COE Communicator Volume 4 | Page 13

NEWS BITES Bottge Recognized by Center for Special Education Research The National Center for Special Education Research recently recognized Dr. Brian Bottge as one of only a few researchers funded by the center who have conducted efficacy studies of interventions for improving the math performance of students with disabilities. The report cites Bottge’s work with Enhanced Anchored Instruction as an intervention Dr. Brian Bottge that has made significant contributions in the area of math learning. The report highlights the research team’s findings that teachers’ use of interactive technology tools combined with engaging hands-on applications can positively change what students with disabilities achieve in mathematics, particularly in problem-solving and computing with fractions. Bottge’s collaborators include Drs. Michael Toland, Linda Gassaway and Xin Ma at the UK College of Education, Dr. Sun-Joo Cho at Vanderbilt University, and Dr. Allen Cohen at the University of Georgia. NCSER is part of the Institute of Educational Science, which is the primary research arm of the U.S. Department of Education. The report can be found online at http://ies.ed.gov/ ncser/pdf/NCSERMath.pdf. Five COE Advisors Nominated for Outstanding Advisor All five of the UK College of Education’s professional advisors (Stephen Erena, Clelia Smyth, Jason Horger, Bob Singleton and Ryana Dr. Beth Rous presented at Harvard Graduate School of Education in December. Conway) were nominated for the Ken Freedman Outstanding Advisor Award recently. Jason Horger was selected as a finalist for the award. “We were so impressed with the number of nominations we received from all over campus. To read about the impact our advisors are having on the undergraduate experience at UK reaffirms that academic advising is integral to fulfilling the teaching and learning mission of higher education,” said Matthew Deffendall, chair of the Freedman Award selection committee and director of First Generation Initiatives. Ken Freedman, the award’s namesake, was one of the founders of the UK Advising Network in 1986 and served as a professional advisor at UK until his death in 2001. Each year, the Ken Freedman Outstanding Advisor Award is presented by the UK Advising Network to one full-time professional advisor and one faculty advisor for outstanding service. Taylor Education Building auditorium (room 158). Students enrolled in the Teacher Leadership in STEM Education course (SEM 610) will be conducting the panel discussion. The panel will be comprised of representatives from schools, policy bodies and the community. The public is invited to attend. Rous Presents at Harvard Graduate School of Education In December, Dr. Beth Rous presented at a Harvard Graduate School of Education convening, “The Leading Edge of Early Childhood Education: Linking Science to Policy for a New Generation of PreKindergarten.” Rous, along with Dr. Rena Hallam from the University of Delaware, presented on early identification and intervention for children at risk for disability. STEM Panel Discussion Slated