Lycoming College News

Education students receive honor

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Four Lycoming College students and future teachers received a Recognition of Excellence from the Educational Testing Service. The recognition honors students who earned a high score on selected Praxis teaching examinations. The students, all seniors seeking certification in secondary education, are as follows:

Kristen Collins, a biology major from Nazareth, Pa.

Christopher Dougherty, a mathematics major from Muncy, Pa.

John VanKirk, a political science major from Muncy, Pa.

Eric Smithgall, a mathematics major from South Williamsport, Pa.

The future educators achieved results equivalent to the scaled score earned by approximately the top 15 percent of candidates who took the test in previous years.

“The education department is proud of the hard work and effort put forth by the students and faculty at Lycoming College,” says Dr. Amy Rogers, chair and assistant professor of education at Lycoming. “The collaboration between the content area disciplines and the education department reinforces our belief that allowing students to major in a content area and receive teacher certification produces exemplary candidates.”

Lycoming College is a national liberal arts and sciences school dedicated to the undergraduate education of 1,400 students. It is recognized as a Tier 1 institution by U.S. News and World Report. Founded in 1812 in Williamsport, Pa., Lycoming is one of the 50 oldest colleges in the nation.

Pictured left to right are Collins, VanKirk and Smithgall

Students to observe and teach in area schools

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa., – Thirty-seven future teachers from Lycoming College are having their first taste of life in front of the classroom as student-teachers in area schools this spring. Their assignments are as follows:

Stevens Elementary School

Molly McCabe of Kulpmont, Pa., with Gail Weaver

BJ Springman of Trout Run, Pa., with Cathi Hanner and Chris Caputo

Tim Bachman of Jersey Shore, Pa., with Georgia Grove

Hepburn-Lycoming Elementary

Amanda Fratzola of Factoryville, Pa., with Cathy Burger

Justin Gonzalez of Cogan Station, Pa., with Tracy Haupt

Zane Pardoe of Williamsport, Pa., with Nick Kelley

Cochran Elementary School

Kathryn Walker of Red Lion, Pa., with Erin Brouse

Jackson Elementary School

Amber Davis of Philadelphia, Pa., with Jill Robbins

Salladasburg Elementary School

Kristen Forgotch of Jonestown, Pa., with Lorre Robinson

Lyter Elementary School

Tim Hobbs of Williamsport, Pa., with Marc Haas

Central Elementary School

Courtney Brewer of South Williamsport, Pa., with Anita Leahy

Sheridan Elementary School

Jacob Niederhaus of Souderton, Pa., with Elaine Eck

Jersey Shore Middle School

Adam Paulhamus of Watsontown, Pa., with Frank Girardi, Jr.

Loyalsock Valley Elementary School

Kaileigh Stgerwalt of Bloomsburg, Pa., with Jennifer Rearick

Round Hills Elementary School

Melanie Shutt of Montoursville, Pa., with Rhonda Getchen

Williamsport Area High School

Robert Hamell of Morrisville, Pa., with J.Scott McNeill and Mike Millward

Matt Hill of Williamsport, Pa., with Tom Gravish

Sara Baszczewski of Williamsport, Pa., with Dale Seeley

Jersey Shore Area Senior High School

Sean Teufel of Virginia Beach, Va., with Jim Smith

Hughesville Area Junior/Senior High School

Nicole Pish of Williamsport, Pa., with Bethany Hamm and Nicole Sampson

Lynn Detwiler of Ridgway, Pa., with Lynette Sauers

Eric Smithgall of South Williamsport, Pa., with Melanie Kline

Kristen Collins of Nazareth, Pa., with James Toohey

Montoursville Area High School

Ethan Lee of Mifflinburg, Pa., with Bruce Buckle

South Williamsport Senior High School

Scott Reed of Sparrow Bush, N.Y., with Linda Rosini and Liz Frey

Shannon Morgan of Stroudsburg, Pa., with Rich Zalonis

Erica Tufts of South Williamsport, Pa., with Josie Kennedy

Lycoming Valley Middle School

Margaret Benshaw of Williamsport, Pa., with Barbara Cioffi

Sara Taylor of Spring Grove, Pa., with Diane Welch

Curtin Middle School

Sarah Smith of Montoursville, Pa., with Tom Bartholomew

Muncy High School

Kimberly Morris of Orangeville, Pa., with Mike Weber

The following students are student-teaching at two schools:

Kim Franco of Tyrone, Pa., at Williamsport Area High School with Jim Hockenberry and at Hepburn-Lycoming Elementary with Andrea McDonough Varner

Stephanie Cataneo of Wayne, N.J., at Lyter Elementary School with Tara Foster and at Curtin Middle School with William Cuebas

Mara Giannini of West River, Md., at Williamsport Area High School with Rosellen Wenzel and at Lyter Elementary School with Tara Foster

Ashley Lubold of Shamokin, Pa., at Williamsport Area High School with Lori Crossley and at Lyter Elementary School with Kathy Becker

Alison Lubold of Shamokin, Pa., at Williamsport Area High School with Carol Porter and at Sheridan Elementary School with Brenda Watkins

Morgan Guest of Barto, Pa., at Jersey Shore Area Senior High School with Roberta Gardner-Dwyer and at Jackson Elementary School with Sandra Corson

Student nominated for statewide intern of the year award

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Lycoming College senior Ashley Lubold was nominated for the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Employers (PennACE) JoAnne Day Student of the Year Awards.

Three awards, in the categories of technical, non-profit and business, and are given each year to recognize outstanding interns enrolled at member institutions. Lubold was among 34 students representing 15 colleges and universities nominated for the honor.

Lubold, a native of Shamokin, Pa., who is an art major seeking K-12 teacher certification, has interned for Lycoming’s education department since September 2007. During her four years, she has performed a wide variety of services, including working on brochures and bulletin boards, updating study materials, analyzing data and providing much-needed office support.

“One of the major tasks that I completed this year was a brochure that was used at a nationally-recognized educational conference,” said Lubold. “This brochure included information on our HOPE enterprises preschool learning center, reasons why students would choose teacher certification at Lycoming, the education faculty and the areas of certification offered by the education department.”

“Ashley has learned almost every facet of the work that we do in the Education Department,” says Dr. Amy Rogers, chair and assistant professor of education at Lycoming. “She will definitely be an asset to the classroom when she teaches. Her ability to work with both students and colleagues will be evident in any job she pursues.”

The JoAnne Day Student of the Year Awards are in memory of JoAnne Day, a longtime colleague and friend to many involved in cooperative education, academic internships and career services, who died in 2005 after a two-year battle with cancer. Day’s professional tenure spanned decades and included a time as director of career development and assistant dean of students at Lycoming College.

In addition to her internship, Lubold is an active member of the College and local community, donating more than 100 hours of community service per month to organizations such as College’s Against Cancer, Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. She also can be found working as a resident advisor, summer orientation staff leader, career services peer advisor and admissions tour guide.

The Pennsylvania Associate of Colleges and Employers is a collaborative organization of career development and recruitment professionals that provides professional growth and networking opportunities designed to enhance career development practices for Pennsylvania college and university students and graduates.

Lycoming hosts 20th annual biology teachers workshop

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:00:00 EST

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Lycoming College hosted its 20^th annual Biotechnology Teacher Workshop on Nov. 23 in the Heim Science Building. More than 60 teachers from 35 school districts in Pennsylvania and Maryland attend the event, titled “Biotechnology: Touching All Parts of Life.”

The workshop was coordinated by Dr. Edward Gabriel, associate professor of biology at Lycoming, and Mark Temons, Muncy Junior/Senior High School biology teacher.

Participants attended sessions offered by several Lycoming professors and Temons. The presentations included:

“If I Only Had a Brain: Using Technology to Explore the Human Brain,” led by Dr. Mary Morrison, assistant professor of biology

“Analyzing Microbes in the High School Lab,” led by Dr. Jeffrey Newman, chair and assistant professor of biology

“Interpretation of Data from Real Time Monitoring of the Susquehanna River Watershed,” led by Dr. Mel Zimmerman, professor of biology and director of the Lycoming College Clean Water Institute

“Preparation of Human Chromosome Spreads,” led by Temons, with the participation of Muncy High School students

Teachers taking part in the day-long program received educational materials and a certificate for six hours of professional development credit.

Psychology professor and students research the learning habits of preschool children

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EST

Pictured are, seated: Dr. Sue Kelley and project coordinators Kelly Arendacs and Jennifer Melhorn. Standing from left to right: Stephanie Menagh, Amy Sharlow, Donna DiRocco, Alexander Towle, Bethany Mastronardi, Allison Hurley, Sara Miller, Amy Cline, Shelby Armold and Ashley Demchak.

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Dr. Sue Kelley, an associate professor of psychology at Lycoming College, and several of her students are researching the effects of live versus animated video instruction on the development of letter and letter sound knowledge in preschool children.

During the research project that began Oct. 17, 3-year-old children will watch either an animated video that outlines letter names and sounds or interact with a live instructor who will teach them the same letter names and sounds once a week for four weeks. Kelley says any differences in children’s knowledge of letters and letter sounds before and after the video/live instruction presentations will be assessed.

Psychology majors Kelly Arendacs and Jennifer Melhorn are completing independent study projects and will be coordinating the research under Kelley’s supervision. The other students will be involved in data collection. Some will be assessing children’s knowledge of letters and letter sounds, some will be facilitating the videotape presentations, and others will be serving as the live instructors for the children.

“In most graduate programs in psychology, students are expected to participate in and conduct research projects,” said Kelley. “Although Lycoming’s psychology department incorporates independent research in several of its courses, there is something different about participating in a larger research project. Because we are solely an undergraduate institution, our research assistants are often given more responsibility, such as tasks that may be delegated to a graduate student at a larger institution, and thus are developing even stronger research skills as a function of their participation in research at Lycoming College.”

According to Kelley, research by George Comstock and Haejung Paik in 1991 found that children spend more time watching television than engaging in any other activity other than sleeping. This suggests that understanding the effects of television is of major importance. If children spend such a considerable amount of time watching television, then identifying shows that can enhance development is crucial. Although previous research suggests that animated media may be effective in capturing preschool children’s attention and that educational programming targeted at preschool children (e.g., Sesame Street) can enhance cognitive development, Kelley says no studies have examined whether animated instruction is more effective than live instruction.

“Given the increasing prevalence of educational videos intended for preschool children, it seems an appropriate time to evaluate the effectiveness of this media,” said Kelley. “My research will attempt to fill the gap in the literature by examining whether animated media or live instruction is more effective in enhancing preschool children’s knowledge of letters and letter sounds.”

Kelley received a Professional Development Grant from the College, which is being used to fund this project.