The Fight to Build Mutual Understanding
June 23, 2011
The College of Education collaborates with the Rehabilitation Council of India to benefit special education programs.
Griffin-Shirley is committed to carrying on the Fulbright Program mssion to build upon mutual understanding.
A partnership between Texas Tech’s College of Education and the Rehabilitation Council of India hopes to advance the development of both entities, especially in academic programs and research activities in certain fields.
Texas Tech’s Virginia Murray Sowell Center for Research and Education in Sensory Disabilities will host three individuals from India from June 24-July 1, to celebrate the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the council and the university.
The formal ceremony is at 10 a.m. June 27 in room 104 of the Administration Building. Provost Bob Smith and Ambassador Tibor Nagy, the director of the Office of International Affairs; Nora Griffin-Shirley, the director of the Sowell Center; and Scott Ridley, dean of the College of Education, will participate in the signing.
“This agreement builds on the Fulbright experience I had in 2009 in India,” Griffin-Shirley said. “Returning to Texas Tech with a commitment to carry on the mission of the Fulbright Program to increase mutual understanding, this MOU offers the opportunity for both TTU and Indian faculty and students to engage in research to benefit individuals with disabilities, specifically those with blindness and additional disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder.”
The Indian delegation includes: J. P. Singh,member secretary, Rehabilitation Council of India; Hemlata Chari, deputy director, National Center for Disability Studies, Indira Gandhi National Open University; and S. R. Mittal, Department of Education, Central Institute of Education, Delhi University. Mittal himself is blind and was the former director of the National Institute of the Visually Handicapped.
“This visit will enable us to share the best practices in India and U.S. and get mutual benefit for the programs in special education,” Chari said. “If possible we will look forward to develop a collaborative program of short duration for the professionals of both the countries.”
The agreement includes provisions for the institution and council to exchange information, faculty and students in both academic and research programs, as well as to formulate specific action agreements to assist in creating and operating academic and research programs. The partners also agree to explore ways to finance joint projects through special government and other funding sources.
The visit also includes a seminar hosted by the Sowell Center from 2 -5 p.m. June 30 in Room 001 in the College of Education. Topics of discussion are Education and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, including those with Blindness in India, and Preparation of Special Educators in India through Distance Education. A reception will follow. Community members are welcome to attend and there is no charge.
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College of Education
The College of Education at Texas Tech University offers a full range of programs, including 9 doctoral degrees, 10 master's degrees, two bachelor's degrees and numerous specializations which can lead to careers in public or private education as teachers, professors, administrators, counselors and diagnosticians.
Programs in the college are housed in three departments.
The Department of Curriculum & Instruction offers advanced degrees that prepare leaders, researchers, and professors with the knowledge, skills, and practical application experience needed to analyze, construct, and evaluate curricula in ways that create optimal learning conditions for all learners. Language and literacy, bilingual education and STEM education are just a few of the specializations offered by C&I.
The Department of Educational Psychology & Leadership consists of a diverse group of academic programs that equip students with a comprehensive knowledge of learning, motivation, development, and educational foundations. The disciplines of counseling and school psychology are housed within the EP&L department as are programs to prepare future college administrators, primary and secondary school and district leaders, as well as practical and academic educational psychologists.
The Department of Teacher Education focuses solely on teacher preparation, ensuring that teacher candidates are ready for the classroom on day one. The Teacher Education Department is home to TechTeach, an innovative teacher preparation program that puts teacher candidates into public school classrooms for a full year and requires that students pass teacher certification tests prior to entering the classroom. Various paths to teaching careers, including fast-track distance programs statewide and alternative certification options, are also housed in this department.
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