| Department: | Theory and Practice in Teacher Education |
| Insitution: | The University of Tennessee |
| Knoxville, TN |
Advancing equity through excellence in education
As an education department at a public land-grant and research institution, our mission is to benefit local, regional, national, and global communities by
1.Conducting educational research designed to improve opportunities for educational equity and excellence for all. We do this by ◦Creating and participating in scholarship that leads to improved educational and interpreting practices and that extends our knowledge of issues and factors critical to school success;
◦Staying abreast of current educational research that informs our academic fields; and
◦Disseminating research in our academic fields and to the public to encourage informed decisions on educational initiatives and policy.
2.Preparing expert, culturally competent teachers, interpreters, researchers, and educational leaders who can meet the needs of all learners. We do this by ◦Developing, modeling, and critiquing research-based practices in our teaching;
◦Advancing educational equity in inclusive, student-centered environments that provide opportunities for dialogue and multiple viewpoints; and
◦Promoting self-reflection in our students and ourselves for continued growth and life-long learning.
3.Engaging in outreach and service designed to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for all learners, especially underserved populations. We do this by ◦Creating and participating in mutually beneficial university-school and -agency partnerships that promote equity and diversity;
◦Leading and participating in organizations (domestically and internationally) to promote evidence-based and equitable standards of practice in our respective areas; and
◦Sharing our expertise (domestically and internationally) in engaged academic outreach activities that benefit all educators, interpreters, and students.