CEHD Newsletter, November 13, 2007
Please submit items to Gail Haller () by Thursday of each week.
Faculty News
Congratulations to Carol Kaffenberger () who won the prestigious William H. Van Hoose Career Service Award at the annual Virginia Counselors Association (VCA) Conference Award Banquet on November 9 in Portsmouth.
Fred Bemak () and Rita Chung () along with a small group of students united with Counselors Without Borders to provide assistance and counseling to communities in need of support after the San Diego fires. Counseling students who participated were Taryn Weisbrod (), Tora Henry (), Mark Reedy (), Diana Ortiz (), Paola Sandoval-Perez (), Saara Amri (), Fatima Mekki (), and David Norman ().
Mary Stone Hanley () was invited and participated in a Heinz Endowment Foundation sponsoredRoundtable Conference on African American Males and Education at Temple University on October 23.
Mary Stone Hanley () presented a paper titled “Glass Snakes & Color Blind Fireflies: The Autoethnography of a Black Woman Professor in a White University Teaching White Students to Claim Their Privilege and Agency, Honey!??” at the American Educational Studies Association conference in Cleveland on October 25.
Jennifer Suh () was invited to present a two-day workshop titled “Lesson Study: Establishing a Teacher-Led Professional Development Model” at the Tisbury School in Vineyard Haven, MA from October 18-19.
Jennifer Suh () presented a research paper titled “Tech-knowledgy for Building Mathematical Knowledge” at the Psychology of Mathematics Education Conference in Lake Tahoe on October 26.
Patricia Moyer-Packenham (), with George Mason University faculty, doctoral student Gwenanne Salkind () and Johnna Bolyard, West Virginia University faculty and former Math Ed PhD student at George Mason University, presented a research paper titled “Teachers’ Uses of Virtual Manipulatives in K-8 Mathematics Lessons” at the 29th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA), Lake Tahoe on October 26.
Dimiter Dimitrov () was a Program Chair of the 2007 Conference of the Mid-Western Educational Research Association October 23-27 in St. Louis. He is pictured with the keynote speaker Bruce Thompson as well as two of his CEHD advisees, Jill Lammert () and Bernadine Pearson (), who also presented at the conference.
Peggy King-Sears () and doctoral student Anna Evmenova () published an article titled “Premises, Principles, and Processes for Integrating TECHnology into Instruction” in TEACHing Exceptional Children, Vol. 40 (1), 6-14.
Peggy King-Sears () was an invited speaker and presented “Differentiation, Collaboration, and Co-Teaching” for a Professional Development Institute at the 29th International Conference on Learning Disabilities in Myrtle Beach on October 12.
Peggy King-Sears () and colleagues D.T. Carran and S. Dammann presented a paper titled “A Comparison of Students Teachers’ Skills for Teaching Students with Disabilities” at the 29th International Conference on Learning Disabilities in Myrtle Beach on October 13.
Eva Thorp () was a presenter at the International Conference of the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, October 25-27. A pre-conference session with Julie Kidd (), “Evidence -Based Strategies for Infusing Diversity in Preservice Program,” was given on October 25. Eva and Julie also presented a research roundtable titled “But are They Learning What We're Teaching: Researching Personnel Preparation Outcomes” on October 27.
Eva Thorp () with colleagues from the University of Illinois and the University of North Carolina presented a conference session titled “Preparing and Supporting Effective Professionals: Evidence and Applications in Early Intervention” at the International Conference of the Division of Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children in Niagara Falls, Ontario on October 26. Eva also presented a roundtable with colleagues from the Personnel Committee of the Division titled “Critical Aspects of Practice: Families, Infant-Toddler Development, Diversity, and Blended Programs” on October 27.
David Bever () and Ron Bessent of the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services certified 28 law enforcement officers from 19 Colorado police departments as Public Safety Leaders. The LawFit Certification Workshop was held in Castle Rock, Colorado from October 23-25.
Rita Chi-Ying Chung ( gave a workshop titled “Vietnamese Gender Role Expectations and Stereotypes” for Boatpeople SOS, The Senior and Trauma Survivors Empowerment Program (STEP) in Fairfax on November 1.
Rita Chi-Ying Chung () was invited by the American Psychological Association to do an educational training Video/DVD titled “Working withImmigrant Families” as part of the APA Multicultural CounselingVideo/DVD series. The two-day filming took place inChicago onOctober 24 and 25.
Shelley Wong (), President Elect of TESOL 2007-2008, delivered a plenary session titled “Building Bridges Through Learning by Doing: Dialogic Approaches to Student Achievement” at the WAESOL (Washington State TESOL) Conference in Des Moines, Washington on October 25.
Shelley Wong () published an article titled “Critical Commentary on Critical Thinking: Facts and Opinions, Writer's Purpose Ms. Mok's Case” in G. Tinker Sachs and B. Ho (Eds.) ESL/EFL Cases: Contexts for Teacher Professional Discussions, Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong Press.
Earle Reybold () and David Brazer () presented a paper titled “Learning the Dissertation Process: Faculty Perspectives and Experiences in Context” at the annual conference of the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education in Norfolk on November 1.
Earle Reybold, () Mark Halx, and doctoral student Tiffany Seal () presented a paper titled “Ethicality in Student Affairs: A Dramaturgical Analysis of Professional Integrity” at the annual conference of the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education in Norfolk on November 2.
Nada Dabbagh () published a paper titled “The Online Learner: Characteristics and Pedagogical Implications” in Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education (CITE), v7, n3. The paper can be viewed online at: www.citejournal.org/vol17/iss3/.
Nada Dabbagh () presented a research paper titled “Learning Designs for Ill-Structured Problems: Analysis and Implications for Practice” at the AECT (Association of Educational Communications and Technology) Annual International Conference in Anaheim on October 25.
Nada Dabbagh () and Kevin Clark () presented “Learning Instructional Design by Doing Instructional Design: As Real As It Gets!” at the AECT Annual International Conference in Anaheim on October 25.
Nada Dabbagh () and M. Beattie presented a student dissertation titled “Examining Student and Teacher Perceptions of the Usefulness of Microworlds in Supporting the Learning and Assessment of Computer Networking Problem Solving Skills: An Exploratory Case Study” at the AECT annual International Conference in Anaheim on October 27.
Ana Taboada () was featured in Reading Today, the International Reading Association's newspaper for her chapter in the book Inspiring Success: Interest and Motivation in an Age of High-Stakes Testing.
Ana Taboada () was interviewed by EBS TV, the major Education Channel in Korea, on her work with motivation and reading comprehension with monolingual children and English Language Learners. (www.ebs.co.kr EBS)
Elavie Ndura () published an invited article titled “Burundi: History and Politics” in New Encyclopedia of Africa, 1, 286-289, J. Middleton & J.C Miller (Eds.) Detroit, Thompson Gale, 2008.
Suhanthie Motha of the University of Maryland College Park, Elavie Ndura (), and Ilham Nasser () co-presented a paper titled “Drawing on our Diverse Journeys to Shape Multicultural Teacher Education in the Quest for Equity and Academic Excellence” at the 17th Annual International Conference of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) in Baltimore on November 1.
Elavie Ndura () presented a paper titled “Is the Time Ripe for Multicultural Education in Post-Conflict Burundi, Africa?” at the 17th Annual International Conference of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) in Baltimore on November 2.
Julie Kidd () with faculty associates David Brazer (), Becky Fox (), Scott Bauer (), and Joe Maxwell () co-authored a presentation titled “The Faculty Writing Club: Transforming Manuscripts Into Publications” at the College Reading Association Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City on November 2.
Margo Mastropieri () participated in the Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) Board Meetings as the Research Committee Chair October 31-November 3 in San Antonio.
Margo Mastropieri () and Tom Scruggs () presented a paper titled “Improving Student Performance in Reading, Memory, Motivation, and Content Areas: Results of Recent Research” at the annual meeting of the Division for Learning Disabilities Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice Conference in San Antonio on November 1.
Laurie Harmon () presented a workshop titled “Video Games in Nature? Using Remotely Operated Vehicles to Explore Underwater” and gave outdoor educators an opportunity to discuss challenges and opportunities associated with using technology to connect kids with local natural marine environments at the annual Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education conference in Asheville on November 2.
Yoo Sun Chung () was the keynote speaker at the R.A.T.E. (Real Assistive Technology for Everyone) Conference on November 10. The R.A.T.E. conference is an educational technology conference presented by Assistive Technology Services (ATS), part of the Office of Special Education in Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Special Services, which focuses on strategies for using assistive technology hardware, software, and peripherals to enhance learning for all students, and especially for those with special needs.
Jim Kozlowski () published an article titled “Entrapment Hazard in Pool Drains” in Parks & Recreation November 2007. The article can be found at:
http://classweb.gmu.edu/jkozlows/lawarts/11NOV07.pdf.
Burl Self () presented a workshop for students and teachers at Cameron Middle School in Alexandria on Virginia Indians on Prehistory to European Contact November 2. He also provided a one year curriculum on Prehistory (Paleo) to European Contact (Jamestown). In addition he was invited to prepare outdoor classroom curricula focusing on Orienteering, Nature Observation and Data Collection.
Bill Brozo () conducted two days of workshops for pilot school teachers participating in a content literacy project in Baton Rouge on November 7 and 8. The project is a key initiative of the Louisiana Literacy Plan focused on building capacity for coaches and lead teachers who are enacting literacy reforms throughout the state.
Bill Brozo () was a featured speaker at the Louisiana Reading Conference where he gave a presentation titled “Principled Practices of Content Literacy: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners” in Baton Rouge on November 9. He also signed books at the conference.
Layne Kalbfleisch () was the panel moderator at the inaugural International Mind, Brain, and Education Society (IMBES) meeting in Fort Worth on November 3. Her session was on international programming and funding and included panelists from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Science of Learning Centers and the Office of Economic Co-operation and Development/Center for Educational Research and Innovation (OECD-CERI), Paris, France.
Layne Kalbfleisch's () research on the neurological bases of creativity (“Neuroanatomy of Creativity”) with authors Rex E. Jung (Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico), Richard J. Haier (University of California, Irvine), H. Jeremy Bockholt (The MIND Research Network), Judith Segall (The MIND Research Network), and Ronald A. Yeo (Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico) was presented in a symposium talk on Reasoning and Higher Level Cognition at the Society for Neuroscience (SFN) annual meeting in San Diego on November 4.
Marjorie Hall Haley () and doctoral student Melissa Ferro () published an article titled “Pedagogical Implications for Teachers and Learners” in The Journal of Race & Policy Spring/Summer 2007, 3(1) 122-131.
PhD Students
Patricia Martinez () will defend her doctoral dissertation titled “Impact of an Integrated Science and Reading Intervention (INSCIREAD) on Bilingual Students’ Science Misconceptions, Reading Comprehension, Awareness of the Relationship between Science and Reading, and Transferability of the Strategies of Questioning and Self-Monitoring” on November 14 from 1:30 – 3:30 PM in Krug Hall, Room 108. Committee members include Brenda Bannan-Ritland (), chairperson, Mike Behrmann (), and Anastasia Kitsantis (.
Mary Zamon () created software training videos for use with
assessment software. These are to prepare faculty and staff to participate in the university’s re-affirmation of accreditation with SACS. See http://weave.gmu.edu.
Mary Zamon () gave a presentation titled “Using Case Study Research Results: E-Portfolios and Learning in Graduate Education” at theAssessment Institute in Indianapolis on November 6.
Mary Zamon () and Kim Eby () presented a workshop titled “Introduction to Critical Thinking” for GMU Faculty through the Center for Teaching Excellence on October 30.
Mary Zamon ( and Karen Gentemann () presented three sessions titled “Learning Outcomes Workshops” for faculty at George Mason University in Fall 2007.
Mary Zamon () conducted a roundtable discussion titled “Assessment of Critical Thinking Using Course-Embedded Assessment” at the Southern Association for Institutional Research Conference in Little Rock on October 8.
Sabrina Wesley-Nero () will defend her doctoral dissertation proposal titled “A Study of the Effectiveness of Alternatively Licensed Urban Elementary Teachers of English Language Learners” on November 12 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM in West 2201. Committee members include Marjorie Haley (), chairperson, Gary Galluzzo (), and Joan Isenberg ().
Carolyn Iguchi () will present her doctoral dissertation proposal titled “Perspectives of Sunday School Teachers, Church Staff, and Parents on Teaching Spiritual Concepts to Children and Young Adults with Cognitive Disabilities” on December 12 in West 2201 from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM . Committee members include Layne Kalbfleisch (), chairperson, Margo Mastropieri (), and Joe Maxwell ().
Kavita Mittapalli () will present her doctoral dissertation proposal titled “What Makes Public School Teachers Stay, Leave or Become Non-Teachers? An In-depth Understanding of their Personal Characteristics, Beliefs and Perceptions” on December 4 in West 2201 from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Committee members include Bill Fowler (), chairperson, Gary Galluzzo (), and Joe Maxwell ().
Grants/Proposals
Mike Behrmann () received a new award titled “VADoED/USDoED/SD Consortium FY08” from the U.S. Department of Education in the amount of $400,000.
Scott Bauer () submitted a proposal titled “Distributing Leadership to Improve Schools” to the U.S. Department of Education.
Jack Levy () submitted a proposal titled “Reading and Writing Strategies for English Language Learners – Spring 08” to the U.S. Department of Education.
CEHD News
You are cordially invited to a seminar presented by Dr. Peter Kenderov titled “Identifying and Fostering Mathematical Talent: A Bulgarian Perspective” on Thursday, November 15th from 3:00—4:30 PM in Sub II Room 5. Dr. Kenderov, Mathematics Academician and President of the St. Cyril and St. Methodius International Foundation, will be visiting with the CEHD faculty and mathematics educators at George Mason University November 14-16. Dr. Kenderov has provided sustained and effective leadership in fostering mathematical talent of high school students in Bulgaria for some thirty years. Bulgarian students are known world-wide for their mathematical abilities, and their teachers of mathematics are highly ranked (Educational Researcher, October 2007). The Foundation has supported this effort throughteacher award programs as well as student institutes fostering mathematical talent.