Low literacy among adults costs the U.S. millions

How did a professional with 20+ years of experience hide the fact that she couldn’t read from her employer?

Are you a teacher who can’t get a written response from a parent, but, when you call them, they’re excited to talk to you about their child’s progress.

Daphne Greenberg is an adult literacy advocate, a professor in the College’s Educational Psychology, Special Education and Communication Disorders department, and the principal investigator of the Center for the Study of Adult Literacy. Her TEDxPeachtree talk in 2013 discusses the personal and professional impact low literacy among adults has on the U.S. economy, and how adult literacy programs can help improve reading skills.

4 ways a cohort model can help graduate students succeed

Definition: A cohort is a group of people banded together or treated as a group.

As opposed to a traditional graduate program where students are expected to change courses every semester, a cohort engages a tight knit learning community of students, usually 10-12, throughout their entire academic program. Each member of the cohort is encouraged to listen, think deeply, and actively participate in discussions as they work towards their degree.

While staying with the same group of people throughout your entire graduate program may seem odd, studies have shown cohorts in higher education has become popular over the last several years because of the benefits the model can provide to students, faculty, and administrators.

If you’re considering applying to a graduate program based on the cohort model, here are a few of the positive outcomes you may be interested in knowing about.

1. Student-Centered
Cohorts are inherently designed to focus on the needs of the graduate students because the environment is a shared learning experience. In other words, each member of the cohort is seen as the teacher and learner, actively participates in discussions and learning activities, and encouraged to support everyone’s contributions to the group.

2. Builds Strong Bonds
Over the course of a one-three year graduate program, cohorts spend a considerable amount of time together in small participatory group discussions. Given this, students can develop deep friendships and family-like bonds with the other members of the group because of the intense and in-depth conversations the cohort has shared with each other.

3. Professional Network
The professional relationships cohorts build can result in a network, which extends beyond the classroom, and can significantly help students’ career development and professional advancement.

4. Efficient Administration
Since cohorts enroll the same students every semester, they are predictable. Students benefit because they can enroll in courses non-competitively and complete their program requirements in a timely manner. It also helps administrators stabilize revenue sources and expenditures.

5 steps to becoming a board certified behavior analyst

There is an increasing demand for Board Certified Behavior Analysts in the cross disciplinary fields of education, psychology, and other helping professions. Professionals in applied behavior analysis engage in the specific and comprehensive use of principles of learning to address the behavioral needs of widely varying individuals in diverse settings.

In order to become a board certified behavior analyst, you must complete the following steps:

1. Complete a master’s degree in behavior analysis or other natural science, education, human services, engineering, medicine or a field related to behavior analysis and approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) from any of the following:

• U.S. institution of higher education listed in the CHEA Database of Institutions and Programs Accredited by Recognized U.S. Accrediting Organizations
• Canadian institution of higher education that is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada or the Association of Canadian Community Colleges
• An institution of higher education located outside the U.S. or Canada that, at the time the applicant was enrolled and at the time the applicant graduated, maintained a standard of training equivalent to the standards of training of those institutions accredited in the U.S. as demonstrated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

2. Complete 225 classroom hours of graduate level instruction in the following content areas:

• Ethical considerations: 15 hours
• Definition & characteristics and Principles, processes & concepts: 45 hours
• Behavioral assessment and Selecting intervention outcomes & strategies: 35 hours
• Experimental evaluation of interventions: 20 hours
• Measurement of behavior and Displaying & interpreting behavioral data: 20 hours
• Behavior change procedures and Systems support: 45 hours
• Discretionary behavior-analytic content: 45 hours

3. Complete 1500 hours of Supervised Independent Fieldwork in behavior analysis.

4. Complete 1000 hours of Practicum in behavior analysis within a university practicum program approved by the BACB and taken for graduate academic credit.

5. Complete 750 hours of Intensive Practicum in behavior analysis within a university practicum program approved by the BACB and taken for graduate academic credit.

Learn more about Georgia State University’s Educational Psychology non-degree and master’s program, and download our Board Certified Behavior Analyst flier.

Is a masters in urban education, right for you?

It’s a known fact that children living in low-income and impoverished neighborhoods don’t receive a high quality education. What’s even more devastating is the rate at which teachers in high needs public schools leave the profession after a few years.

The Urban Accelerated Certification & Master’s Program (UACM) at Georgia State University in bustling downtown Atlanta offers you the opportunity to fill this growing gap by preparing you to earn a master’s of education.

Are you ready to make a difference in a child’s life?

• Two-year, master’s of education program
• Career changing professional and/or college graduate
• Interested in teaching at an urban elementary school
• One-time, $7500 stipend available
• Earn PreK-5 certification and English as a Second Language endorsement

What do our alumni have to say about the UACM program?

What you need to know about graduate school accreditation

Are you considering applying to graduate school?

If so, it’s imperative that you choose a college/university that’s accredited by one of six regional accrediting bodies. Depending on the type of program you’re interested, you should also determine if the program needs to be accredited by a specialized or professional accrediting agency. Learn more below.

Regional Accreditation

The U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognize the following six accrediting bodies that can award regional accreditation to degree granting institutions.

• Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
• Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Specialized Accreditation

The Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA) provides a collaborative forum for  organizations in the U.S. that assess the quality of specialized and professional higher education programs and schools. These organizations ensure students receive an education consistent with standards for entry to practice or advanced practice in each of their respective fields or disciplines.

[Quiz] Online Graduate Program: Legit or Bogus?

If you’re considering applying to an online graduate program, how can you tell if it’s legitimate or bogus? Take this short quiz to find out.