SummerTIME Underway for College-Bound Students

Ninety high school graduates from LAUSD are participating in CHEPA's SummerTIME Program this year before they head off to their respective universities in the fall.

More than 200 seniors applied to be a part of the program, which runs from June 27 to July 22, and has two main components, College Knowledge (skills to succeed in college) and Seize the Voice (intensive writing workshops).

SummerTIME was developed by CHEPA Director Dr. Bill Tierney in 2001, with the goal of helping prepare local underserved students - most of them first-generation college attendees - for a successful transition into college.

(Pictured above:Oswaldo Reza, who will attend College of the Holy Cross, and Khaalidah Sidney, who will attend UC Irvine.)

Bensimon Discusses Student Success at National Education Policy Conference

Dr. Estela Mara Bensimon led a concurrent session on the Center for Urban Education's (CUE) equity-minded approach to increasing student success at the Education Commission of the States National Forum on Education Policy, July 7th in Denver. "Boosting College Completion for a New Economy" was the theme of the forum, which gathered 400 state policymakers and education leaders to discuss K-12 and higher education issues.

In her session with Dr. Julie Bell of the National Conference of State Legislatures and Christen Pollock of The College Board, Bensimon identified campus and system practitioners as key to achieving college completion goals. Thanked by an audience member for naming the "elephant in the room," Bensimon called attention to the often contentious issue of racial equity, stressing its integral importance to the college completion agenda.

Click here for more information.

Clark Edits New Book on Learning with Media

Dr. Richard Clark, Director of Rossier's Center for Cognitive Technology, edited the new book, Learning from Media: Arguments, Analysis, and Evidence.

The volume incorporates essays questioning the meta-analyses of computer-based instruction research, Robert Kozma's counterpoint theory of "learning with media", science-based technology verus experience-based craft and science-based "authentic technologies".

Immordino-Yang's Work Gets International Attention

The Fars News Agency (Iran) as well as Asia News International featured a study by Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, who found that individuals who were told stories designed to evoke compassion and admiration for virtue sometimes reported a physical response.

These psycho-physical "pangs" of emotion are real - they're detectable with brain scans - and may be evidence that pro-social behavior is part of human survival, the story stated.

"These emotions are foundational for morality and social learning," Immordino-Yang said.

Read Far News Agency here.
Asia News International covered her study.

Ragusa Talks to Engineering Educators; CORE Trains LA Science Teachers

Dr. Gigi Ragusa was invited to to give three presentations at the American Society of Engineering Educators in Vancouver in late June.

She presented on middle and high school teacher training in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects, innovative thinking in college, and engineering preparedness for global workforces.

See the schedule.

Ragusa's Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE) is also currently overseeing the National Science Foundation's Teaching Fellows Research Experience for Teachers program on campus, which began July 6 and runs through August 5. 

Ten in-service teachers from throughout the Los Angeles area are working in engineering and science labs, and receiving science-focused professional development through the program, which is directed by Ragusa.

26th Annual Summer Gifted Institute Helps Teachers Master Gifted Education

On June 28-29, the Rossier Office of Professional Development Programs presented the 26th Annual Summer Gifted Institute. 

Created by Dr. Sandra Kaplan (at right), this institute has been the signature event of USC's professional development in gifted education.

The Summer Gifted Institute is an innovative, research-based form of professional development that translates theories into classroom practices. Educators who attended this year's institute observed master teachers of the gifted in authentic classroom settings demonstrating differentiated curriculum and instruction.

At left, Alumna Michelle McGuire asks students to recount what they learned from their virtual trip to the Watts Towers.

To read more about participants' experiences in the Summer Gifted Institute, see highlights on Storify.

Strunk Publishes on Teachers' Union Contracts

Dr. Katharine Strunk has published an article in the journal Education Finance and Policy.

Her article asks "Are teachers' unions really to blame?" and looks at collective bargaining agreements and their relationships with district resource allocation and student performance in California.

Read it here.

CEG "Dashboard" Report Makes News in San Diego

The San Diego Union-Tribune covered the report from the USC Rossier School's Center on Educational Governance (CEG) that surveyed the academic performance and financial health of California's 800-plus charter schools. For the first year, the "School Performance Dashboard" ranked the top 10 charters.

The researchers examined academic measurements, school productivity and financial indicators.

"People want some kind of comparison or benchmark so that's how we came up with the top 10," said Dr. Penny Wohlstetter, CEG's director.

Read the article.

Go to the 2011 USC School Performance Dashboard.

Rousseau Quoted about Minorities in School Admin

The Bakersfield Californian quoted Dr. Sylvia Rousseau of the USC Rossier School about the importance of minority representation in school administration.

Read the article.

Brewer Comments on Bill to Transfer Powers in CA

La Canada Valley Sun quoted Dr. Dominic Brewer about a proposed bill transferring powers from the California Board of Education to the state superintendent of public instruction.

"The structure now is complex, inefficient, and lacking in transparency and accountability. In this context, any attempt to clarify roles and responsibilities is to be welcomed," Brewer said.

Read the article.

Tierney Quoted about New Tuition Hikes

Contra Costa Times quoted Dr. Bill Tierney about CSU and UC students bracing for another round of tuition hikes.

Last-minute fee hikes and emergency cost-cutting "are all just reactive," Tierney said. "We haven't heard a single thing from the governor about his vision for higher education -- what he wants it to be."

"We used to be leaders," Tierney added. "It's a tragedy."

 Read it here.

This Week on 21st Century Scholar

Monday: Bill Tierney talks about the college-going realities in some area LA high schools.

Tuesday: Randy Clemens shares the three foci of his qualifying exam in his post, "How does neighborhood poverty affect education outcomes?"

Wednesday: Bill Tierney discusses how educational reformers are often more successful when they concentrate on small, workable goals.

Thursday: Thursday is Tech Day with Stefani Relles, who discusses technology and education issues.

Friday: Jonathan Mathis talks about the history and structures of Early College High Schools (ECHSs).

Go to CHEPA's 21st Century Scholar blog.

Two Alums Dedicate Reading Center

The Larchmont Chronicle noted the dedication of a new reading area at John Burroughs Middle School, which is led by two Rossier alumni.

Dr. Steve Martinez (EdD '10) is Principal (far right) and Dr. Helena Yoon (EdD '09) is Assistant Principal of the school (second from right).

Read more.

Alumnus Accepts Interim Superintendency