NORMAN — OU/UCO partner to address urban teacher shortage: The University of Central Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma are partnering to respond to the urban teacher shortage by expanding UCO’s Urban Teacher Preparation Academy.
The only program of its kind in the state, the UTPA is an innovative program that works in close partnership with Oklahoma City Public Schools to place upper-level education majors in schools throughout the district for three years of mentored clinical teaching experience.
Since the program began at UCO in 2010, 34 students have participated, with 17 of those now employed as full-time teachers in the OKCPS district and 13 currently student teaching. An additional two graduates are teaching full time in other urban districts in the state.
OU’s Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education will take the UTPA model established at Central to start its first group of students in the program for the spring 2013 semester.
Both UCO and OU are accepting applications for the next cohort through Dec. 1. For more information, on the UTPA at UCO, visit www.uco.edu/ceps/utpa or call 405-974-5144.
For more information on the UTPA at OU call 405-325-1275.
Whitten convocation speaker: Reggie Whitten, Oklahoma City attorney, philanthropist and founder of the nonprofit group Pros for Africa, will deliver the University of Oklahoma College of International Studies convocation address at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, when the college will confer about 24 bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Inspired by their mission statement, “Connecting Professionals of All Fields with the Children of Africa,” Pros for Africa is committed to providing professional knowledge and essential resources to impoverished communities in Africa. Established in 2009 and headquartered in Oklahoma City, this nonprofit partners with athletes, medical professionals, educators, lawyers and others who volunteer their expertise.
The College of International Studies convocation ceremony will take place in Meacham Auditorium of Oklahoma Memorial Union, 900 Asp Ave., on the OU Norman campus.
Tickets are required to attend the ceremony. For more information on the College of International Studies convocation ceremony, call Tracy Holloway at (405) 325-1429.
OU iTunes course hits Top 50 list: The success of OU’s digital courses is reaching more iTunes users, as The Story of Freedom, a free online course by the late Dr. Rufus Fears, is now on the iTunes U top 50 list.
Fears was an American historian, scholar, teacher and author on the subjects of ancient history, the history of liberty, and the lessons of history.
His course is his only free lecture series and is being featured on the iTunes U homepage.
Those interested in learning more or taking the course may visit: https://itunes.apple.com/us/course/story-of-freedom-in-america/id577784651
— Transcript Staff
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