By Joy L. Rodgers
"Learning how to think within (oneself) is at the heart of what education is all about," said Provost Stephen J. Kopp during his keynote address at the second annual Education Research Conference held in McCracken Hall in mid-May.
"I believe all learning begins with a question, and our task as educators is to find out how to engage students to inquire," Kopp told the more than 50 faculty and students in attendance at "Enhancing Our Learning Through Research," a daylong event highlighting more than 40 projects by undergraduate and graduate students and faculty in the College of Education.
Conference committee co-chair Catherine Glascock, professor in Educational Studies, said the College of Education believes strongly in the Learning College Model that embraces both active learning and active research for students and faculty. The conference serves as a forum for sharing the learning and research that takes place within the College.
"This conference is an excellent opportunity for faculty to share their interests within the College community," Glascock said. "It is also an excellent opportunity, especially for students, to see how presentations are made."
Dean James L. Heap praised the conference committee for its efforts in bringing the conference to the College. He gave special recognition to Larry Jageman, professor in Teacher Education, who first came forward with the idea of an annual conference to promote research at all levels - from its beginning to its completion and the practical application of findings. Jageman, who took early retirement this quarter, said he was "proud to see his dream come true" and happy that the College was continuing the tradition he helped to initiate.
All departments in the College were well represented through a wide range of presentation topics. A sampling includes: "Class Management Methods, Applications and Competence: Implications for Teacher Preparation" by Jageman from Teacher Education; "By, For and About Lesbians" by Terry M. Erwin, a doctoral student in Counseling; "Asylum and Community: Connections Between the Athens Lunatic Asylum and the Village of Athens, 1867-1983" by Katherine Ziff, a doctoral student in Higher Education; and "State-Mandated Testing and Cultural Dissonance in Appalachian Schools" by Arlie Woodrum, professor in Educational Studies.
Provost Kopp lauded the College of Education's efforts in establishing a yearly venue for presenting research within the College
"Research conferences within colleges such as this one in the College of Education help celebrate the work people do, and communicate areas of interest throughout the colleges and across the campus," he said.
Kopp added that he would like to see more college-level research conferences across the campus culminating in a universitywide research conference at which the "best of the best in research is presented."
"Anything we can do to connect scholarship with learning is a positive thing," he said.
Joy L. Rodgers is the public affairs coordinator for the College of Education.
