An educational psychologist with an interest in enhancing classroom assessment for more effective teaching and learning has been named dean of The University of Toledo Judith Herb College of Education.

Dr. Raymond H. Witte will join UT on July 1 from Miami University where he is professor and chair of the Department of Educational Psychology.

Witte

“Dr. Witte is an experienced administrator, having served as department chair and associate dean. He is not only an accomplished scholar as a university professor, he had many years of experience working for public schools before joining academia,” said Dr. Andrew Hsu, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

“He has a passion for student success, especially those of first-generation college students. I am glad to welcome him to The University of Toledo and look forward to working with him and the college to further improve our college and our student success.”

“I am honored to be the new dean of the Judith Herb College of Education. I’ve always thought highly of the institution and been impressed with the quality and professionalism of the faculty and the administrators,” Witte said. “I am looking forward to working and collaborating with the distinguished faculty and staff of the college, as well as all the members of the University and Toledo communities.”

Witte joined the faculty of Miami University in 1999 and held a variety of additional administrative roles at the Oxford, Ohio campus including associate dean, graduate program director, department chair and assistant chair. Prior to his career in higher education, Witte was a school psychologist for the Jessamine County School District, Nicholasville, Kentucky where he also directed the kindergarten and preschool programs.

Witte received his PhD and master’s degrees in educational psychology and bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Kentucky.

His academic interests include working with students with learning disabilities assisting individuals and their families through transitions. As his career evolved, he became increasingly interested in effective assessment and has written two books and numerous articles on the topic.

Accordingly, Witte said he is a data-driven leader and he looks forward to getting to know the college staff and collaborating with them to ensure strong student enrollment and community partnerships.

Provost Hsu thanked Dr. Virginia Keil for her leadership while serving as interim dean of the Judith Herb College of Education since July 2015.

The University of Toledo provides one of the best online bachelor’s programs, according to new rankings from U.S. News & World Report.

UT is ranked 125 out of 357 institutions in the 2018 Best Online Programs ranking, an increase from last year’s place of 142 out of 311 programs.

U.S. News assessed schools based on student engagement, student services and technology, faculty credentials and training, and peer reputation.

“This ranking is recognition of the high-quality distance learning curriculum and the strong support services we provide to our students,” UT Provost Andrew Hsu said. “Recognizing that many prospective students, particularly working professionals returning to the classroom, enjoy the flexibility and convenience of online classes, we will continue to enhance and improve UT’s programs offered online.”

“The Best Online Programs rankings offer adults the information needed to identify programs that best suit their life and career goals,” said Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at U.S. News. “The top programs not only demonstrate strong academics but also create learning environments that are particularly well-suited to remote students.”

The UT Judith Herb College of Education also was ranked 107 out of 309 for its online graduate education program. UT’s ranking improved this year from last year’s rank of 109 out of 278 on that Best Online Education Programs list, which evaluates programs on student engagement, student services and technology, admissions selectivity, faculty credentials and training, and peer reputation.

UT’s College of Education launched this academic year the first online PhD program approved in Ohio. The Curriculum and Instruction: Special Education Doctoral Degree Program is designed for those who specialize in early childhood special education who are looking to take the next step in their careers.

For additional information about the U.S. News rankings, visit usnews.com/education/online-education.

The National Science Foundation awarded The University of Toledo a nearly $1 million federal grant to continue, expand and further evaluate its successful, innovative program that engages teachers and parents in supporting a young child’s natural curiosity through interactive, inquiry-based science lessons.

The University’s NURTURES Early Childhood Science program, which aims to improve the science readiness scores of preschool through third grade students in the Toledo area, was originally supported with a $10 million, five-year NSF grant. The new $991,081 grant is part of a total of $2.25 million in federal funding for the second phase of the program that extends it through 2021.

NURTURES, which stands for Networking Urban Resources with Teachers and University to enRich Early Childhood Science, is a professional development program and collaboration between UT, local daycare centers and nursery schools, Toledo Public Schools, informal science centers and other community resources to create a complementary, integrated system of science education.

Project participants in the second phase of the project will include 120 teachers, 2,400 preschool through third grade children, and more than 7,200 family members in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.

“We are pleased to receive additional funding from the National Science Foundation for the NURTURES program,” said Dr. Charlene Czerniak, professor emeritus of science education and research professor in the UT College of Engineering. “Building on our previous success, we will simultaneously target early childhood teachers, families and children to create a broad support system for powerful and effective science teaching and learning. This program will help close the gaps in science, mathematics, reading and literacy for young children.”

During the first phase of the NURTURES program, 330 teachers of preschool through third grade and administrators participated in a total of 544 hours of professional development in the teaching of science inquiry and engineering design for early childhood classrooms.

According to research published recently in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, every year that a student has a NURTURES program teacher adds on average 8.6 points to a student’s early literacy standardized test score compared to control students, 17 points to a student’s mathematics score and 41.4 points to a student’s reading score.

The program includes five primary components:

• A two-week summer institute for preschool through third grade teachers in which they have access to both scientists and instructional coaches;
• Academic year professional development, including monthly professional learning community meetings and one-on-one coaching;
• Family science activity packets sent home from school four times a year that each include a newsletter with directions for the investigation, necessary materials for the activity and a journal sheet for children to record data or visually represent understanding;
• Family community science events, such as engineering challenge simulations, and observations and demonstrations at a park, zoo, science center, library or farm; and
• Public service broadcasts on television that promote family science activities.

According to the National Science Foundation, an important facet of this follow-up project is the research effort to understand how each component impacts student learning. Project leaders plan to use control groups and standardized tests to measure the effect of teacher professional development compared to family engagement activities.

“What a tremendous opportunity for the young children, their families and teachers in our region to participate in a project that will enhance their understanding of science and the natural world around them,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. “It is so important for the project team at The University of Toledo to continue to study the impact that family engagement has on a young child’s education. We know that spending time reading to child exposes them to 1.8 million words a year. What other things could families be exposing to their children to set them on a pathway for success in life? The NURTURES project at The University of Toledo aims to find that out.”

The additional grant award comes one week after the American Association of State Colleges and Universities honored UT with its Christa McAuliffe Award for Excellence in Teacher Education in recognition of the NURTURES program.

Czerniak oversaw the development of the NURTURES program along with Dr. Joan Kaderavek, professor of early childhood, physical and special education in the UT Judith Herb College of Education; Dr. Susanna Hapgood, associate professor in the UT Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the Judith Herb College of Education; and Dr. Scott Molitor, associate professor in the UT Department of Bioengineering in the College of Engineering.

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities honored The University of Toledo with its Christa McAuliffe Award for Excellence in Teacher Education in recognition of a successful program that engages teachers and parents in supporting a young child’s natural curiosity through interactive, inquiry-based science lessons.

The national association of nearly 420 public colleges, universities and systems selected UT for the competitive award that recognizes one institution each year for excellence and innovation because of the University’s NURTURES Early Childhood Science program, which aims to improve the science readiness scores of preschool through third grade students in the Toledo area.

In a letter to UT President Sharon L. Gaber, AASCU President Muriel A. Howard calls the program “an exemplary one that can serve as a model for other institutions and help to advance practices in the field.”

NURTURES, which stands for Networking Urban Resources with Teachers and University to enRich Early Childhood Science, is a professional development program and collaboration between UT, local daycare centers and nursery schools, Toledo Public Schools, informal science centers and other community resources to create a complementary, integrated system of science education. The program was supported with a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

“We are honored to receive this award and hope that the NURTURES program will serve as an exciting model for teaching science to young children,” said Dr. Charlene Czerniak, professor emeritus of science education and research professor in the UT College of Engineering. “By engaging young children in high-quality science experiences, teachers can also impact reading, literacy and mathematics in statistically significant ways.”

According to research published recently in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, every year that a student has a NURTURES program teacher adds on average 8.6 points to a student’s early literacy standardized test score compared to control students, 17 points to a student’s mathematics score and 41.4 points to a student’s reading score.

“Our innovation comes in through the multi-faceted way the program engages teachers, parents and the community in science for young children,” Czerniak said. “Science focused on preschool through third grade is not the norm. And, by engaging children in school-based, at-home-based and informal-community-based science, we build a model for helping young children learn science and improve in reading, literacy and mathematics as well.”

The NURTURES program enhances teacher understanding of science content to improve classroom practices and offers classroom extension activities and family learning opportunities in the Toledo area.

It includes five primary components, including:

• A two-week summer institute for preschool through third grade teachers in which they have access to both scientists and instructional coaches;
• Academic year professional development, including monthly professional learning community meetings and one-on-one coaching;
• Family science activity take-home packs that each include a newsletter with directions for the investigation, necessary materials for the activity and a journal sheet for children to record data or visually represent understanding;
• Family community science events, such as engineering challenge simulations, and observations and demonstrations at a park, zoo, science center, library or farm; and
• Public service broadcasts on television that promote family science activities.

Czerniak oversaw the development of the NURTURES program along with Dr. Joan Kaderavek, professor of early childhood, physical and special education in the UT Judith Herb College of Education; Dr. Susanna Hapgood, associate professor in the UT Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the Judith Herb College of Education; and Dr. Scott Molitor, associate professor in the UT Department of Bioengineering in the College of Engineering.

The award for teacher education will be presented to UT Sunday, Oct. 22 during the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ annual meeting in California. Awards also will be presented to institutions in six other categories, including civic learning and community engagement; international education; leadership development and diversity; regional and economic development; student success and college completion; and sustainability and sustainable development.

“Innovation at America’s state colleges and universities is focused on advancing the quality of the educational experience for their students and the distinction of their institutions in service to their communities,” said Howard. “The programs for which these universities are being honored will inspire not only their AASCU colleagues but all of higher education.”

The University of Toledo Judith Herb College of Education Alumni Affiliate is hosting its annual drive for new shoes, socks and underwear for students in Toledo Public Schools.

Alumni also will be collecting belts this year based on feedback from school administrators.

The kick-off party is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10 at Social Gastropub in the Gateway Plaza on the corner of Dorr Street and Secor Road.

Donations will be collected during the event, and participants can sample free appetizers.

“We talk with school principals every year to see what students need,” said Mike Bader, president of the Judith Herb College of Education Alumni Affiliate. “As part of our mission to give back to our community, we are hoping to fill the great need for shoes, socks, underwear and belts.”

Gym shoes and dress shoes are needed for students in grades K-8 in youth and small adult sizes. The shoe sizes needed most are children’s sizes 1 to 6 or toddler sizes 10 to 13.

Underwear donations are needed for younger students.

Donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Driscoll Alumni Center Room 2014 on Main Campus before Thursday, Sept. 14.

For more information, visit toledoalumni.org or call 419.530.2586.

The University of Toledo will host one of the country’s foremost experts in teaching education during a program titled “Diverse Teachers Matter” Thursday, Jan. 26.

Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, the Kellner Family Distinguished Chair in Urban Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will discuss the impact diverse teachers have on the success of all students, as well as the community’s importance in supporting teachers and contributing to increasing diversity in education.

The free, public event begins at 7 p.m. in the Scott Park Campus Auditorium.

“You would be hard-pressed to find a more important educator in the U.S. today,” said Dr. Lynne Hamer, professor in the Judith Herb College of Education’s Educational Theory and Social Foundations program and coordinator of Teach Toledo, the college’s degree program created to attract a diverse pool of students into higher education. “Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings has focused attention on the importance of explicit attention to racial and ethnic diversity, most importantly bringing ‘critical race theory,’ a theory developed in legal studies, into use in education. She also developed the concept of ‘culturally relevant pedagogy,’ introducing it in 1995 and continually applying it to modern teaching methodology.”

Ladson-Billings was elected in December to a four-year term as president of the National Academy of Education, which supports research for the advancement of education policy and practice. According to its website, members are invited from “a very select group of education experts from all over the world.”

Ladson-Billings is a 10-year member of the academy.

She also is past president of the American Educational Research Association and winner of the Brock International Prize in Education (2012), a monetary award honoring outstanding scholarship and research in education.

In January, Education Week’s “Straight Up” blogger Rick Hess named her the third most influential education scholar in the U.S.

Ladson-Billings’ book, which is titled “The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African-American Children,” was published in 1994. The narrative follows eight successful educators in primarily African-American environments. A second book updating the lives and careers of the “Dreamkeepers” was published in 2009.

“For education to be an equitable system and for students to have a quality education that prepares them as citizens in a diverse society, teachers need to mirror the larger population in terms of diversity,” Hamer said.

“Diverse Teachers Matter” is sponsored by the Judith Herb College of Education, UT’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Toledo Public Schools. It is one of several events offered by the College of Education to commemorate its 100^th year.

For more information, email lynne.hamer@utoledo.edu or call 419.530.6126.

The University of Toledo will recognize the conclusion of a successful science education program with a conference to showcase how local educators incorporated high-quality science inquiry into their curriculum.

The NURTURES program, which stands for Networking Urban Resources with Teachers and University enRich Early Childhood Science, was a five-year, $10 million program funded by the National Science Foundation to engage teachers and parents in supporting a young child’s natural curiosity through interactive science lessons.

The NURTURES conference will take place 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Hilton Garden Inn at Levis Commons in Perrysburg. It will feature presentations from local teachers and administrators who incorporated science inquiry and engineering in their classrooms and schools through the program.

Educators from Toledo Public Schools, the Catholic Diocese of Toledo and local charter schools will present topics that include:

• Overcoming common science misconceptions in the classroom;
• Developing discourse and critical thinking skills around science;
• Incorporating engineering design at the early childhood level;
• Integrating common core subjects with science; and
• Engaging with parents and community resources to promote science.

During the NURTURES program, 330 teachers of preschool through third grade and administrators participated in a total of 544 hours of professional development in the teaching of science inquiry and engineering design for early childhood classrooms.

Through NURTURES, teachers were exposed to high-quality science and engineering activities and worked to use them within their classrooms to increase student comprehension and academic achievement, said Dr. Charlene Czerniak, professor emeritus of science education and research professor in the UT College of Engineering. Data from standardized testing in Toledo Public Schools show an increase in reading, early literacy and math scores in students of teachers who have participated in NURTURES, she added.

“These findings are very significant and provide evidence that the teachers in Toledo Public Schools and area schools worked diligently to improve science teaching and learning,” Czerniak said.

Led by UT, the NURTURES program engaged a number of local partners for a community-based complementary learning model to support early learners. Those partners include Toledo Public Schools, Toledo Catholic Schools, Monroe County Schools, the former Apple Tree Nursery School, the East Toledo Family Center Day Care, UT Ritter Planetarium, Imagination Station, Toledo Zoo, Metroparks Toledo, Toledo Botanical Gardens, the former Lourdes University Nature Laboratory, Challenger Learning Center, YMCA, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library and WGTE Public Media.

A $1 million donation from a two-time graduate of The University of Toledo Judith Herb College of Education will support generations of future teachers.

Janet Keller, who received a Bachelor of Education degree in 1960 and a Master of Education degree in 1964, made the gift “because I love the University.”

The former high school Spanish teacher said she and her husband, the Rev. Gerald Keller, were inspired to advance the college’s strong reputation as it celebrates its 100th anniversary.

“We wanted to do something to help others,” Keller said. “I had a wonderful career as a teacher, and I want to help others have that opportunity. We want to see more students become good teachers.”

UT alumna Janet Keller and her husband, the Rev. Gerald Keller

This $1 million gift builds upon previous generosity from the Kellers, who in 1985 set up the A. Martin and Ruth Zucker Fund in memory of her parents to support student scholarships and other priorities of the Judith Herb College of Education.

“The thank you notes from the students are a delight to both of us — even my husband who is not a graduate of The University of Toledo,” Keller said. “The notes have been overwhelming. It says a lot about the UT students and the culture.”

“The generosity of the Keller family will not only benefit our students here in the Judith Herb College of Education, but also the future students they touch as educators for an impact that will last generations,” said Dr. Virginia Keil, interim dean of the college. “I cannot think of a more exciting way to celebrate 100 years of our college than for a graduate to make this type of gift to support our strong future.”

Keller said she was inspired by others who have made donations to the University and hopes that their gift will inspire more people to invest in the future of UT’s students.

“I certainly want those who need that extra support through a scholarship to have the opportunity to continue their education,” she said. “It’s such an important investment.”

As part of the college’s 100-year anniversary, a student scholarship drive launched this month to engage alumni in supporting future educators.

“The Kellers’ generosity is a fantastic example of the loyalty and generosity of UT alumni, and the important role that graduates play in supporting current and future students,” UT President Sharon L. Gaber said. “We are grateful for this gift and the Kellers’ willingness to tell their story to inspire others to follow their lead and contribute to the University’s future.”

Media Coverage
13 ABC (October 10, 2016)

It may be summer vacation, but a group of teachers from school districts across Ohio is spending the week as students with goggles, beakers and chemicals in a science lab at The University of Toledo.

Since March, UT has been training dozens of high school teachers through online classes to teach college courses in biology, chemistry or English as part of an expansion of the statewide College Credit Plus program.

Ohio’s College Credit Plus program allows seventh through 12th grade students to earn high school credit and college credit at the same time for free.

19 high school teachers have been working online to earn qualifications to teach college-level chemistry in their classrooms. 16 of them will be on Main Campus this week for lab classes with UT instructors.

The media is invited as they simulate the effect of pH on food in the stomach by reacting the preservative sodium benzoate with hydrochloric acid from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, June 29 in Bowman-Oddy Laboratories Room 3087.

The chemistry students are teachers from Toledo Public Schools, Belleaire City Schools, Celina City Schools, Centerburg Local Schools, Copley-Fairlawn City Schools, East Muskingum Local Schools, Fayetteville-Perry Local Schools, Findlay City Schools, Indian Valley Local Schools, Lakota Local Schools, Morgan Local Schools, Shadyside Local Schools, Triway Local Schools and Steubenville High School.

English and biology students will take classes on Main Campus at the end of July.

Last year the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Higher Education awarded UT $769,000 in grants to develop programs and pay for up to 40 high school teachers to earn a master’s degree needed to teach college-level chemistry, biology or English courses in their high school classrooms.

“By credentialing dozens of high school teachers in our area to teach college courses, we are expanding higher education opportunities for more children,” said Rebecca Schneider, professor and chair of UT’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the Judith Herb College of Education.

The teachers who began the 18-month program in March are expected to begin teaching College Credit Plus courses in the fall of 2017.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (June 30, 2016)

Dr. Betty A. Reardon will visit Toledo this week for informal conversations about how peace education works and how it can be used effectively.

As the founder and director of the International Institute on Peace Education, a weeklong residential experience for educators facilitating the exchange of ideas surrounding peace education, Reardon is known as the “Mother of Peace Education.”

Reardon

“My belief is peace studies and peace education are the most significant issues for universities to address,” Reardon said. “We need to start looking at these fields and how [they] can address major crises.”

The Why Study Peace @ UT public conversation with Reardon about peace education, how it’s being implemented in Toledo, and ideas on how to further utilize it in the community will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 12 in Health and Human Services Building Room 1711.

During her visit to the city, Reardon also will participate in a lunchtime dialogue with students at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13 in Health and Human Services Building Room 1711 and a conversation with faculty and staff at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 14 in Student Union Room 2591.

Reardon founded the Peace Education Center at Columbia University, taught at universities around the world, and has experience both in formal school settings and community-based education programs. Throughout her career, she has advanced peace and global citizenship education through a focus on human security, human rights, sustainable development, ecology and gender.

The Peace Education Initiative in UT’s Judith Herb College of Education was established to help the University become a global leader in peace education. Through a variety of programming and research in peace education and peace studies, UT is working to promote understanding both in the local community and globally. The University offers a graduate certificate in peace education and is launching new peace studies major and minor academic programs.

“I’m very excited about what’s happening in Toledo,” Reardon said. “UT is poised to be a new leading peace learning institution for the country and internationally.”

The UT Peace Education Initiative also oversees the Betty A. Reardon Archives, which is housed in the University’s Canaday Center for Special Collections, which features her publications, unpublished manuscripts, curriculum, reports, scholarly presentations, and correspondence since the 1960s. Her archives have been in the Canaday Center since 2009.

To learn more about the UT Peace Education Initiative, visit utoledo.edu/education/peace.