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The public is invited to the 14th annual Kump Education Research Seminar in the Learning Lab in the Kump Education Center at 4 p.m. Thursday.
Davis & Elkins College students will present their research findings orally at 4:30 p.m. after visitors have had time to meet our future teachers and see their research projects.
We are proud of the fact that the seminar for research in education has been a central focus for Kump Education Center all 14 years that KEC has been in operation. There is no more important educational pursuit than the endeavor to understand how learning takes place and what teaching methods are most effective to prepare the next generation of students for the world of the future.
This year the Kump Education Seminar will focus on the science of teaching reading and methods for evaluating online sources of information. Both topics will help parents and grandparents understand the goals and challenges of teaching and learning in the current culture.
The science of teaching reading has evolved since the 1950s, when the news media was full of complaints that "Little Jonny can't read." Some parents want more phonics, and others throught that sight words were the best way to ensure fluent reading.
"Reading Wars" raged until the end of the 20th Century when a massive study of all credible research projects for teaching reading showed that learning to read involves five elements: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Some students may gain reading skills on their own, but instruction is necessary to enhance the five elements if most students are going to read well.
The second topic that will be presented involves using critical thinking skills to evaluate online sources of information. At 4:30 p.m., a group of future teachers will present methods of deciding what is credible for students to use in school research projects. Also, these critical thinking skills may be helpful for adults deciding what to believe when they search for information on the internet.
Changes in pedagogy and the evolution of educational practice must be reevaluated for each new generation. Schools change with social expectations and technological innovations that make new opportunities available to a larger percentage of the population. Nothing is more important to the future of a democratic society than the objectives and effectiveness of public education.
Nurturing teachers is the best way to improve education in the Mountain State. Training teachers well before they go into the classroom and paying them well for their continuing education are significant ways we can make rural education better for the 21st Century.
Teachers need to be able to focus on their own learning and professional development without taking time away from the normal five-day week with students during the school year.