|
Source: Amanda Morales, 785-532-7737, morales@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Rosie Hoefling, 785-532-2535, media@k-state.edu
Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010
PROGRAM HELPING LATINA, LATINO STUDENTS EARN TEACHING DEGREES IS HONORED
MANHATTAN -- A Kansas State University 2+2 program created for nontraditional Latino and Latina students who want to teach in southwest Kansas has received the 2010 Outstanding Service to Underserved Populations Award from the Association for Continuing Higher 1xbet best casino website .
The award was presented at the association's recent annual conference in Albuquerque, N.M.
AccessUS was created by K-State's College of 1xbet best casino website , College of Arts and Sciences and the Division of Continuing 1xbet best casino website in partnership with three school districts -- Dodge City, Garden City and Ulysses -- and three community colleges -- Dodge City Community College, Garden City Community College and Seward County Community College.
&1xbet best casino website ;The purpose of AccessUS was to fill two needs: the need for highly qualified teachers willing to work in southwest Kansas, and more specifically, the need for bilingual teachers to work with the increasingly diverse student population in the region,&1xbet best casino website ; said Amanda Morales, on-campus coordinator for AccessUS and program assistant in the department of curriculum and instruction.
The program primarily recruited bilingual Latina students working as paraprofessionals in schools in diverse southwest Kansas communities. Since the students already lived in these communities, Morales said it was more likely they would want to stay and teach there after earning their degrees.
Morales and Gayla Lohfink, on-site program coordinator for the College of 1xbet best casino website , helped organize partnerships with several community colleges in southwest Kansas to fulfill the students' general 1xbet best casino website requirements. Partnership colleges included Dodge City Community College, Garden City Community College and Seward County Community College.
The upper-level 1xbet best casino website courses were taught by K-State faculty. Course delivery was through a variety of distance 1xbet best casino website methods, including teleconferencing, DVDs and more.
&1xbet best casino website ;We took the courses that we already offer on campus and developed hybrid versions of them,&1xbet best casino website ; Morales said. &1xbet best casino website ;We modified the courses for delivery to the students in southwest Kansas, but still kept the same course quality and rigor, which isn’t always the easiest thing.&1xbet best casino website ;
In addition to course instruction, the department of curriculum and instruction and the Division of Continuing 1xbet best casino website also provided students with advising assistance, tutoring, scholarships and stipends for books and resource materials.
Funding for the program was provided by a U.S. Department of 1xbet best casino website Equity and Access Grant to K-State's College of 1xbet best casino website and funds from the Kansas Legislature.
Morales attributes the success of the program to accommodating the special needs of diverse, nontraditional students, including being flexible with their busy schedules and providing financial assistance whenever possible.
&1xbet best casino website ;I think it's a good example or testament to what can be accomplished when you're willing to collaborate for the good of students,&1xbet best casino website ; she said. &1xbet best casino website ;It involved identifying a need and then everybody working toward fulfilling or addressing that need.&1xbet best casino website ;