Over the past 20+ years, UVU’s School of Education has grown from just a few students in early childhood and elementary education to nearly 1,000 in teacher education and autism studies programs. Over these years we have added 18 secondary teaching subject areas, a new K-12 special education teacher preparation program, and a graduate degree with multiple areas of emphasis including support for practicing teachers and a new focus on Applied Behavior Analysis to support Autism professionals. Our graduates have a profound positive impact on the quality of life many in our community are able to experience. We are pleased that our teacher education programs are nationally accredited through both the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) and the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Our autism programs are certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Each of these councils and boards ensures that our programs meet the highest expectations for impactful professional practice. Our first master’s degree program began in August 2008. Students enrolled in the Master of Education program focus on options including elementary STEM, teacher leadership, English as a second language, elementary mathematics, educational technology, gifted and talented education, reading, and applied behavioral analysis. The School of Education is committed to helping meet educational and community support needs within our service region. As an example, we are collaborating with our colleagues across UVU and within the community to provide autism support services. The Melisa Nellesen Autism Center is now housed in a new, functional support facility. In this new space, we have also established two demonstration classrooms to model effective instructional support strategies for school professionals who work with children on the autism spectrum.
Parker Fawson Dean, School of Education Utah Valley University Parker Fawson has served as dean of the School of Education at Utah Valley University since 2013. Prior to coming to UVU he was an associate dean of the College of Education at the University of Kentucky, and chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Before joining the faculty at the University of Kentucky, Dr. Fawson served as the assistant dean for Global Teacher Education, associate department head of the School of Teacher Education and Leadership, and chair of the Elementary Education Program at Utah State University. In addition to his classroom teaching, which includes teaching first, third, fourth, and sixth grades, he served as a reading consultant for local schools and school districts. He has authored or coauthored over two dozen publications. Dr. Fawson received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Weber State University, a master’s of education in educational leadership and a doctorate of education in reading and language arts from Brigham Young University.
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The School of Education is also known for its efforts to improve the preparation of impactful teachers. We provide programming that prepares our graduates to teach effectively within rapidly advancing expectations for learning. We are exploring methods to better induct our graduates into school contexts through embedded programming that allows our students to work closely with teachers on a more frequent basis. We also provide our education students with opportunities to student-teach in strategically identified international and domestic locations. This enhances their ability to better support a diverse student population in our Utah classrooms. Our students also demonstrate their preparation to teach by successfully completing a pre-professional performance assessment. As we enjoy this holiday season and approach a new year, we are excited about the many options our students have as they prepare for productive careers in education and autism support. Our graduates truly make a difference in the lives of those they support. Warmest regards,
Parker Fawson
Parker Fawson Dean, School of Education Utah Valley University