NC State Experts Can Discuss Back to School Topics

As students and teachers across the state head back to class this fall, experts with North Carolina State University’s College of Education can offer helpful information on a range of topics, from digital literacy and graduation rates to reading tips and college preparation advice.

Digital Literacy
Dr. Hiller Spires, education professor and fellow at NC State’s Friday Institute, says that today’s students need to be digitally literate, meaning that they’re able to create content and critically analyze information, not just surf the Web. This summer, she worked with teams of teachers in planning ways to help their students become digitally literate. Learn more about Spires’ ideas in the Friday Institute white paper “Digital Literacies and Learning: Designing a Path Forward.” She can be reached at 919/513-8501 or hiller_spires@ncsu.edu.

All About Accountability
Dr. Michael Maher, assistant dean for professional education and accreditation, can discuss how we measure results in education. He can analyze North Carolina’s latest graduation rates, released in the recent “ABCs of Education” report. He can also explain what will take the place of the Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) portion of No Child Left Behind, now that North Carolina has received an exemption from AYP that will provide more flexibility in measuring performance. He can be reached at 919/515-5524 or michael_maher@ncsu.edu.

Raising Readers
Dr. Angela Wiseman, reading specialist and assistant professor of elementary education, can offer ideas for encouraging children to read at home and helping them become lifelong readers. Wiseman, a former elementary school teacher and parent of three, can also talk about how families can ease the transition back to school and what teachers wish students and their families understood about school. She can be reached at 919/513-0920 or angela_wiseman@ncsu.edu.

College-Ready Kids
Mr. Braska Williams, director of the N.C. Mathematics and Science Education Network Pre-College Program, has tips for creating college-minded students, starting with campus visits and university camps in middle school. He can also discuss strategies to help high school students increase their chances of being accepted into a college of their choice, such as having a long-term plan for college-prep classes, taking standardized tests early and being more deeply involved in fewer extracurricular and volunteer activities. He can be reached at 919/513-8533 or braska_williams@ncsu.edu.

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