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SCHOOL OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY O F P I T T T S B U R G H H SCHOOL OF EDUCATION FALL 2007 NEWS Impacting Impacting SCHOOL OF EDUCATION www.educationEducation.pitt.edu Education Policy Policy SCHOOL OF EDUCAT ION www.education.pitt.edu 1 From the Dean Meeting the Challenges of 21st-Century Education This issue of School of Education News major effort, led by Mary Margaret Kerr, women and men and what it takes to covers a range of topics relevant to the under way that seeks to improve teachers’ provide such education to all children. challenges of 21st-century education and ability to prevent school violence. We have many challenging tasks before how we at the University of Pittsburgh In addition to these resources, we also us, but we are encouraged by our past are working to meet these challenges and welcome new faculty members—Lindsay successes. The work being done in the continue to effect positive change in the Clare Matsumura, Richard Correnti, and School of Education is highlighted by academic arena. Jennifer Lin Russell—who represent the nearly 150 published journal articles, We begin with a special feature section new expertise in key areas, such as book chapters, and books produced by highlighting some of our new initiatives in how teachers respond to policy changes our faculty members during the 2006–07 Table of Contents the area of learning sciences and policy. in reading curricula, how kindergarten academic year. The article on page 14 lists changes in response to the pressures of some of the prominent journals in which Special Feature Section: This focus reflects our commitment to Impacting Education Policy ........................4 keeping the School of Education at the No Child Left Behind, and the comparative my colleagues have been published; for Cover Story: New Learning Policy vanguard of efforts to understand what study of major programs for school reform. a complete list of published works, please Center Hits the Ground Running kinds of education are needed today Thus, we have a substantial store of visit www.education.pitt.edu/publications/ School News ...........................................14 and how that education can be provided scholarly strength and have added to it facultypublications2007.pdf. I think you Faculty and Staff News...........................16 Alumni News...........................................21 effectively to all. We have opened the with several of the very strongest young will be impressed by the range and extent Learning Policy Center in the School Stein on how school districts successfully scholars in the country. of work being done by our faculty. PUBLISHER of Education and are at work on a new reform has been a major driver of our In addition to developing the new Learning Pitt’s School of Education has been Alan Lesgold doctoral program in learning science new efforts. Policy Center to drive our research and fortunate, both in having a long-term EXECUTIVE EDITOR and policy. Jere Gallagher Third, work in the school’s Institute for outreach efforts, we also are hard at work history of strong faculty and important Learning has shown how the principles that on a new research doctoral program that educational accomplishments and in being COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER These developments are evolving in a Stacey Hallock context that is especially challenging for have been extracted from several decades will allow us to prepare new scholars who able to attract wonderful new colleagues GRAPHIC DESIGNER all schools of education. They represent, of strong work on cognition and learning can help address the difficult problems in recent years. The problems and Don Henderson however, an investment of intellectual and the additional work on disciplinary that urban school systems face. These demands of education today will require PRODUCTION COORDINATOR capital accumulated over several decades literacy in core subject matters can be problems must be confronted by the the energetic investment of talent and Chuck Dinsmore here at Pitt. First, the pioneering work shaped into practical lessons that schools best minds. We have too many school intellectual capital. We happily accept EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Sarah Jordan Rosenson in cognitive learning of school subjects can bring to the teachers. The institute, systems that are failing to provide basic today’s challenges and count ourselves Aviva Lubowsky that has occurred both at Pitt and at led by University Professor of Psychology education to all children. Also, we need to privileged to have colleagues who are Niki Kapsambelis provide a much higher level of education up to the task of meeting them. Brenda Furiga Carnegie Mellon University provides a and Cognitive Science and LRDC Director strong foundation for improved teaching Lauren Resnick and Executive Director to all children if they are to thrive in the in reading, mathematics, and science. Nancy Israel, also enjoys the substantial information age. And we need to keep Contributors from the School of Education participation of School of Education faculty thinking, in the most rigorous ways faculty include Margaret Smith, Isabel members Anthony Petrosky, Smith, and possible, about just what it means to be The University of Pittsburgh, as an educational institution Alan Lesgold and as an employer, values equality of opportunity, human Beck, Mary Kay Stein, Gaea Leinhardt, Amanda Godley. educated for a world in which computers dignity, and racial/ethnic and cultural diversity. Accordingly, Professor and Dean the University prohibits and will not engage in discrimination are doing progressively more of the things or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national Kevin Crowley, James Greeno, Margaret Fourth, faculty members in the Department origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, that used to be the tasks of educated sexual orientation, disability, or status as a disabled veteran McKeown, and me, among others, as well of Administrative and Policy Studies include or a veteran of the Vietnam era. Further, the University will continue to take affirmative steps to support and advance these values consistent with the University’s mission. This as many other colleagues in the Learning experts in such areas as the economics of policy applies to admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in University programs and activities. This is a Research and Development Center (LRDC) education, school law, and international commitment made by the University and is in accordance with federal, state, and/or local laws and regulations. and at Carnegie Mellon. Second, work by comparative education. We also have a For information on University equal opportunity and affirmative action programs and complaint/grievance procedures, please contact the University of Pittsburgh; Office of Affirmative Action, Diversity, and Inclusion; 412 Bellefield Hall; 315 South Bellefield Avenue; Pittsburgh, PA 15260; 412-648-7860. Published in cooperation with the Department of University On the cover: School of Education Dean Alan Lesgold, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Marketing Communications. UMC6413-1107 SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Geraldwww Zahorchak,.education and Mary Kay.pitt Stein, .edufounding director of the University of Pittsburgh SCHOOL OF EDUCATION www.education.pitt.edu Learning Policy Center, are working together to influence how education policies are developed and modified. 2 SCHOOL OF EDUCAT ION www.education.pitt.edu SCHOOL OF EDUCAT ION www.education.pitt.edu 3 FEATURES FEATURES Learning Policy Center faculty and staff members include, from left, Lindsay Clare Matsumura, Mary Kay Stein, Sarah Coon, Jennifer Lin Russell, and Richard Correnti. LPC is a joint undertaking of Pitt’s School members have designed (scheduled to education in Pennsylvania’s schools. LPC of Education and Learning Research and begin in fall 2008) and bringing LPC into serves as a member of the design team, Development Center (LRDC). Its mission the limelight of local, state, and federal and its staff serve as lead researchers is to advance scholarship that lies at the policymaking. The first endeavor is off to for the STEM centers. intersection of education policy and the a good start, due to a collaboration of a In order to connect researchers and study of learning and to infuse into policy core faculty group that has designed the policymakers, the center is hosting its decisions high-quality, timely research academic program. Thoughts are now second annual Learning Policy Center on effective teaching and learning and turning to the recruitment of students. Colloquium Series. For the 2007–08 series, the school, district, and policy conditions The second endeavor has taken a giant Coon is bringing a policymaker voice to that support their improvement. The value leap forward with the hiring of Sarah what had been primarily a research-based of having a policy center located in a Coon, a recent graduate of Carnegie series last year. The first installment of the “research I” university like Pitt, according Mellon University‘s H. John Heinz III series was on September 19, with Deborah to Dean Alan Lesgold, is the availability School of Public Policy and Management, Lowenberg Ball, dean of the School of of scholarly talent who can buttress in March 2007. Coon has been connecting Education at the University of Michigan, arguments made to policymakers with both with local and state policymakers to as featured speaker. Ball’s comments theoretical acumen and empirical evidence. develop awareness of the new center on schools of education and their role in LPC has been adding such talent at a and to identify the pressing issues on education research were discussed by furious pace. Lindsay Clare Matsumura–– which policymakers will need guidance Paul Goren, vice president of the Spencer a graduate of the University of California, in the near future. One such issue that Foundation. LPC’s October 25 open house Los Angeles, who has held research has emerged is science, technology, featured Roy Romer, former governor of positions at UCLA’s Center for Research engineering, and mathematics (STEM) Colorado and former superintendent of New Learning Policy Center on Evaluation, Standards, and Student education.