Simpson to present at AACTE Conference

Tim Simpson, professor and chair of the Department of Foundational and Graduate Studies in Education (FGSE), recently held a lecture at Louisville’s Immaculata Classical Academy and will be among the presenters at the upcoming national conference of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), which will be held later this month in Louisville.

On Feb. 8, Simpson gave a lecture entitled “Tacit Knowing as a Rationale for Classical Education” at the academy. The lecture was intended to increase understanding and appreciation of classical education and how the concept of tacit learning applies to classical education. 

At the AACTE conference, scheduled for Feb. 23, Simpson will discuss whether the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation’s (CAEP) assessment of Educator Preparation Providers (EPP) sustains and advances the profession of teaching. Last May, Simpson submitted his abstract, “CAEP and the Decline of Teaching as a Profession: Harry Broudy’s Critique of CAEP’s Assessment of Educator Preparation Programs” to be considered for presentation at the conference, and it was selected after being reviewed by conference organizers. 

“This presentation will offer a careful examination of CAEP’s assessment of EPP’s to determine its leading assumptions driving its policy and practice,” Simpson said. “I hope the audience takes away at least three ideas from my presentation. First, a better understanding of the kind of teacher CAEP produces and how it understands a professional teacher, second, an appreciation for Harry Broudy’s thought on professional teaching and his potential criticisms of CAEP, and third, the complexity of identifying what is a ‘professional’ teacher and what we need to do in teacher education programs to produce a professional teacher. Our schools deserve no less.” 

For more information about his research, contact Simpson at tl.simpson@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-0909. To learn more about academic programs in the Department of Foundational and Graduate Studies in Education, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/fgse.