2015 DEAN’S REPORT

TRANSFORMINGPASSION

I N TOPURPOSE

LETTER FROM THE DEANMorgridge College of Education (MCE) prides itself on linking innovative classroom knowledge with real-world experiences. As a University of Denver and MCE alumna, and now Dean, I am delighted to share a brief update on our activities over the past year and our plans for moving forward.

A quality graduate experience requires a multifaceted program with a thoughtful balance of rigorous academics, engaging practical field experiences, and meaningful involvement in research. During the past year, we have modified our program content as well as our pedagogical practices to ensure that our students are well-prepared to meet current challenges

in their fields and to serve as leaders in solving the issues of the future. With award-winning faculty and strong partnerships throughout the Denver metro region, MCE students have many opportunities. Within the first quarter of their programs, our graduate students engage with the community, collaborating with our partners and contributing to cutting-edge research.

We have had a very productive year, including expanding the College’s offerings: Library and Information Science students can gain deep work experience at the University of Denver’s state-of-the-art library, Anderson Academic Commons; aspiring turnaround school leaders in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program can earn an MA or an MBA through our partnership with the Daniels School of Business; and, we now offer an endorsement in Early Childhood Special Education. The success of our faculty in obtaining research grants provided our students with amazing opportunities, including but not limited to, developing a website for early childhood professionals outlining best practices in math, assessing individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders such as fragile X syndrome to document cognitive trajectories for use in targeted treatment and intervention studies, and engaging with a rural school district around best practices in health and physical education. The commonality of these projects is their interdisciplinary nature, which is central to addressing the challenges of future generations.

We believe that education serves as the foundation of—and means for—transformation within our society and, as such, it is a very exciting time to be in this field. Our strategic plan includes the continual enhancement of our pre-service programs to build the best possible interdisciplinary foundation for our students’ success, while expanding our continuing education offerings to serve existing professionals within our community. We are piloting an innovative induction program and launching our first mountain cohort in our principal preparation program. The Morgridge College of Education strives to be at the forefront in preparing future leaders, while advancing the dialogue nationally. We are hosting discussions on relevant topics and engaging with local and national communities.

I take great pride in our programs and in our enduring commitment to excellence, inclusiveness, and innovation. I am humbled to be working with such a committed team, including our faculty, staff, administration, and community partners who help MCE create strong leaders and set the stage for an innovative future. I hope that this report finds you well, and we look forward to sharing more about the Morgridge College of Education in the future.

Karen Riley, Ph.D.Dean and Associate ProfessorMorgridge College of Education, University of Denver

LIS STUDENTS PRESERVE HISTORY THROUGH DIGITIZATION

Students in the Library and Information Science (LIS) program are expanding information access through digitization, and preserving both local and national history. Under the leadership of Assistant Professor Dr. Krystyna Matusiak, LIS students are conceptualizing new digitization opportunities and partnering with community organizations to bring their ideas to fruition. From sharing unheard or fading communal stories to preserving fragile materials, such as photos, writings, maps, and other historical documents, students are securing digital access to information that would otherwise be lost over time.

MCE’s LIS program is at the forefront of digitization standardization, exemplified by the projects students have completed, including “Building the First Transcontinental Railroad” and “Staking Claims: The Gold Rush in Nineteenth-Century America”—both digital exhibitions are featured on the Digital Public Library of America website. LIS students also worked with the Denver Public Library to create the “Laura Hershey Digital Collection,” and they continue to partner with the Jefferson County Public Library for an ongoing digitization project, “Jeffco Stories,” which preserves local communal stories.

EXPANDING ACCESS TO ENHANCED EARLY MATHEMATICS TEACHING TOOLS

A new open-access website is underway for early mathematics educators, thanks to funding from the Heising-Simons Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, plus decades of research conducted by Doctors Julie Sarama and Doug Clements, Kennedy Endowed Chairs in the Morgridge College of Education. Creators of the pre-K math curriculum, Building Blocks, the duo also designed Building Blocks Learning Trajectories (BBLT), a professional learning tool to help teachers implement effective and appropriate mathematics education for children ages 3 to 8. BBLT helps teachers learn

about math itself, how children think and learn about math, and how to teach them according to their specific level of development. Sarama and Clements are now developing Learning and Teaching with Learning Trajectories (LT2), a web application that updates BBLT to reach an even wider audience.

These teaching tools enable educators to help children find the mathematics in—and develop the mathematics from—their everyday activities, including art, stories, puzzles, and games. They have been shown successful in large-scale studies, validated by the What Works Clearinghouse, and praised on the cover of The New York Times and in The Wall Street Journal. Sarama and Clements, with the support of MCE students, plan to release LT2 on tablets, phones, and computers in early 2016.

ABOUT THEUNIVERSITY OF DENVER

2 Institute of International Education, Open Doors 20143 U.S. News & World Report 2014

OLDEST INDEPENDENT UN IVERS I TYIN ROCKY MOUNTA IN REG ION

INTEGRA L PART OF DENVER ’SH IS TORY AND CULTURE

300+ DAYSOF SUNSH INE ANNUAL LY

#1 IN UNDERGRADUATE S TUDENTSSTUDY ING ABROAD 2

AMONG NAT ION ’STOP 100 UN IVERS I T I ES 3

25 - ACRECAMPUS

PARTNERSHIPS FUNDING: GIFTS & GRANTS

WE PARTNER W I TH

IN THE DENVER METRO REG ION

INC LUD ING

$3.9MI N NEW FUND ING

$5.7MTOTA L FUND ING

FOR 2014

S CHOOLD IS TR I C TS20+

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies2014 UCEA Exemplary Educational Leadership Preparation Program Award

Higher EducationFour awards from ASHE, NASPA, and AERA collectively in 2014

FACULTY AWARDS

4CERT I F I CAT E

1EDS

3EDD

7PHD

10MASTERS

DEGREES &PROGRAMS

Institute for the Developmentof Gifted Education

Marsico Institute forEarly Learning and Literacy

Kennedy Institutefor Educational Success

Fisher EarlyLearning Center

Ricks Centerfor Gifted Children

3I NS T I TUTES

2SCHOOLS

Child, Family & School Psychology

Counseling Psychology

Curriculum and Instruction

Early Childhood Special Education

Library and Information Science

Educational Leadership andPolicy Studies

Higher Education

Research Methods and Statistics

Teacher Preparation

9PROGRAMS

ABOUT THEUNIVERSITY OF DENVER

2 Institute of International Education, Open Doors 20143 U.S. News & World Report 2014

OLDEST INDEPENDENT UN IVERS I TYIN ROCKY MOUNTA IN REG ION

INTEGRA L PART OF DENVER ’SH IS TORY AND CULTURE

300+ DAYSOF SUNSH INE ANNUAL LY

#1 IN UNDERGRADUATE S TUDENTSSTUDY ING ABROAD 2

AMONG NAT ION ’STOP 100 UN IVERS I T I ES 3

25 - ACRECAMPUS

STUDENTS

FACULTY

IN 2014/2015...

OF INCOMING S TUDENTS RECE I V ED SCHOLARSHIPS

100%

STUDENTS GRADUATED

446

OF GRADUATES WERE EMPLOYED OR ENROL L ED IN GRADUATE SCHOOLWI TH IN 6 MONTHS OF GRADUAT ION

99%

PUBL I CAT IONS

100

NAT IONAL AND IN T ERNAT IONALPRESENTAT IONS

207

1 Includes Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander and American Indian or Alaska Native

GRADUATESTUDENTS 831

DEMOGRAPH I CS

AFR I CAN AMER I CAN 6%AS I AN AMER I CAN 2.5%CAUCAS I AN 71%H ISPAN I C 11%I N T ERNAT IONAL 2.8%MULT I RAC I A L 2%OTHER 1 4.7%

11COUNTR I ES REPRESENTED

46STATES REPRESENTED

75%FUL LT IME

87%FUL LT IME

30 T ENURE - T RACK

11 C L IN I CA L

5 P ROFESSORS OF PRACT I C E

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VISIT MORGRIDGE.DU.EDU for additional information about our graduate programs.

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