Fourteen members of EPC were commended at the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences Faculty and Staff Recognition Ceremony on April 25, 2018.

To see photos from the event, please go to the “EPC at the 2018 CEHHS Faculty & Staff Recognition Ceremony” album on our EPC Facebook page.

Awards

CEHHS Board of Advisors Faculty Support Award
Awarded to recognize current/past accomplishments or future projects of one outstanding faculty member for teaching/research/service efforts in any area within CEHHS.

Gary Skolits
Program Coordinator & Associate Professor in Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

“It truly was a special privilege to be recognized in my role as an EPC faculty member. The nomination by faculty peers alone was a special honor to me; the subsequent commendation at the college level will always remain a highlight of my faculty career.”

Helen B. Watson Outstanding Faculty Research Award
Awarded to a full-time faculty member or team within the departments of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies; Edu­cational Psychology and Counseling; Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies; or Theory and Practice in Teacher Education.

Louis Rocconi
Assistant Professor in Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

“It is a tremendous honor to be selected for this prestigious award. I am truly humbled to receive recognition for my research and grateful to be a part of this esteemed department and college.”

Louie M. & Betty M. Phillips Faculty Support in Education
Awarded to a faculty member in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences related to the preparation of teachers involved in K-12 education. This award serves to highlight outstanding research and teaching efforts.

Melinda Gibbons
Program Coordinator & Professor in Counselor Education

“I am humbled and honored to be recognized for my research and outreach activities. I am also happy to have the opportunity for others to learn about the need for this type of engaged scholarship.”

Recognition

Casey A. Barrio Minton
Professor in Counselor Education

– Recognized under Presidents of National/International Professional Organizations for being President-Elect of Southern Association of Counselor Education & Supervision

Pamelia Brott
Program Coordinator & Associate Professor in School Counseling

– Recognized under Recipients of National/International Professional Awards for National Career Development Association Fellow

Synthia Clark
Administrative Specialist I

– Recognized under UT Support Staff Service Awards for five years of service

Stephanie Cowherd
Associate Director of Center for Literacy, Education & Employment

– Recognized under Grants & Contracts Recipients for the TN DHS-DRS, Tennessee Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services, $797,060

Lisa Crawford
Associate Director of Center for Literacy, Education & Employment

– Recognized under Grants & Contracts Recipients for the Coordinated School Health Events, Tennessee Department of Education, $270,759
– Recognized under Grants & Contracts Recipients for the Partners in Education (PIE) Conference Support, Tennessee Department of Education, $1,308,909
– Recognized under Grants & Contracts Recipients for the TDOE Summer Trainings, Tennessee Department of Education, $621,980

Melinda M. Gibbons
Program Coordinator & Professor in Counselor Education

– Recognized under Recipients of National/International Professional Awards for the Counseling Vision & Innovation Award from the Association for Counselor Education & Supervision
– Recognized under Chancellor’s Honors Awards for Research & Creative Achievement

Craig Howard
Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology

– Recognized under Recipients of National/International Professional Awards for the Distance Learning Best Practice Award from the Association for Educational Communications & Technology Division

Robert Kronick
Professor in Counselor Education & Director of University-Assisted Community Schools

– Recognized under Authors/Editors of Books & Assessments for Community Engagement: Principles, Strategies, and Practices
– Recognized under Authors/Editors of Books & Assessments for Wicked Problems and the Community School Solution
– Recognized under Recipients of National/International Professional Awards for Counselor Education of the Year from American Mental Health Counseling Association

R. Steve McCallum
Professor for School Psychology

– Recognized under Editors/Co-Editors of Peer Reviewed Publications for being Co-Founder & Consulting Editor of Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment

Gary Skolits
Program Coordinator & Associate Professor of Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

– Recognized under Editors/Co-Editors of Peer Reviewed Publications for being Co-Editor of The Qualitative Review

Qi Sun
Program Coordinator & Associate Professor in Adult Learning

– Recognized under Editors/Co-Editors of Peer Reviewed Publications for being Co-Editor of Adult Education Quarterly
– Recognized under Recipients of National/International Professional Awards for the Outstanding Service Award by The American Association of Adult and Continuing Education

Duren Thompson
Instructional Designer & Program Coordinator

– Recognized under UT Support Staff Service Awards for twenty years of service

Lisa Yamagata-Lynch
Program Coordinator & Professor in Instructional Technology/Learning Environments & Educational Studies

– Recognized under Recipients of National/International Professional Awards for the Distance Learning Best Practice Award from the Association for Educational Communications & Technology Division

Instructional Technology

Duren is currently seeking her MS in Education with a concentration in Instructional Technology and completing a graduate certificate in Online Teaching and Learning. Originally from Chaplin, Connecticut, she received her BS in Business Administration and an MS in Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and joined EPC in 2012. We asked her to reflect on some of her past and current experiences. Read her responses below.

Accomplishments

Publications

• Yamagata-Lynch, L. C., Do, J., Skutnik, A. L., Thompson, D. J., Stephens, A. F., & Tays, C. A. (2015). Design lessons about participatory self-directed online learning in a graduate level instructional technology course. Open Learning. 30(2) 178-189. doi:10.1080/02680513.2015.1071244

Presentations

• Feb. 2016 Conference Keynote Presentation: ” Educators Taking the Lead: Professional Development that Empowers YOU to Reach Your Goals” invited speaker with honorarium, Roane State Symposium on Powerful Teaching, Feb. 27, 2016 https://www.roanestate.edu/?5915-Symposium-on-Powerful-Teaching
• Feb. 2016 “Evaluating the Flipped Approach: How can it work for your learners?” & “Avoid the Talking Head: Creating Effective Educational Video;” invited speaker with honorarium, Liberty Technology Magnet High School, Jackson, TN (4 hour interactive workshop combining both sessions).
• July 2015 “Evaluating the Flipped Learning Approach: Can it work for my adult learners?” invited speaker, Academy for Instructional Excellence, Nashville, TN (core/required session).
• July 2015 “Avoiding the Talking Head: Creating Effective Educational Video” and “Learning Through Doing: Models for Flipped PD,” accepted speaker, FlipCon 2015, East Lansing, MI.
• April 2015 “Evaluating the Flipped Learning Approach: Can it work for my adult learners?” accepted speaker, Commission on Adult Basic Education Annual Conference, TX.
• Oct. 2014 “Evaluating the Flipped Learning Approach: Can it work for my ESL & EL/Civics learners?” invited speaker with honorarium, GA ESL & EL/Civics Summit, Forsyth, GA (blended, extended professional development).
• May 2014 “Evaluating the Flipped Learning Approach: Can it work for my adult learners?” LINCS RPDC Region II online event (pilot of blended, extended online professional development for US DOE agency).
• April 2014 “Avoid the Talking Head: Creating Engaging Online Instructional Video” (with Bill McNutt); accepted speakers, Technology and Learning Conference, Myrtle Beach, NC.
• July 2013 “Social Media: Planned AE Program Marketing”; invited speaker Academy for Instructional Excellence, Nashville, TN.
• Oct. 2012 “Learning Disabilities: Quick and Dirty Tips for Busy Adult Educators”;
  accepted speaker with honorarium, Georgia Adult Education Conference, Atlanta, GA.

• Refer to Resume for more details

Current Occupation

Program Coordinator for Professional Development
Center for Literacy, Education & Employment, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

As CLEE is wholly contract and grant-funded, work responsibilities have varied widely due to assignments across dozens of education-related projects for adult literacy and K-12 professionals both statewide and nationally. Professional focus over the past 15 years includes effective internet-based instructional methods for professional development, design and implementation of effective educational accountability and evaluation tools and effective support for adults with learning disabilities.
Originally focused solely on technology-associated projects for the Division of Adult Education with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, my valued experience and expertise is now spread across multiple state and federally focused projects. Current responsibilities focus on leading collaborative projects in design, implementation, and evaluation of online, blended and face-to-face professional development via a variety of learning management and software tools. Asked to regularly serve as content expert and trainer at both state and national levels on a wide variety of topics, both face-to-face and via interactive webinars. Additional duties include assistance in grant writing, integration of social media tools into program management and instruction, graphic design/layout and basic web page design.

Personal Interests

UT Staff Advisor for the Thor’s Mountain Medieval and Renaissance Society student group on UT campus, as well as administrative and educational leader in the local and regional chapters of the Society for Creative Anachronism – a world-wide organization dedicated to the hands-on study and exploration of medieval life, culture and martial activities. Particular focus on Norse culture and textile arts (hand spinning, weaving, and natural dyeing).
Mother of eight-year-old daughter, Solvi, who is mastering 3rd grade in Knox County with only minor traumas.
Fan of fantasy and sci-fi books, games and films, currently fighting a Netflix addiction.

Future/Vocational Goals

At this time, I am happy in my current position at the UT Center for Literacy, Education, and Employment and hope that the skills and expertise gained via this program will assist the center in obtaining funding for applications of online learning and technologies for our target populations.
Through and beyond my work at the center, I wish to further establish myself as a leader, researcher and facilitative collaborator in the field of instructional technology and design for education professionals. In particular, I wish to a) continue my work in creating effective professional development learning environments, systems and activities for busy education professionals and b) conduct research and facilitate training that contributes to the effective transference of theory into everyday practice.

What would you tell an incoming student who joins the program/department?

As this program of study is delivered (almost) entirely online, each course provides you with not only the knowledge and skills listed on the syllabus, but also a model of how to structure and deliver instruction in online environments. Do not ‘fight’ the online nature of the program – consider it a valuable part of the learning process. Take the time to step back and evaluate each professor’s approach to the course, determine what is effective (and not), what feels comfortable to you (and isn’t) in order to build or enhance your own ‘toolbox’ of preferred approaches to online (and blended) learning.

What do you think has been the most rewarding/challenging about this program?

The structure of this program affords participants with the opportunity to learn from peers with a wide range of education and training perspectives. I am honored to have participated over a dozen rewarding course partnerships resulting in excellent instructional technology products. I greatly value the friendships I have gained through this process, with both peers and faculty and hope to continue building these friendships once I graduate.

Duren Thompson, Instructional Technology MS student, has been selected as a featured presenter during the 8^th Annual Flipped Learning Conference this July.

The conference, FlipCon2015, is a Flipped Learning Network (FLN) event. FLN explains their mission as providing educators with the skills and resources needed to successfully implement Flipped Learning. This is a pedagogical approach in which direct instruction is moved from the group space to the individual learning environment and the group learning environment is transformed into a dynamic, interactive problem-solving space.

Thompson submitted a presentation proposal for FlipCon2015 titled “Learning Through Doing: Models for Flipped PD.” The presentation is an interactive demonstration focused on flipping professional development for educators. Participants will explore and discuss three models for training educators in the flipped learning approach piloted with adult literacy practitioners, and make connections from that project to their personal practice. After peer-review, the proposal submission was not only accepted, but also chosen as a featured session. This honor includes free registration, a larger audience, a highlight in the program, and streaming to all Virtual Conference attendees.

Thompson has been a professional developer for educators since 1997, with a heavy focus in distance, online, and technology enhanced learning since 2000. She is an advocate for interactive webinars and currently a master’s student in Instructional Technology and a Program Coordinator with with the Center for Literacy, Education, and Employment.