Accomplishments & Announcements
By mst • Nov 24th, 2010 • Category: Accomplishments, Announcements
Nathan N. Alexander, a current PhD student in the Mathematics Education Program, was awarded a Dean’s Grant for Student Research. He will be conducting a pilot study which identifies cases of mathematics success among urban minority students within schools and during their time outside of school, such as in after-school programs, at home, or even with their peers. His research will focus on students’ perceptions of mathematics, the contribution of peer and family networks to beliefs about mathematics, and student engagement in “mathematical spaces”. The results of this pilot study will provide useful preliminary information for engaging and increasing the overall achievement of minority students in mathematics, as well as helping to inform his dissertation research focus.
The Alumni Wants and Needs Committee of the Alumni Council wants to know how best to re(connect) you with TC. Please share your feedback through the alumni survey online or contact the Office of Alumni Relations at tcalumni@tc.edu.
Professor Anderson is a PI on a recent NSF grant awarded to Teachers College in conjunction with the Earth Institute of Columbia University and collaborating institutions, including Barnard College, where Prof. Stephanie Pfirman is the PI, and the American Museum of Natural History. Dr. Joey Lee and Dr. Sandra Okita, faculty in CCTE, are also participants in this grant and will provide expertise on digital technologies, social networking, and use of game approaches as a way to motivate interest in the topics to be highlighted in the learning venues produced by the grant. This is a planning grant pursuant to a much larger grant award on climate change education, focusing on polar environments and the consequences globally for a sustainable environment. The grant “POLAR” will particularly examine the scientific and socioeconomic evidence for the consequences of major changes in climate in the Polar Regions due to global warming. This includes changes in terrestrial and aquatic environments as the soil permafrost melts, ocean ice sheets melt and contract, and local inhabitants, especially in the Arctic have to learn to adapt to a changing climatic world. The resulting changes in climate and ocean sea level will also be explored on a global scope and recommendations will be made for teacher education, undergraduate science education, and better public scientific literacy on one of the most controversial and possibly significant climate issues of modern society.
Gillian “Gus” Andrews’ show, The Media Show, was in the Media That Matters film festival in June and won an award for exemplary fair use. Furthermore, her research with Dr. Herve Varenne, professor in the Anthropology Department at Teachers College, received an academic research award from Google.
Congratulations to Howie Budin and the entire CCTE faculty for being named #1 in Online Graduate Education by GetEducation.com. The ranking of the Computing and Education degree was highlighted on Kiplinger’s website as well.
Dr. Guo-Li Chiou, a graduate of the Science Education program, was recently appointed as an assistant professor at the National Chiao Tung University Institute of Education’s Science Education Program.
Natasha Cooke-Nieves, a current graduate student in the Science Education program, was recently awarded a $25,000 Milken Educator Award. NYC School Chancellor Joel Klein and New York State Education Commissioner Dr. David Steiner presented the award to Ms. Cooke-Nieves on October, 6, 2010.
John L. Fargo, M.A. Teaching Physics Grade 7-12 graduate and current Ed.M. Science Education in Secondary School student, has received an Optimum Lightpath technology grant of $10,000 to support him in his teaching at Cresskill High School in Cresskill, N.J.
Dr. Meghan Groome, a graduate of the Science Education program, was recently appointed the K-12 Science Education Initiative Manager of the New York Academy of Science. She also participated in a panel discussion on Math, Science and the Future of Our Nation hosted by Time Warner Cable at NEST+m (New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math) that was held on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010 in New York.
Jeff Sult, Communication and Education EdM graduate from 2003, won an Emmy Award for his work on “MLB Tonight” on the Major League Baseball Network.
