Research and Outreach Initiatives

The descriptions below provide just a glimpse of the innovative initiatives undertaken by the faculty and students of the School of Education. The School of Education supports numerous activities that span traditional geographic and academic boundaries.

• Malawi Project
  This project stretches VT expertise to east Africa, where faculty and graduate students are helping to foster teacher training and civic education. Funded by two grants from USAID, the project will result in the development of an advanced degree program, primary education teacher training, and integration of information communications and educational technology.
  
• Phi Delta Kappa Awards
  Recognizing excellence in public schools and on campus, the VT chapter of Phi Delta Kappa selected awardees for the 2006 ceremony: Outstanding Educator Award–Melissa Lisanti; Excellence in Education–The Weight Club; Innovative Teacher Award–Marilyn Galbraith; Outstanding Pre-Service Teacher Award–Jamie Beamer; Public School Professional Educator Awards–Patricia Talbot and Patricia Agnew; Teacher as Researcher Award-Samantha Quesenberry; Research Award-Dana Gregory Rose.
• VT Robotics Project
  Team 401 – First Robotics Project: This MCPS/VT pre-engineering project brings together high school students from all over Montgomery County Virginia, Virginia Tech engineering students from all over the world, and faculty from Montgomery County Public Schools, and Virginia Tech!
• International Conferences on Educational Leadership
  Educators from PK-12 and university settings can study a range of international issues related to educational systems and reform in England and China, including the Conference on Educational Leadership and Ethics, the International Conference on Special Education, and the Joan L. Curcio International Women’s Leadership Conference.
• Bridges for Engineering Education (BEEVT) Project
  The BEEVT Project is a collaborative effort between engineering and education faculty at Virginia Tech. One project outcome is the new Technology Education Masters/Licensure Program (TEMLP), which allows graduates of engineering , architecture, and design programs to earn teaching licensure in Technology Education, a critical teaching shortage area.
• Teaching American History
  In October 2005, the U.S. Department of Education (Teaching American History Grant Program) awarded Floyd County Public Schools, Roanoke City Public Schools (LEA), Roanoke County Public Schools and Salem City Public Schools (Commonwealth of Virginia: Region VI Superintendents' Study Group Region), $1,000,000 to implement an intensive 3 year professional development program to support the teaching and learning of American history. The program is offered to all K-12 teachers who are responsible for teaching the content of the state-required American history standards in the four participating school districts. Monthly seminars, graduate coursework, and summer seminars serve as the foundation for this program.
• Graphic Comm Central (GCC) Project
  Since 1997, the GCC Project has been the Web portal for Graphic Communication and Communication Technology teachers and students. The site hosts/links to more than 4,000 educational resources, receives about 2 million electronic accesses per year, and hosts the GCC Listserv, which supports daily dialogue within the graphic communication education community.
• Teaching, Learning, and Discovering Communities in Mexico
  Purpose
  This study abroad will have three purposes: 1) to provide an immersion experience in Spanish; 2) to examine the causes of migration from Mexico to the United States in recent years; and 3) to provide an opportunity to practice teaching English as a foreign language.
  Location
  The colonial city of Puebla, Mexico’s fourth largest city, is located two hours by bus from Mexico City. The UDLA is within walking distance of Cholula, the oldest continuously inhabited town in the Americas, also known as an important archaeological zone. The UDLA has a panoramic view of four of the largest volcanoes in Mexico. The campus offers outdoor recreation facilities, including a swimming pool.
  Program Overview
  Graduate students and practicing teachers will have a Spanish-language immersion course. They will also participate in a course called “Mexico Past and Present,” which examines the social, cultural, political, economic, and historical issues that have shaped modern Mexico and resulted in the waves of migration being experienced in the US. This experience will be enriched by a service-learning opportunity to teach English as a Foreign Language in a local community. Weekend and weekday trips to Oaxaca, Mexico City, and Cuetzalán will provide glimpses of the contrasts that shape Mexico today.
• Virginia Assistive Technology System Regional Site
  at Virginia Tech
  

  The Virginia Assistive Technology System Regional Site at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg is one of three regional sites of the Virginia Assistive Technology System, a statewide project committed to improving the quality of life for all Virginians by increasing awareness and accessibility of Assistive Technology (AT).

  Established in 1990, VATS is administered by the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS). Our Southwest Region encompasses 14,000 square miles in 29 counties that include Highland, Augusta, Bath, Rockbridge, Alleghany, Botetourt, Craig, Roanoke, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Giles, Montgomery, Floyd, Patrick, Henry, Bland, Pulaski, Wythe, Carroll, Tazewell, Smyth, Grayson, Buchanan, Russell, Washington, Dickenson, Wise, Scott and Lee.