Christine Ashby, Julia White co-edit relaunched teacher education journal
Two faculty members from the Syracuse University School of Education have relaunched Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning, the journal of the New York Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, as an online, open-access clearinghouse on the preparation and professional development of educators.
Associate professor Christine Ashby and assistant professor Julia White, both in the department of Teaching and Leadership, are now co-editors-in-chief of the peer-reviewed journal. The relaunched Excelsior aims to promote the exchange of ideas and experiences between educators globally, facilitating research and experimentation in teacher education, teaching, and student learning.
"Julia and I bring to this work a long history of collaboration," says Ashby. "We have a trusting professional relationship that began over ten years ago during our doctoral training at Syracuse University. We bring significant publication experience and a shared passion for improving teacher education across New York State and nationally."
The print version of Excelsior, published by NYACTE for over a decade, has become a vital resource for teachers, teacher educators, and researchers. The online format will allow for a broader readership and more discovery of Excelsior's content and discussion. Subscriptions are no longer required and the journal is free for all readers. Ashby and White also hope to broaden both the scope of topics and range of voices represented in the journal, to better address issues in teacher education and preparation today.
White believes that the School of Education the ideal home for Excelsior, with consistently high rankings among both graduate schools of education and special education graduate programs, and a history rooted in inclusion and equity. "Syracuse University's School of Education is committed to the principle that diverse learning communities create the conditions that both enrich the educational experience and provide opportunities for all to realize their full potential," she adds.
Excelsior's online publication is sponsored by Syracuse University Libraries. The full first digital issue (Volume 11, Issue 1, 2018) is available on the Excelsior website.