innovations.htm

Signs of an Innovative Teacher Education Program

Many of the following items were not only first time teacher education program events at UN-L, but first time occurrences nationally as well.

First to have student e-mail accounts (This was when only faculty could access bitnet.)
First to hand out computers (old IBM XT'S were set up with modems)
First to podcast class
First to make students all "instructors" on the course Black Board Delivery system
First to have an open course calendar (so all students can add material to the daily objectives.)
First to use Skype to observe student teachers in the field from the University.
First to teach methods from a "Brain-Based framework.
First to teach Layered Curriculum as a science delivery tool.
First to have students present at our state conventions
First to require a semester long informal/nonformal practicum
First to have a subject area organization (NERDS)
First to have students regularly present at regional conventions
First to have students regularly present at National conventions
First to certify perservice teachers in Project wild
First to have a student organization recognized as an affiliate of NSTA, (SEARCH - Science Educators Actively Reaching Creative Horizons, 1986).
First to openly load and advertise funded grant proposals (This was done so other States could copy our proposal to bring new National Standards to teachers.)
First UN-L program to hold end of program Celebration of Learning
First to have program based student web pages on-line
First to have on-line student portfolios
First UN-L teacher education program to have a web cam in their methods room
First to have a National Rationale Review Project (All papers are posted for national review and comment.)
First UNL methods class write and have a sizeable grant funded
First to collect disposition data on all students and correlate with preformance
Secondary Science Education has had the highest Praxis Scores in the College five semester in a row!