Partnerships | Instant Impact

April 11, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Baylor Education Students Teach English to Elementary and High School Students in Costa Rica [04/11/2019]

The Baylor University School of Education hosted a mission trip over spring break to San Jose, Costa Rica, taking a group of 19 students – including a Baylor pre-business major who grew up in the community he returned to serve – and faculty members to work in an elementary school and high school in the rural community of Santa Elena.

Members of the Costa Rica education trip had the opportunity to teach classes that helped Costa Ricans practice their English and participate in a community philanthropic event to help the schools and the Santa Elena community with their education and English skills.

“It was an amazing experience with the teachers, community members and students at the school,” said Trena L. Wilkerson, Ph.D., mission trip staff leader and graduate program director in the Baylor School of Education. “We learned so much and had a chance to engage in cultural activity so that we all shared our backgrounds. Dr. Randy Wood and I began this partnership 11 years ago. It has been a wonderful experience where we have developed lasting friendships. One of the best things has been watching the children grow up over the 11 years and see where they are now. When we go back each year and see them—again it is like family.”

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February 7, 2019
by Baylor Instant Impact
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SOE’s Sport Management Grads Contributing to Elite Baylor Basketball Programs [02/07/2019]

Graduates of the Sport Management Program on the men’s basketball staff are Aditya Malhotra (fourth from left, black shirt), John Jakus (center, gray suit), and Ty Beard (second from right).

Sport Management graduate Kaylin Rice (center) counts cheering on the sidelines among her duties as Associate Director of Operations for the Lady Bears.

Four graduates of the Baylor Sport Management master’s program are making significant contributions to two of the nation’s elite basketball programs, and they’ve done so without leaving campus. Right here at Baylor, these graduates were a part of NCAA Tournament runs for both the women’s and men’s basketball teams, and helped the Lady Bears achieve a No. 1 national ranking and Big 12 regular season and tournament championships.*

Three graduates are working in the men’s basketball program and one in women’s basketball. They said that the Sport Management (SPM) program, which they completed through the School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership, taught them to foster personal relationships as well as master financial management, facility and event management, marketing, psychology, and ethical issues in the sports world. Each Sport Management MSEd student also completes an internship. Opportunities are available in Baylor Athletics as well as in outside agencies including the American Football Coaches Association, Boys & Girls Clubs, Sodexo, SMG, Baylor IMG, and McLennan Community College. Continue Reading →

November 5, 2018
by Baylor Instant Impact
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SOE to Host Chet Edwards Lecture [11/05/2018]

The Honorable Chet Edwards, former U.S. Representative and Baylor’s W.R. Poage Distinguished Chair of Public Service, will present “Education and Education Policy” on Thursday, Nov. 8, from 5 to 5:45 p.m. in room 101 (Packard Auditorium) of Marrs McLean Science Building. The event is sponsored by the School of Education’s Department of Curriculum & Instruction.

“This is an excellent opportunity for learning and interaction with an expert during a time of many changes and questions around education and education policy in our country,” said Dr. Trena Wilkerson, Baylor mathematics education professor and president-elect of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. “This should be an informative event for students, faculty and community members. We are fortunate to have former Congressman Edwards share his insights.”

The department will provide refreshments, and Dr. Tony Talbert, professor and associate dean of the School of Education, will introduce Edwards. Continue Reading →

October 30, 2018
by Baylor Instant Impact
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SOE Mission Trip Helps Costa Rican Student Enroll at Baylor [10/30/2018]

Costa Rica freshman Bryan Lizano (second from left) is greeted at the Waco airport by Baylor faculty (l-r) Dr. Randy Wood, Dr. Trena Wilkerson and Dr. Debra Burleson.

Ten years ago, Bryan Lizano was a fifth-grade boy in Costa Rica, carefully watching a group of Baylor School of Education students completing mission work at Santa Elena School. He noticed how different these Baylor students were. It wasn’t just their accents and the slang they used. It was all the knowledge they shared about a university they loved. Lizano, a Nicaraguan refugee, liked the image of Baylor they showed by their service projects — painting the school’s walls, teaching, and developing relationships with the students.

Bryan (back row, third from right) with the Baylor volunteers at Santa Elena School in March 2017.

As the idea of Baylor became more vivid each year the students came back, Lizano realized he wanted to become a Baylor student himself. Through support from Baylor students and professors, a dream became reality for Lizano, a freshman interested in studying computer sciences and the first graduate of his technical high school to attend a university in the U.S., with a full tuition scholarship to Baylor.

“Because we’ve know Bryan so long from the trips, he was always an active part of our activities; when he got here, it felt like he had already been a part of the Baylor family for years,” said Dr. Trena Wilkerson, professor in the School of Education. “Our Costa Rica mission students helped him to understand what Baylor is and what we stand for. They saw what a tremendous young man he is.” Continue Reading →

October 29, 2018
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Civics Education Expert Comments on Sandra Day O’Connor’s Legacy, Inspiration [10/29/2018]

Recently, the nation heard from former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, that she is officially stepping away from public life due to health reasons.

In her letter to the nation, O’Connor shared about her commitment to civics education and, specifically, the creation of iCivics – free online interactive games and curriculum designed to teach the core principles of civics to middle and high school students.

Brooke Blevins, Ph.D., serves as associate professor of social studies education and associate chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction in Baylor’s School of Education. She and Karon LeCompte, Ph.D., associate professor of curriculum and instruction, conducted the first independent research study of iCivics effectiveness. Blevins and LeCompte also launched iEngage Summer Civics Institute, which is supported by a grant from the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation. The researchers were honored by O’Connor for their research and commitment to iCivics and civics education.

READ DR. BLEVINS’ COMMENTS

October 18, 2018
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Baylor TAIR Conference Hosted Almost 900 Teachers [10/18/2018]

Baylor TAIR Conference co-directors Margaret Thomson (left) and Dr. Barbara Purdum-Cassidy

Baylor School of Education hosted educators from dozens of school districts for the annual Baylor TAIR (Texas Association for the Improvement of Reading) Regional Conference on Oct. 1 and 2. Almost 900 educators gathered at the Region 12 Education Service Center for three different grade-level based conferences. Attendees shared knowledge and skills with each other while gaining unique insight from a variety of national speakers.

TAIR President Margaret Thomson, senior lecturer in the School of Education, says her favorite part of being involved with this conference has been getting to know educators from all over the region that have the same interests as she does. “Every year you can get new ideas and get re-energized,” Thomson said. “This conference is for educators all across the board, because I think the best teachers keep getting professional development — they keep updating their skills.” Continue Reading →

October 15, 2018
by Baylor Instant Impact
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EnAbled Grant Renewed by AT&T Foundation [10/16/2018]

Pictured at the presentation of the grant award are student mentors with AT&T Foundation and Baylor representatives. Front L-R: Dr. Tamara Hodges, Becca Waits, Deborah Keel of the AT&T Foundation, Stephanie Fritz, Chris Krause of Baylor Development. Back L-R: Kelsey McCarty, Brenda Davis, Ally Yturralde, Felicity Frost

Baylor School of Education’s EnAbled for College project recently received a $75,000 renewal grant from the AT&T Foundation. The mentoring program increases marginalized high school students’ likeliness of choosing higher education by covering topics ranging from completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to how to talk to a professor.

The program began with graduate students from the Department of Educational Psychology mentoring 52 disabled, at-risk or low socioeconomic status high school students through the process of reaching higher education. Since 2014, the program has served more than 150 students in McLennan County in Central Texas. Of those students, 71 percent were from low socioeconomic homes, 48 percent had a disability, and 74 percent were first generation students. With the help of the EnAbled program, 97 percent of the participants were accepted into college. Continue Reading →

July 17, 2018
by cameron_bocanegra
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Follow-up Assessments Show early-intervention Program Improves Students’ early Math Skills [07/17/2018]

The Math for Early Learners Academy (MELA), now in its third year sponsored by the Baylor University School of Education, is underway through July 27 at Baylor’s Mayborn Museum, and research is showing that the summer early-intervention program serving early childhood students in Waco ISD is showing positive results.

Baylor faculty and graduate students have conducted follow-up math assessments of the students both of the previous years and found that the program is making a difference.

“After participating in MELA, students who were previously identified as being consistently below their peers in mathematics were found to be indistinguishable from their peers on a test of broad math ability,” said Sandi Cooper, Ph.D., professor of mathematics education in the department of curriculum and instruction and founder and director of MELA. “This suggests that participating in MELA enabled these students to not only make progress in math ability but also to close the gap between them and their peers.”

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June 6, 2018
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Spring 2018 “Impact” is now Online [06/06/2018]

The Spring 2018 issue of Baylor Impact is now available online. Check it out for stories about Baylor School of Education students, faculty, alumni and programs.

In this issue, you’ll find news of a prestigious national award and of a $2.5 million gift to the School, plus an inside look the SOE’s “Introduction to Teaching” class for first-year students, a faculty feature on Dr. Susan Johnsen, and news of publications in higher education studies — plus much, much more!

School of Education graduates should have received a printed copy of Impact in the mail. If you are a graduate and did not receive a printed copy, please email BaylorImpact@baylor.edu. Also feel free to email us with any news that the School needs to know!

May 29, 2018
by Baylor Instant Impact
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Baylor SOE Launches Online EdD Program [05/29/2018]

Dr. Brooke Blevins recorded the lectures for her online fall semester class in the 2U studios in Maryland. The lectures will complement live class interactions between professor and students.

Baylor School of Education (SOE) is launching its first online program — the EdD in Learning and Organizational Change through the Department of Curriculum & Instruction (C&I). The new program is accepting applications immediately with a deadline of July 9, 2018, for fall 2018 classes.

Baylor is offering the program in partnership with the company 2U, Inc., to deliver instruction.

Dr. Sandi Cooper, professor in C&I and director of the program, said 2U is providing the technology platform, student support services, marketing and analytics, while the University and SOE faculty in C&I will maintain responsibility and control for all academic functions —admissions decisions, teaching, guiding students’ research work, and any other academic-related matters.

“At the core of the instructional delivery model is a genuine respect for what has always made Baylor great — a caring Christian environment, a strong and independent faculty, a commitment to academic rigor and scholarship, and a community of learners engaging in the critical interplay that comes from the intimacy of a live classroom,” Cooper said. Continue Reading →

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