PSU Magazine Winter 1988

Helping urban students succeed Ways of helping "at risk" students suc– ceed in urban , inner-city schools is receiving systematic study through C.U.R.E., the new Center for Urban Research in Education headquartered at PSU. Gary Nave, Ph .D. , the center's new director, says that rather than concentrating on failures in today's urban schools, C.U.R.E . researchers are finding out "what works," eventually offering their findings to other Oregon school districts to help improve education across the state. The research center was developed and is now managed by both PSU and Portland Public Schools. Begun in July 1987 with an initial bien– nial budget of half a million dollars in state funds, the center is currently con– ducting research on such inter- related topics as : observing prominent changes during the transformation of unsuccessful inner-city students into successful ones; finding qualities in common between suc– cessful teachers of now- successful "at risk" students ; and examining ways to bet– ter shape mathematics instruction to match the visual learning needs of minority students. "The challenge for a center like our own is that many student problems are broader than four walls of a school," says ·Nave. "While we attempt to focus on school instruction , nevertheless we are try– ing to be aware that the successes which students have are impacted heavil y by fac– tors outside the school." Literature collection new at PSU Nearly every British book ever printed in English from the years 1475 through 1700 is now available on microfilm in the Branford Price Millar Library at PSU. The library has been designated an " Early English Books Research Center" and is "one of only a select group of in- PSU 4 stitutions in No rth America with this fine resource," according to Uni versity Microfilms International , the Ann Arbo r, Mich. , firm that microfilmed the extensive collections of several cooperating libraries located on two continents. The new British literature collection will help meet the research needs of ad– vanced degree candidates studying at Portland State. . "'. . ., •· ..... ·:- .•_; . _., .• • I •. ·· ..... ~ DAVID ROSE Designs for spring The studios of San Francisco graphic artists and des igners will be the classroom for a PSU Summer Sess ion program planned fo r spring break - March 21-25. Po rtland graphic designer David Rose ('85 BS), will direct the class as it visits with San Francisco graphic design profes– sionals. The program is designed for students, alumni and others interested in the arts and graphic design. The $595 cost (subject to change) in– cludes round- trip airfa re from Portl and , double occupancy lodging, transportation costs as required for the program, and air– port transfers in San Francisco. For enroll– ment details contact Nancy Goldman, PSU Summer Session, P.O. Box 751 , Portland, OR 97207, (503) 464- 4081. Education degree to change How PSU teaches it teachers is chang– ing. A new curriculum is on the chalkboard in the School of Education fo r when the state mandated "fifth- year pro– gram" takes effect Fall 1990. The four- year, undergraduate education degree now offered will be discontinued and beginning in the fall of 1990, ap– plicants to the school must earn an undergraduate degree in another discipline before entering a new one-year certifica– tion program in the School of Education. The Oregon leg islature has mandated this state-wide change in teacher education. "This is more than an additional year," says Robert B. Everhart , dean of PSU 's School of Education. "What we hope to see is teachers better prepared in their subject area and better able to concentrate upon their educational courses during their post-baccalaureate days." The school will make sweeping cur– riculum changes fo r the fi fth-year pro– gram . "We are sc rapping the old program and starting over," says Everhart . The school will offer new models fo r teaching in the classroom and practice those methods during the teacher's instruction. "We have a real sense of opportunity here," says Everhart. Beginning January I, 1989 the School of Education is opening an adv ising center fo r applicants. For more information call the school at 464- 4621. Walk away award PSU 's Summer Session won the Creative Programming Award from the Western Association of Summer Sess ion Administrators for " Portland Profil e," a lecture series and walking tour on the ar– chitecture and history of Portland held in August.