2019 FALL LYCOMING COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Since 2015, Lycoming College has partnered with BLaST Intermediate Unit 17, a regional educational service agency established by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, to encourage and enable a community of thinkers. Through this partnership, the College is able to facilitate training on technology, research-based instructional strategies, and professional development opportunities for the K-12 classroom. “BLaST provides Lycoming College with an instructional teaching lab for how to incorporate these technologies into the classrooms. We have access to a lending lab complete with technological devices, services, and applications specifically designed for the K-12 audience that our student teachers can use,” commented Rachel Hickoff-Cresko, Ed.D., chair and associate professor of education. BLaST serves Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, and Tioga counties with their charge to fully engage in assisting schools with their regular education curriculum and professional development needs, as well as educating children with special needs. The organization’s vision is to create “thinkers” on the premise that “thinking is foundational to the development of self and society. It is the cornerstone of all creative ideas and problem solving, new scientific discoveries, new products and services, individual and organizational learning, education, business success, interpersonal communications, social change, and democracy.” Its mission is to provide training and support to learners, demonstrate enthusiasm surrounding the importance of creating a generation of thinkers, and to allow learners to independently apply what they have learned. “We don’t often see these types of partnerships available for pre- service teachers and feel it will allow our students to gain experiences that will not only help them as they get out into the field, but will also make them distinguished teacher candidates,” said Hickoff-Cresko. Lycoming’s Partnership with BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 BLaST provides Lycoming College with an instructional teaching lab for how to incorporate these technologies into the classrooms. 26 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2019 FALL MAGAZINE