COE professors prepare to write
next chapter in Kenya Literacy Project

Two professors from the College of Education’s Department of Teaching and Learning will spend most of December in Kenya, continuing a colleague’s work to improve the standard of living and learning in one of the country’s rural villages.

Maylan Dunn and C. Sheldon Woods depart Thursday, Dec. 2, for Mwala, a small village about 90 miles southeast of Nairobi in the district of Machakos, where they will train teachers in the latest research on early childhood and elementary education and how to apply it in the classroom.

“The divide between the urban and rural areas is getting bigger and bigger,” said Dunn, who visited Kenya earlier this year in January. “Families have to spend so much of their labor capacity on getting water and food, and the children play a big role in that.”

Their work is the latest chapter in an evolving story authored by Moses Mutuku, an assistant professor of early childhood education, who has studied the gap between urban and rural learning in his native country since 2000.

FULL STORY

Online learning is a hit at NIU, according to a pilot survey of 149 students who have taken some classes via their computers.

The report, issued this fall based on surveys taken near the end of the Fall 2003 and Spring 2004 semesters, shows overall satisfaction varies with the level of the students surveyed.

More importantly, however, most are willing to enroll in more online courses.

Students also are pleased with the degree of technology support they receive, the survey found, and the majority of the students believe the completion of their online courses improved their ability to master technology.

“Northern’s been offering online courses in some format for quite a while, either blended or all online, but we had no idea what students thought of that,” NIU Assessment Coordinator Craig Barnard said. “The impetus for the survey was to see what we were doing, and what students thought about it.”

FULL STORY

John and Nancy Castle have experienced NIU from just about every conceivable angle.

Nancy describes herself as “the quintessential NIU student,” one who transferred here after earning an associate’s degree and paid her own way through college as she earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Northern.

“If NIU was not affordable, I wouldn’t have one degree, let alone three,” says Nancy, who now serves as a member of the faculty in the Department of Communicative Disorders in the College of Health and Human Sciences. “What we do here is important, and we do it well.”

On the other hand, John Castle never attended NIU. Several of his children hold NIU degrees, however, and the lifelong DeKalb resident has worked with the NIU Foundation for the betterment of the university for more than three decades.

Through their many dealings with the university, the couple has come to love NIU and have long been outspoken about their pride in the university. Recently, they chose to demonstrate that pride by making a $200,000 leadership gift toward the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center.

FULL STORY

Tracy Nunnally was – appropriately – in the air when he found his reindeer.

Nunnally, technical director and assistant professor in the NIU School of Theatre and Dance, and three of his students will travel to Knoxville next month to give flight to Jesus and a trio of angels during “The Living Christmas Tree.”

It’s a grand production, staged for live audiences and televised each December by the Sevier Heights Baptist Church inside the sprawling Thompson-Boling Arena on the campus of the University of Tennessee. The roof is 100 feet above the floor, and the length of the seating area is 270 feet, nearly the size of a football field.

Three hundred choir members from the church and others congregations from miles away will stand on half-circle risers inside a 60-foot-tall Christmas tree, powerfully singing carols accompanied by a full symphony orchestra.

But despite the scriptural nature of the program, the producers want Santa Claus, his sleigh and the fabled eight tiny reindeer to soar above the crowd at the opening.

FULL STORY

Current and future NIU students will be safer thanks to the generosity of the NIU Class of 2001.

Members of that class donated nearly $7,500 to the NIU Department of Public Safety. The money was recently used to purchase of audio visual equipment that has improved the safety presentations given by the department. The equipment purchased included three laptop computers, three computer projectors and a table-top screen.

“We are very grateful for the generosity shown by members of the Class of 2001,” said NIU Chief of Police Donald Grady. “This equipment has allowed us to greatly enhance our safety presentations and will help us make campus a safer place for everyone.”

The money was raised through the Senior Class Challenge.

FULL STORY

As lively and exciting as the day it made its debut, the spiritual “Go Tell It on the Mountain” has been named Christmas Carol of the Year for 2004.

The selection was made by William Studwell, an NIU professor emeritus recognized as one of the world’s foremost experts on Christmas carols.

Studwell worked at NIU from 1970 until 2000, retiring from the post of principal cataloguer at Founders Memorial Library. He has named a Carol of the Year for 19 years.

“It is an energetic, inspired carol,” Studwell says of this year’s selection, a century-old tune that tells the story of the birth of Christ and urges listeners to spread the word. “It is the greatest of all American folk carols.”

Like many carols, the precise history of “Go Tell It on the Mountain” is a bit fuzzy.

FULL STORY

There’s a beautiful new holiday tradition in DeKalb. This year, it’s coming to NIU.

Based on its tremendous success last year, the second annual Festival of Trees, to be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 4, promises to be bigger, better and even more beautiful than last year.

Better yet: this year it’s free and more convenient: The Festival of Trees has moved to the Holmes Student Center’s Duke Ellington Ballroom this year to allow for its rapid expansion. NIU staff members are working closely with festival volunteers to ensure a great show.

The Festival of Trees is for “children of all ages” who still delight in the sights, the sounds and the smells of the holiday season.

Friday is NIU day at the festival and all faculty, staff and students are invited to stop by and enjoy this breathtaking display of elegantly decorated trees and wreaths combined with more than 60 crafters offering a wide variety of traditional – and sometimes not-so-traditional – treasures.

President, Mrs. Peters host
annual holiday luncheon

NIU President John and Mrs. Barbara Peters have announced their fifth annual holiday luncheon for the NIU community, a festive tradition for all friends and colleagues of the university.

This spirited event to celebrate the joy of the holiday season is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center. A buffet lunch is served.

Gamelan Orchestra hosts
open house today

The NIU Gamelan Orchestra will host a free open house at 2 p.m. today in Room 102 of the Music Building. All are welcome to see, hear and experience what gamelan music is all about. Those attending also can try their hand at playing some of the instruments.

Scantron questionnaires
still available to faculty

More than 1,600 “Rate Your Books” Scantron questionnaires have already been mailed to faculty who requested them. There is still time to obtain your copies.

Call 753-1082 or e-mail your request to pfoster@niu.edu.

Bully workshops
continue through May

Targets and supporters of bullies, as well as those who witness bullying, are invited to attend weekly support groups from noon to 1 p.m. Mondays in the Blackhawk East dining room of the Holmes Student Center.

The sessions continue through May.

Participants get the support and encouragement they deserve from others who are dealing with bullies and the chaotic and inefficient work and life environments the bullies create. For more information, call University Resources for Women at 753-0320.

Graduate School seeks
nominees for honorary degrees

NIU’s Graduate School has issued its annual call for nominations for honorary doctoral degrees. Nominations are due Friday, Dec. 17, to Rathindra N. Bose, vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School.

Awarding an honorary degree is an opportunity to recognize someone especially outstanding in a field of interest to the university. It is necessary, though not sufficient, for a nominee to be accomplished or renowned in his or her field; an honorary degree recipient should be clearly exceptional among other outstanding persons in that field. -- MORE

Teaching Effectiveness Institute
scheduled for Jan. 13

NIU’s Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center invites all faculty and teaching SPS to its 11th Teaching Effectiveness Institute “Levels of Prevention: Methods and Strategies for Deterring Plagiarism and Cheating.”

The Institute will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, in the Clara Sperling Sky Room of the Holmes Student Center.

Plagiarism and cheating are pervasive problems in higher education. Recent efforts have focused on detection and policing. Too little attention has been paid to educational efforts tailored to teach students how to avoid plagiarizing and cheating and faculty to design assignments and projects that make cheating and plagiarism difficult.

The institute will be facilitated by Michael Rozalski, assistant professor in the Ella Cline Shear School of Education at the State University of New York at Geneseo. Rozalski will discuss and model innovative teaching methods and technologies that highlight educational efforts rather than methods to detect plagiarism and punish students.

Faculty and teaching staff interested in registering for this institute or who would like further information can e-mail facdev@niu.edu. Deadline for registration is Friday, Dec. 20. Seats are limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

All participants will receive institute materials, refreshments, lunch and a certificate signed by the provost. This institute is sponsored in part by the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center and Pepsi Cola General Bottlers, Inc.

Applicants sought
for Wiegele award

The Thomas C. Wiegele Interdisciplinary Dissertation Completion Award is offered annually to Ph.D. candidates at NIU whose dissertations bridge two distinct academic disciplines.

It supports interdisciplinary study within the social and life sciences. All Ph.D. students whose dissertations bridge two academic disciplines are encouraged to apply. Eligibility is limited to those whose dissertation proposals have been accepted by their dissertation committees.

The honor brings with it a $500 monetary award, a certificate and recognition at the political science commencement ceremony. It is administered by the Department of Political Science.

The deadline for applications is Jan. 15. Applications are available from the Department of Political Science. The recipient will be notified by March 15.

The award honors the late Thomas C. Wiegele, a longtime member of NIU’s political science department and President Research Professor. Wiegele was the founder and director of NIU’s Program for Biosocial Research.

The Thomas C. Wiegele Memorial Fund was established by the NIU Foundation in 1992 with gifts received from his friends and family. Those wishing to contribute to this or other funds are invited to contact the Foundation at 753-7406 or www.niu.edu/devrel/giving online.

MCTI seeks participants
for summer institute

The Office of the Provost and the Provost’s Task Force on Multicultural Curriculum Transformation are pleased to announce NIU’s annual Multicultural Curriculum Transformation Institute to be held May 16 to May 20 at NIU.

Full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty, instructors, and Supportive Professional staff on renewable contracts are invited to apply and participate in this intensive institute, designed to assist faculty and staff in incorporating multicultural perspectives and content into their courses, enrich their curricula, and prepare students for a diverse workplace and society.

The deadline for applications is Feb. 1.

This summer’s institute will feature plenary addresses on curriculum transformation and presentations by invited scholars and NIU faculty, panel discussions, syllabi critique, video presentations, and small group activities on incorporating current scholarship relevant to race, gender, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation and disabilities into content as well as pedagogy.

Plenary sessions and some presentations will be open to all members of the university community but the small group sessions will be open only to award recipients to allow for in-depth interactions on transformation of their courses. The complete schedule will be available later this spring and will also be posted on the task force Web site at http://www3.niu.edu/mcti.

Instructional staff members interested in participating in the full institute are encouraged to apply for Multicultural Curriculum Transformation Awards. The individuals selected each will receive a $1,000 stipend to support specific curriculum transformation projects, such as developing new courses or revising existing courses to address multicultural issues. Faculty, Supportive Professional Staff and instructors on 12-month contracts cannot receive the $1,000 award. Limited funds are available for these awards.

For application information, or if you have questions regarding the institute, please contact Task Force Chair Amy Levin at 753-1038, e-mail mcti@niu.edu or check the task force Web site at http://www3.niu.edu/mcti.

Mortar Board looking
for members for 2005-06

Mortar Board National Senior Honor Society is looking for new members who are committed to scholarship, leadership and service to the university and community.

To be eligible for membership, students should represent the ideals of Mortar Board and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2. The Pleiades Chapter of Mortar Board at NIU is encouraging faculty and staff to mention this opportunity during class and while working individually with students who meet the requirements for membership

Applications and more information can be found on the chapter Web site at www.mortarboard.niu.edu. The application deadline for 2005-2006 is Feb. 17.

Alumni Association seeks
nominees for awards

The Alumni Association is seeking nominations for its 2005 Alumni Association Awards Program.

The program recognizes graduates who have achieved national, regional or statewide prominence either in their professional fields or through their involvement in civic, cultural, or charitable activities. The nomination deadline is Dec. 10, and all awards will be presented April 21, 2005.

Nomination forms are available online from www.myniu.com or by contacting the Alumni Association at alums@niu.edu or at 753-1452. -- MORE

--CLICK HERE