JIU's School of Education (SOE) shares the Higher Learning Commission’s commitment to student learning and teaching effectiveness.
As such, to become a member of the JIU School of Education faculty, a professor must:
- hold a terminal degree, be fully prepared and up to date in the academic area, and know what students must learn;
- have at least five years of relevant and tested experience in the field;
- know how to conduct research appropriate to the program and degree and be intellectually productive;
- be an accomplished teacher in the academic area, with a record of five or more years of successful teaching;
- seek and value the active participation of all students; and
- be fully involved in the ongoing development of the program’s curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development.
The JIU School of Education continues to grow quickly. Five new exceptional faculty members who meet these standards and who are excited to be part of this fascinating learning environment have joined our team. Please welcome these remarkable professors to the JIU family!
Dr. Elsa Gonzalez y Gonzalez: Dr. Gonzalez y Gonzalez’s professional interests include women leadership in higher education institutions; cross-cultural and cross-language qualitative research methodology; and international human resources in higher education administration. Dr. Gonzalez y Gonzalez is widely published in the higher education administration field. She earned her PhD in Education Administration and Human Resources from Texas A&M University and her MBA from the Autonomous National University of Mexico.
Dr. Renee Myers: Dr. Myers has been working in the education field since 1973. Her lifetime of achievement includes experience as a special education teacher, education consultant, coordinator of staff development and strategic planning, and university professor. Dr. Myers earned her EdD in Administration and Policy Studies in 1991 and her MEd in Special Education in 1973, both from the University of Pittsburgh. She serves as the university’s Student Teaching Coordinator and as the Associate Chairperson for:
- Elementary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
- Elementary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Teacher Licensure
- Secondary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
- Secondary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Teacher Licensure
Dr. Barbara Orr: Dr. Orr has been working in the adult education field since 1996. Her professional achievements include experience as a program director and grants administrator with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and as an international workforce specialist with Austin Community College. Dr. Orr earned her PhD in Education Administration in 2001 and her MEd in Adult Education/Organizational Learning in 1998, both from the University of Texas at Austin. She serves as the Associate Chairperson for:
- Corporate Training and Knowledge Management
- e-Learning Technology and Design
- Higher Education Leadership and Administration
- Adult Education
Dr. Betul Ozkan: Dr. Ozkan has been working in the education technology field since 1998. Her professional achievements include experience as a grants administrator, evaluation specialist, researcher, and professor. Dr. Ozkan is widely published in the education technology field. She earned her PhD in Curriculum and Instruction in 2001 and her MA in Curriculum and Instruction in 1997, both from Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey. She serves as the Associate Chairperson for:
- K-12 Instructional Technology
- K-12 Instructional Technology: Teacher Licensure
Dr. George Vollrath: Dr. Vollrath began his career in education as a physics and mathematics teacher in 1972. He has a lifetime of service to public schools, and has served as both a middle school and high school principal. In addition, Dr. Vollrath has served as a college professor for nine years. He earned his DEd in education administration in 1992 and his MEd in 1976, both from the University of Pittsburgh.
Note to Students: As always, most of your questions regarding your degree specializations will be answered by your Academic Services Counselor (Joslyn Radden at jradden@international.edu or Brad Ingram at bingram@international.edu). Joslyn and Brad will continue to help you prepare a course sequence degree plan that works for you.
However, from this time forward, you should work with your Associate Chairperson (Dr. Myers at rmyers@faculty.jiu.edu; Dr. Ozkan at bozkan@faculty.jiu.edu; Rosie Conner at rconner@faculty.jiu.edu; or Dr. Orr at barbaraorr@faculty.jiu.edu) regarding questions or concerns that Joslyn and Brad cannot help you resolve.
From Dr. Fulton: Please keep in touch with me on your progress and let me know if there is any way that I can be of service to you as you work to complete your degree in education at Jones International University. I am committed to your success and interested in learning additional ways to support JIU’s education students.
From the School of Education
The mission of the Jones International University School of Education is to develop successful and influential educators who are able to create innovative solutions to urgent education challenges. We know that graduates are dedicated to the growth and well-being of the learning organizations and communities that they serve and are prepared for their own life-long personal and professional growth.
There is no more important element to an educator’s professional growth than being an active member of a network of practicing professionals; some in the field refer to this network as a community of practice. Knowledge is not near enough to be successful in the education field; influential educators know how to build relationships with parents, community activists and political leaders, business leaders, media professionals, and, especially, other professional educators.
Currently, the School of Education’s professors are building into each course an opportunity for students to work directly with “sponsors” – leaders or leadership teams in the field – who have genuine needs for projects to be done on important education problems. Appropriate sponsors include school leaders (principals and building administrators), district leaders (superintendents and district administrators), chief learning officers in corporations, workplace managers, state legislators, state committees, professional associations, etc. Students work closely with their professors and sponsors to complete professional synthesizing projects that matter to their learning communities and, at the same time, students build relationships with education leaders in their communities.
Students: As you approach potential sponsors, you should regard these encounters as job interviews (because, in fact, they might be). Be sure to research the information that is available on the organization’s website and speak with any inside contacts that you have. You are attempting to be in service to the learning organization, so you should acquire any and all information that will be helpful in presenting your proposal to a potential sponsor. Most importantly, the focus of your introduction should be on what you can do for your sponsor, not vice-versa. You can be certain that whomever you contact, your offer will be rejected if it simply appears to add another task onto your sponsor's to-do list with no significant benefits to the sponsor.
Robert Fulton, PhD Academic Dean
