Four College of Education alumni are among the educators being honored for improving education through technology from the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL).
The awardees from MSU include:
- Outstanding Technology-Using Pre-K to 12 Teacher of the Year: Joanna Van Raden, (Educational Technology Certificate, ’09), a fourth-grade teacher at Luther C. Klager Elementary School in Manchester.
- Outstanding Technology-Using Educator of the Year: Andrew Steinman, MA ’11 (Educational Technology), an educational technology consultant within the Kent Intermediate School District.
- Runner-Up for Outstanding Technology-Using Educator of the Year: Jillian Johnson, MA ’12 (Educational Technology), a technology interventionist in Wayne-Westland Community Schools.
- Outstanding Technology Coordinator of the Year: Shannon Degan, BA ’94, MA ’05 (Educational Technology), director of technology and collaborative services in the Jackson County Intermediate School District.
Several of the winners are also leading or co-leading sessions at the MACUL annual conference, being held in Detroit on March 18-20.
The College of Education is also tied to MACUL in other ways. Melody Arabo, BA ’01, MA ’04 (Teaching and Curriculum), and 2014-15 Michigan Teacher of the Year, is one of the featured speakers at the event. Additionally, Terri Gustafson, director of the College of Education’s Center for Teaching and Technology, is on the Board of Directors as the higher education representative and chair on the advocacy committee.
“MACUL is one of the largest K-12 technology organizations in the country, and the recognition of MSU alumni as award winners for outstanding technology educators and coordinator is a wonderful testament to the incredible teacher education and educational technology programs at the College of Education,” Gustafson said. She said many members of the MACUL Board of Directors are also MSU alumni.