DAHLONEGA - The University of North Georgia has named one of its own the new dean for the university's college of education.
Dr. Susan Brandenburg-Ayres, a faculty member at the school since 1994, had been serving as interim dean of the college since last summer. She previously served as associate dean.
"My goals include focusing on student learning through ongoing data-informed program improvement at the undergraduate and graduate levels, supporting faculty, serving our region, and expanding internationalization through both curriculum and exchange experiences for students and faculty," Ayres said in a press statement.
Ayres helped develop the professional development communities (PDC) model based on increasing the length and intensity of field experience for student teachers. Student-teachers in the program take their college courses at the public school, providing a more integrated experience that includes pre-planning activities and parent-teacher conferences.
"Research indicates that this model is significant in supporting teacher retention, a critical issue in a profession where half of all teachers leave the profession by their fifth year of teaching," Ayres said.
Ayres earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the University of Florida and earned a doctoral degree from the University of Northern Colorado.
