Duke Program in Education

2011 Speaker - Diane Ravitch

Diane Ravitch, one of the country's leading authors and activists on education issues,discussed school reform in a speech at Duke University's Page Auditorium on October 3, 2011.

Her visit was sponsored jointly by the Program in Education and Durham Public Schools (DPS). Ravitch met with Duke faculty and administrators to discuss teacher education and partnerships between schools and universities. She also met with  DPS teachers, principals, administrators and board members to discuss ways of enhancing student performance.

2009 Speaker Series in Applied Educational Research

Promoting Transformational Learning Through Civic Engagement
Kenneth Rearson, Cornell University

In March 2009 the Program in Education was pleased to sponsor a visit to Duke by Kenneth Reardon, Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in City and Regional Planning in the School of Urban Affairs and  Public Policy at the University of Memphis and a nationally recognized faculty member in the fields of service learning and civic engagement Professor Reardon is involved in research, teaching, and outreach activities in the areas of neighborhood planning, community development, and community/university partnerships. Prior to joining the University of Memphis faculty, he served as an Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University, where he established the Cornell Urban Scholars and Urban Mentors Programs that involve more than 80 students in public service internships in New York City. He also played an instrumental role in establishing Cornell’s New Orleans Planning Initiative, through which undergraduate and graduate planning students from Cornell, Columbia, and Illinois collaborated with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) to devise a comprehensive recovery strategy for the 9th Ward. This strategy has been formally adopted by the City of New Orleans and has received significant national attention and federal government support. Dr. Reardon’s visit allowed him to meet with faculty, staff, and students interested in education, public service, and service learning.

Discussion with Academy-Award Winning Filmmakers                          Alan and Susan Raymond

Alan and Susan Raymond are among America’s most influential and distinguished independent documentary producers and directors. Their films, which have focused on public education, prisoner’s rights, religion, police, and urban blues, reflect our society’s changing values. The Raymonds’ visit at the conclusion of the inaugural Program in Education Film Festival allowed participants to explore personal reactions and raise further questions about the controversial issues in their films.