September 16, 2002

WKU Faculty Serving On
National Education Board

Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University faculty member Terry Wilson has been named the North American Association for Environmental Education's representative on a national teacher education board.

Dr. Wilson, who is serving as president of the NAAEE, was recently appointed to a three-year term on the board of governors of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Dr. Karen Adams, dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, called the appointment "a great honor for Dr. Wilson and for Western."

NCATE is a coalition of more than 30 organizations that sets professional standards for colleges and universities that prepare teachers and other personnel for work in elementary and secondary schools.

"One of my goals as president was for NAAEE to become a member organization of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education," said Dr. Wilson, who is director of Western's Center for Mathematics, Science and Environmental Education.

The NAAEE is a network of professionals, students and volunteers working in the field of environmental education in North America and 55 countries. NAAEE was ratified as a member of NCATE in May.

"Through our involvement in NCATE, our board believes that we will have the opportunity to influence the preparation of future teachers in the United States," Dr. Wilson said. "It is our belief that NAAEE's membership will broaden and complement the representation of other professional groups with NCATE."

As a member of NCATE, NAAEE will appoint representatives to NCATE's on-site evaluation teams and to policy boards that develop NCATE standards, policies and procedures.

Dr. Wilson has been appointed to a three-year term on NCATE's national Special Areas Studies Board, which is responsible for developing the rules and procedures for approving curriculum guidelines and making recommendations regarding the program review process. The board is composed of 15 members: one each from teacher education, teachers, state and local policymakers, and 12 from professional specialty groups.

For more information, contact Dr. Terry Wilson at (270) 745-4671. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via E-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

-WKU-