Kershen Wins Journal Award
Oklahoma English Journal, the journal of the Oklahoma affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English, was awarded the 2018 national affiliate journal award by NCTE. Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education instructor Julianna Kershen, Ph.D., serves as the editor of the journal.
The purpose of this award is to honor outstanding affiliate journals and their editors and to encourage excellence in these publications. Journals selected represent models for affiliate journals to emulate.
The OEJ serves those interested in the teaching of English/language arts at all levels, elementary through college. OEJ is published twice a year.
Kershen received the award at the Affiliate Breakfast at this year’s NCTE annual convention, held Nov. 18 in Houston.
Hannah Wahpepah Harris (right) was named the Norman Public Schools 2018 Rookie Teacher of the Year. Wahpepah Harris is a resource teacher at Roosevelt Elementary. She graduated from the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education in 2017 with a degree in special education.
Dean Garn met with Dean Zhu Xudong of Beijing Normal University to discuss potential collaborations. A delegation from Beijing Norman University Office of International Exchange and Cooperation, Faculty of Education, visited Norman this spring.
Ge Named Co-Editor of IJPBL
Purdue University Press announced that the Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning has engaged a new co-editor, Xun Ge, to serve the publication alongside journal co-editor Krista Glazewski, associate professor of instructional systems technology at Indiana University.
Ge is a professor of instructional psychology and technology in the Jeanine Rainbolt College of Education.
IJPBL publishes relevant, interesting and challenging articles of research, analysis or promising practice related to all aspects of implementing problem-based learning in K–12 and post-secondary classrooms.
“Dr. Ge is an established and well-recognized leader and scholar in a wide range of areas,” said Glazewski. “We are lucky to have her lend her expertise and leadership to IJPBL,.”
The journal is published twice annually in open access format.
Poolaw Gifts Faculty with Native Quilts
At the conclusion of his dissertation defense this spring, Johnny Poolaw, Ph.D. presented his committee with quilts created by his mother. Named the “Wonder Woman” quilt, “rainbow” quilt, “man” quilt and “Thunder” quilt, star quilts “have become a symbol of our giving nature ,” Poolaw said. Poolaw is a member of the Delaware, Comanche, Chiricahua Apache and Kiowa Nations
For many Native Americans, the star is a sacred symbol, equated with honor. The belief is a respected and longstanding tradition, inherited from ancestors. The Lakota nations had a spiritual belief in the stars that represented the direction from which spirits travel to Earth, symbolizing immortality.
When missionaries came in the mid to late 1800s and introduced fabric and sewing to Native American women, the star quilt was born. Its tradition of honor grew as the quilts were draped around the shoulders of their braves and hunters when they returned from battle or a successful hunt.
Today, the star quilt and its traditions have been adopted by many Native American tribes. In Indigenous culture, it is believed to be more of an honor to give rather than receive and many Indigenous people use the quilt today in their “give-away” ceremonies. Star quilts are one of the most valued gifts of the Plains Indians. They are given to honor someone special — out of respect and admiration. The star quilts are wrapped around the shoulders of the recipient as a symbolic way to honor and protect that person on their journey through life.
Poolaw currently serves as Acting Tribal Liaison Officer at OU where his role is to develop and promote mutually respectful partnerships between Oklahoma’s Tribal Nations and the University.
Hong Publishes Research on Teacher Identity
Associate Professor Ji Hong served as an editor on the recently published book Research on Teacher Identity: Mapping Challenges and Innovations. Hong is the program coordinator for instructional psychology and technology.
Understanding teachers professional identities and their development is key to unpacking teachers professional lives, the quality of their instruction, their motivation and commitment to teach, and their career decision making. This book features a number of scholars from around the world who represent a variety of disciplines, scientific paradigms, and inquiry methods in researching teacher identity.
This collection of chapters provides significant insight into teacher identity and will be essential reading for pre-service and in-service teachers, teacher educators, school administrators, professional developers and policy makers at various levels.