Table Of ContentC
University of North Carolina Wilmington
ONNECTIONS
The Magazine of the Watson School of Education
Spring 2008
Exploring
ideas &
expanding
horizons
A Message From The Dean
UNCW’s Powerful Learning Experience is Personal
with a Strong Sense of Community
The Watson School of Education continues to grow by partnering
with 118 schools and more than 1,800 P-12 teachers at Cape
Fear Center for Inquiry and in Camp LeJeune, Clinton City,
Columbus, Duplin, Jones, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender,
Sampson and Whiteville City school systems. In 2006-07, our
faculty published forty articles or book chapters, three books and
a documentary fi lm. They also made ninety-nine presentations at
international, national, regional and state conferences.
WSE’s international partnerships continue to grow and expand. Due to that expansion, Dr. Rich
Huber has been selected as WSE’s International Coordinator. Students in our new doctoral
program have been added to the international exchange groups visiting three of our partners
this summer.
The Watson School’s grant activity also continues to be a strong foundation for research and
teaching, generating $1,623,056 in 2006-07.
The Watson School of Education won the BASES Award (Business Assisting Schools in
Educating Students) and the Isaac Bear Early College Appreciation Award during this past
year. We also are collaborating with Film Studies to produce a documentary on the history of
education. All of these initiatives contribute not only to UNCW’s powerful, personal learning
experiences for our students, but also to the strong community we build as we prepare
educators for the 21st Century.
A new highlight of that preparation is the Assistive Technology and Resource Center that will
help WSE prepare teachers to serve all children and give those with disabilities a better quality
of life. New funding has been received for this project from the Department of Education. To
keep this center going, please consider contributing to this new initiative.
If you have not yet visited the Education Building, please try put that on your calendar. The
home of the Watson School is an extraordinary facility that honors educators and the power of
education.
Cathy L. Barlow
Dean
2 | Watson School of Education
C
ONNECTIONS
Connections is published annually
by the Watson School of Education
at the University of North Carolina The Magazine of the Watson School of Education
Wilmington. We invite your Spring 2008
comments and suggestions.
Correspondence can be sent to:
[Features]
UNCW Watson School of
4
Education, Dean’s Offi ce, 601
S. College Road, Wilmington, NC SUMMER VENTURES
28403-5991 or to Dean Cathy
High school students get their hands
Barlow at [email protected].
dirty learning science and math
Visit us online at www.uncw.edu/ed.
6
Cathy L. Barlow MORE THAN VIRTUAL LEARNING
Dean The next wave of technology is an
Watson School of Education
effective way to learn tough concepts
8
Managing Editor
Brenda A. Riegel A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
Education and history faculty team up
Photo Editor to prepare social studies teachers
Jamie Moncrief 9
NEW DIRECTIONS
Graphic Designer
Educators use community mapping
Krystine Wetherill
to build student successes
10
Contributors
Joy C. Davis ’07 WILL IT PHASE YOU?
Katie White ’09
Innovative board game and workshop
build survival skills in fi rst-year teachers
Copy Editors
Marybeth K. Bianchi
Joy C. Davis ’07
Dana Fischetti [Sections]
12
On the cover:
Watson Digest
Building community locally and
globally, students from the Watson 14
School of Education work with third Faculty News
grade students and teachers at
16
Bradley Creek Elementary School in
Wilmington. The Passport Program Razor Walker Awards
is a prelude to the Achievement
17
through Creative Enrichment (ACE)
Alumni News
program, in which students study
about Africa, Australia, Japan, 22
Mexico and the Caribbean through Donor Report
hands-on workshops. Photo by
Jamie Moncrief
UNCW is committed to and will provide equal educational and employment opportunity. Questions
regarding access may be directed to the Compliance Offi ce, UNCW Chancellor’s Offi ce, 910.962.3000,
Fax 910.962.3483. 0,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $0,000 or $0 per copy
(G.S. 143-170.1).
Outreach
Learning
Walls
beyond the
classroom
High school students get their hands dirty and
their minds challenged with Summer Ventures
by Joy Davis ’07
Oh, the joys of summer! Few forget Stillwell, now a Wallace Elementary
the excitement of new friends, the School fi fth grade teacher and UNCW
sting of fresh bug bites and the Master of Education in Elementary
refreshment of diving into cool water Education candidate, said, “I wouldn’t
on a warm day. be where I am today if it were not for
Summer Ventures. My great experience is
To that, Caroline Stillwell ’04 can add the why I returned to UNCW and became a
crisp smell of lab coats, the exhilaration Teaching Fellow. I just fell in love with it.”
of presenting personal research to
a crowded room and the aroma of Demographically diverse students realized there was a world outside of my
dissected sea creatures. are fully immersed in STEM lessons small hometown.”
employing higher-order thinking, with a
During high school, Stillwell participated focus on hands-on experiments and In addition to opening their eyes to
in Summer Ventures in Science and lab opportunities. college life, UNCW’s coastal setting
Mathematics (SVSM), a four-week exposes students to marine educational
summer experience for rising North Guided by distinguished faculty and opportunities not available at other
Carolina juniors and seniors that blends local master high school educators, SVSM locations.
residential college life with intensive the 2007 SVSM class of approximately
science and math study. 60 students applied inquiry skills to Jacob Hwang, a senior at Enloe High
collegiate research projects, including School in Raleigh, and Lindsay Pope,
“In order for us keep up with other “The Fact Behind the Product: An a junior at Fayetteville’s Cape Fear High
countries, we need students to be Analysis of Cereal Content,” “Age and School, utilized the UNCW Center for
profi cient in science, technology, FPG in Relationship to the Development Marine Science to collect blue crabs
engineering and math (STEM) related of Type 2 Diabetes” and “The Social for their project, entitled “Calreticulin in
fi elds,” said Bill Kawczynski, assistant and Physical Effects of a Pier.” They Callinectes sapidus (Blue Crabs).”
director of the Watson School of presented their fi ndings at the
Education Science and Mathematics program’s closure. “We extracted the RNA from the
Education Center (SMEC). crab muscle tissue, cloned the RNA
“It’s phenomenal to see the increase of and examined the expression of the
Since 1987, SMEC has administered maturity that occurs in these students in calreticulin gene, which plays a major role
UNCW’s SVSM, one of six University of a month. They are using lab equipment in calcium binding, to better understand
North Carolina Mathematics and Science they have never seen before. It is like how it impacts the species,” explained
Education Network programs providing being in a dark room and seeing a light Pope, who plans to pursue a career in
cost-free research experiences for bulb come on,” said Kawczynski. the medical fi eld.
academically talented students interested
in STEM careers. Stillwell, who like many SVSM “This is hard work, but it is worth it,” said
participants, is from a rural area said, Hwang. “My sister came to Summer
“Summer Ventures made me confi dent. I Ventures and said it was the opportunity
4 | Watson School of Education
Jacob Hwang and Lindsay Pope work in the lab with Thomas
Shafer, biology and marine biology professor, as part of their
blue crab RNA research. Photo by Jamie Moncrief
Caroline Stillwell ’04 steps into the role of student and
investigates the properties of rocks during a SMEC enrichment
and accreditation workshop for local teachers.
Photo courtesy of SMEC
of a lifetime, basically a fun, good way A decade after her own SVSM adventure,
to spend your summer. She was right! I Stillwell is still immersed in the program.
want to be in a medical profession, and I She joined SMEC as a student worker
have learned a lot that will apply to that, her junior year at UNCW and continues
especially the lab work – that’s priceless.” to help administer the program as a
summer employee. Stillwell also is one of
Kawczynski said, “It is a perpetual cycle. more than 2,500 teachers participating
We want our students to share the skills in SMEC workshops taught by university
they learn back with others to let them faculty to help educators fulfi ll state-
know they can work in these fi elds, too. required licensure renewal hours.
Plus, the master high school teachers
who assist the professors take what “I learn about things other teachers
they learn back to the students in their don’t, like grant management and
classrooms, who may become Summer program development, that give me
Ventures participants in the future.” skills I can apply to all I do,” said Stillwell.
“Karen Shafer (SMEC/SVSM director)
Although SVSM is an academic has been a great mentor to me. She is a
program, it lacks none of the summer large part of the reason I am pursuing my
fun. While living on campus, visiting master’s program. I would really like to Student Andrew Hillenius shows off the circuit
tourist attractions and unwinding with work as a county curriculum coordinator board he created during the 2007 Summer
activities like dance and karaoke nights, in the future, and this is helping me Ventures program. Photo by Jamie Moncrief
students often labeled “nerds” by their get there.”
peers fi nd a community they can call
their own. Stillwell added that participating in SMEC For more information on Summer
programs has enriched her life in many Ventures or other SMEC programs,
“The science was cool, but I also learned ways. “It’s so rewarding to see how visit http://www.uncw.edu/smec.
a lot about the social aspects of life. I amazed and proud parents are when
think I will have the friends I made here they see their kids get up and speak like
my whole life,” said Hwang. that and do that kind of work.”
Connections Magazine | 5
MORE
than
virtual learning
A UNCW community partnership teaches challenging
concepts with innovative technology
by Joy Davis ’07
For generations, one question has perplexed a canoe crossing a river, students can gain
students. understanding before they tackle equations.
If Jimmy and Suzy leave from the same place “In this day and age, it can be hard to capture
traveling in opposite directions, and Jimmy is students’ attention. To my kids, working with
traveling at 50 mph and Suzy is traveling at Squeak is like using a game that they create
55 mph, in how many hours will they be 210 themselves. The colors and the animation are
miles apart? motivating to them, and they have tangible
evidence of their knowledge that goes beyond
Without a tangible visual element, solving this a grade on a paper. They are so proud of that,”
type of word problem can be a daunting task and said USe-IT educator and D.C. Virgo Middle
may cause students to avoid science, technology, School teacher Stephanie Keena.
engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses.
However, those courses are the ones needed to Over the course of the three-year NSF grant,
Top: World-renowned computer
fi ll the increasing demand for many technical jobs, USe-IT will work directly with approximately 75 scientist Alan Kay visited UNCW to
specifi cally information technology (IT). STEM educators and 150 of their students in share Squeak software information
grades 7-12, intensely training two consecutive with professors and area school
teachers. Photo by Laura Johnston
“Students may become interested in IT careers grade levels per year and actively recruiting
in college, but fi nd that they lack related science underserved, underrepresented and minority Right: D.C. Virgo eighth grader
and math skills,” said Sridhar Narayan, associate populations. Cody Yarbrough and ROCAME
teacher Stephanie Keena use
professor of computer science. “We want to
Squeak to explore acceleration by
pique their interest in the science, technology, The USe-IT team includes two technology manipulating the speed and angle
engineering and math fi elds at a much earlier age.” coordinators from each of the participating school of cars on racetracks. Photo by
districts and as well as the co-principal grant Joy Davis
Now, thanks to a $1.18 million National Science investigators, Narayan, assistant professor of Bottom: UNCW students Dan
Foundation (NSF) grant, the University of North education Shelby Morge and associate professor Heywood (left) and Lucas Gillispie
Carolina Wilmington is partnering with New of computer science Gene Tagliarini. share their plans to use Squeak
in the classroom. Also shown are
Hanover, Pender and Brunswick County schools to
UNCW faculty members (from left)
help students grasp challenging STEM concepts “Because of the Watson School of Education’s Sridhar Narayan, Shelby Morge,
with interactive computer simulations. Master of Science in Instructional Technology (MIT) and Gene Tagliarini. Photo by
program and strong community relationships, the Laura Johnston
Aimed at designing, developing and delivering schools have been involved in this from a very early
expanded IT programs for the classroom, Using stage,” noted Narayan.
Squeak to Infuse Information Technology (USe-
IT) employs “Squeak,” a computer programming Morge said, “Without the teachers willing to try
software that enables users to visually simulate these ideas in the classroom, we have nothing
actual STEM experiments. This innovative media to report.”
authoring tool can provide hands-on problem-
based learning (PBL) activities to schools with Local secondary teachers become Squeak
limited physical resources. students during intensive USe-IT educator training
sessions. In July 2007, world-renowned computer
Using the simple computer mouse Squeak is scientist Alan Kay, developer of Squeak and
named for, students and teachers can create virtual numerous products for Xerox, Atari, Apple, Disney
laboratories with animated representations of real and Hewlett-Packard, partnered with UNCW to
world problems. Whether exploring the relationship equip USe-IT teachers.
between distance, rate and time by designing cars
and calculating speeds for Jimmy and Suzy, or At monthly Saturday training sessions and regular
examining the concept of relative motion and the team meetings, Keena said she can “always look
2 | WPayttshoang Socrehaono lT ohf eEodruecmat iboyn virtually manipulating forward to learning something new.
“Everything we learn and I know I need math to do that, and I think Squeak
share in training is based on can help me in the future. I feel like if I can learn
state and federal curriculum so this, I can learn other things easily.”
that we can take it back to the
classroom. We gain skills and This summer, Stone and the other tri-county USe-
bring in examples of projects IT students will participate in a teacher-led summer
we are doing in our class, kind institute. They will share their independent Squeak
of like sharing lesson plans.” projects, gaining public speaking skills
and confi dence.
Keena uses Squeak in her
math courses and with the To further nourish the partnership between the
Virgo Region ‘O’ Council for university and participating teachers, the Watson
the Advancement of Minorities School is developing a new MIT course focused
in Engineering (ROCAME), on the use of problem-based learning in IT
a local program that uses environments.
hands-on activities to encourage minority youths to
enter STEM.
“Squeak will continue to give the gift of knowledge
long after the grant period ends,” said Tagliarini.
“Squeak is so fun, but it defi nitely uses higher-order
thinking skills and helps my kids apply concepts to
All projects developed by the group and the Squeak
the real world,” noted Keena.
tool itself can be downloaded at no cost via the
USe-IT Web site designed by Lucas Gillespie,
“We don’t just want our students to get a problem MIT candidate. The internationally accessible site
right. We want them to be able to explain ‘why’. promotes further educator collaboration with blogs
This helps them do that at their own pace.” and instant messaging options.
Eighth grade Virgo ROCAME student Quincy In the near future, Squeak applications developed
Stone, who designed his own cars and racetracks by USe-IT students may be used to help educate
to test hypothesis about angles and speed, said, children in Third World countries. Kay, co-founder
“It makes me feel good to know I am doing this on of Viewpoints Research Institute, a non-profi t
my own. I think I am really learning how to change organization aimed at improving education for the
my mistakes. I think in the future I might even be world’s children, is involved with the One Laptop
able to help someone else do this. per Child initiative, which seeks to provide a “$100
laptop,” potentially equipped with Squeak tools
“Now, I want to be a computer technician. I designed by USe-IT team members, to every child
didn’t want to do that before I used Squeak. in the world.
Communication
difference
Making
a world of
Education and history
faculty collaborate to
empower future educators by Joy Davis ’07
At any given time, one-third of UNC departmental communications and panel discussions on sensitive topics
Wilmington history majors are in interdisciplinary information sessions like racism and networking opportunities
Watson School of Education (WSE) are facilitated by Robert Smith, that “help keep the passion for history
teacher training, participating in one professor and secondary social studies alive” for educators and undergraduate
of the oldest forms of applied learning education program coordinator, and participants.
and setting a wheel of community Paul Townend, history undergraduate
connections in motion. coordinator and associate professor. Clay explained, “For me, the alliance
is an opportunity to do history for
Under federal and state regulations, Secondary social studies student Tyler fun. You need that for fresh ideas and
North Carolina high school social Deaton recalled, “When I came to Dr. perspectives when you teach a subject
studies teachers must earn a secondary Smith with all of my paperwork circled daily, no matter how much you love it.
education licensure concentration in and highlighted, you could tell he Plus, I have made great connections
social studies in conjunction with a really cared. He knew that the history with professors and others who come
degree in history, political science or requirements had been raised and was and speak to my kids.”
sociology. Like many undergraduates, able to help me fi x my schedule.”
New Hanover High School teacher Smith emphasized, “I am proud to see
Whitney Clay ’03 chose to pair a Smith said, “Particularly in the past our university embrace these resources.
history degree with her WSE teaching six years, we have established a very We are playing a major role in preparing
certifi cation because “it opened up good working relationship with history, high-quality social studies teachers, and
my options and really complemented partnering to best advise our students. there is nothing more important than the
the student end-of-grade testing We want to make sure they have a quality of our children’s education.”
requirements.” successful experience,” said Smith.
This effective interdisciplinary
With their feet in two different Recognizing a responsibility to facilitate collaboration is one of the many reasons
academic schools, these students knowledge that extends beyond the social studies licensure students like
may fi nd balancing all the pieces of a college classroom, history chair Susan Clay often return to UNCW for graduate
successful college career a challenge. McCaffray said, “We are the professors school, further propelling the cycle of
Required classroom fi eld experience who instruct teachers in history. They, learning for generations to come.
and a semester-long full-time teaching in turn (as high school teachers),
internship can disrupt the ideal instruct the future college students who Chris Moore (left) presents his social studies
sequencing of courses. will come to us and the community lesson plan about World War II and Asia
to fellow students during a Watson School
colleges. It is a really big loop.”
class. Photo by Jamie Moncrief
“When you consider the number
of classes we take for our teaching In 2005, McCaffray initiated the History
certifi cation, it is almost like earning a Teaching Alliance, a local collaboration
double major,” said Clay. between UNCW, area community
colleges, regional high schools,
In response to student feedback, museums, historic sites and local
the Department of History and the historians. According to Clay,
Department of Instructional Technology, the alliance is a “college
Foundations and Secondary Education community center for
in the WSE have committed to scholastic involvement”
educating faculty and students offering fi eld trips to
about teaching licensure and degree historic sites like the
requirement changes. Regular Battleship North Carolina,
8 | Watson School of Education
Watson School student Missy Branciforte ’09
New Directions: consults local resources during a community
mapping exercise. Photo by Claire Caldwell
Using community mapping to identify resources
and help students succeed
by Katie White ’09
Every day teachers hand out homework: better understand and meet the needs for literacy,” she said. In one of her
reading assignments, research to be of students. classes, students count sites for
conducted, paragraphs and papers reading, access to bookstores and
to be written. But what if one or all of “Community mapping gives us insight libraries, then, as a class, chart the
the students live in a community where into resources children and families have results and compare the information
they do not have access to a library, to support learning. It shows us both across communities.
technology or even a quiet place to read where the resources may be centralized
and write? and where the gaps may be,” said Kathy “One graduate student discovered that
Fox, assistant professor of language and the only place in her community to buy
These students are at a severe literacy education. In addition, “it can a book was a discount store, and that
disadvantage. To increase teachers’ give information about what schools, these books tended to be low level
awareness of the available resources including higher education, could do to reading with poor illustrations. This
and the limitations of the communities fi ll these gaps.” encouraged her to approach her school
in which students live, New Hanover principal about beginning a summer
County Schools, with the help of UNCW education students who reading program to keep the library
UNCW students, participate in participate in community mapping open for book check out,” said Fox.
“community mapping.” exercises have discovered that
resources are not equally distributed The benefi ts of community mapping
Community mapping can be and that, sometimes, there are more can be taken beyond the schools, into
accomplished in numerous ways: resources in a community than places like daycare and after school
by teachers riding the bus home with previously thought. They then use the centers, added Fox.
students during the fi rst week of school, information gained to better assign
by the entire school staff touring the homework and craft lesson plans. “The process of community mapping
community or by teachers making is a vital tool for understanding the
in-home visits with children and Fox has taken part in community circumstances and settings in which
their families. mapping as a Headstart Program students live. With this knowledge in
teacher. “I visited each child’s home hand, teachers can enhance the learning
Proponents of community mapping three times a year and learned to experiences of all their students.”
say it is a powerful tool for teachers to evaluate the community as a resource
Connections Magazine | 9
Support
Playing
for Game helps schools
Keeps
retain teachers during
critical fi rst years
by Brenda Riegel
The challenge was to create a retreat the more diffi cult facets of teaching in a When beginning teachers play the
for beginning teachers to support and way that people actually enjoy. game, there are defi nite “aha” moments.
mentor them through the ups and downs As Metcalf and Batts lead the post-
of their fi rst year experiences. Research shows that many beginning game workshops, they fi nd that many
teachers leave the profession in teachers thought they were the only
The result was “Will It Phase You?,” December – when they are exhausted ones experiencing the tough times. They
an innovative game and workshop and mired in the disillusionment phase. felt discouraged and isolated, sure all the
developed by Beth Metcalf ’97, 05M, If they have not experienced this game other teachers were sailing through with
UNCW teacher-in-residence, and Kelly and workshop, they may not realize no setbacks. Then, they realized their
Batts ’97, ‘00M, former recruitment and rejuvenation – and hope – is right around experiences are not unique.
retention coordinator for Pender County the corner. Batts sees the evidence
Schools and current New Hanover of these cycles in her role with New “The game is based on research about
County Schools system-wide mentor. Hanover County Schools. By January, their own profession, and they deserve
many teachers who were at the end of to know it,” said Metcalf.
Presented with the challenge, Batts their ropes in December are suddenly full
immediately sought assistance from of ideas and ready for new challenges. “Players often come to the realization
her alma mater’s First Years of Teaching that there is more up than down in
Support Program coordinator, Beth teaching. That tells us the caliber
Metcalf. Together they met it head on, and generally positive attitudes of
creating a scenario-based game and the teachers we have entering the
workshop that let beginning teachers profession. They are more willing to
work through potential classroom take the dips because they know
situations in a risk-free setting.
Based on the game of golf, “Will It Phase
You?” focuses on the cycle of emotional
phases beginning teachers experience:
anticipation, survival, disillusionment,
rejuvenation, refl ection and anticipation.
The game and workshop are targeted
toward new graduates as they begin
their careers, teachers in their fi rst few
years in the fi eld and the teachers and
administrators who mentor them.
“In higher education, we are successful
in teaching strategies and information,
but it’s harder to fi nd a way to work
through the intangibles,” said Metcalf.
“How do you handle the emotional
aspects of teaching?”
“Will It Phase You?” is a creative outlet
that lets players work through some of
10 | Watson School of Education
