In the News

Washington will be the eighth state to adopt the “Next Generation Science Standards,” which outline what students should know about big ideas of science, key practices scientists and engineers use to solve problems, and fundamental concepts that apply across all scientific fields. Dr. Philip Bell and Dr. Jessica Thompson are quoted. 

Christine Tran, a doctoral student in educational leadership, policy and organizations, writes about the role of school food labor amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its connections to school food history and social justice movements.

EdX launches the “Positive Behavior Support for Young Children” course by UWashingtonX. Registrations for the courses are open and the course will start on 10th of June, 2014. And in just 3-4 hours per week you will learn evidence-based practices to support the social and emotional development of infants and young children.

Professor Meredith Honig comments that threats to withhold federal funds from school districts not bringing all students back for full-time, in-person instruction will exacerbate the stress school district leaders are facing during the pandemic.

Professor Virginia Berninger comments on the value of handwriting in the development of children's literacy.

Teacher’s College Press announced that the series titled Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies Series and edited by Django Paris, associate professor and director of the Banks Center for Educational Justice at the UW College of Education, has published the first book in the series: Protecting the Promise: Indigenous Education Between Mothers and their Children.  This book is co-storied by Timothy San Pedro, Michael Munson, Alayna Eagle Shield, Tara Ramos, Kristina Lucero and Faith Price with forward by Megan Bang, associate professor at the UW College of Education. The book features a collection of short stories told in collaboration with five Native families that speak to the everyday aspects of Indigenous educational resurgence rooted in the intergenerational learning that occurs between mothers and their children.

Professor Deborah McCutchen discusses the development of reading skills and comments on the debate about exposing kids to quality literature versus comics and mainstream books.

Anne Beitlers, associate teaching professor and director of the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP), was quoted in an article published by The Post Journal about how the pandemic has prompted change in how future teachers are trained. Many U.S. educator preparation programs are incorporating more digital tools, online instruction and mental and emotional wellness in their courses to reflect takeaways from the pandemic. In particular, the prominence of technology will have benefits regardless of the pandemic's course and teaching programs are giving more emphasis on how to plan and implement quality virtual learning.

Jennifer McDermott of the UW Center for Educational Leadership offers advice for instructional coaches transitioning into their role.

Jennifer Lee Hoffman, associate professor of Educational Foundations, Leadership & Policy and faculty member at the Center for Leadership in Athletics, is featured in the podcast Higher Ed Advisor: A Baker Tilly Podcast in an episode titled “University of Washington propels its esports program through its mission, values and student gaming culture.” Jennifer discusses what institutions should keep top of mind as they plan to launch a robust esports program or enhance their current program. The podcast explores the opportunities esports offers students, importance of aligning esports programs with an institution’s mission and values and esports as a catalyst for collaboration, as well as connecting esports with novel ways of learning and the student of the future. Jennifer also emphasizes the unique role esports plays in creating novel ways of learning in higher education.