Virginia Tech School of Education

08/26/2026

Dolly’s legacy reminds us that literacy is more than learning to read. It’s about opening doors to learning, imagination and opportunity — one book at a time. ❤️

"Dolly Parton created one of the most successful early literacy programs in the world through her Imagination Library.

Research shows that children who participate in the program develop stronger vocabularies, stronger early literacy skills, and a greater love of reading. But, the impact goes beyond academics — the program has been especially important for children living in poverty, where access to books is often limited. For many families, these may be the first books a child can truly call their own.

Dolly didn't just provide books. She helped make reading accessible, valued, and part of everyday family life. In communities where families may not have strong connections to books or literacy, she helped open the door to reading and learning.

By giving children access to books from an early age, the Imagination Library has helped reduce literacy gaps and better prepare children for success in school and beyond."
-Donna Fortune, associate professor of practice in elementary education

08/24/2026

Happy first day of class, Hokies!

We know that school can be stressful. But when you get overwhelmed, just remember - it's kinda chic to be an SOE student 🫶

08/24/2026

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly commonplace in students’ lives, concerns over academic integrity have grown.

But Virginia Tech experts Amy Allen and Pamela Gilchrist say K-12 classrooms should focus less on detecting AI misuse and more on teaching students how to use the tools responsibly.

Read more ⬇️

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly commonplace in students’ lives, concerns over academic integrity have grown. But Virginia Tech experts Amy Allen and Pamela Gilchrist say K-12 classrooms should focus less on detecting AI misuse and more on teaching students how to use the tools resp...

08/17/2026

What happens when history teachers 𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚 AI as a tool for learning?

SOE faculty members Amy Allen and David Hicks are helping K-12 teachers across Virginia explore ways AI can deepen learning — 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥.

This summer, they hosted a professional development workshop with support from the Center for Humanities at Virginia Tech. Now, they plan to host three more this fall with funding from The Library of Congress through its Teaching with Primary Sources Partner Program.

Read the full story: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/08/clahs-AI-in-history-classrooms.html

School of Education professors are empowering public school teachers to explore how they can implement AI in ways that support learning and critical thinking.

08/04/2026

Parents, are you looking for ways to improve your child's reading and writing skills before they head back to the classroom?

Dana Robertson, director of the School of Education, says it's possible - even with a busy schedule.

Learn more about the tips he shared with WFIR ⬇️

The head of the Virginia Tech School of Education says there are several factors contributing to the drop in reading comprehension skills among young people. Details from WFIR’s Clark Palmer:

08/04/2026

Location: Center for the Arts, Street and Davis Performance Hall, Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre 190 Alumni Mall Blacksburg, VA 24061

07/16/2026

Amazing things happen when the world is your classroom 🌎

This summer, our students had the chance to learn about neutrality in education - and what better place to learn about the effects of neutrality than at the Virginia Tech Steger Center for International Scholarship in Switzerland? 🇨🇭

Students were challenged to examine the impact of neutrality on certain historical events like the Holocaust, the Rwandan Genocide, and Women’s Suffrage.

Learn more about studying abroad with the SOE at soe.vt.edu

07/16/2026

Welcome to the first issue of ECHO, the digital magazine of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. This edition celebrates the voices, journeys, and impact of our extraordinary community.

07/14/2026

Help us give a big Hokie shout out to Morgan Blankenship, a student in our English language arts education program!

From her work with The Woove and WUVT-FM 90.7 Blacksburg to serving as a student leader for GenerationOne (a first-gen living learning community), Morgan has embodied Ut Prosim and demonstrated why — cultivating spaces where students can share their stories and build community.

🔗 Read her full story here: https://go.vt.edu/urwSo

07/08/2026

There's still time!

RSVP here: forms.gle/mhtyQ5EV2x7RZE1MA

K-12 history teachers — this workshop is for you! 📚✨

Join us July 13–16 at for "Teaching History with Chatty Geeps", a hands-on professional development experience exploring how generative AI can support engaging, inquiry-rich history instruction.

You’ll learn how to:
🔍 Teach sourcing, contextualization, and corroboration
📖 Analyze primary sources with AI tools
🛠 Build classroom-ready materials and activities
🤖 Explore practical AI strategies for your history classroom

💰 Participants are eligible for a $500 stipend!

Register here: https://forms.gle/mhtyQ5EV2x7RZE1MA