Welcome to E-Bridges! This issue features research topics that all readers with an interest in education should find useful. You will also find news about recent College of Education happenings as well as information on upcoming activities and professional development opportunities.

Please let us know how you like your E-Bridges! Suggestions and comments may be sent to Suzanne Wayne at suzwayne@psu.edu.

Childhood Obesity May Be More Prevalent in Rural Areas

Studies by Penn State’s Center on Rural Education and Communities suggest that community factors in sparsely populated regions help feed the obesity epidemic.

Urban Teaching Collaborative Takes Penn State to the Inner City

A new project is aimed at improving the academic achievement of students attending an urban Philadelphia elementary school.

High-Stakes Assessments: The Chinese Civil Service Exam

Hoi Suen's research on the long history of the Chinese standardized test reveals that social consequences arise when people prepare at any cost.

Probing Question: Can School Bullying Have Deadly Consequences? (Penn State Live article)

Once characterized as a normal rite of passage for children, school bullying is under renewed scrutiny by researchers and educators.

Protecting Children from Online Predators and Cyber-Bullies

To help youth learn how to protect themselves online, Penn State has formed a new partnership with the Internet Keep Safe Coalition.

Professor William Boyd Visits East Asia; Reconnects with Alumni

Boyd saw first-hand the remarkable places and the importance that education commands in the nations of the Far East.

Horst von Dorpowski Retires as Assistant Dean

From his first visit to Penn State in the 1960s as an interpreter for Brazilian educators, von Dorpowski has been a good fit.

Alumni Awards Program
Nominate an alumnus for a 2007 College of Education award. Nomination deadline is Jan. 31.

It’s Not Too Late to Give
Remember the College as you finalize your 2006 charitable donations. Your gift will support students, faculty, and numerous education initiatives. Make a gift online, and designate the College of Education as the recipient.

Cycle-thon 2007
Be part of the second annual College of Education Cycle-thon, scheduled during April's Blue-White weekend.

Class Notes
Alumni can learn about what your Penn State classmates are up to, and let them know what you are doing now.

2006 Alumni Fellows Named

Shelley Canright oversees the educational technology programs provided by NASA.

Miguel J. Escala is a licensed psychologist and a higher education expert in the Caribbean.

Note: The Alumni Society is accepting nominations for 2007 Alumni Fellow awards. The deadline is Jan. 31.

Online Seminars Available Through EdLion

Some convenient seminars are coming up on the EdLion online service. Take advantage of these opportunities to interact with the presenters and learn about timely issues in the interest of education, safety, and society.

New ideas for future sessions are welcome.

Classroom Management
This interactive session will provide participants with an opportunity to engage in discussion and problem-solving concerning questions and issues regarding classroom management.

January 23, 7-8 p.m. Eastern Time
Presenters: Jim Nolan and Bernard Badiali

School Safety and Bullying
The unique developmental aspects of bullying and youth violence will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on those personal and situational characteristics that can escalate comparatively minor interpersonal relation problems into more extreme forms of youth violence. Practical ways of dealing with these issues will be provided.

February 27, 4-5 p.m. Eastern Time
Presenters: Richard Hazler and JoLynn Carney

New Children’s Books for the Elementary Grades
This session will examine some of the latest and most exciting children’s books published in the last 12 months. Advice on how to the use the titles in the classroom will be offered.

March 21, 7-8 p.m. Eastern Time
Presenters: Lisa Hopkins, Dan Hade, and Steve Herb

Internet Safety
The IKeepSafe (Internet Keep Safe Coalition) group teaches basic rules on Internet safety to children, parents, and educators. This session provides an overview of useful safety techniques for educators to incorporate into their classrooms.

April 18, 4-5 p.m. Eastern Time
Presenters: Iris Beckwith* and Kyle Peck

*vice president of ikeepsafe.org

Teacher Activities Through
Center for Science and the Schools

CSATS provides support to experienced teachers for programs that are science-related and science-driven. For example, the Center can assist teachers in registering for Act 48 credit, finding a summer course, or shaping master's degree studies.

Workshops for Teaching Extreme Earth Systems

Teachers can help students improve their achievement in science and math, as well as in the use of computer and network technology, as part of the flexe (From Local to EXtreme Environments) initiative (tentative dates: Jan. 13 & Feb. 10)

Half-Year Sabbaticals for Science Teachers (PDF)

Saturday Science Workshops (PDF)

Penn State
World Campus

Enhance your career opportunities with an online master's degree or certificate:

Master's Degree Programs

M.Ed. in Instructional Systems
Educational Technology

M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction
Teacher Leadership

M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction
Children's Literature

M.Ed. in Adult Education

Certificate Programs

Certificate in Family Literacy

Certificate in Educational Technology Integration

Distance Education Certificate

Autism Professional Development Certificate

Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate

Reading Instruction for Special Education (RISE)

E-Bridges is published by the Penn State College of Education.

E-Bridges Archive

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College of Education Home Page: http://www.ed.psu.edu
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Editor: Suzanne Wayne, jxs59@psu.edu
Associate Editor: Joe Savrock, jts14@psu.edu

This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.
U.Ed. EDU 07-26

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