Six Teacher Education Initiatives provide the impetus for professional development opportunities and communication for students, inservice educators, and community members.
The Conceptual Framework is reflected in each of six Teacher Education Initiatives.
The Initiatives and resulting activities occur at the university level with teaching colleagues and administration, in basic education with our partners in the field, and with our ESU students.
Activities engage small and large groups of adults and/or students in a range of experiences such as workshops, conferences, courses, grants and projects, inquiry, reorganization, and research.
The Initiatives include both short-term and long-term activities and projects.
They are guided by current research in education, the wisdom of practice, and sensitivity to and respect for the collaborative needs, interest, and expertise of the participants.
Each Initiative contributes to the well-being of the participants and advances respect and understanding for teaching and learning at every level of involvement.
The aims of the Teacher Education Initiatives are:
- Technology Initiative: To generate effective models of technology use and integration
- Best Practice Initiative: To establish ways and means to support and validate best practice in teaching, learning, and assessment
- Diversity Initiative: To institute reciprocal pathways for understanding and unity
- Student Success Initiative: To design and model strategies that analyze, guide, and assess individual student success
- Collaborative Partnership Initiative: To initiate collaborative relationships to share resources, facilitate change, and improve student achievement
- Continuous Professional Growth Initiative: To structure, encourage, and validate ongoing professional development within traditional and alternative educational communities
