Archived News
Designing and Exploring the Impact of Physical Activity Monitor Gaming on Youth Fitness Practices
Led by associate professor Cynthia Carter Ching, this one-year study, funded by the National Science Foundation as an EAGER (Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research) project, brings together learning sciences and health researchers with professional game designers to develop a behavioral change model for physical activity-monitor gaming that is thus far unique in the existing literatures on games and learning, games for health, and health education/intervention.
Obama’s Free College Plan Is No Panacea; Just Ask California
Op-Ed by Associate Professor Michal Kurlander and Jacob Jackson (PhD ’12)
Washington Post – January 28, 2014
President Obama’s proposal to make community colleges free is a valiant effort to address the rising demand for skilled workers throughout the nation and to improve college access for low-income students. As states consider his proposal, they would be wise to look to California. Our research in the state suggests that low tuition can put higher education within reach for many low-income students, but it is no panacea. Read more.
Michal Kurlaender is an associate professor of education and Chancellor’s Fellow at UC Davis. Jacob Jackson is a researcher at the Public Policy Institute of California.
Heidi Ballard Named a Chancellor’s Fellow
Heidi Ballard, associate professor of education, has been selected as a 2014-15 Chancellor’s Fellow. The Chancellor’s Fellows Program recognizes “the rising stars who shine as teachers and campus citizens, and whose scholarly work already puts them at the top of their fields — garnering attention far and wide.” It is one of the highest and most prestigious honors on this campus.
2014 Honoring Educators Awards
Outstanding Student
Thomas Shirley (PhD Candidate)
In spring 2014, Thomas Shirley was
completing a PhD at the UC Davis School of Education, with
interests in Psychometrics, Language Learners, and eLearning. He
was also awarded a Master of Business Administration in
International Business and a Master of Science in Computer
Information Systems from the University of Miami.
Alumna Joanna Wong Begins Fellowship
New Doctoral Alumna Begins Fellowship for Research on Bilingual Elementary Student Writing
Joanna Wong (PhD ’14) begins a prestigious two-year mentoring program in the Scholars of Color program funded by the Research Foundation of the National Council of Teachers of English.
Fall 2014 CATALYST
The Magazine of the UC Davis School of Education
This Fall 2014 issue of the UC Davis School of Education’s biannual Catalyst magazine highlights the breadth and depth of our research and service, as well as the excellence of our programs and people.
Formative Assessment Study Nearing End
Offers Many Lessons, Development of Practical Tools
Nearing the end of a five-year study funded by the National Science Foundation, Professors Jamal Abedi and Paul Heckman have learned much about the status of formative assessment in mathematics and are looking forward to the launch of a website with tools for teachers and administrators early next year.
The work is important because assessing student knowledge during instruction—the heart of formative assessment—empowers teachers to address possible deficiencies in student understanding and increase student learning.
Michal Kurlaender Named Co-Director of Leading Education Policy Organization
Associate Professor Michal Kurlaender has been named a co-director of Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), an independent, nonpartisan research center based at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, the University of Southern California, and UC Davis.
PACE seeks to define and sustain a long-term strategy for comprehensive policy reform and continuous improvement in performance at all levels of California’s education system, from early childhood to postsecondary education and training. Learn more about PACE at http://www.edpolicyinca.org/.
Steven Athanases Named to UC Faculty Engagement Council for Education Partnerships
Professor Steven Athanases has been named to the Faculty Engagement Council for Education Partnerships at the University of California Office of the President.The Council is charged with engaging and connecting faculty and graduate students in the areas of educational access and diversity.
They meet twice a year to advise UC’s vice provost for education partnerships on ways to promote and support graduate student research, award seed grants to graduate students, and identify annual research foci as well as serve as a liaison between the Office of the President and campus.
“Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards: How Your Classroom Is Framed Is as Important as What You Do in It”
NSTA Blog - November 10, 2014
Cindy Passmore, associate professor of science education, wrote a guest entry on the National Science Teachers Association’s NSTA Blog on November 10, 2014.
First-Year Teaching Alumna Nominated for Award by Her Fourth Grade Student
Michelle (Benjamin) Crisp (Credential ‘13, MA ‘14), just finished her first year of teaching fourth grade at Main Ave. Elementary in Sacramento, Calif. A milestone worth celebrating in itself. But, to her great surprise, Crisp also received a Teacher of the Year award from a local dentist’s office when one of her students, Adrian Flores, nominated her.
School of Education Donor Named UC Alumni Regent
July 2014
Rod Davis (BA ‘71) has been named alumni regent on the University of California Board of Regents. Mr. Davis and his wife Susan Davis (Credential ‘73) have established the Susan Davis Award, an endowed scholarship fund to support students studying to be elementary school teachers in the UC Davis School of Education. The first award will be made in fall 2015.
Responsive Teacher Inquiry and Innovation in Teaching ELA with Diverse Learners
Posted June 2014
School of Education Professor Steve Athanases and researchers Lisa Bennett and Juliet Wahleithner provide an in-depth look at one pre-service teacher program and its use of teacher research as a way of inducting new teachers into the profession on the National Writing Project Radio on Thursday, June 12. Listen to the conversation here.
Prominent Sacramento Family Wins Top UC Davis Volunteer Award
By Sarah Colwell, June 6, 2014
Robert “Bob” Murphy and his wife, Kinzie, have been selected as the 2014 recipients of the Charles J. Soderquist Award at UC Davis. The Murphys created a scholarship to support the School of Education’s Guardian Teacher Scholarship, among many other ways they have supported UC Davis over the past four decades. They cited the 2013 Soderquist Award winners, School of Education Alumni Sandi Redenbach and her husband Ken Gelatt, who donated their $5,000 award to the Guardian Teacher Scholarship fund. Read more about the Murphys’ honor here.
Spring 2014 Catalyst
The Magazine of the UC Davis School of Education
This issue of the UC Davis School of Education’s biannual Catalyst magazine highlights research including a look at the connection between video gaming and health, and the need for formative assessment in mathematics instruction.
Early Career Fellowship Awarded to Danny C. Martinez
Danny C. Martinez, assistant professor of education, has been selected to be a 2014 Concha Delgado Gaitan Presidential Fellow by the Council on Anthropology and Education. This early career fellowship is intended to support professional development and mentoring in the field of educational anthropology.
Only five fellowships are awarded each year, which pairs up early career scholars with senior scholars and comes with a $500 travel award to cover the cost of presenting at the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association.
Alumnus Featured on Capital Public Radio to Discuss His Novel
May 2014
Ken White (BA ‘72, Credential ‘73) has written Getaway Day, a coming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of the 1962 World Series. The novel is published by Tate Publishing and is available through the publisher, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. White studied English and history at UC Davis before receiving his teaching credential. He worked on campus for Instructional Television from 1969-1975 and for the College of Engineering from 2006-2009.
Heidi Ballard Co-Writes Policy Forum: Next Steps for Citizen Science
Science, March 28, 2014
Heidi Ballard, associate professor of education, co-wrote a piece for Science highlighting the growth and evolution of citizen science projects.
California School Principals Give High Marks to UC-Prepared Teachers
Posted - April 2, 2014
Public school principals in California say beginning teachers who received their credentials through the University of California are among the best prepared in the state, according to a recent survey.
