cgs newsletter: april 2015
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
The Center for Graduate Studies asks for
your presence at the inauguration of Dr.
Kristin G Esterburg.
When: Friday, April 24th, 2015
11:30 a.m.: Installation Ceremony
Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall
1 pm: Installation Reception
Performing Arts Center Lobby
3 to 9 pm: Lougheed-Kofoed (LoKo)
Festival of the Arts Performances
Campus wide events, include, but not
limited to:
Latin ensemble Performance
Poetry Reading: Martin Espada
Student One-Act Plays
Chinese Children's Theatre: "Amazing
Adventures of the Marvelous Monkey
King"
9 pm: Evening Dessert Party &
Fireworks
Knowles Hall Multipurpose Room
For more information visit: http://
www.potsdam.edu/about/administration/
president/inauguration/
The Center for Graduate Studies is very proud of the faculty and students of the Potsdam campus. We continue to work towards creating the best graduate experience as we hope to bring the best out of each of you everyday. Know that we are a team and as always, feel free to stop by our office for any information, guidance or just to say “Hey”.
In this issue we will be providing information about upcoming events, highlighting the Advanced Certificate in Inclusive and Special Education, share spotlights of two graduate students, and share some fun April Fools Trivia.
We are pleased to announce Graduate Assistantships and Graduate Advantage Program job openings for the Fall 2015 academic year as well as a call for nominations for The Excellence in Academic Scholarship and Meritorious Graduate Student Award. Information for both is available inside the issue. Know someone thinking about graduate school? Clip the application fee waiver in the back and give it to them! It’s like giving your friend $50!
We are here for you throughout your continued grad experience and hope that many of these quotes continue to inspire in bringing your best effort everyday!
Best,
Center for Graduate Studies Team
Inside This Issue
Upcoming Events P.2 Program Highlight P.4
Graduate Information P.5 Student Spotlight P.6
Inspirational Quotes P.10 April Fools’ Trivia P.11
Presidential Inauguration
Graduate Studies Connections A Newsletter from the Center for Graduate Studies
April 2015 | Spring 2015
The Center for Graduate Studies, SUNY Potsdam faculty, staff & students participating in
the Teaching Bad Apples Game on March 18th
Calendar of Events/Important Dates
Academic Calendar or Deadlines
“Bear-A-Bilities” (Professional Dev.)
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 28 30
April 2015
All professional development details
and registration info, including time
and location, in greater
detail on our website at:
www.potsdam.edu/graduate
April 3rd: Last Day to Withdraw from a
Class or Elect the S/U Grading Option
April 4th-7th: April Recess
April 8th: Classes Resume
April 18th: Earth Day Cleanup
April 20th: Lunchtime Roundtable:
Preparing for Teacher Certification Exam
May 8th: Last Day of Classes
May 9th-10th: Academic Preparation
May 11th-15th: Final Examinations
May 16th: Undergraduate Honors Con-
vocation
May 16th: SUNY Potsdam Master's Com-
mencement
May 17th: SUNY Potsdam Bachelor’s
Commencement
May 20th: Final Grades Due
May 21st-June 25th: Summer Session 1
May 21st-June 8th: Summer Session 1A
June 10th-June 25th: Summer Session 1B
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
May2015
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 28 30
June 2015
April Recess
Final Examinations
Career Planning is Here to Help!
Career Planning offers many programs to help students prepare for life during and after college.
This semester, Career Planning is currently holding dates for career/major explorations, resume building,
and job search workshops. Workshops will be held in 206 Sisson Hall. Make sure to register for the
workshops at [email protected] or by calling 267-2344. The dates and times of the events are below.
After attending a workshop, be sure to meet with a professional staff member to continue your
exploration or resume building!
Resume Workshop
Date Time
Tuesday, Apr. 28 11:00
Friday, May 1 1:00
Monday, May 4 2:00
Thursday, May 7 3:00
Career/Major Exploration
Date Time
Wednesday, Apr. 29 10:00
Friday, May 8 3:00
Job Search
Date Time
Tuesday, Apr. 28 2:00
Monday, May 4 1:00
The Advanced Certificate in Inclusive and Special Education is designed to provide a
sequenced program of study that complements the knowledge, competencies, and
dispositions of certified and experienced teachers in effectively addressing the needs of
students with mild to moderate disabilities in primarily inclusive settings.
This certificate will provide the classroom teacher with more knowledge and clinical
experience with which to create an inclusive classroom that incorporates the essential
principles of Universal Design for Learning. Completing the Advanced Certificate will provide
currently practicing teachers with a deeper understanding of the range and characteristics of
learning disabilities and tools with which to differentiate learning in the classroom.
Additionally, upon completing the program, students may be able to apply for an additional
classroom-teaching certificate in Students with Disabilities at the grade level consistent with
their initial classroom-teaching certificate. Note that obtaining certification takes place after
the completion of this program, and is something the student must complete individually.
SUNY Potsdam does not recommend for certification as typical with other graduate degree
programs.
Learn more at:
www.potsdam.edu/
academics/SOEPS/education/
departments/special/
advanced/index.cfm
Program Highlight!
GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS / GRADUATE ADVANTAGE PROGRAM
The Center for Graduate Studies is pleased to announce the following Graduate Assistantships and Graduate
Advantage Program job openings for the Fall 2015 academic year. All positions will include full/partial
tuition and some may also include a stipend:
Accommodative Services
Career Planning Office
Center for Graduate Studies
Center for Student Research
College Writing Center
Community Health
Crumb Library
English & Communication Department
Experiential Education
International Education & Programs
Mathematics Department
Rebecca V. Sheard Literacy Center
Taskstream, (deadline to apply, April 17th)
Tutoring Office
Watertown Extension Center
Information is available on BearTracker, http://www.potsdam.edu/offices/career/beartracker.cfm and all
applications are posted outside, and submitted to: The Center for Graduate Studies, 238 Satterlee Hall. The
deadline to apply is June 30, 2015 unless noted. If anyone has any questions, please contact Annie
Butterfield, Center for Graduate Studies at 315-267-2165 or [email protected].
To all Graduate Stakeholders:
Nominations are being sought for:
The Excellence in Academic Scholarship is designed to recognize outstanding student pursuit in academics
and/or research. Nominees should have noteworthy evidence of scholarly contribution to their program
and respective field.
The Meritorious Graduate Student recognizes those who have shown leadership and/or engagement within
the graduate community through either academic or non-academic activities. Nominees should have
noteworthy participation and contribution to the improvement of the graduate student experience.
If you wish to nominate a deserving student (or students), please forward your nomination(s) with a short
statement for each nomination, highlighting why you believe this student should be selected (with
examples), in a sealed envelope and returned to Annie Butterfield, Satterlee Hall 238, no later than
Wednesday, April 22, 2014. You may also email your nominations to the Center for Graduate Studies to
Graduate Information
Born in Brooklyn, NY, Michael attended his hometown of Saratoga
Springs High School in Saratoga Springs, NY. Michael is in his first year,
second semester of the MSEd Educational Technology Specialist
Program. He is also a member of the ROTC program. Here is an
interview with Michael as we discussed how he balances the tough
demands of ROTC with his grad experience.
1. Why did you decide to attend SUNY Potsdam as an undergrad?
The decision was heavily based on ROTC availability. After researching
programs around the state my current situation brought me here to the
North Country.
2. When did you decide ROTC was for you?
I decided ROTC was something I wanted to participate in after receiving advice from a Captain (CPT) out
in Pittsfield, MA.
3. How is your grad experience so far?
I’m in the MSEd Educational Technology Specialist Program. I started the program in September 2014.
I’m working relentlessly this upcoming summer to finish requirements for the program. The
acceleration is due to the fact that I will be attending Signal Basic Officer Leaders Course (BOLC) in
October 2015 and won’t complete training until March 2016 which makes me ineligible to attend
classes for the school year 2015-2016.
4. Why did you choose this grad program?
I chose Educational Technology Specialist over Information and Communication Technology because of
the flexibility in the Ed Tech program when it comes to class scheduling. After speaking with professors
from both programs they pointed me towards the Ed Tech program.
5. How have you been able to balance the demands of ROTC and grad school?
Getting to where I want to go in life continues to drive me to complete goals that I approach. ROTC
keeps me mentally and physically ready to take on assignments from my courses as they come along.
Everyone in ROTC is a student first. That perspective helps me prioritize.
6. Do you have any advice/recommendations for students who have to balance other priorities and
graduate school?
Fulfill other priorities as you may. Go to your grad courses with your work completed and the will to
participate and add to the class discussion. Create a positive environment and proper rapport with your
classmates. By all means put your profession first.
Meet Michael Vaughn!
How has your graduate school experience been?
My experience as a graduate student at SUNY Potsdam has been great. When I graduated
with my undergraduate degree in math education from here, I knew that I would need to get
a Master’s within five years in order to be a teacher in a K -12 New York state school.
However, at that time I had no idea what I wanted to get a Masters in, and on top of that I
knew that there wasn’t exactly a surplus of teaching jobs. So, I found out about the
Educational Technology Program, talked with Dr. Betrus about the program, and from that
point on was hooked. It has been the perfect program for me, as the program itself has a lot
of offer. Throughout my graduate schooling, I have been able to do research on ideas which
interest me, as well as partake in some awesome experiences, such as being a co-creator of
the game Teaching Bad Apples, and attending the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)
conference in Jacksonville, Florida. The creation of Teaching Bad Apples, has definitely been one of the highlights of
attending grad school here at Potsdam. We have great faculty members in our program, which have supported my
interests and aspirations, and have greatly shaped my experience at SUNY Potsdam as a whole. Before I entered the Ed
Tech program I was unsure about my future career path, but now that I am nearing completion, I not only have a set path,
but also goals along the way which I hope to accomplish.
How has it helped you in your preparation for Penn State?
I believe the Educational Technology program has greatly prepared me for the work that I am about to embark on at Penn
State University. Due to the design of the courses in our program, along with the options I have had to choose from, I have
received a diverse range of educational experiences. I have been able to conduct qualitative and quantitative research,
prepare a mock program evaluation, intern as an Ed Tech with St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, design and create my own apps,
learn HTML and do some web designing, and carry out a substantial amount of instructional design.
What factored into your decision in choosing Penn State?
There were a couple of things that factored into my decision in choosing Penn State. First was that I will be working with
an incredibly experienced advisor (Dr. Alison Carr-Chellman), conducting research interests which are similar to mine.
Secondly, the fact that I will be receiving funding is a huge benefit, as going into a large amount of debt to further my
education would be a bit daunting. Although even if I would have not received full funding, it would have been hard to
turn down the opportunity to not only attend a great university, but work with someone that is doing some ground
breaking research in our field.
Do you have any advice/recommendations for student looking to pursue their Ph.D.?
Start your school search early, and have a plan. Get ideas on universities from faculty members in your program.
Communicate with your current faculty members about your goals and plans. This is extremely important, not only
because they will be able to give you ideas on where to apply to, but will most likely have connections at these other
universities as well. Attempt to communicate somehow with the person(s) you are interested in working with. This really
benefitted me, as I was able to meet both students and faculty from Penn State, and then they invited me for a visit to the
school. Don’t use the same Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement for each school you apply to. Shape each statement
to the individual school. Basically, communication is key. Talk with your current professors, and attempt to communicate
with possible future professors. Also, understand what each university you are applying to will need from you. Different
schools require different application materials, so “know” the school you are applying to – meaning get information from
the school (navigate their website, ask current students about the school, read the research interests of current faculty
members, etc.) – and lastly, partake in experiences beneficial to you (do a research study that interests you, work with
others that have the same future plans as you, etc.), do whatever you need to do to put yourself in a place which makes
you interesting to the prospective schools of your choice.
Congratulations Nate Turcotte!
Teaching Bad Apples, originally named Teach Me To Teach began as basic card game created for both pre-service and in-
service teachers. Teaching Bad Apples was created using the frame provided from games such as Apples to Apples and
Cards Against Humanity.
In the first version of Teaching Bad Apples, we created a game with “content cards” which were teaching oriented, and
“method cards” which solved how to teach the given content. Unfortunately this idea led to the content cards tending to
be plain and generic, with method cards following similarly.
Fortunately, at one of the early play through sessions, we happened to have some experienced teachers participating. The
feedback and insight from these participants was both helpful and supportive, with the general consensus being: “get rid
of the boring cards, and keep the fun cards.” Her advice was simple, but profound, and dramatically changed the game.
This allowed for the creative juices to get flowing as we began to come up with new ridiculous cards. However, as we took
on this new direction, we found that instead of creating content and method cards, we were creating situation and
response cards.
We believed that if we were going to have outrageous situations for teachers to react to, it was important that they at
least be authentic outrageous situations. So we began the task of finding offbeat situations through multiple channels,
including crowdsourcing, online teacher forums, social media, and personal contacts. As far as responses go, this is where
we explored what might be called our “Heart of Darkness.” That is, we came up with the things that teachers might think
about doing, but would never really do…or at least hoped nobody would do!
What emerged was an instructional process of exploring what not to do, thereby breaking the ice and creating a safe
environment to reflect about what actually could or should be done. Essentially we found that the game was teaching by
counterexample, and as more and more play testing occurred, we found that this approach not only was extremely fun,
but it really worked. After every hand both the prospective and current teachers were revealing insights as to how they
would have dealt with the situation if they were presented with it, and in some cases how they actually dealt with a
similar situation.
So far, some School of Education faculty at SUNY Potsdam have adopted the game for use in their classes, and we hope to
spread the word to Education faculty in other Universities. We feel that this is also useful for current practicing teachers
as potential professional development, or at least a good cathartic release in the break room or after hours. As there
seems to be a never ending supply of situations teachers can find themselves in, we have continued the developmental
process in order to create an expansion pack. In addition to our game, we have found that our game can be used as a
frame for others to create their own game to address issues across the curriculum, as well as issues outside the K -12
classroom. If you are interested, both the Literacy Center and the Center for Graduate Studies have copies you can play. If
you would like a copy go to “The Game Crafter,”: https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/teaching-bad-apples
Teaching Bad Apples: A Game for Current and
Future Teachers
In dealing with constant incremental changes to the field of education, it’s
easy to forget to take the time to recognize when major shifts have occurred.
In the last few years, education in the United States has seen many changes,
and it seems there are many more to come. A promising area of improvement
in schools has been the increased emphasis on Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), the purpose of which is to increase
student engagement in these particular subjects by various innovative
methods. This STEM movement can be a major change for most schools, and
with change comes cost. We are about to enter the fourth year of our partnership with the non-profit National Education
Foundation (NEF), where we help facilitate the introduction of STEM Academies in schools around the country.
Our partnership began when the NEF’s founder, Dr. Appu Kuttan, reached out to our Educational Technology department
at SUNY Potsdam in search of a instructional support team to assist in implementing STEM Academies in school systems
around the country. Working closely with several educational software and content distributors, Dr. Kuttan and our SUNY
Potsdam team have overseen the use of STEM resources with good success. The number of schools we have served has
improved steadily, from 22 schools in 2013-2014, to 24 schools in 2014-2015.
Given the ever evolving education system, overseeing such an endeavor is a dynamic process. We work with each school
individually to identify appropriate goals, as each has different levels of technology available to work with and needs
different types of support. This past year, Dr. Anthony Betrus, Marshall Hughes (SUNY Potsdam M.S. Ed. 2012) and Steve
Canning (SUNY Potsdam M.S. Ed. 2010) worked to create a dynamic system that facilitates setting up and maintaining NEF
STEM Academies in each of our schools. We track student progress, troubleshoot technology issues, and provide
motivational tools to reward student and staff growth. This dynamic system is intended to facilitate scaling our services to
additional schools starting in 2015-2016.
The primary tool at that we use in our academies is SuccessMaker, an individualized digital tutor that assists students with
Reading and Math skills. Utilizing state-of-the-art learning analytics and algorithms, SuccessMaker serves as an adaptive
learning tool to provide the foundational skills needed for extending STEM activities. The software is designed to
constantly adapt to student input, creating a personalized experience for each student with a personalized blend of
learning exercises, tutorials, and material review. On its backend, teachers are able to pull detailed reports on student
progress; missed concepts are flagged, improvements are measured, and time spent versus academic gains achieved can
be assessed. A teacher even has the ability to create specific, personalized lessons for students that cover additional or
remedial material as needed. At every level, exercises and lessons are all tuned to each state’s curriculum standards. Once
progress and growth has been established, we then open up our STEM activities to students. This year we were able to
secure a new partnership with MinecraftEDU, allowing us to leverage STEM learning in Minecraft, the most popular game
on the planet.
Another tool of note is our Digital Literacy Course, which was developed with the efforts of alumni and students of our
Graduate Program. Delivered using Moodle and YouTube, it includes 25 videos, formative and summative evaluation, and
supporting documentation that provide a core foundational skill set for using computers comfortably and effectively. The
content is aligned to the Internet and Computing Core Certification standards (IC3). We recently finished our second
iteration of the course, updating some of the content to changes in the standards, along with upgrading the overall quality
of the videos. We look for many more years of cooperation with the National Education Foundation, allowing us to
improve and enhance student learning around the country. Visit academies.cyberlearning.org to view more information
about our STEM academy program.
Educational Technology Graduate Program Continues Partnership
with National Education Foundation to Support STEM Academies
Nationwide
Spring Renewal: 15 Inspirational Quotes Every
Graduate Student Should Know
1. “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” – Albert Einstein
2. “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” – Helen Hayes
3. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
4. “There is no substitute for hard work.” – Thomas Edison
5. “A journey to a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
6. “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” – Margaret Fuller
7. “Always desire to learn something useful.” – Sophocles
8. “Wake up every morning with the thought that something wonderful is about to happen. “ -
Anonymous
9. “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” - Anonymous
10. “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” – Albert Einstein
11. “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that
were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas
Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.
12. “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.
If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” – Nora Roberts
13. “Just know, when you truly want success, you’ll never give up on it. No matter how bad the
situation may get.” - Anonymous
14. “Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” -
Joshua J. Marine
15. “Life has two rules: #1 Never quit #2 Always remember rule # 1.” - Anonymous
April Fools’ TRIVIA
**Is it real or not? One of these stories is and we are leaving it up to you to
decide. First person to post the story you think is the correct one to our
Facebook page wins a prize! Post and like our page at facebook.com/
CGSPotsdam
Apple announced that it would be offering a left-handed version of IPhone 6.
Designed with a reversed keypad layout, the Multi-Touch display is switched
from right to left instead of standard left to right. This simple but clever design
makes dialing, texting and menu navigation quicker and easier for anyone left-
handed.
Pizza Hut introduced Pepperoni Pilsner Beer, aka Pizza Beer. Brewed with
pepperoni, Italian herbs, tomatoes, as well as hops and barley.
Australian shoe maker Miz Mooz introduced the "selfie
shoe" — the convenience of a selfie stick without the
inconvenience of having to carry a stick. The shoe
allows you to be hands free. All you need to do is insert
your phone into the port, raise it to the perfect angle
and click the internal button with the tap of your toe.
Now California-based tech Hendo is introducing the world's first REAL
hoverboard and hover developer kit. The hoverboard had been a pipe dream
since its fictional debut in 1889’s Back to the Future Part II. It can float an inch
or so above the ground with a battery life of about 15 minutes.
Have you always wished you could smell like a warm, tasty burger? Thanks to
Burger King Japan’s new Whopper-scented fragrance, that can now be a reality.
Burger King Japan announced that for they're selling Burger King flame-grill
scented perfume.
Your Name:
Friend/Colleague:
Refer a friend/colleague to application program, turn this card in with your application and you will not be charged the $50 application fee.
https://secure.potsdam.edu/graduate/
Your Name:
Friend/Colleague:
Refer a friend/colleague to application program, turn this card in with your application and you will not be charged the $50 application fee.
https://secure.potsdam.edu/graduate/
Your Name:
Friend/Colleague:
Refer a friend/colleague to application program, turn this card in with your application and you will not be charged the $50 application fee.
https://secure.potsdam.edu/graduate/
“Refer-A-Friend” Coupon
Satterlee Hall Suite 238
44 Pierrepont Ave.
Potsdam, NY 13676
315.267.2165 (ph)
315.267.4802 (fax)
[email protected] (em)
CENTER FOR GRADUATE STUDIES
CGSPotsdam
@sunypotsdamgrad
CGSPotsdam
Center for Graduate Studies @ SUNY Potsdam
Office Hours
Monday—Thursday: 8:00AM—5:00PM
Friday: 8:00AM—4:30PM
https://thegraduatestudiesadvocate.wordpress.com/