At the Cutting Edge

The College of Education's determination to provide leadership in the areas of education and human services has never been stronger than it is today.

As one of the longest-standing programs in the country, we continue to be at the cutting edge of social science research. In 2016, the College received nearly $6.5 million in new research funding from the Department of Education, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Our faculty members conduct groundbreaking work in areas that include community health, language, behavior and literacy programs for preschool and elementary school children, interventions for those with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and the screening of children at risk in urban educational settings.

The work that our faculty members do is exciting and challenging. They work directly with our students and with schools around the world to train highly skilled professionals and direct programs that can change the lives of children, and thereby change the world.

This past summer, the College has been an active partner in Lehigh's Mountaintop initiative, which allows undergraduate and graduate students to work across disciplines and independently pursue answers to open-ended questions. Mentored by members of the faculty, several student teams explored the refugee crisis, civic hacking, racial inequities in education and the use of technology to track time use, among other initiatives. This model of learning represents the future of higher education in the United States.

In this issue of Theory to Practice, we examine questions explored by our faculty and our students. How can educational systems help refugees who are struggling to start life anew in countries feeling the strain? How can teachers better engage students who are ever more culturally and linguistically diverse? Can wearable technology help in the evaluation of how principals use their time?

We also highlight the important work that the College is doing around the globe, from the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania to Cambodia, China and the Czech Republic.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Theory to Practice.

Gary Sasso
Dean of the College of Education
Lehigh University