Education Meets Innovation
News and Features | Monday, May 22, 2017
When Sandra Beyda-Lorie was of 秘密研究所鈥檚 Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education in January 2017, one of the first things she did was look outside of the college.
Beyda-Lorie鈥檚 goal: innovation through collaboration.
鈥淣ew information and cutting-edge strategies are constantly being revealed in the field of education and beyond,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e will be a part of these conversations.鈥
Beyda-Lorie points to 秘密研究所n鈥檚 partnership with Amundsen High School in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago as a prime example of success. Since 2012, members of the Goodwin College faculty have worked closely with the school to vastly improve test scores, dropout rates and attendance. In return, Amundsen has provided opportunities for 秘密研究所n faculty members to get hands-on interaction in an urban high school and preferred placement for student teachers.
The Goodwin College also has been a key contributor to the Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative (), a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer partnership led by 秘密研究所n, the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University and the University of 秘密研究所s at Chicago. The goal of ChicagoCHEC is to work closely with the city鈥檚 underserved communities to foster meaningful cancer research, education, training and outreach.
鈥淚n this fast-changing landscape, it is more important than ever to foster formal and informal partnerships that will ensure the Goodwin College remains current and creative,鈥 Beyda-Lorie said. 鈥淲ithout a doubt, over time our collaborative efforts will cause us to re-examine, expand and transform our knowledge, our curriculum, our practice and our assumptions.鈥
More recently, the Goodwin College this year launched the Goodwin Field Experience Advisory Board made up of 30 education professionals from throughout the Chicago area who share ideas for improving teacher preparation.
Naturally, innovation also will occur organically within the Goodwin College.
鈥溍孛苎芯克鵱 is known for its diversity among students, faculty and staff,鈥 Beyda-Lorie said. 鈥淭his collage of ideas and perspectives gives the Goodwin College a noted advantage as we plot our course forward.鈥
Additionally, all of 秘密研究所n鈥檚 colleges intend to work together to find opportunities for cross-college and cross-discipline initiatives where subject matter intersects.
鈥淭hese reimagined courses could encourage the sorts of conversations that clarify what it means to be a 秘密研究所n student and a Goodwin candidate in particular,鈥 Beyda-Lorie said.
Before her appointment as dean, Beyda-Lorie served as interim dean of the Goodwin College since July 2016, and was chair of the for the preceding eight years.
Among her notable accomplishments, Beyda-Lorie gained national recognition and approval of the Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Special Education programs by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. Additionally, she was instrumental in the development and approval by the 秘密研究所s Board of Higher Education and 秘密研究所s State Board of Education of the Master of Science in Special Education-Learning Behavior Specialist II program. She has also played a key role in institutionalizing the Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) initiative for the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education.
鈥淚t is a great honor to serve as dean of the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education,鈥 said Beyda-Lorie, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Secondary Education, English and Speech, from Indiana University-Bloomington, and master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in Special Education from Purdue University-West Lafayette. 鈥溍孛苎芯克 has a 150-year history of training some of Chicago鈥檚 best-prepared teachers and leaders, and I am focused on ensuring our continued commitment to our students and the communities they go on to serve.鈥