News
Teaching with Purpose: Roberts Faculty and Student Presentations at Education Conference
The field of education is considering how to best prepare for the future. The NYSATE/NYACTE Fall Conference was recently held in Saratoga Springs, New York, including feature presentations that asked critical questions and provided hopeful solutions to the challenges for teachers. This year’s theme was “Envisioning the Future of Educator Preparation: Fostering Belonging, Equity, and Excellence."
Among the presenters were one faculty member and one student from Roberts Wesleyan University.
Emily Robinson (left) and Hannah Clark
Hannah Clark ‘23 (Adolescence Education in Mathematics) presented "Plotting a Path Forward: Investigating COVID-19 Related Learning Loss in Secondary Math and Best Strategies for Remediation."
“It was so exhilarating and rewarding to have a chance to present! I've been working on my research project through the Academic Research and Leadership Honors Program for about a year now, so it was so satisfying to see it come to fruition and to have the opportunity to share my passions with others,” shared Clark.
As part of the program, Clark was mentored by Dr. Emily Robinson ‘10 (Adolescence Education).
“Last fall, I was completing fieldwork in an Algebra II classroom and many of the students lacked the critical skills and knowledge to be successful. My host teacher informed me that this was clearly an effect of learning loss caused by inconsistent schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic and hybrid years.
Through mixed methods research, I investigated the magnitude of learning loss in secondary math and its causes, but more importantly, what can be done to get students back on track. Through a thorough literature review and data from anonymously surveyed area math teachers, I was able to identify which strategies are most beneficial to helping students overcome learning loss and created an original two-tiered approach that focuses on ‘cognitive catering and emotional investment’ to guide math teachers in their pursuit to assist students.
As a future math teacher, this research benefited me because I now know how to best support my future students,” said Clark.
Clark presenting
Another remarkable presentation was delivered by Professor Maryanne Barrett, focusing on "Teaching Digital and Multimodal Writing Online: Teacher Perceptions and a Path Forward."
Maryanne Barrett
“Presenting at this year’s NYSATE-NYACATE conference was fantastic! My favorite part about attending the conference was talking with other teacher educators from around the state about new and innovative ways to prepare our students for the profession.
In my presentation, I highlighted a digital learning experience and virtual practicum Roberts graduate students encounter in our Literacy program around integrating teaching pedagogies and practice that reflect the advancements of technology and digital writing tools,” said Barrett.
Members of the Teacher Education department at Roberts have a history of active participation in conferences like these. Such collaborations underscore the university's readiness to lead in education and contribute meaningfully to the field.