1 Using What we Know, Learning What we Need: A Community of Learners for Deaf Education May 1, 2008 State Leaders Summit – Great Falls, MT Harold Johnson/Professor Michigan State University

2 Current vs. Needed Community Current Reality: Community of Believers......based on an individual, experimental knowledge base Needed Reality: Community of Learners......based on a shared, empirically knowledge base

3 Transition: Why bother? Why bother going from the current community of believers, to a community of learners? Recognize, share and build upon the instructional knowledge of existing teachers. Establish collaborative, technologically facilitated instructional teams to address critical problems.

4 Facilitate the translation of research into practice and practice into research via efficient and effective interactions between researchers, parents and professionals. Ground the preparation of new teachers in both the realities and success of existing teachers, while simultaneously recruiting new teachers to your state. Establish an interactive “Knowledge Bank” of “What works” for the field of Deaf Education. Transition: Why bother?...

5 Transition: How to make it happen? How do we go from our current community of believers, to a community of learners? Three steps: 1. Stories of Success 2. Topical Teams 3. Researcher, Parent and Professional Interactions

6 Three steps: 1. Stories of Success Utilize undergraduate preservice teachers to interview and document existing teachers knowledge of what works 2. Topical Teams Utilize collaborative teams of “Master Teachers,” linked via technologies and supported by graduate preservice teachers, to develop empirically based responses to critical problems 3. Researcher, Parent, Professional Interactions JDSDE Author’s Corner Transition: How...?

7 Benefits? What would be the benefits of this transition effort? Establishment of an interactive, Web based, “Knowledge Bank” of “What Works” for the filed of Deaf Education Development of resources and local experts to provide “just in time,” vs. “just in case” professional development Enhancement of teacher preparation and the recruitment of deaf education teachers to your state Recognition for innovation, instructional expertise and educational leadership Collaborative network and pilot data that would provide the foundation for grant proposals.

8 Next Step I have used my ten minutes to share an idea that has the potential to dramatically enhance the field of Deaf Education. I am willing to use $10, of my existing research funds to pilot the idea. I need three to five states who would like to collaborate with me in this effort. States that are willing to invest time, funds and leadership to establish a community of learners. Please talk with me if you would like to learn more.

9 Harold A. Johnson, Professor Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Michigan State University/College of Ed Dept. of Counseling, Ed. Psy. & SPED 343A Erickson Hall East Lansing MI [v] [fax] [video phone] edhh_Harold_J [iVisit address] Contact Information