Tech's Tim Butler Served Our Country and Now Serves Shreveport Students

Picture retrieved from GOOGLE images

Mr. Tim Butler is a veteran of  Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.  After braving multiple tours in the US Navy, he is now leading and serving on a new front, inspiring students to learn more about the history of America and the wars and decisions that have shaped this nation.  Following his service, Butler returned home to care for his ailing father. Once home, he made the decision to utilize support from the GI bill to finish his degree through Louisiana Tech University's College of Education (COE) in secondary education. He currently serves at Woodlawn High School in Shreveport, LA.  We are proud of Mr. Butler's service to our nation and to his community, and are honored that he has chosen to pursue his Master's in Education through one our many teacher education programs at the College of Education.  Recent coverage by KTBS of Tim and his accomplishments can be viewed by clicking the link below.

http://www.ktbs.com/story/28709213/military-family-helped-navy-war-vet-help-his-family-launch-civilian-career

Summer Fun and Learning at SciTEC!

Thanks to the Ruston Fire Department, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Stennis Space Center, Ruston Daily Leader, and SouthParkway Dayschool for making week 1 of the SciTEC Summer Science Institute in the Louisiana Tech University College of Education a great success! Please email scitec@latech.edu or call 318-257-2866 to register for our upcoming sessions!

Click here to visit the Ruston Daily Leader to learn more about what is happening during the camp sessions.

FREE Summer Learning Extravaganza to be Hosted by COE Pre-service Educators!

Dr. Julie Holmes's Louisiana Tech University pre-service educators enrolled in the summer Classroom Management course will be hosting an "Anything Goes" Summer Learning Extravaganza June 17-18 in Ruston, LA, at the Presbyterian Church on Bonner Street. The event is FREE and open to kiddos who have just completed grades 1-6. To learn more, you can contact Dr. Holmes at jholmes@latech.edu or call 318-257-4773.Check out the flyer below!

"It's A Wrap! The First Year of Teaching for Two COE Alumnae!"

Two 2014 College of Education alumnae had much to celebrate on their last day of school at Lincoln Parish's Cypress Springs Elementary. Not only did they successfully complete their first year of teaching, they also received plaques for coaching the 3rd and 4th grade boys to a cross country state championship during the 2014-2015. Congratulations to Elementary Cross Country Coaches, (L-R) Mrs. Mary Kate (Hays) Cortez, 3rd grade teacher, and Miss Rachel Carson, 4th grade teacher.

Blog submitted by Dr. Amy M. Vessel

Blind Center Research to be Prominent in Developing International Standard

Hybrid Vehicle Being Calibrated

Throughout the world, the number of electric and hybrid electric vehicles is increasing at a steady rate. Electric drive vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and all-electric vehicles (EVs) traveling at low speeds are essentially silent. These very quiet vehicles present a hazard for pedestrians, including blind and visually impaired individuals.

As a result, the World Blind Union (WBU) in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is working with the United Nations to develop an international minimum sound standard for electric and hybrid electric vehicles. The standard would require electric and hybrid vehicles to be equipped with a sound generating device known as an: “Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS).”

On December 12, 2014, the United Nations posted a draft international regulation for the AVAS. The draft AVAS regulation includes a requirement that the device emit an overall sound level of 50 DBA when the vehicle is traveling at a speed of 10 KPH and 56 DBA when traveling at 20 KPH. The WBU/NFB is concerned that the minimum overall sound level requirements for the AVAS delineated in the draft regulation may be too low to insure the safety of blind and visually impaired pedestrians.

The Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness (PDRIB) at Louisiana Tech University is conducting human trials to determine if the set standards provide sufficient sound to be safe for pedestrians (including those who are blind). During the week of April 20-23, the PDRIB conducted trials with blind pedestrians and blindfolded adults. During these trials, vehicles with and without the AVAS standard traveled in front of these individuals and measures were captured to determine at what distance the new sound standard can be heard.

The results of the research conducted at Louisiana Tech University demonstrated that in fact, the sound being emitted by the AVAS system was too low to provide meaningful warning to pedestrians. The data demonstrated no significant difference in the time that pedestrians could hear the approaching sound of a “quiet” electronic vehicle and the approach of a quiet vehicle using the AVAS alert system. These data are quiet troubling, and suggest that the United Nations needs to do much more work before such a standard can be adopted.

All Electric Chevy Volt Being Tested

When contacted for comment, Dr. Fredric Schroeder, first vice president of the World Blind Union, stated that "the work of the PDRIB and its director Dr. Edward Bell is impressive and important with its current research regarding the quiet car issue being only the latest example of the difference he and the institute are making. He further stated that, "without the real-life testing of the alert device by Dr. Bell and his team, we would have no way of knowing whether the proposed technical committee standard will safeguard blind pedestrians or leave them subject to preventable accidents and injury. There are 258 million blind and visually impaired people in the world. Without the help of Dr. Bell and Louisiana Tech University, the independence of these individuals would be seriously limited. That means fewer jobs, less access to education, less participation in community life, all preventable."

During the week of May 11, 2015, Dr. Bell presented these findings to the United Nations committee in Seoul, South Korea to consider in making its determination on whether to accept this standard for all future electric and hybrid vehicles. Although the final outcome of that meeting is not yet known, the data collected here in Ruston, Louisiana during these human trials has played a significant role in  educating the United Nations and international automobile manufacturers as to the efficacy of the systems and standards they are proposing.

AVIS Delivery System

Dr. Bell stated that Louisiana Tech University is at the forefront in innovative research in the area of education and rehabilitation for the blind, and the work we are doing here will be used to make the world a safer place for blind (and sighted) pedestrians in the future. We are proud to represent Louisiana Tech University and are confident in the impact that our research will have on the United Nations and auto manufacturers as they seek to make vehicles that are both environmentally friendly and safe for pedestrians. 

AEP Student, Davis Glen Ellis, Qualifies for National MathCounts Competition

Davis Glen Ellis, an A.E. Phillips Laboratory School eighth-grader, is one of the four students who will represent Louisiana at the MathCounts National Competition in Boston, May 7-10. Jayaditya Deep of Northwestern State University Laboratory School, Neelambar Mondal and Suraj Zaveri of Haynes Academy in Metarie are also on the team that will represent Louisiana, according to the National MathCounts website. The team will be coached by Karen Impastato of Haynes Academy for the national competition.

The A.E.P. MathCounts team won second place during the state competition held in Pineville, La on March 27, 2015. This team included Davis Glen Ellis, David Griffin, Sarah Ann Hegab and Amanda Meng. Besides Davis Glen Ellis, Amanda Meng finished 12^th overall. They both qualified for the Count Down round. The other students competed individually were Graham DeForest and Nicholas Derosa.  The team was coached by Drs. Beth Hegab and Dave Meng.

MathCounts is a nonprofit organization “that strives to engage middle school students of all ability and interest levels in fun, challenging math programs, in order to expand their academic and professional opportunities,” states the national MathCounts website. The organization’s competition series has competitions that take place in over 500 local chapters. Students compete at the school, chapter, state and national level, according to the website.

Article written by Ashley Ellis and submitted by Beth Hegab.

A Little Something Extra for the COE from Lagniappe Ladies

Dr. Edward Bell, Director of the PDRIB Center in the College of Education

Louisiana Tech’s Lagniappe Ladies, "Louisiana Tech University's  ladies-only giving society," made the announcement May 11, "that it has made its grant selections for the 2014-15 academic year and has awarded 16 grants totaling $74,190.96," according to an email from Mrs. Jennifer Riley. Of the 16 awarded projects, three were selected from the College of Education. Project awardees, titles and amounts are listed below.

      Dr. Libby Manning, Dr. Carrice Cummins, Dr. Kimberly Kimbell-Lopez, Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Leadership

Project:  Stock the Louisiana Tech model classrooms in Lincoln Parish elementary schools with content-related hands-on teaching materials

Grant Award:  $4,960.49

Dr. Edward Bell, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness

Project:  Six Perkins Braillewriters

Grant Award:  $4,989.36

Dr. Lanie Dornier, Department of Kinesiology

Project:  Renovate the foyer area of Scotty Robertson Memorial Gymnasium to a study area for students

Grant Award:  $5,000.00

Congratulations to each awardee for your selection and you hard work! Thanks for all you do for the COE and our students!