UA College of Education

From left, Amber Barton and Drs. Marissa Filderman, Brittany Adams and Cortney Dilgard were proud to participate in the inaugural PARCA Alignment Institute hosted last week by Auburn University's College of Education! 🍏✨

Educator preparation leaders from across the state collaborated to strengthen alignment with ALSDE standards, share practices and prepare for upcoming PARCA evaluations. Together they are advancing educator prep and supporting excellence in Alabama teaching and learning 🙌

“I believe I ended up at UA for a reason … Now, I’m able to advocate for others, too.”

Demitrius Barksdale was a first-generation college student whose academic journey took him all the way to earning his doctorate in Higher Education Administration through The University of Alabama Online and UA College of Education. 📚

Now, Dr. Barksdale is an award-winning professor of Counselor Education with the College, known for encouraging his students to pursue their goals and overcome challenges.

We love to see our students succeed and go on to help others. Learn more about Dr. Barksdale and how UA Online can help you chart your course, wherever you are: https://bit.ly/4px6CGl

We are proud to share that Dr. Cailin Kerch has been appointed to Gov. Kay Ivey's new taskforce that will study the effects of screen-based learning in Alabama’s K-12 classrooms!

She will be lending her expertise as a higher education researcher, and we have no doubt she will make The University of Alabama and our state proud.

Congratulations, Dr. Kerch!! 👏👏

The Governor’s Commission on Screen-Based Instruction was created to determine how screen access can enhance classroom learning without becoming a distraction. Their evidence-based recommendations will help inform future state legislation.

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“I have a health condition that limits my mobility at times. I needed the flexibility of pursuing my educational goals while also attending to my personal life. With my program offered fully online, I felt that there was still hope for me.

“UA Online has tools and resources readily available for helping me to remain academically successful.

“One of the factors that I love the most is the communication with faculty and staff. The words I type are equal to my voice. As an online student, I feel seen, heard and valued.”

— Chamere Littlejohn
MA in Higher Education Administration
UA College of Education Most Outstanding Student Award Recipient

On the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we want to recognize our students who continue to rise above challenges and break societal molds to reach their educational goals. You inspire us to keep doing better!

"The master’s degree from UA didn’t just enhance my existing skills; it changed my capacity to impact others.”

Megan Brannan-Pierce knew experience alone wasn’t enough to grow as an educator. That’s why she chose UA College of Education through UA Online, with its strong faculty and respected programs. Today, she develops curriculum and training programs in the automotive industry. 💡🎓

Megan was also able to apply UA’s research-based strategies at home for immediate breakthroughs parenting a child with ADHD, and professionally, she builds inclusive, accessible programs that consider diverse learners. 📚

Read more about Megan: https://bit.ly/4ppMjKJ

Last month, the Code-N-Sensor Future Lab summer camp welcomed 61 students from across Tuscaloosa for its second year! 🤖🌟

Students took part in a week of hands-on computer science, AI and STEM learning experiences, helping them see themselves as innovators and problem-solvers capable of shaping the world 💪

Drs. Feiya Luo, Amy Hutchison and Chris Crawford as well as staff and students affiliated with the D.CoaD Literacies Lab hosted the summer program, which also provided valuable opportunities for current educators, UA teacher candidates and researchers!

“I had a young child at home, and I just couldn't commit to being on campus all the time.”

As a single mom, Casey Evans always put her children first. After her youngest child completed high school, she decided to go back to school to earn an advanced degree.

Choosing UA College of Education through UA Online gave Casey the flexibility she needed to pursue her MA in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Learning and Assessment. Her story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to achieve your goals. 💪

Read more about Casey’s story and how UA Online can offer you the flexibility you need: https://bit.ly/4kW1msd

A hearty congratulations to Crystal Butler, one of our talented instructional course designers for The University of Alabama Online, and Dr. Paton Beck in the UA College of Education! They have received a 2026 Blackboard Exemplary Course Award for the course Higher Education in the United States.

Blackboard LMS honors faculty and instructional designers with this award for high-quality courses in the areas of course design, interaction and collaboration, assessment, and learner support.

At The University of Alabama Online, we’re dedicated to accessible, innovative courses that help our students succeed — and we couldn’t do it without our dedicated faculty and staff. Congratulations again!

Nathan Cantrell earned his MA in Higher Education Administration through UA Online and UA College of Education, and now he works for the University helping transfer students. 🐘

“I knew UA Online's prices were really good compared to other schools,” Nathan said. “Really, everything that UA Online had to offer was — the program itself and the accessibility of the program.”

Let us show you how online learning can help you reach your academic and career goals, too! Learn more at online.ua.edu.

COE alumna and UAB Assistant Professor of Literacy Dr. Kristin Johnson is helping transform literacy education to better serve young students across Alabama! We are so proud to see Dr. Johnson and other alumni doing such impactful work 🫶📚

Alabama continues to see gains in literacy because of systemic efforts that align professional learning, assessment, instructional strategies, curriculum materials, coaching, leadership, family and community support, and perhaps most importantly, teacher preparation. Since 2019, our teacher preparation faculty have transformed their literacy coursework through hours of professional learning and collaboration. I couldn’t be more proud to walk alongside these professionals who accepted the challenge to more closely align with the science of reading so that Alabama’s children will have access to high-quality literacy instruction. Here’s a glimpse of that work from one of our EPP Research to Practice Labs this fall.