KnightED Talks, a professional learning initiative presented by the School of Teacher Education, is designed for teacher candidates. This initiative supplements teacher preparation provided by coursework and field experiences. It enhances the quality of UCF’s initial teacher certification program, contributing to the development of credentialed teacher education graduates, and increasing their marketability in today’s job market. KnightED Talks underscores the importance of professional and personal growth in becoming a highly effective educator.
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KnightED Talks Workshops
What are the KnightED Talks workshops?
The KnightED Talks workshops, offered throughout the fall and spring semesters, provide teacher candidates with regular professional learning on topics of relevance to the teaching profession. The workshops, which are an hour long, are conducted by university faculty and K-12 educators who have expertise in areas of interest to students aspiring to become teachers.
The workshops, most of which are highly interactive, have been very well-received by students. Students benefit from the additional preparation they receive to meet the increasing demands of the teaching profession. They also receive workshop handouts and instructional materials that they can add to their ever-growing resource files. Finally, the experiences afforded them by the workshops can be added to their resumes and job interview portfolios.
How do I register for the KnightED Talks workshops?
Unless otherwise specified, no pre-registration is required; simply show up, learn, have fun, and gain experience to add to your resumes, professional portfolios and teaching credentials.
KnightED Talks Student Showcase
The KnightEd Talks Student Showcase occurs bi-annually in the fall and spring while students complete their final course, EDE 4301, the Elementary Education Capstone Colloquium. It is a forum for students to share their best work with their peers during a 20-minute session in an in-house conference venue. This professional development opportunity enhances students’ scholarship and presentational skills. Student presenters engage in a mentoring relationship with faculty as they progress through all steps of the presentation process – from brainstorming a presentation topic, to writing a presentation proposal, to honing one’s presentation, to presenting at the Showcase. This experience, which can be included on one’s professional resume, shows initiative and a desire to be a lifelong learner – attributes highly valued by future employers.
2019 Showcase Program
- Hone presenting skills.
- Participate in a “live” professional development experience.
- Gain experience that can be included in professional portfolios and resumes.
Previous topics have included the following:
- Strategies or activities learned in classes, workshops, internships, field experiences, etc.
- Talents related to education that can be easily taught to the audience
- An effective strategy that was implemented during an internship