This past year, the Reich College of Education (RCOE) began an AppVisory Board with the goal being to co-construct learning experiences, assessments, and field experiences for pre-service educators in order to collaborate for a mutually beneficial relationship between the RCOE and P-12 educators.
Co-led by Dr. Betsy Rosenbalm, director of the Public School Partnership and regional director of the North Carolina New Teacher Support Program; Dr. Monica Lambert, associate dean of the RCOE; and Dr. Rebecca Coats, director of assessment and accreditation, the board consists of representatives from every level of education - professors and students from the RCOE as well as teachers and leaders from P-12 schools.
“The AppVisory Board gives voice to our partners and allows for our RCOE programs and decisions to be vetted through the lenses of many different educators at various stages of their career,” said Rosenbalm.
Participants have the opportunity to engage in activities such as providing feedback on our teacher education programs to respond to current trends and emerging legislative changes.
Dr. Christina Tschida, an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, sees value in the board.
“It is vital to maintain positive relationships with our partner schools and in particular the teachers who host our interns and student teachers,” said Tschida. “Without them, our field experiences would not exist. The better the relationships and work we do together, the more seamless the transition is for our students from course work to field experience.”
For alumni and Bethel School Principal Brian Bettis, he has had the opportunity to build new relationships with RCOE faculty, teacher leaders, and administrators in the area school districts.
“I have had conversations on ways that we can partner together with RCOE faculty for professional learning for teachers, to support interns, and to learn about best practices in teaching,” noted Bettis.
“As a student, I definitely see it as a wonderful networking opportunity as well as a glimpse into my own future as an educator and/or leader,” said Nadine Jallal, a sophomore English secondary education major. “I also get to see a perspective on my education that I would not normally see without the board.”
The current AppVisory Board members will continue in their roles on the board for the 2022-23 school year, and the group looks forward to continuing the work of collaboration for the benefit of all.
Appvisory group
