Miami University

2/16/09

Over 100 educators met at the Marcum Center Feb. 14 for the 9th annual Graduate Student Conference on Leadership, Culture, and Schooling, sponsored by the Department of Educational Leadership (EDL).

The theme of the conference, "Educational Leadership in the New Millennium: Merging Theory and Practice," attracted graduate student presenters from Ohio State University, Bowling Green University, Ohio University, Kent State University, University of Cincinnati, and Eastern Michigan University, as well as graduate and undergraduate students from the social gerontology, English, art, and psychology departments, the college student personnel master’s program in EDL, and a number of local school districts. Classroom teachers from the school leadership master’s program in EDL, a program for aspiring school principals, were also in attendance.

The entire conference was developed and presented by EDL doctoral and masters students, under the leadership of Brent Johnson, second-year doctoral student in Curriculum.

Funded by the Ohio Board of Regents grant project, “The initiative for Leadership, Culture and Schooling,” the conference is an annual forum that provides graduate students across the region the opportunity to present their research on issues of education, leadership, and social change.

The key note speaker, Dr. Carl Robinson, EDL Ph.D. ’04 , addressed the challenge of linking visionary intellectual and cultural theory with the immediate material and organizational needs of educational institutions.

Presenters in 31 sessions addressed a range of topics including the influence of gender and racial identity and youth culture in K-12 education, the socialization and intellectual development of graduate students, disability issues in schooling, African American faculty at community colleges, educational leadership in Appalachian schools, and the challenges facing first generation college students.

A number of cross cultural presentations focused on educational issues in China, Taiwan, and Kenya. One session, “Dear Dr. Zelman” was presented by students from an advanced data analysis class that analyzed Ohio Department of Education data to critique Ohio School Superintendent Zelman’s assertion about Ohio’s school achievement rates.

In a session on Critical Race Theory, three EDL doctoral students presented their research on challenges facing African American males in K-12 schools, and ways in which teachers can use Hip Hop music to better understand students. Faculty and students from the Scripps Center reported on the educational philosophy and practice of an art program for patients with dementia.

The conference ended with an afternoon reception, and early preparation for next year’s conference.