Five Adelphi University professors are participating in Channel 13/WNET and WLIW21’s third annual “Teaching & Learning Celebration.” Leigh D. Benin, Ph.D., Diane M. Caracciolo, Ed.D., Diana M. Feige, Ed.D., Anne M. Mungai, Ph.D., and Devin G. Thornburg, Ph.D.—all from Adelphi’s Ruth S. Ammon School of Education—will serve as speakers and panelists at this year’s professional development conference which will focus on science, math, global awareness, and instructional technology. The event, of which Adelphi is a presenting sponsor, will be held March 7-8, 2008, at the Hilton New York, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY.

The two-day conference offers educators access to nationally renowned speakers, 90 hands-on workshops, and more than 100 vendors distributing information and samples. In attendance will be elementary, middle, and high school teachers, administrators, and policy makers.

“Starting with Stories: Oral History and Curriculum Development” will be presented by Dr. Benin on Friday, March 7, at 11:15 a.m. He will describe the Oral History Project in which teacher candidates and high school students collaborate to interview community members on video. In addition to learning about their community and history, teachers and students learn how to construct curriculum materials including lessons, Web sites and documentary videos.

Drs. Caracciolo, Feige, and Mungai present, “UBUNTU – Service Learning in Teacher Education and the English Language Arts Classroom,” joined by Maryann Beach, who teaches English Language Arts at Mineola (NY) High School. Service learning connects curriculum explicitly to the community and enhances student learning by adding a hands-on, experiential, community-based approach to teaching and learning. The discussion shares insights and practices from “Soul Pieces for Kenya,” a year-long, literacy co-curricular project for 10th and 11th graders.  The presentation is set for Friday, March 7, at 2:15 p.m.

Dr. Thornburg’s workshop, “Alternatives in Testing,” offers strategies for understanding high-stakes test results—both for individual children and in aggregated groups—from the vantage point of their developmental and educational needs. He also will cover the array of alternatives in educational assessment based on current best practices and research in the field, on Saturday, March 8, at 11:15 a.m.

Educators can purchase tickets in person on March 7 or 8. Additional event information and registration are available at www.thirteencelebration.org.


About Adelphi University: Adelphi University, chartered in 1896, was the first institution of higher education for the liberal arts and sciences on Long Island. Through its schools and programs—The College of Arts and Sciences, the Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, the Honors College, the Ruth S. Ammon School of Education, University College, and the Schools of Business, Nursing, and Social Work—the co-educational university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as professional and educational programs for adults. Adelphi University currently enrolls more than 8,300 students from 40 states and 50 foreign countries. With its main campus in Garden City and centers in Manhattan, Hauppauge, and Poughkeepsie, the University maintains a commitment to liberal studies in tandem with rigorous professional preparation and active citizenship.


Media Contact
For additional information, please contact:

Kali Chan Media Relations Director p - 516.877.4040 f - 516.877.3266 e - chan@adelphi.edu

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