,” said Goodkind.

The international visits to UConn also boosts the visibility and image of both the University and the Neag School of Education, while providing the potential for important world-wide contacts in media literacy and related fields.

Keynote speakers are Cyndy Scheibe, nationally recognized media literacy leader, executive director and founder of Project Look Sharp, and co-author of The Teacher’s Guide to Media Literacy; and Chris Sperry, director, curriculum and staff development for Project Look Sharp, teacher of social studies, English and media studies for over 30 years, and author of innovative curriculum kits on global studies.

“Both will bring leadership, knowledge and experience in media literacy to the conference,” Goodkind said.

The conference will also feature 15 workshops, exhibitors and film showings. Registration includes a continental breakfast, buffet lunch, refreshments throughout the day, social hour, conference-related handouts and discounts on media literacy products. Cost to attend is $95 per person; $45 for students (with ID).

For more information and to register, visit the Northeast Media Literacy Conference website at http://medialiteracy.education.uconn.edu or contact Dr. Thomas B. Goodkind at t.goodkind@uconn.edu or (860) 486-0290.

Implementing Systemic Approaches to High Quality Online Education at Neag

Posted on March 29, 2013February 17, 2023 by

As the new director of Online Programs at the Neag School of Education, it’s Jae-Eun Joo’s job to ensure students taking online classes—or pursing an entirely online degree—have an experience as rich, educational and meaningful as those who sit in traditional UConn classrooms.

Joo’s role is to “integrate effective pedagogy with new technologies” she said, creating interactive online learning environments that enact best research and practices proven to help students learn most effectively and improve their performances. “It’s both a conceptual and practical role that has me working very closely with faculty to identify how to best use emerging technologies to convey the content and the pedagogy they want to provide,” said Joo, Ed.D., who’s spent much of the past 20 years as a online education researcher, teacher, and consultant, designing, managing and evaluating online programs for the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Open University in the United Kingdom, World Bank, and other organizations. “We also want to provide students with the best possible—and an enjoyable—learning experience.”

A Neag associate professor, Joo also teaches classes like the graduate-level Interactive Learning Environments and serves as the Neag liaison to the University of Connecticut’s growing, multidisciplinary e-Campus program, which currently offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate online classes, including Educational Leadership, Educational Psychology and others taught by Neag faculty.

Joo’s priorities include helping Neag faculty develop new online courses and programs; expanding Neag’s online degree offerings; and streamlining and strengthening Neag’s three existing online programs in the Gifted and Talented Education (MA & 6^th year), the Certificate in Postsecondary Disability Services, and the Educational Technology (MA).

She is also be leading and conducting research designed to advance and establish online and blended learning best practices, as well as disseminating findings to increase the Neag’s visibility in the field of online education. Joo has just received the Education Research Service Projects (ERSP) Award from the American Education Research Association (AERA) to create a participatory evaluation study on a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education program for Boston’s urban youth and their communities. Though some are still hesitant to embrace online learning, a U.S. Department of Education survey, Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies, found that students taught in well-constructed online courses learn as much or exceed, as well as interact with their professors as much, as those taught in face-to-face instruction (2010).

“One of my goals is to construct a common framework for Neag online programs, which will help alleviate some of the misconceptions and unease feeling about teaching and learning online. I’m going to be talking and reaching out to colleagues, alumni and students—potential students—to explain the innovative work we’re doing, show the benefits of online learning, and give people the education and encouragement they need to hopefully step out of their comfort zone and take a positive step into the online education world. It opens so many possibilities,” said Joo, who has a doctorate in learning and teaching and a master’s in human development and psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

One of the many benefits of online teaching, she added, is that it provides people with open access and flexible schedule to overcome physical disabilities, transportation issues and other challenges to earn a UConn degree that might otherwise not be possible. “Online courses and programs turn obstacles into opportunities,” Joo said, “which is one of the reasons that makes my job so exciting and rewarding.”

Down the road, she envisions the Neag School of Education at the center of a “online contents and resource superhighway,” providing Connecticut schools, libraries, teachers, administrators and others with research data, a best practice library, classroom help and the “many other much-needed supports and services that advance education and that Neag is known for. I’d love to build a connected, interactive, and robust online education platform that capitalizes on, and shares, all we’re doing to help teachers, education leaders, and their students.”

Neag’s Moss a Champion for the Globally Literacy Skills That Teachers and Students Need

Posted on March 29, 2013February 17, 2023 by

The fact that today’s students are graduating into a global society where, at work, employees come in daily contact with people from around the world and, at home, neighborhoods are becoming more diverse, means that today’s teachers need to show students how to better collaborate and live in this increasingly interdependent world.

“The issue of creating globally competent educators wasn’t something previous generations had to face, but it’s a very real issue now, and its importance is only growing,” said David M. Moss, Ph.D., interim director of Teacher Educator at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education. “Our goal as teachers is to prepare students for all aspects of life—for personal, social and professional success—and today, that means preparing them to be global citizens.”

Considered an expert in the field, Moss has spent the past few years speaking at conferences like those hosted by the American Association of College of Teacher Education and Society for International Educators about the need for greater cultural responsiveness in education. An associate professor in Curriculum and Instruction, he’s also played a key role in establishing programs that have caused the Neag School of Education to become a “top-tier leader” in the U.S. in global literacy and in training teachers how to lead multi-cultural classrooms.

“Student bodies have become so diverse that creating globally competent educators has really become a fundamental element of quality teaching,” Moss said.

Toward this end, the Neag School, with support from the Carnegie Corporation’s Teachers for a New Era project, established Project PREPARE-ELLs (Preparing Responsive Educators to Promote Access and Realize Excellence with English Language Learners). The program involved brining nationally recognized ELL experts to UConn’s Storrs campus to teach faculty in the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s Teacher Education and Teacher Certification for College Graduates programs how to infuse cultural and linguistic diversity into all disciplines.

The program has quickly become a national model. Inquiries from other universities have led to Project PREPARE co-directors Thomas Levine, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Howard, Ed.D. to craft a book about the program’s implementation and successes, with chapters written by various Neag faculty members. “One of the points it stresses is that every classroom, even those without ELL students, is culturally diverse,” Moss said.

While on the Education Program in London, Neag students visited Maritime Greenwich.

Other Neag programs focused on global competence include:

Education in London — a fall, semester-long study abroad program open to fifth-year Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s students. Students live in London and work at international middle and secondary schools—many of which expose Neag students to as many as 40 diverse ethnicities and 50 spoken languages on any given day, including those from Africa and the Middle East.
Developing Global Teachers — a two-week study abroad program open to fifth-year Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s students with a history/social studies concentration that focuses on “Teaching World War II: Multiple Perspectives on the War in Europe.” Offered every other May, it’s geared toward students who plan to teach in middle or high school and teaches the war from the European perspective. Students visit historic sites and meet survivors and scholars in Great Britain, France, Holland and Germany.

“In the U.S., we forget that by the time America entered the war, European countries were already four years in,” Moss said, “so this class provides a very different look at the war overall and how other countries view our participation. At the end of the program, most students say it was transformational.”

His passion and belief in the importance of developing global literacy has led Moss to not just write articles for the Journal of Teacher Education, among other publications, but to join forces with the Society for International Educators to develop a new academic journal called Global Teacher Education. He’ll be founding editor.

“It’s a niche, and there’s a real gap out there,” Moss said.

He’s also in the final stages of evaluating a self-reflection tool called My Cultural Awareness Profile, or myCAP, that’s already been used by thousands of students at dozen of U.S. universities. Created with Neag Teacher Education doctoral graduate Helen Marx, an assistant professor at Southern Connecticut State University, the survey is designed to provide higher education faculty with a better understanding of preservice teachers’ current degree of cultural awareness, as well as areas to challenge and support continued growth.

“So far, the response has been wildly positive, and we hope to have it being used by even more colleges and universities in the fall,” said Moss.

“There’s a statistic that says if you look at the types of jobs available today, half of them didn’t exist 20 years ago,” Moss continued. “So what does that mean for our kids 20 years from now? What kinds of opportunities and jobs will be available to them when they become adults? None of us knows for sure, though clearly they’ll have a global perspective. Teaching global literacy today gives students an intellectual foundation they’ll be able to build on in the years to come.”

Autism Researcher to Focus on Music-Based Intervention

Posted on March 29, 2013February 16, 2023 by

Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, recently awarded CHIP Principal Investigator (PI) Anjana Bhat a grant to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a novel music-based intervention for children with autism.

Dr. Bhat, an assistant professor of kinesiology in UConn’s Neag School of Education and a pediatric physical therapist, will use the two-year, $120,000 pilot treatment grant to design and test an intervention to improve the motor, social, and communication skills of low- to moderate-functioning children with autism between the ages of 3 and 14.

The grant is especially significant because there is little to no evidence on the effectiveness of music-based interventions for children with autism, despite the growing popularity of such interventions in recent years, Dr. Bhat said. Additionally, none of the existing music-based interventions for children with autism incorporate movement activities, which are often impaired, and none of the music interventions are offered more than once or twice a week, which is not often enough for this population to truly benefit, she said.

“Children with autism have great difficulty coordinating complex movements such as planning to dress or tie their shoe laces or dribble a ball due to the abnormalities affecting long-range communication between brain areas,” Dr. Bhat explained. “Movement-based activities within the music-based intervention address these difficulties.”

Most children with autism enjoy music, Dr. Bhat said. In fact, two of Dr. Bhat’s colleagues in autism research at UConn, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Psychology Deborah Fein and Associate Professor of Psychology Inge-Marie Eigsti, have documented that children with autism have enhanced musical abilities, such as pitch perception.

“Embedding an intervention in a music class should make it more appealing to children with autism,” Dr. Bhat said. “We will be addressing impairments of a child with autism within a non-intimidating, enjoyable context.”

The intervention, which Dr. Bhat is developing in collaboration with Associate Professor of Music Education Linda Neelly, will include a hello song, beat keeping activities, music making with different instruments, whole body movements, such as marching, and a calming, farewell song.

The study will involve 24 children with autism, half of whom will receive the music-based movement intervention and half of whom will be assigned to a control group.

Children in the intervention arm will attend two sessions a week led by an expert trainer in a classroom setting and three sessions a week led by a parent or caregiver at home.

“Having the parents supplement the intervention at home will enhance its likelihood of success, because children with autism need repeated practice to master new skills,” Dr. Bhat said.

Parents will receive a training manual and a CD with all of the songs to use at home. They will keep diaries tracking the sessions they conduct at home and will be required to conduct at least 75 percent of the recommended sessions to participate in the study, Dr. Bhat explained.

Dr. Bhat’s team will match the level of parent training (and other factors, including the severity of the disorder and other therapies being received) when comparing results. The research team also will video tape some of the parent-led sessions and evaluate for fidelity of the training protocol. For instance, researchers will look for parents to make a certain number of bids for social interaction per session.

Twenty families with children with autism already have been recruited to participate in the study, Dr. Bhat said, and the parents are very motivated to participate because they believe their children will enjoy and respond to this type of intervention.

The intervention includes 40 sessions total and takes 8 weeks. Pre-test measures the first week and post-test measures the final week will include standardized tests of participants’ Joint Attention (JA), turn taking, imitation, praxis, coordination, and balance. The research team will obtain video data during pre- and post-test of synchrony during walking, marching, clapping, and drumming motions, and the researchers also will use eye tracking equipment – bands on participating children’s foreheads that record to backpacks with camcorders in them – to show the focus of the participants’ attention.

Dr. Bhat expects children in the intervention arm will demonstrate improved social performance, such as rates of JA bids, rates of turn taking, and duration of verbalization, as well as improved motor performance, such as rhythmic action praxis, motor coordination, and movement synchrony with the other participants.

“Music-based interventions for children with autism are being used but, due to lack of evidence for their effectiveness, they are still not considered within the standard of care and they are not typically covered by insurance,” Dr. Bhat said. “We are hoping to develop and document an effective music-based movement intervention and ultimately bring it into the mainstream so that it is made more readily available to children with autism who could benefit from them.”

Op-Ed: Teachers Must Foster Global Competence in Students

Posted on March 29, 2013December 7, 2021 by

When members of the Connecticut state’s Educator Preparation Advisory Council (EPAC) consider the essential competencies required for teachers, they must emphasize teachers’ abilities in building global competence in students. In the 2010 MetLife Foundation survey of American teachers, 63% of teachers, 63% of parents and 65% Fortune 1000 executives believe that global competency is absolutely essential and very important to student’s future success. Likewise, it is essential for Connecticut’s success.

According to a study by the Asia Society and National Geographic Society, the vast majority of American students are not ready to compete in an increasingly globalized economy, or to assume leadership in world affairs. As illustrative examples of a lack of basic global understandings: over half do not study geography, economics, or non-western history; more than half significantly over-estimate the population of the United States; and young Americans are next to last in a nine country survey of knowledge of current events. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results of December 2010 indicate that, among students from 70 countries, American students ranked 31^st in mathematics, 17^th in reading, and 23^rd in science. In Connecticut, our own range of student performance on NAEP and our statewide assessment indicates there is a need to consider serious questions about college and career readiness for all students to succeed.

President Barack Obama stated: “The source of America’s prosperity has never been merely how ably we accumulate wealth, but how well we educate our people. This has never been more true than it is today. In a 21st-century world where jobs can be shipped wherever there’s an Internet connection, where a child born in Dallas is now competing with a child in New Delhi, where your best job qualification is not what you do, but what you know — education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it’s a prerequisite for success.”

In a recent joint letter to the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Asia Society, Global Teacher Education, Longview Foundation, and NAFSA—Association of International Educators argues that “we must consider how actions and decisions of citizens and leaders in one country can impact those across the world in unprecedented ways. Our globally interconnected economy is a reality for teachers and students as much as it is for companies, entrepreneurs, families, government leaders, and charities.”

The letter further demands that teacher preparation programs “regularly create the opportunity for their students to explore and consider issues of globalization in a range of content and pedagogy courses” and “issues of global learning are not negotiable, but rather a fundamental element of the next generation of standards.”

The EPAC should be one of the first states to enact the recommendations jointly proposed by the Asia Society and Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) that teacher preparation programs should “integrate international learning opportunities and substantially strengthen requirements and support for developing the capacity among prospective teachers to teach for global competence” in all subjects. The state should “encourage scholarly research and program evaluation” including “measuring the impact of diverse approaches to integrating global competence in K-12 curriculum, assessment, and instruction” and “examining the role of global competence education in school improvement.” Such a decision would bring not only a significant change to programs, but also to student experiences for every child in the state.

Global education is more than learning about other countries, it promotes self-reflection regarding one’s own community and culture. Teachers play a critical role in promoting reflective thinking and civic engagement through the values and messages they convey about cultural norms.

As such, programmatic outcomes may include: understanding of one’s own cultural identity; learning from diverse cultures; understanding the world as one interdependent system; understanding prevailing world conditions, process of change, and emerging trends; developing skills for constructive participation in a changing world. In making this a priority, the committee would be investing in the civic, economic, and governmental future of Connecticut.

We believe that the EPAC’s leadership in ensuring our teachers are prepared to build global competence in our children will demonstrate its members’ commitment to our state, to our nation, and to the next generation of teacher educators and learners.

Dr. Peter Nicholls and Dr. Yuhang Rong also contributed to this article.

Dr. David M. Moss is an Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, a University Teaching Fellow, and the Interim Director of Teacher Education for the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Peter J. Nicholls is a Professor of Educational Leadership at the Neag School of Education, and formerly served as the Executive Vice President and Provost of the University of Connecticut. Dr. Yuhang Rong is the Assistant Dean for the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut, and chairs the Global Diversity Committee of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

This appeared in the CT Post Feb. 9, 2013.

Neag Alumni Society Recognizes Outstanding Graduates

Posted on March 22, 2013June 9, 2025 by Shawn Kornegay

Alumni Award winners 2013 Group Shot — Pictured (L-R, top row): Karen Castagno, James Spina, Dean Thomas DeFranco, Miguel Cardona, Patrice Farquharson, Phillip Bryant; (L-R, bottom row): Paula Singer, Janet Robinson, Kathleen Kelley and June Cahill

The Neag School of Education Alumni Society and the faculty of the Neag School of Education hosted the 15th Annual Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 9, 2013 at the South Campus Ballroom.

The evening was memorable as faculty and alumni gathered to formally recognize the achievements of some of our outstanding graduates. The award recipients are educators who have made significant contributions across all levels of education.

Outstanding Higher Education Professional

Dr. Patrice E. Farquharson ‘79

Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education/Child Studies at Post University and Executive Director of West Haven Child Development Center in West Haven, CT

Video of Patrice

IMG_5598 web Dr. Farquharson received her Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Connecticut, her Master of Science in Early Childhood Education from Southern Connecticut University, and her Doctorate of Education with Nova Southeastern University. She is a certified pre-K through sixth grade teacher, and completed Southern Connecticut University’s Administrative and Supervisory Certificate Program.

A frequent conference presenter on topics involving early childhood education, Dr. Farquharson has been with Post University since 1996, originally hired as the Director of Early Childhood Education studies, and has also served as Executive Director of West Haven Child Development Center, Inc. since 1982.

Dr. Farquharson received the Professional Development Award from Connecticut Early Childhood Council in 1996, 1998 and 2004, and has also been named in “Who’s Who in American Education” from 1998 through 2010. She is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Outstanding Kinesiology Professional

Dr. Karen S. Castagno ‘80, ‘91

Associate Dean for Teacher Education and Co-director of Ph.D. in Education Program at Rhode Island College in Providence, RI

Video of Karen

IMG_5603 web James M. Alarid, Professor of Special Education at New Mexico Highlands University, nominated Castagno, stating that she “has developed her skills and abilities so that her students may develop their academic fluency, scientific proficiency, professionalism, and the ability to transfer their knowledge using practical applications to a new generation of students.”

Castagno has been the Associate Dean for the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development at Rhode Island College for five years, and Professor of Education in the Feinstein School since 2005. Castagno had previously provided sports training for individuals with intellectual disabilities as Director of Sports Training for Special Olympics Connecticut for seven years.

In addition, Castagno served as the Director of the Motor Activities Program at the Special Olympics World Winter Games. Castagno is an accomplished author and presents at national and international conferences. She has won several awards for her work, most recently in 2012 for Outstanding Professional from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance – Eastern District.

Outstanding Physical Therapy Professional

Dr. Kathleen K. Kelley ‘88

Associate Professor of Physical Therapy at Quinnipiac University and former Director/Owner of Yoga Center in Plantsville, CT

Video of Kathleen

IMG_5616 web As stated by Meghan W. Trull in her letter of nomination, “She has a way of educating others with her vast level of knowledge in a positive atmosphere. I hope that one day I will be able to have a positive influence on others similar to what Kathleen has had on my academic and clinical experience at Quinnipiac University and beyond.”

Kelley has served as an Associate Professor of Physical Therapy at Quinnipiac University for 17 years. Kelley creates a hands-off learning environment where students feel satisfaction and ownership of their work but still helps students reach their desired end results. Kelley has had numerous peer and non-peer reviewed publications and presentations published.

Kelley had previously been director and owner of the Yoga Center of Cheshire, LLC, in Plantsville, Conn. from 1998-2010 and a Co-Owner of the Physical Therapy Center of Bristol in Bristol, Conn. until 2012.

In addition, Kelley is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the Connecticut APTA Chapter, the Neurology section of the APTA and the Education section of the APTA. Kelley had been on the program committee of the Connecticut APTA chapter from 1996-1998, and a delegate to APTA from 2007-2008, where Kelley represented Connecticut.

Outstanding School Educator

June L. Cahill ‘93, ‘94

Instructional Coach at E.B. Kennelly School in Hartford, CT

Video of June

IMG_5624 web Cahill is the Instructional Coach at E.B. Kennelly School, which received a commendation from the Connecticut State Department of Education for extraordinary student achievement on the Connecticut Mastery Test. Cahill earned her BS in Elementary Education in 1993 and her BS in Human Development and Family Relations from the School of Family Studies in 1992. Cahill also earned her MA in Education from the Neag School of Education in 1994.

In their letter of nomination, her fifth year student interns from the Neag School of Education Michelle Bashaw, Tiffany Studer, Kelsey Rich and Kate Kantrow wrote, “June is a true leader. Teachers look up to her, and it is daily that we see her taking time out of her very busy schedule to help other teachers in the building. Whether it is modeling lessons, giving feedback offering advice, or just being a good listener June serves a vital role in her school. June shares all that she has learned not for her own benefit, but to truly help other teachers and their students.”

Cahill has taught at Hartford Public Schools in Connecticut for 19 years. Cahill represents what a true teacher leader should be by being a supportive and effective mentor for both the teachers and interns that come to her school. Cahill is a lead teacher for the Neag School of Education and a cooperating teacher, internship supervisor for Neag School of Education students.

In addition, Cahill is a mentor teacher and Reflection Paper Reviewer for the Teacher Education and Mentoring Program (TEAM) program. Cahill works with programs such as TEAM and Hartford Performs as a mentor and coordinator to help students and teachers reach their full potential.

Outstanding School Administrator

Dr. Miguel A. Cardona ‘01, ‘04, ‘11, ‘12

Principal at Hanover Elementary School in Meriden, CT

Video of Miguel

IMG_5636 web Cardona is the principal at Hanover Elementary School, Meriden, Conn., which was recently recognized by ConnCAN as a Top 10 School for Student Performance Gains.

As stated by Mark D. Benigni and Robert J. Angell in their letter of nomination, “Dr. Cardona leads a school with high academic and firm behavioral expectations. Through his leadership and collaborative style, the administration, teachers and staff work as a team to meet the individual needs of the students.”

Recently, Cardona received the Connecticut Association of Schools’ Award for National Distinguished Principal of the Year for Connecticut for his outstanding leadership and strong professional focus. Cardona creates a vibrant and nurturing environment where encourages teachers to be effective and caring educators, students to achieve their prime, and parents to be fully engaged in the school.

Cardona has helped create a number of new programs that helped improve student learning at Hanover that includes the “Million Word Club,” which rewards students who read one million words with a monthly non-cafeteria lunch with the principal. Cardona co-chairs the CT Legislative Achievement Gap Task Force.

In addition, Cardona co-founded the Meriden Coalition for Educational Excellence. Cardona is a member of many professional and community committees and associations dedicated to the youth in his community and State. Cardona has been recognized by many different organizations such as the NAACP and the Meriden Chamber of Commerce.

Outstanding School Superintendent

Dr. Janet M. Robinson ‘06

Superintendent of Newtown Public Schools in Newtown, CT

Video of Janet

IMG_5649 web As stated by Dr. Linda Gejda in her letter of nomination, “Janet has mentored educators, who aspire to be superintendents, and is open and available to all, whether parent, community member or colleague, who seek to learn more about various facets of the education setting. Janet is a reflective practitioner and models professionalism for her staff: she is continuously to local, national and international conversations about education and recognizes the value in communities of practice.”

Robinson has served as superintendent for Newtown Public Schools in Connecticut for five years. She creates an optimum learning experience for teaching and learning for both students and teachers. Robinson also established a partnership with Liaochang, China schools that created the internationally recognized district program known as N.I.C.E. The partnership now includes other countries that bring real-world experiences and international education to Newtown students, staff and the Newtown community.

In addition, Robinson was honored by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA). She is a member of the AASA, CT Center for School Change, CAPSS Technology Committee, CAPSS International Education Committee, and National Superintendent’s Round Table.

Outstanding Young Professional

Phillip D. Bryant, ‘08

Director of AVTV and High Tech Classrooms at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, CT and President of the Hartford Hurricanes in Hartford, CT

Video of Phillip

IMG_5672 web As stated by Marijke Kehrhahn in her letter of nomination, “Conversations with Phil always included a story about one of his athletes or one of his teams, or about a programmatic improvement he was trying to make, or a problem he was trying to solve. Phil stopped at nothing to get the best for his players. His passion for football and his dedication to the youth of Hartford fed him with boundless energy and determination.”

As the president of the Hartford Hurricanes, Bryant had the team join the Southern Connecticut league and became the first ever Division I Pop Warner team and first youth team to allow 5 and 6 year olds an opportunity to play in Hartford. This move created more than 200 spots for children and youth to join the team and opened up opportunities for cheerleading. The team won the state championship and the New England championship in 2012 and headed to Disney World in Orlando, Fla. to play in the Pop Warner Super Bowl.

The Hartford Hurricanes played their semi-final game against Holy Cross from Texas and won in double overtime. Their semi-final game was covered by ESPN3, making the Hartford Hurricanes the first ever Hartford team to make nationals and play on ESPN. The Hurricanes finished at nationals ranked 3rd in the nation.

As president, Bryant is required to be involved in every aspect of the team which includes team training, schedules, transportation, fundraising and parent involvement.

In 2011, Bryant partnered up with parents and youth to improve the playing fields in Hartford and had the Hurricanes hold an event called “$1 Million Dollar Turf Run,” to raise money to build new athletic fields in Hartford and bring awareness to the issue. The turf run is still ongoing and hopes to provide Hartford youth a safer and more environmental youth football field.

Outstanding Professional

Dr. James D. Spina ‘82

Senior Lecturer at the University of Maryland’s Smith Business School in College Park, MD; past Consultant with The Spina Network in Annapolis, MD and past Director of Management and Succession Planning Development with the Tribune Company in Chicago, IL

Video of James

IMG_5685 web As stated by Stephanie Goldklang in her letter of nomination, “Dr. Spina encourages students to adapt his own passion for knowledge, and his commitment to excelling in the written and spoken word whereas many have overlooked this skill set with the advent of social media and internet communication. Dr. Spina has managed to address the importance of both viral tools and non-technical means of communication.”

Recently, Spina’s proposal for a new MBA course, entitled “How to Beat the Competition by Managing Change,” was accepted by the University of Maryland’s Smith Business School’s EMBA program. Spina will organize the course in June of 2013 in China for 50 select students.

In addition, Spina proposed a new “I Course,” courses that are designed to replace traditional core undergraduate courses and focus on developing critical thinking skills. Spina’s course, “Is American Destine to Fall by 2076?” was selected in a University-wide competition. This is Spina’s second “I course” to have been selected.

Distinguished Alumna

Paula Riggi Singer, ‘76

President & CEO, Global Products and Services, Laureate Education Inc. in Baltimore, MD

Video of Paula

acceptance speech web Singer is the president and CEO of Laureate Global Products and Services where she leads the company’s international online, network products and services, information technology, and U.S. campus-based operations, as well as its global programs in hospitality management; culinary arts; and architecture, art and design. Previously, Singer served as president of Sylvan Education Solutions (now Catapult Learning), where she led the educational support services division. Singer formerly held several senior positions at American Learning Corporation, a subsidiary of Encyclopedia Britannica, including vice president of marketing, executive vice president of operations, and general manager.

Singer earned her B.S. in Education from the Neag School of Elementary Education in 1976. Singer was the first education major to be selected for the prestigious University Scholar program.

As stated by Heather McDonald, Neag School of Education’s director of development, in her letter of nomination, “This award, honoring ‘a professional working within the public or private sector’ could not be more well-deserved by anyone. I appreciate the opportunity to share Paula’s commitment to higher education.”

In 2004, Singer was recognized as one of five Enterprising Women in Maryland by the Baltimore Business Journal. She was named one of “Maryland’s Top 100 Women” three times by the Maryland Daily Record, earning her induction into the publication’s prestigious “Circle of Excellence.” She also was named one of the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland’s Distinguished Women of 2009, and is the recipient of a 2009 Leader Award from the YWCA of the Greater Baltimore Area.

Singer is an active leader of the United Way, and serves on the organization’s Women’s Leadership Council, which is committed to improving local communities and the quality of life for children.

Singer is an advisory board member of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education and an advisor for the Board of Directors of Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU). She also served for six years as the secretary and executive committee member of the board of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary School; she remains an active volunteer at the school today.