The College of Education is off to a great start this year. This school year promises to be a busy and challenging one, but I am confident we will have the most successful year ever.

The College of Education recently received some well-deserved recognition for its efforts in integrating technology into the teaching and learning process. Two years ago, a team of evaluators from the North Central Regional Accreditation Association visited the College of Education to review the new master’s program in educational technology. One of the reviewers was positively impressed with how technology was integrated throughout the undergraduate teacher education program at DSU. The reviewer returned to her campus and recommended that one of her doctoral students conduct a study describing how DSU achieved such exemplary results in the use of technology in its teacher education program.

Gerald Bowler, a doctoral student in the Department of Adult Learning and Technology at the University of Wyoming and a professor in the College of Education at Southern Utah University, visited DSU in January of 2001. He reviewed the undergraduate education program and interviewed students, faculty, and graduates. Based upon the results of his review and interviews, he developed a model for implementation by other teacher education programs nationwide. The model he developed outlined the steps and components that the DSU teacher education program undertakes to prepare teachers who are able to integrate and model technology into their K-12 classrooms. The results of his study were extremely flattering and validated that DSU is truly preparing educators with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to teach with technology.

In an effort to ensure that DSU is preparing high-quality teacher education graduates, the faculty recently adopted a new conceptual framework for the teacher education program. A conceptual framework provides a foundation and focus to guide curriculum and field experiences in teacher preparation. The old conceptual framework, Teacher: Catalyst for Educational Change, was replaced with the new theme, Empowering Educators: A Standards-Based Approach. The newly adopted conceptual framework is an outcome of the faculty’s efforts to continuously improve the teacher education program and to identify the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that all graduates must know and be able to do upon completion of the program.

Additionally, the faculty and staff have been busy updating and improving the College of Education web site. Among some of the changes, the Teacher Education and Student Teaching Handbooks have been added to the web site along with the program advising check sheets for each teacher education program. A schedule and announcement page has also been added to keep students informed of requirements, deadlines and special events. Check out the new College of Education web site at http://www.departments.dsu.edu/educate/.

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the South Dakota Department of Education and Cultural Affairs (DECA) will conduct their five-year on-site review of DSU’s teacher education program in April of 2002. During this review, a team consisting of NCATE and DECA representatives will review the teacher education program to ensure compliance with state and NCATE standards for teacher preparation. The team will interview students, graduates, cooperating teachers, and faculty as part of their review process. The continuing accreditation review is a great opportunity to showcase the program and to obtain feedback from the reviewers.

Since the mission change in 1984, the faculty, programs, and courses in Fitness-Wellness Management, Health, Physical Education, and Wellness have been part of the College of Liberal Arts. This fall, there has been discussion about whether it would be an advantage for faculty and students if Fitness-Wellness Management, Health, Physical Education, and Wellness program were aligned with the College of Education. I am delighted to inform you that the Health/Physical Education/Fitness-Wellness programs will become part of the College of Education academic programs, effective January 1, 2002.

Dr. Robert Warren, Professor in the College of Education, announced his retirement effective at the end of the summer 2002. Dr. Warren has taught in the College of Education for the past seven years. “Dr. Bob” as he is affectionately called by his students and colleagues has contributed immensely to both the undergraduate and graduate programs in education. He will be sorely missed, but he plans to stay in the Madison area. We wish Dr. Bob and Kathy the best in their retirement.

Thanks to the contributions of our alumni, Dakota State University has enjoyed a long and proud history of leadership and service to this state and nation since its founding in 1881as the first teacher education institution in the Dakota Territory. Whether you are a graduate of Madison Normal, Eastern Normal, General Beadle State College, Dakota State College or Dakota State University, we are extremely proud of our graduates and we sincerely invite you to stop by the College of Education office in Kennedy Center whenever you are in Madison. With your continued generosity and support, the College of Education will maintain its proud heritage that you have established for it.