Dear Faculty and Staff,
Education professionals, worldwide, have been acutely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Over the last several weeks, a great deal has been asked of us: to quickly transition curriculum to online learning formats; to support learners, their families, and fellow colleagues in humanistic ways; and much more.
Your hard work is not going unnoticed. I am hearing personal accounts of the resourcefulness, persistence, and compassion you are demonstrating during this uncertain time.
Gratitude is the heart of this message.
Just Launched: Welcome to LearnAway
We know that many of you, just like our alumni educators, are now stepping up to meet the challenges of online teaching and learning—in professional ways, as well as at home with your own family. The Council on Teacher Education (CoTE), housed in the College of Education, along with higher education partner institutions, has created and launched a new resource at learnaway.education.illinois.edu: remote learning ideas, resources, tips, and tools in a one-stop-shop.
LearnAway is still evolving, and provides a wealth of curated remote learning resources to help educators transition to online instruction. Search for tools and curriculum ideas for learners birth through grade 12. Share this site with your peers, family, and friends! LearnAway is available to all educators, everywhere—free of charge.
Thank You
Within the College, our faculty and staff’s expertise in digital, technology-driven teaching and learning modalities is helping us deliver a quality educational experience—now completely online—to our undergraduate and graduate students. Education as a discipline, and the profession of teaching, will be forever changed by current events. Our degree programs, focused on the future of education, are training students to succeed no matter the scenario.
The role of educators is critical to safeguarding society’s continued mental and emotional development, progress, and achievement during this pandemic. We are grateful for and incredibly proud of our Education alumni making a difference every day in the lives of learners everywhere.
Yours in Orange and Blue,
James D. Anderson
Dean and Gutgsell Professor
College of Education
