Professor's work, legacy celebrated at special AERA session

A College of Education professor will be honored for her transformative scholarship during a special invited session at the upcoming AERA conference.

The session, which takes place Monday, April 16, features a panel of black women teacher educators sharing how professor Cynthia Dillard's work has influenced their thinking, research and the ways they navigate academia as black women scholars. The session is titled "On Spiritual Savings": Black Women Teacher Educators Honoring the Work of Dr. Cynthia Dillard."

Dillard is head of the department of educational theory and practice in the UGA College of Education.

Session participants will also share how Dillard's work has been instrumental for the field of teaching and teacher education, and how her scholarship will leave a legacy for future generations of educators. Dillard will conclude the session with remarks on viewing teacher education research as both intellectual and spiritual endeavors, in conjunction with striving to end oppression and working toward a better humanity for all.

The event is hosted by AERA's Division K, one of 12 divisions of the American Educational Research Association. Division K focuses on teaching and teacher education, promoting scholarship and research that rethinks the conventional boundaries between researchers and practitioners. This division also aims to support and promote the work of teachers and their profession.

The Division K invited sessions are part of the 2018 Annual Meeting of AERA, taking place April 13-17 in New York City.